Evoking Emotion & Feeling in Wildlife Photos – Part 2

Continued from Evoking Emotion & Feeling in Wildlife Images – Part 1

Techniques

When photographing timid and shy subjects such as birds, it is often too difficult to get close to them. In these situations, a long prime lens such as a 500mm or 600mm lens or a zoom telephoto lens allow magnification levels that bring the birds closer in the frame.

Because super-telephoto lenses have a very narrow-angle of view and compress the background and the foreground, the depth of field can be shallow even at F/11 or even at F/16. When shooting a bird up close, it is best to not shoot wide open as it may throw parts of the bird out of focus. For this reason, I prefer to always shoot at F/8 or higher. An aperture value of F/8 or higher provides enough depth to keep the bird in focus.

Canon IDX /600mm + 1.4X /1/800 sec @ F/8 / Rose-ringed Parakeet

In Conclusion

Creating an emotional impact with your wildlife photos requires planning and execution of those elements that help tell a story. A photographer’s goal should not be just to chase after colorful and rare birds in order to show their technical skills but to come up with images that spell-bound the viewer with a strong story and visual artistry. An image of a common bird such a the Rose-ringed parakeet can be far more visually stunning and create an emotional impact if it has a good story, creates a tender mood, and is followed up with creative composition and shooting techniques.

About Author Gaurav Mittal

Gaurav Mittal is a professional bird photographer and a blogger who grew up with a passion for nature and wildlife in his native birthplace of New Delhi, India. Gaurav migrated to the U.S. at the age of fifteen. After completing his college, he pursued a career in tax consulting in the Washington D.C. area. It was, however the love for the birds that eventually brought the focus back in his life and a determination to follow his heart, to be a bird photographer. Gaurav’s passion for photographing birds began in 2011 in Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico where observing the Sandhill Cranes brought a sense of harmony and a new vision to him. A moment he captured and fondly calls, “Kissed in The Mist” left him with a vision to continue on further and explore and learn about birds and how he can present their beauty through photography. His desire to be a top class bird photographer has led him to places such as Bharatpur, Bosque, Alaska, New York, Costa Rica and Florida.

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