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mountain gorilla was taken by Craig Smith along the Rwanda-Uganda border." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto001" width="640"/>Click through the gallery to see our favorite examples of gorgeous wildlife photography. This soulful portrait of a mountain gorilla was taken by Craig Smith along the Rwanda-Uganda border.
sea turtle explores about a mile offshore of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto002" width="640"/>A sea turtle explores about a mile offshore of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.
sea lion on Ecuador's Galapagos Islands. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto003" width="640"/>It's nap time for this young sea lion on Ecuador's Galapagos Islands.
cheetah family in Tanzania is practically posing for the camera. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto004" width="640"/>This cheetah family in Tanzania is practically posing for the camera.
King penguins frolic on South Georgia Island between Argentina and Antarctica. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto005" width="640"/>King penguins frolic on South Georgia Island between Argentina and Antarctica.
Camels journey through Mongolia's Gobi Desert. This image was taken with a BlackBerry." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto006" width="640"/>Camels journey through Mongolia's Gobi Desert. This image was taken with a BlackBerry.
peacock faces the camera in Cotui, Dominican Republic. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto007" width="640"/>A striking peacock faces the camera in Cotui, Dominican Republic.
humpback whale makes a massive splash off the coast of Maui, Hawaii." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto008" width="640"/>A humpback whale makes a massive splash off the coast of Maui, Hawaii.
squirrel lives in Atraa, Norway. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto009" width="640"/>This little squirrel lives in Atraa, Norway.
land iguana." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0010" width="640"/>The Galapagos Islands are home to many unusual and rare animals, including the otherworldly land iguana.
flamingo just happened to pose against a black background for a patient photographer at a sanctuary in New Jersey." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0011" width="640"/>Shot in a studio? Nope, this flamingo just happened to pose against a black background for a patient photographer at a sanctuary in New Jersey.
lion cub in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0012" width="640"/>It's bath time for one lion cub in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.
elephants look to be enjoying their mud pit in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0013" width="640"/>These elephants look to be enjoying their mud pit in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater.
crab is called a "Sally Lightfoot" or "red rock" crab." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0014" width="640"/>This colorful Galapagos crab is called a "Sally Lightfoot" or "red rock" crab.
polar bear navigates the chilly waters of Repulse Bay, Canada. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0015" width="270"/>
A polar bear navigates the chilly waters of Repulse Bay, Canada.
cardinal perches on an icy branch in Chantilly, Virginia. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0016" width="640"/>A cardinal perches on an icy branch in Chantilly, Virginia.
Zebras gallop through the water on a hot day at a reserve in Palm Beach, Florida." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0017" width="640"/>Zebras gallop through the water on a hot day at a reserve in Palm Beach, Florida.
hyacinth macaw lives at Marquesa Forest Park's aviary in San Juan, Puerto Rico." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0018" width="640"/>This brilliant blue hyacinth macaw lives at Marquesa Forest Park's aviary in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Sea lions nap on a rock in Alaska's Kenai Fjords. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0019" width="640"/>Sea lions nap on a rock in Alaska's Kenai Fjords.
jellyfish ranging from the size of a fingernail to that of a soccer ball. And they don't sting!
Click the double arrows below to see more amazing wildlife photos." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0020" width="640"/>In Palau's Jellyfish Lake, you'll find jellyfish ranging from the size of a fingernail to that of a soccer ball. And they don't sting! Click the double arrows below to see more amazing wildlife photos.
owl, named Spock, lives at a Duncan, British Columbia, conservation center." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0021" width="640"/>This owl, named Spock, lives at a Duncan, British Columbia, conservation center.
bighorn sheep share a tender moment in Georgetown, Colorado." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0022" width="640"/>Two bighorn sheep share a tender moment in Georgetown, Colorado.
snow geese migrates through Wentzville, Missouri." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0023" width="640"/>A flock of snow geese migrates through Wentzville, Missouri.
grizzly bear got a little tired from playing in a pond outside Anchorage, Alaska, and settled down on this log for a nap. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0024" width="640"/>This grizzly bear got a little tired from playing in a pond outside Anchorage, Alaska, and settled down on this log for a nap.
penguin stares right into the camera in Antarctica. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0025" width="640"/>A curious penguin stares right into the camera in Antarctica.
salt water crocodile slithers through the waters of western Australia." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0026" width="640"/>A salt water crocodile slithers through the waters of western Australia.
