Evaluating pictures is a subjective game - every one has their own tastes and desires. Some pictures simply grab you while others don't. Don't believe me? As an exercise, go through a handful of snapshots. Pick out the ones that stand out from the rest - they just look better, don't they.

There are countless numbers of books, web pages and blogs writing about the subject of picture composition. Many discuss techniques and provide advice on ways to frame and compose a picture to create a pleasing effect. So with deer photography, where do we start and how can we improve, starting from the ground up!

Perhaps the best way to start capturing better pictures is to practice the "Rule of Thirds". (Note that most often, and for most people, rules are made to be broken, so good luck with that! But more on that later!)

The Rule of Thirds is a method where the frame is dissected horizontally and vertically into thirds, and by you purposely locate the subject in a frame where these dissecting lines intersect. The Rule of Thirds is a way of "boxing" the subject such that the deer isn't in the exact middle of the frame. By de-centralizing a picture properly, an image becomes balanced within the frame in proportion to the other details contained in the picture and provides just the right amount of "imbalance" to produce a pleasing effect.

Practicing the Rule of Thirds is simple. When framing the subject that we want to draw attention to, frame it in the viewfinder so that it is located on one of the intersecting lines as shown by the arrows in Figure 1.

Figure 1

The following pictures are shown here as an example. Below are two pictures of a moose silhouette, one placed in the middle of the frame and one where the dissecting lines intersect.

As you can see in Figure 2, the image on the left shows the moose dead center in the frame. Many times this kind of photograph is taken, particularly in the heat of excitement. Many of us simply focus on the moose in the middle of the viewfinder and shoot! Doing so results in a so-so image capture. By cropping the image and placing the moose in the bottom right intersection, I have created a more pleasing effect. The moose appears to now have purpose and has a view to look at! Finally, I have included the original picture (Figure 3) below to show how I just missed capturing the image of the moose using the Rule of Thirds, and how I needed to use some cropping to make the image look more pleasing.

Figure 2. Original Image cropped for centering profile.



Figure 2. Original image cropped to meet the Rule of Thirds. Which image do you like better?



Figure 3: Saskatchewan bull moose, Alces alces.

Now that we have the Rule of Thirds figured out, lets move on to balanced lighting. Certain images have great impact when lighting is in stark contrast to the shadows or if the light actually spotlights the subject. This situation can especially work when showing an animal in its environment, much like the moose in Figure 3. In that case, the silhouette of the moose is in contrast with the bright sky as the sun was setting.

More often, however, the dynamic range of lights and darks within a photograph have a profound and potentially negative impact. In Figure 4, the ruffed grouse is the main subject, somewhat balanced using the Rule of Thirds. However, as you can see the brighter foreground in the bottom of the picture "disagrees" with the dark background. While the detail on the bird is pretty decent, the bright and blurry foreground creates a distraction with the dark background (not in extremes, but enough to be noticeable). By comparison, the deer in the right picture has a bright foreground and a somewhat lighter background. This combination works because the overall tone of the picture shows the deer in similar light and color to the foreground, creating an extension and draws the eye to the deer as the center subject of the photograph. I personally find the picture of the grouse is compromised not only by the foreground but by the bright lit branch in the background. The picture of the deer works for me because of the similar lightness of the entire picture. Overall, I guess the subjectivity and personal taste will dictate which picture has the most impact.

Figure 4. Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) in northern Saskatchewan.



Figure 4. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) doe in spring. This deer is shedding much of its winter coat.

Subject orientation in the frame can make a huge difference on how a picture is interpreted. Often, we want to have the animal moving or looking "into" the picture, not away or out of it. In Figure 5, the caribou is both moving and looking into the frame, creating a sense of motion and balance within the picture - the animal has somewhere to go! Figure 6 is a picture of the same caribou taken but a few minutes later. Notice how I managed to keep the caribou within the proper Rule of Thirds - but the picture looks just plain wrong. The point of view leads out of the picture, and we wonder, just what is it that the caribou looking at. I find this picture distracting and to me it "feels" awkward and inappropriate. If I was to correct this image, I would have framed the caribou to the left side of the picture, thereby letting it look into the picture, and not create a tension by looking away from the frame.

Figure 5. Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus Caribou) in Gross Morne National Park, Newfoundland.

Figure 6. Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus Caribou) in Gross Morne National Park, Newfoundland.


A Final Word

Overall, these are just some examples of how basic composition and lighting/dynamic range can impact the presentation of a photograph. When taking photographs of wildlife, often some of the more simple techniques can go a long ways to ensuring a pleasing effect. To truly capture fantastic pictures, one must further go on to study light and exposure and other aspects of photography. By studying the work of successful and famous wildlife photographers, it doesn't take long to see that they truly are masters of light, art and composition.

By practicing and taking note of the three examples above, as well as looking at the work of professional wildlife photographers, the essence of deer photography can take a so-so snapshot and help to create more balanced and pleasing pictures. While the above steps are basic rules, breaking the rules can be just as effective! This can be accomplished, but I would first suggest familiarizing yourself with composition, back, side and front lighting, metering, exposure, and spatial arrangement of the subject within the confines of the frame. And as I said before, there are many great resources available in magazines and on the internet - look them up!

Finally and most importantly, have fun. Try these techniques for yourself and see if you agree with the results. Photography is often great way to capture those "moments in time" and by following some of these basic techniques you can make them look great as well!