Intentionally overexposing a photograph can create a fascinating image that tells a beautiful story. High key photography can be achieved very simply by adjusting your camera settings. Everything you need to know about High-key photography is actually in the name.
The Winter Solstice occurs in December and in the Northern Hemisphere the date marks the 24-hour period with the fewest daylight hours of the year, which is why it is known as the shortest day and longest night.
Dawn and Dusk are truly the best times for light that often yield the most pleasing conditions in which to photograph in. With the Winter season now with us this will offer you a softer, more angled light which can offer the photographer endless opportunities for dramatic images of wildlife.
As we now start to move from autumn to winter, please remember this is a testing time for all living animals. Always remember when working with wild animals they come first and the last thing you want to do is to impose yourself to quickly or scare the animal you’re wishing to photograph. It’s also very important to know that calories are burned off more quickly during the winter months so fieldcraft and respect have to be the first priorities of any wildlife photographer.
Simplicity is often the key to composing a successful photograph. A well composed image should never look cluttered, and the main focal point or subject should be obvious. When composing an image decide which parts of the scene are most important to you and try hard to exclude any elements that are not, or don’t have a role or detract from the composition you are trying to achieve.
I’ve been working on another project in the beautiful Peak District National Park photographing one of the UK’s most beautiful and stunning summer visitors; the Redstart. This attractive cousin of the Robin and Nightingale is one of my favourite summer visitors to our shores. They travel all the way from North Africa to the UK to raise their young before leaving for Africa at the end of summer which I find amazing.
Dawn and Dusk are your best friends as a wildlife photographer, once you understand this and what happens at these times of the day it will change how you think within your own wildlife photography. It will also improve your own images , fieldcraft and general understanding of our beautiful yet fragile natural world.
In March’s issue of the BBC Wildlife magazine I have one of my favourite photographs featured as part of their “Inside the image” article. The image was taken on my two week trip to the Falkland Islands last year. In the article I go through camera settings, my vision and thought process to help the readers to understand what was behind the image.
