(click on the image to see larger version)
The next time you’re out taking pictures, ask yourself an important question, “What am I taking a picture of?” It sounds simple, but we hardly ever stop long enough to really think about the answer. But the answer is extremely important. As photographers, we are constantly scanning the world around us in search of things to photograph. When something captures our attention, we pull out the camera. Too often, however, the resulting photograph falls short. The problem is our eyes. The human eye is amazing. Without conscious thought, our eyes can focus on one thing while ignoring everything else. The camera doesn’t do this, which causes our pictures contain too much information.
How do we overcome this challenge? Again, the answer is deceptively simple: determine what you are photographing and don’t include anything else. Easy to say, harder to do. One of the best techniques I have found was given to me by fellow nature photographer John Shaw. John’s suggestion is to describe the subject of the image in words. Actually stop and say the words. It might sound silly, but it works. If your image is best described as, “a picturesque shot of a variety of wildlife as they wander through the trees and fields on their way to the lake at the base of the mountain,” then you probably don’t have a very strong image. You are trying to include too much in a single frame, causing your viewer to get lost in their search for a focal point. I will be the first to admit that wildlife, trees, fields, lakes, and mountains are all excellent photographic subjects, but don’t they each deserve to star in their own image instead of sharing the spotlight? The idea is to simplify the picture to its bare essences. When you describe the subject, it should only take one or two words. Anything else is a distraction. Like the description, the image itself should contain no distractions. If it is not your subject, remove it from the frame. You can always include it in the next picture. One of the main jobs we have as photographers is to bring order out of the visual chaos that surrounds us. Isolating the subject helps to clarify our visual message and makes the viewer want to see more.
The owl photograph above is a perfect example of a clear, simple subject. When asked to describe it, two words come to mind, “Eagle Owl.” Nothing more, nothing less.
The image was created using a Canon 1D mark 2, 120-300mm Sigma lens, at 250 ISO. The lens was mounted on a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod with a Wimberly tripod head. This Eurasian Eagle Owl was part of a wildlife rehab center’s educational program. The bird had been permanently injured and could not be released back into the wild. It was living out its remaining days as a spokes person (or is that a spokes bird) for raptors everywhere.