Outdoor photography has taken me to a lot of incredible places over the years. But you do not need to go to exotic locations to experience the joys of watching and taking pictures of wild animals and birds. Your front lawn, Dogtown, the Lilly Pond, the reservoirs, the marshes, Eastern Point, Plum Island and Crane Beach are just a few local places where wildlife abounds and great photo opportunities await.To take great wildlife photos you need to have incredible patience. You are outdoors. The animals, birds or insects are wild. You cannot control their behavior or position, so you have to sometimes wait hours or even days for the right shot. And, you need to study your subject so that you get on the right trail, are at the right crossing during the right time of the day, have found the nest or den, or are there when the blooms are the freshest. You need to have good equipment. I do not mean that you have to have expensive gear, but the box and lenses have to be appropriate for the shot. You need to KNOW your camera. On a recent photo shoot in Argentina we were way back in the Andes when this fellow asked me how to set the appeture on his new Nikon. You can’t be monkeying around with your gear when the shot presents itself. Take the guide that comes with your camera, READ it, then go out in the backyard and shoot until the words make sense. With digital cameras you don’t have to pay for film!The camera must be absolutely still to get the sharpness necessary for a great shot. A tripod or monopod works wonders in this regard. As Mary Gayle and I walk sometimes miles to our shooting spot, we have reduced our load as much as possible. We have very sturdy monopods that double as walking canes. We also use a Cotton Carrier system to lug our cameras. These inexpensive systems allow the weight to be carried on our shoulders and hips, while keeping the cameras on our chest within immediate reach if needed.