Part 2 of spicing up your images to help build your portfolio of wildlife images. Here are a few more tips for you.
Include the environment
As wildlife photographers, we tend to rely on the super telephoto lenses quite a bit. Add some context to your images by incorporating some of the surroundings around your subject. Mix it up a bit, use your mid-range and wide angle lenses to get more of what is happening around your subject. Let the background be part of the story, those are the images that tell a story.
Add motion
Motion or pan blurs are a wonderful way to add some visual tension to your images. By photographing in a slower shutter speed and following (panning) along with the subject with your camera, will add a sense of movement to an otherwise static image. Your subject will be mostly sharp against a wonderfully blurred background and will help make it stand out.
Details
Try going in super tight on something that accents colors, textures, patterns, and shapes. These type photos really can add to your portfolio. There are so many applications out there, seek them out and have some fun with it!
Interactions
Look for those interactions and the peak of action that happen between animals and be ready for it. Use your high shutter speeds and continuous drive modes to capture that action.
Change your perspective
Try a different perspective or vantage point. Look at a subject differently than what is expected. Go low, go high, just go for it. Change from the norm and be unique sometimes, you may surprise yourself!
I sincerely hope some of these tips help you in your photographic journey in this two part series. I tried not to get too technical with exposure modes and camera settings but merely how you can just frame subjects and experiment with composition. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!