Camo/nature clothing. What's your choice of clothing?
 

I just kitted myself out with a Jack Pyke hunting suit. I got a good range of Pyke clothing now for out in the field, but I was wondering what you guys/gals wear when filming out and about. We do hunt in a way I suppose, but my trophies end up on DVD not my Walls!

What's your preference to the different types of clothing available to wildlife film makers?

In North America, Cabela's pretty much has the market cornered, as a retailer and as a brand. From undies to boots to high performance outerwear in both conventional and camo, I never cease to be amazed at the quality OR the cost.

I don't have need for camo but when I'm on any serious kind of shoot, I wear Carhartt double front pants--for formal events, they even come in black.

I used to wear out the knees in Lee jeans in a month or so--at one point I had like 5 pairs with one worn knee and the rest like new. Carhartts last much longer--plus when one knee is worn through you can clean it up and use the one underneath.

I'm based in the UK & use Max-4 camou pattern most of the time plus just ordinary coloured clothes nothing bright of course - just my personal preference.

The camou pattern doesn't really matter, eventhough so manufacturers will tell you different, the key objective is to breakup your outline/pattern & keep quiet. Try to use natural vegitation/features to tuck close in to. I always use clothes made from rustle free material.

This camo thing is often overestimated as "the most important thing to do wildlife recording" IMHO!
Animals and birds don't care about colors, many of them don't even see the difference to different kind of colors and some see the world (almost) in black and white!

My experience doing wildlife recordings for quite some time is that keep movements and sound to a minumum is much more important to get close to the wildlife. If you're able to sit quiet and without movements, you could where yellow or red for that matter.

A blind/hide if legitimate in your area, is the best way. It dosn't have to be a special made blind. Some branches or other covering material will often do. Comfortable and warm clothing is essential, but colors don't matter!

I think Per is spot on with keeping movement to a minimum, and keeping it slow and non-threatening! This is certainly what I have found with most species. I think a mixture of the two however and you've really got it right!

I have to make do with dark colours - good quality North Face-type outdoor gear.

If you go out and about wearing camouflage gear in this part of the world, you get a lot of funny looks, and you're more than likely to have to the police asking questions!

I think a pair of dark gloves helps mask hand movement, especially when filming small birds. Animals are frequently aware of our presence by smell and by staying still they tolerate us. Each individual animal seems to have a comfort zone, the trick is to find the one that is the most tolerant and film away.
Dale

I wear specs all the time so I have found that keeping my head tilted slightly downward reduces the number of times light is reflected by them. While learning to practice that I have also found that all birds and animals feel unthreatened if I pass them with my head tilted downwards. I think this has to do with what creatures are accustomed to. At remote feeding stations for vultures, the approach of my selfdrive car within 150metres is enough to scatter a flock for hours. But when a familiar van loaded with offal arrives they stand around completely unperturbed while the cargo is unloaded within a few metres until the driver moves off without even looking at them.

From this I conclude that although vultures are very cautious by nature (because they are slow to escape attack at ground level) they will accept intruders that do not pose a threat.
But unless you have a week to prove your innocence (which few of us have) the best bet is to BE SEEN to be quite still, for hours if necessary, and again the following day(s). A folding swivel seat, a trousers with ample ballroom and gear selected by the weather forecast are my choice for shooting in the open.

From a hide I cover the openings with camou.

Camoflauge helps tremendously when getting close is needed. If you have a 13X lens which is about the norm with fixed lens cameras, you gotta get close. I always use Mossy Oak camo. There are many animals that dont care about color or slight movement. But if your dealing with a Wild Turkey you better be fully camoed and dead still. If your dealing with a Wild Whitetail deer, just move slow and make sure your wind is right. If he smells you you will never see him all you will hear is blowing. Groundblinds made by Eastman are very affordable and give you almost 360 degree videoing. Have had great results with Mossy Oak camo and Eastman blinds

I guess I am the odd man out, or just odd. I wear shorts and a tank top, both black. I also wear hiking boots. It does not matter if I am local or in Yellowstone, I wear the same thing. I call it my shootin suit.

Great feedback thanks. It's interesting stuff.

I have found that noises and smells tend to be more of a problem in getting close to wildlife than visual. No matter what clothing I wear I ensure it doesn’t make a sound. I tape over Velcro, leave zips open and wear cotton (and material alike).

I also ensure that I don’t have smells that animals associate with humans such as perfume and soap products or eating foods such as mints in the field. I also approach animals from downwind too.

Camouflage isn’t necessary (even though I love my camo stuff) but dark clothing does help. Steer clear of anything bright and reflective as that could appear to be movement to an animal. I’ve found that the human outline arouses the animal to our presence and prefer to break up my outline with scrim over me and my tripod. If I’m in an area for a while then a hide/blind is a real boon.

Been neither heard/smelt/seen all helps produce footage of animals behaving naturally. If an animal is aware of your presence it may not behave as naturally as if it didn’t.

Fully agree with Paul - and those 2 square metres/yards of scrim are probably the most used bits of non-camera gear in my bag.

Some animals see color and others only see the shaded side, white through to black.

Camouflage is to break up your outline it helps you blend in to your background,
it’s movement that will give you away, uncovered face and hand movement.
In the cold and wet I still wear my DPM goretex jacket, although now a little tight.

Take a look at the blog below.

‘Can you see me? Animal camouflage’

Can You See Me? | Animal Camouflage The Conservation Report