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Jesse's Hunting > Hunting Articles > Hunting Articles Archives > Take Three Easy Steps Toward Better Wildlife Photos
Take Three Easy Steps Toward Better Wildlife Photos
Chris Fullilove - JHO ProStaff
- Texas
June 07, 2004
Every photograph is unique, however, the steps that the photographer follows in order to capture a photograph are usually quite similar. It is good to have a mental checklist that you follow each time you photograph your favorite landscape or live subject.
The 3 steps that I am about to introduce are extremely simple, yet give you the biggest step towards better looking photos.
Stabilize your camera.
An absolutely fundamental step to ensuring a sharp and clear image is to secure your camera. There are a variety of ways to secure your camera, even when presented with an opportunity to "shoot from the hip".
Most photographers use a tripod or a monopod. I have used a monopod on many occasions and it simply gives me more keepers than if I were shooting free hand. A tripod is bulky and cumbersome, and unless you are set up in a blind (in which case it is great), it is an inconvenience.
If you don't have the ability to carry around a pod, then find something to brace against such as a tree, rock, fence post, the hood of your truck, a sand bag, or even sit on the ground and brace against your knees if the opportunity allows. The key is to stabilize the camera so that when you press the shutter button, there is no chance of the camera moving.
Chances are that if you are walking around outdoors, you are already tired, breathing hard, and not giving full attention to holding the camera still enough for a good photo. If you do have to shoot free hand, there are a few things to do to ensure a more stable situation. First, take a deep breath, then let it out about halfway, and then hold it. Second, bring your elbows down and closer to your body, and third, use the viewfinder if at all possible, in order to brace the camera against your eyebrow.
Camera Settings
Sometimes outdoor and wildlife shots involve photographing very early, or in very late in the day. This presents an issue with cameras because they have to leave the shutter open longer in order to gather enough light to properly expose the photograph. Most of today's middle weight to high end digital cameras have priority settings where you can specify the shutter speed, and let the camera figure out the other settings in order to expose the photograph. The setting I described is called shutter priority. I typically will set the shutter priority no slower than 1/80sec when shooting in low light. If I am shooting free hand, I will set it no slower than 1/120 sec. If you are photographing with plenty of day light, this is not much of a concern, but some of the best times to photograph wildlife, or landscapes are when the sun is rising and/or setting, and you don't want to blow that great shot with a shutter speed that is too slow.
Composition
A Quality Photo
Taking a moment to consider a few simple steps can make the difference between a so-so photo and a great one. Photo by Chris Fullilove |
When you have checked off items 1 and 2 on your checklist, you are ready to think about adding some compositional enhancements to the subject that you are photographing. Fortunately when in the outdoors, there are many "frames" to use. It helps a photograph if you can use some form of a natural frame, such as a tree or a rock along the edges of your photograph.
Another compositional feature to be mindful of are things that "flow", such as streams, roads, trails, tree lines, or ridge lines. These attributes that may lead the eye towards a certain direction or towards a certain location in the photograph. Be sure to use them to your advantage and not let them distract away from what you are trying to capture.
While this checklist is extremely simple, following these steps can be the difference between a snap shot and a real wall hanger.
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