Elephants graze on the savannas of India." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0027" width="640"/>Elephants graze on the savannas of India.
hermit crab perches in the sands of Sabah, Malaysia. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0028" width="640"/>A hermit crab perches in the sands of Sabah, Malaysia.
tiger receives a stern talking-to in New York's Bronx Zoo." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0029" width="640"/>A young tiger receives a stern talking-to in New York's Bronx Zoo.
eagle this close before! This one lives in Pugo, Philippines." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0030" width="640"/>Bet you've never seen an eagle this close before! This one lives in Pugo, Philippines.
snow monkey is pondering as he relaxes in a hot spring near Nagano, Japan." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0031" width="640"/>Who knows what this snow monkey is pondering as he relaxes in a hot spring near Nagano, Japan.
lion lets out a roar." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0032" width="640"/>A Namibian lion lets out a roar.
deer in Saint Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Florida." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0033" width="640"/>Sunlight shines upon a deer in Saint Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Florida.
horses cross a road near Reno, Nevada. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0034" width="640"/>Feral horses cross a road near Reno, Nevada.
rufous hummingbird's feathers stand out brilliantly from his blurry background in Surrey, British Columbia." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0035" width="640"/>The details of this rufous hummingbird's feathers stand out brilliantly from his blurry background in Surrey, British Columbia.
leopard enjoys a drink at South Africa's Sabi Sands Game Reserve." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0036" width="640"/>A striking leopard enjoys a drink at South Africa's Sabi Sands Game Reserve.
koala clings to a eucalyptus tree in Queensland, Australia. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0037" width="640"/>A koala clings to a eucalyptus tree in Queensland, Australia.
Turtles in Washington, D.C., follow the leader to catch some sun." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0038" width="640"/>Turtles in Washington, D.C., follow the leader to catch some sun.
flamingos are silhouetted on the beach at sunset." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0039" width="270"/>
In Aruba, two flamingos are silhouetted on the beach at sunset.
camels look perfectly happy to be having their picture taken.
Click the double arrows below to see more amazing wildlife photos." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0040" width="640"/>These Mongolian camels look perfectly happy to be having their picture taken. Click the double arrows below to see more amazing wildlife photos.
Black skimmers take off from a sandbar in Isla Holbox, Mexico. This image was taken from a kayak. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0041" width="640"/>Black skimmers take off from a sandbar in Isla Holbox, Mexico. This image was taken from a kayak.
otters along a river bank in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0042" width="640"/>It's playtime for two otters along a river bank in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
alligator is very well camouflaged in a Sebastian, Florida, pond." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0043" width="640"/>This alligator is very well camouflaged in a Sebastian, Florida, pond.
monkey nurses in Lombok, Indonesia." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0044" width="640"/>A baby monkey nurses in Lombok, Indonesia.
polar bears interact on a sheet of ice in Svalbard, Norway." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0045" width="640"/>Two polar bears interact on a sheet of ice in Svalbard, Norway.
seagull looks like he owns Chicago." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0046" width="640"/>From this angle, this seagull looks like he owns Chicago.
grizzly bear on Alaska's Katmai Peninsula looks pleased with his snack. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0047" width="640"/>This grizzly bear on Alaska's Katmai Peninsula looks pleased with his snack.
stag pauses amongst the autumn leaves in London's Richmond Park." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0048" width="640"/>A majestic stag pauses amongst the autumn leaves in London's Richmond Park.
lions stalk their prey at dusk in Namibia. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0049" width="640"/>Three lions stalk their prey at dusk in Namibia.
Arctic fox's eyes and expression." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0050" width="640"/>This ultraclose shot from Montreal, Canada, shows off the Arctic fox's eyes and expression.
elk takes in the view at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0051" width="640"/>A bull elk takes in the view at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
barred owl contrasts beautifully with the fall color behind him in Valley Park, Missouri. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0052" width="270"/>
This barred owl contrasts beautifully with the fall color behind him in Valley Park, Missouri.
zebras at Tanzania's Central Serengeti National Park seem as interested in the photographer as she was in them. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0053" width="640"/>These zebras at Tanzania's Central Serengeti National Park seem as interested in the photographer as she was in them.
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- Click through the gallery for our favorite examples of wildlife photography
- Follow the tips below to shoot amazing animal images of your own
- Want to share your own wildlife photos? Submit at CNN iReport
(CNN) -- Camping in the freezing snow at an altitude of 6,000 feet. Trekking through the jungle with an armed guard. Sitting on a boat in crocodile-infested waters.
Craig Smith sure has done a lot to take a good picture.
The chief financial officer from Orange County, California, has a second life as a wildlife photographer. His passion started early, at age 8. His grandparents gave him a camera before a trip to Yellowstone National Park, thinking he might like to photograph the bears.
"I struggled when I was young with focus, so they thought picture-taking would be a good hobby," he said.
Since then, he's visited Africa 10 times, taken photos of animals on all seven continents, and been to both the North and South poles. He's photographed pandas in China, gorillas in Rwanda, lions in Namibia and polar bears in Norway. He'd ultimately like to take underwater photos of a Great White Shark.
Experience the majesty of Smith's wildlife photography, and that of other CNN iReporters, in the gallery above. And if you'd like to shoot gorgeous animal photos of your own -- whether of the birds in your back yard or on a monthlong safari -- follow their tips below.
1. Get comfortable outside
If you want to take pictures of animals, you'll be spending a lot of time outside.
"Starting out, you need a passion for the outdoors," said Smith. "Shooting animals is all about having enough time to linger for an extended amount of time waiting for the right shot."
2. Start with a sure thing
For those who aren't used to shooting wildlife, photographer and iReporter Robert Ondrovic recommends visiting your local zoo for some practice.
This lovely lion portrait was captured at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"The variety of animals on display in a relatively confined area will give the beginner the opportunity to be up close to numerous species in a setting that makes them easy to capture," he said.
