With it being easier than ever before to own a great quality DSLR or advanced point and shoot camera, more amateur photographers have the tools to get out there and experience a field of photography that in the past was reserved for the pros.

Wildlife photography is anything but a walk in the park. It requires a certain skill that needs to be practiced again and again to get it just right, a good eye capable of quickly evaluating a scene to get that perfect angle, and a healthy dose of patience.

Not all wildlife images are going to catch your eye. This could be because the photographer is trigger happy and clicking away without much thought, hoping to capture something amazing. Or it could be because the photographer is missing a few of the basic skills necessary to bring the image to life.

Luckily, with the digital cameras of today, you have ample opportunity to play around and take as many blurring, uninspiring photos as you like. This is the only way you are really going to learn, and since you won’t be wasting film, you can click away until you have the basics down and your style sorted.

But in order to get you to the point that you can practice and take beautiful snaps as an amateur, we’re going to layout 5 things you need to know.