Photographing Animals in the Landscape
by Andrew Goodall
Wildlife photography is endlessly challenging and immensely rewarding. As a wildlife
photographer, you will have to adapt your style to suit the subject and its surroundings.
The possibilities are as endless as the amazing range of subjects to be found in our
natural world.
Often your subject will be found in a setting that appears unnatural or unattractive in
a photograph. For example, you may be taking photos in a zoo, but you don't want the
enclosure to appear in your picture. In these situations, the best approach is to zoom
right in on the subject. This eliminates as much of the background as possible, and thanks
to a narrow depth of field you can ensure that what little background can be seen is out
of focus.
On the other hand, what if your wildlife subject is found in a beautiful landscape? Now
you have an opportunity to take a completely different type of wildlife photograph; one in
which the story is not just the subject, but the relationship of the subject to its surroundings.
Who hasn't admired images of majestic elephants or giraffes trekking across an African
plain with snow-capped mountains in the distance? In Australia we marvel at shots of
kangaroos on a tropical beach, dingos on Fraser island, emus crossing an outback plain.
Photographs like these may have wildlife as the central theme, but as a photographer it
is wise to think of them as landscape photographs. By approaching the lighting and
composition as you would a landscape, you can use your skills to bring both the subject
and its environment into focus.
In terms of lighting, the usual landscape rules apply. Early morning and late afternoon
is usually the best time to take your photos, when the light is soft and the contrast is
low. The warmth and softness of the light does more than just enhance the landscape; it
also adds character to the wildlife, and can eliminate unwanted shadows from the face of
the subject. With just the right angle, you may catch that sparkle in the eye that really
brings your photo alive.
Just like landscape photography, there are exceptions to this rule. If your subject is
found in the rainforest, or other places where there is patchy light and shade, it can be
preferable to take your photos on cloudy days. In these conditions the contrast is
reduced, allowing a nice even light throughout your photo.
So in terms of lighting, this type of wildlife photography actually calls on all of
your usual landscape skills.
What about composition? Again, the methods of composition you apply to landscapes are
also a good guide, but the animal subject adds a whole new dimension to the process. The
way you position your animal has a big impact on the success of the image.
Remember your rule of thirds? If you don't know about it, do a quick google search, it
is easy to find. If you can position your animal subject according to the rule of thirds,
it will add balance to the composition. In fact, I can go even further...if you can
position the eyes of the subject near the intersecting lines (according to the rule of
thirds), you can add even further impact. Viewers of the photo are drawn to these points
in a composition, so this position will create instant eye contact between the subject and
the viewer. And with eye contact comes a personal connection that will help viewers really
feel something from your picture.
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