Pets and backyard animals can also be good practice subjects. When you're ready to up the ante, head to a nearby state or national park to find and photograph animals in the wild.
3. Splurge on your lenses
"Buy the absolute best lens you can -- glass makes all the difference in quality photographs -- and be less focused on the camera body," said Ondrovic. "The 'guts' of most DSLRs in any brand are similar across the various lines" (and prices).
Although it's helpful to have a variety of lenses for capturing animals, if you're only going to buy one for your wildlife shots, make it a telephoto or super telephoto lens.
"It is a basic lens of wildlife [photography]," said nature photographer Takayuki Maekawa, as it allows you to zoom in.
"More often than not, the animals are a distance away from you, and that is probably good idea since it is always preferable not to place yourself in close proximity to certain animals," advised Ondrovic.
Using a telephoto lens allows you to capture close-up images of animals that could be dangerous to approach, like tigers.
Smith recommends going with a 400-millimeter for the strongest close-ups. But if you're not sure, CNN producer Jessica Ellis, who is also a wildlife photographer, advises renting before you buy.
"Start at a local camera rental shop," she said. "Test out a few of their DSLR beginner recommendations" to find out what you like and are most comfortable with.
Even if your budget limits you to a point-and-shoot camera rather than a higher-quality DSLR, make sure you get one with a good optical zoom. Digital zoom, which is achieved electronically rather than by adjustment of the camera's lens, reduces quality and can result in pixelation.
This "may not give you the clarity that makes for a good image," said photographer and iReporter Doug Mackenzie.
4. Skip the tripod
You might think a tripod is a good idea for capturing sharp photographs, but when it comes to animals, you'd be wrong, says Ondrovic.
"You may set up a tripod looking forward and an animal may suddenly appear to your left, right, [or] behind and you will miss the opportunity trying to get the angle if mounted on a tripod," he explained.
If you're looking for more stability, "a monopod would be a good thing to buy instead of a tripod," advised Smith. Its single leg will help steady the camera without limiting your range of motion like a tripod can.
5. Be patient
"If you think things happen quickly like the Internet, social media or sports, you will be disappointed," warned Smith.
He spent hours hiking through the "dense jungle" of Rwanda and Uganda over three different trips to capture a stunning close-up of a mountain gorilla.
"If you want to photograph wildlife, you have to be quiet and when you see them, you have to move slowly and try not to scare them," added freelance photographer Billy Ocker. "I always look for their tracks on the ground."
"Animals don't pose and seldom smile on cue," agreed Mackenzie. "You have to learn to be very, very patient. It could take hours, days or even years to get just the right shot."
Maekawa will spend up to 10 hours a day waiting for a photo -- and has been shooting some species for more than 10 years.
6. Change your perspective
As you're clicking away, think about the perspective and goal of your images. For Smith, that means creating "a special relationship between the animal being photographed and the person viewing the picture."
As a result, he likes to shoot from the animal's perspective -- "get on your knees and shoot at their level."
From this angle, this seagull looks like he owns Chicago.
Maekawa tries to capture the human side of the animals he shoots, while Ondrovic focuses on their wildness.
"My goal as a wildlife photographer these days is to photograph animals in their natural settings, unencumbered by artificial environments such as zoo captivity, and show their beauty as they were meant to be," he said.
And Ellis hopes to pass along an environmental message with her pictures.
"I hope to bring people closer to nature ... to pass on a message that we all must strive to minimize our impact on the earth," she said.
7. Capture the eyes
They're the windows to the soul, you know, and Mackenzie says they're also the key to a stunning animal portrait.
Bet you've never seen an eagle this close before!
"They will help you tell the story and give the image that extra spark of life that will touch you and all those who eventually see the image," he said. "Get as close as possible."
8. Know your equipment
Imagine how you'd feel if you dropped a wad of cash on a fancy new camera, went on your fabulous safari vacation, saw a majestic lion posing perfectly -- and couldn't figure out how to turn off your flash or adjust your aperture.
Give yourself plenty of time and opportunities for practice before your holiday of a lifetime.
"There is nothing worse than buying the latest hot camera and leaving the next day, hoping it was be the thing that gets you that award-winning photo," warned Mackenzie.
9. Anticipate
"Animals are unpredictable," said Smith. They're not going to hold their pose for you, so try to anticipate and start snapping before they strike that perfect silhouette or move into just the right spot.
"Look for the anticipative moment," advised Mackenzie. "One of the most common things for us all to do is to be watching the action in front of us and forget to push the little button."
10. Shoot, shoot, shoot
All our experts agree that more is more when it comes to photographing wildlife.
"Shoot and shoot. Experiment!" said Smith.
Take photos at "different exposures, different shutter speeds, different apertures" to see what works best, advises Mackenzie.
Shoot from a variety of angles and times to capture different light levels, said Maekawa, and be sure to capture the animal making a variety of expressions.
Finally, whatever you do, bring lots and lots of digital storage and extra batteries so you can click away without worry.
Have you shot stunning wildlife photos that you think belong in the gallery above? Submit your best at CNN iReport.
