Sometimes, you may see a close-up image of an animal going about its business, seemingly unbothered by a camera, and wonder how in the world the photographer pulled it off. The answer might be a camera trap. Camera traps are a great way to get intimate portraits of difficult-to-photograph birds, a fresh angle on a commonly-photographed one, or to capture rare behaviors. But using one can be frustrating at first. You might go days, weeks, or even months without a single good shot. As a National Geographic Explorer and photographer working in Mozambique, I certainly had my share of misses. But when you do spot a good photo after scrolling through hundreds of empty frames, it’s like Christmas morning. If you follow these tips, you’ll increase your chances of getting lucky. Gear A camera trap consists of just two basic components: a camera with a lens, and a trigger. It’s also helpful to have something to protect the camera (a box) and mount it (tripod, clamp...