Capturing Nature’s Majesty: The Art Of Wildlife Photography From A Low Angle
LOW PERSPECTIVE IS THE KEY TO BUILDING A CONNECTION WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
Photography is an art that allows us to capture the world from various angles, each offering a unique and different perspective. My favorite perspective is one where you get low to the ground or eye to eye with your subject. This fresh, low perspective can drastically change your ordinary photographs to an award-winning image, a viral image that spreads across social media, or a wall hanger for your own home that friends and family admire. It allows us to witness the beauty and intricacies of the natural world from our subject’s perspective. In this article, we will delve into the benefits, techniques, and tips for mastering the art of wildlife shooting from a low perspective and some of the equipment that can help you master your craft.
My favorite kind of photography is wildlife photography. It allows me to showcase the beauty and behavior of animals in their natural habitat. By getting down low or eye to eye with wildlife, I can draw the viewer into that animal’s world by creating empathy and a bond with the animal. It becomes easy to emphasize their individual personality and features this way. This angle humanizes the subject and evokes emotions that a higher angle shot might not achieve.
WHY GET DOWN LOW and WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
- Establishing Intimacy: It’s all about connecting with your subject and audience on an intimate level. When you’re NOT at eye level, it creates a disconnection from your viewer to your subject. But by getting a little lower, you can add depth, drama, and creativity to your photographs. You can transform ordinary scenes into extraordinary compositions that capture the viewer’s attention.
- Accentuating Details: Shooting from a low perspective introduces a fresh and intriguing dimension to your images. By placing your camera near ground level, you can highlight details, leading lines, patterns, and textures that might otherwise go unnoticed. From rough skin to delicate feathers of a bird, a lower perspective brings out these finer points in wildlife, showcasing nature’s remarkable intricacies.
- Enhancing Dominance: Another powerful compositional tool is placing your camera even lower than the subject which can emphasize scale and make the subject appear larger or more dominant giving you a WOW effect. By shooting from below eye level, you can highlight an animal’s power and charisma, capturing the essence of their wild nature.
- Showcasing Environment: A low perspective can also increase the distance between the subject and the background which results in a beautiful, blurred background called bokeh. It showcases their environment and allows you to include elements like grass, rocks, or foliage in the foreground which provides you with context and a sense of place to your images.
SIMPLE TECHNIQUES TO DO THIS
1. Get Dirty!! You must bend those knees and get physically down to your subject’s level. Personally, I like to lie down on my stomach to capture scenes and angles that the non-photographer doesn’t normally see from their eye level perspective.
2. Hide!! It’s good to blend into your environment by wearing neutral or camouflage clothing to avoid alarming animals. Learning, watching, and patience is key as it allows you to observe natural behaviors without causing disturbances. Learning behavior can help you predict what wildlife will do next, allowing you to be ready for that amazing shot.
3. Early Bird Gets the Worm!! To get visually pleasing shots from a low angle, it’s best to shoot during the Golden Hours of the early morning and late afternoon. The soft and warm light at this time of day adds a magical touch to your photos. At this time of day, you can tell a story about the animal’s behavior and environment that will engage the viewer on a deeper level.
4. Reflections!! Never pass up a reflection. If you can get low enough near a reflective surface such as a water puddle, it can add a sense of intrigue to your images. Furthermore, a reflection of a beautiful bird on still water tells a compelling visual story.
MY AWARD-WINNING STORY
Let me take you on a photographic journey of one of my award-winning images. I incorporated all 4 of the ideas above to create a stunning photograph of a Reddish Egret that won the blue ribbon in the Florida State Fair. I got to my location as the sun was rising for that beautiful golden hour light, got down and dirty on the sandy beach, knew my subject’s behavior from previous times watching and scouting, and waited patiently for this magnificent bird to come dancing my way, all while capturing its reflection in the tidal pool. I shot this handheld with a Sony A1 and 600 mm f4 lens. It was my 1st day shooting that lens and it did not disappoint. What makes this image great is the clean background, nice soft light, low perspective, and bird behavior. I have only been shooting for 2.5 years now and this glorious moment came 1.5 years into my journey.
EQUIPMENT THAT WILL HELP YOU
Using a tripod or bean bag can be effective to stabilize your camera and frame your shots precisely, especially when incorporating a slow shutter speed or shooting in challenging lighting conditions. When I’m on the beach taking pictures of birds, I use this wonderful contraption that looks like a saucer with a flat bottom and has a tripod head on it. It’s called an Eckla Cam Disk Ground Pod. It helps me keep my shots steady without me getting my hands too sandy. I mostly like shooting handheld but sometimes you just want a little extra stability.
GET OUT INTO THE WILD AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT YOU SEE
Mastering the art of wildlife photography demands an understanding of various techniques and shooting from a low angle is a valuable tool in your arsenal. It is a technique that can transform your photography and breathe new life into your images. By employing the right techniques, practicing patience, and respecting the animals, you can create captivating and visually breathtaking photographs that stand out from the crowd and resonate with viewers. So, grab your camera, venture into the wild, kneel, crouch, and unlock and explore the natural world from a whole new angle.
In addition to her photography endeavors, Amber has achieved recognition in several esteemed magazines, books, galleries, and calendars. Many of her images have won recognition in prestigious, international photography contests.
Photography complements the passion she has for the outdoors and gives her a chance to showcase her work to the world through her social media network and her travels by capturing animals in their natural state to show you how wonderful they really are.
