Embracing the Environment in Wildlife Photography

Wildlife photography often gravitates towards close-up, frame-filling portraits, capturing intricate details of the subject. However, this approach, while initially appealing, can limit the storytelling potential of a photograph. This helpful video will show you how including context can improve your work. 

Coming to you from Walks On The Wild Side, this awesome video encourages photographers to consider a broader perspective in their wildlife work, showing subjects in the context of their environment. This approach not only captures the essence of the subject but also tells a story about its habitat, behaviors, and the broader ecosystem. For instance, a photograph of a bird might be more impactful if it includes elements of its natural surroundings, like the mud flats or the forest it inhabits. This method can evoke emotions and convey a sense of place, which is often lost in tightly cropped portraits. It can also convey a sense of size that might be lost otherwise. The video emphasizes the importance of background composition and the challenge it poses, suggesting that creating a well-composed environmental shot is more demanding yet ultimately more rewarding than a simple close-up.

A zoom can be helpful, as you can use different focal lengths to include more of the surroundings while maintaining focus on the subject. As you'll see, the video highlights various examples, like a bird in flight against a rural backdrop, to demonstrate how the environment can enhance the narrative of a wildlife photograph. Check out the video above for the full rundown.