Choosing The Best Time to Click the Shutter Button

How you choose to photograph wildlife is based on personal preference. The subtleties of an animal's movement and the story that you tell is what will separate your photos from others.

There are so many things to consider – How the paws or hooves are positioned. How is the head in relation to the body? Is movement being introduced in your image? What feathers are predominantly displayed? Are there distracting tangents? Is there an interaction between multiple animals? How do you showcase the environment the animal is in? Each of these are questions are the ones that you need to asking yourself with the wildlife in front of you

I have gathered together a sample of images in order to allow you to compare body and wing positioning to help you begin to understand your personal preference and learn to tell a better story with your wildlife images. While you are looking through these images I am also going to point out some of the subtleties that I watch for in my own wildlife images. 

My first set of images was taken on a workshop in Nunavut Canada. We traveled by plane to a remote lodge hundreds of miles from civilization where the tree line ends and the sprawling tundra and eskers begin just south of the arctic circle. 

Here is a photo of a Caribou rubbing the velvet off his antlers. His head down. You cannot see both his eyes and the head is in an awkward position. If this is the only image you could get on your trip, it will suffice. But it really doesn't showcase all of the animal or the glorious landscapes we were in. 

Here is a better image. Notice that the head is upon this caribou, the antlers are on full display and the caribou is looking off into the distance. It's a great portrait photo that shows off the colorful ground cover in Northern Canada. 

Here is an even better image of a Caribou in movement as it walks through the Tundra. The photo was taken as one of the hooves is visible. This shows motion. The rest of the hooves are also not behind a mound like they were in a previous photo. This caribou was photographed because antlers have lost their velvet and visible blood covers them. It helps tell a story that the Caribou was photographed in the fall when they are entering the rut before winter. The head of the Caribou is elevated and in a relaxed state, and the eye is visible. There is the perception of movement in this image, and the animal is placed nicely in its environment. 

Then we have this photo of two caribou in the same frame. Both standing there in a beautiful autumn setting in Northern Canada. Both Caribou are looking at the camera. They are just standing in a gorgeous setting of fall colors, and both are in focus because I chose the correct depth of field. While one caribou is great, two caribou can be even better. 

The last image from my Caribou examples shows two male Caribou sparring. During the fall mating season (usually October – November) bulls will perform ruts—where two males run at each other and lock antlers to establish their dominance and win the attention of female caribou.

You see, there are little idiosyncrasies that elevate the aesthetic appeal of your photography. Head positioning, leg position, clarity of the eye, more than one animal, even the setting can make your image more appealing to the viewer. Watch for the little things. It will create a better image. 

Here is a list of quick things to think about when photographing animals. 

• Elevated head versus feeding

• Walking or running with one or more hooves or paws elevated

• Are they making eye contact with me? Is there catch light?

• Elevated action images when they are hunting or interaction with others. 

• Are they doing something humorous? 

• Adult interaction with young

Here are a few things that I try and avoid. 

• Do they look stressed?

• Are their eyes open wider than normal, ears turned forward, maybe their heads are slightly lower than normal.

• Are their eyes closed

• Animals that are grazing

• The famous butt shots

• Animals that overlap – unless that was my intent.

Here is a series of images of a Bald Eagle to show different body and head positioning for you to consider. These images were taken during one of the largest convergences of migratory bald eagles in North America. Thousands of bald eagles migrate to this area to feed on the spawning salmon while they mate in the November/December time frame. 

In the first image, we see a bald eagle flying alone in a blue sky. A simple flight shot we have seen a million times before. But it does not tell a story. This image could have been taken at any number of locations throughout North America. 

Then we have an image of a bald eagle walking along the shores of the river. It puts the eagle in the location of the river, and experienced wildlife photographers would assume it is at a river to feed. There is good contact with the eyes, The white of the head is not blown out and you can see the details in the feathers. But the feet are not visible. 

Here we have a bird in flight. Notice the photo was taken as the wings were stretched to show off the primary feathers, still maintaining contact with the eye. You can also see good detail in the tail feathers. This is a pleasing bird in flight right above the river showing off all the details a viewer would want to see. 

Now we introduce the action. An immature bald eagle is challenging a mature bald eagle for the carcass of a salmon. This photo elevates to telling the complete story of bald eagles being at a location during a salmon run. It also shows how eagles interact with each other when a food source is present. 

Between both eagles of these Eagles all the important elements are on display. Wing detail, talons, even the setting of being on a river is shown in this image because of the point of view being so low to the ground.

Here is a list of things I look for when photographing birds

• Are the wings on full display when in flight? I like or showcase the primary feathers and tails.

• Are they making eye contact with me? Do you have catch light present in the eye? 

• Elevated action images like hunting or interaction with others. 

• Are they doing something humorous? 

• Adult interaction with young

Here are a few things that I try and avoid. 

• Do they look stressed? 

• Tangents like branches sticking out of their bodies

• Watch for transparent nictitating membrane covering the eye

If you learned anything by reading this post you will receive a lot MORE information if you download my new eBook. In that book we discuss how to take better wildlife images.