The importance of photography in scientific research has led the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) to introduce a photographic course for Animal Ecology students.
Students of USC’s new Photography for Animal Ecologists course recently took part in an intensive four-day workshop on Fraser Island to record images of its diverse animal species.
USC lecturer in animal ecophysiology Dr Christofer Clemente said photographing animals in the wild for scientific purposes differed from general wildlife photography, where the emphasis was on visual appeal.
“Animal ecologists use photographs to document wildlife in their natural settings and convey information about their behaviour, health, habitats and anatomy,” he said.
“Despite images now being an essential element of almost all forms of scientific literature, from research papers and scientific journals to blogs and websites, most scientists do not receive any formal photographic training.”
He said the USC students were taught how to illustrate specific aspects of wildlife, such as anatomical features and habitats, while making the images visually engaging.
One imaginative student created a life-sized papier mache imitation of a jabiru to attract a live bird which students were able to capture photographically.
