Elevate Your Bird Shots: Master the Art of Creative Foreground and Background Framing
Using foreground or background elements to add composition and story
Bill Harris
May 14, 2024
Note: This tip comes from the photography case study #3 ‘Composition’ inside Photzy’s - 5 Extended Case-Studies on Bird Photography
Photograph by David Clode
The above photograph is a beautiful bird portrait that is technically perfect. The conditions were just right.
However, sometimes you must think cleverly to get the amazing bird shot. One way to accomplish that is to utilize foreground or background elements creatively!
Photograph by David Clode—Including the rocks as a foreground element adds impact to the composition and tells a better story about the bird’s environment.
Tip #1 - Use natural elements like leaves, branches, rocks, or flowers to frame the bird or to add depth to the photograph. This can create a more intimate feel or add a sense of mystery. But remember, the key is subtlety; ensure that these elements do not distract from the main subject.
Photograph by Jordi Rubies
When the foreground or background elements overpower the bird subject, it becomes lost in the frame. The above example borders on that problem. This is primarily due to the brightness levels of the foreground elements.
Tip #2 – A viewer’s eyes will always tend to immediately navigate to the brightest and sharpest point within the frame. Then, depending on the composition, the eyes will begin to explore the entire frame. Your bird subject should be where the eyes land first. Then, they should explore the frame. Finally, they should come back to rest upon the subject.
Photograph by Bob Brewer
The above example photo makes use of foreground and background. The lighting and color separation are good.
However, the background is a bit busy and distracting, and an ever-so-slight camera move would have separated the woodpecker's crest from the tree.
Let me show you something.
Photograph by Bob Brewer
Using the retouching app TouchRetouch, I eliminated the distracting elements and separated the crest from the tree in about five minutes while still maintaining the original intent of the photograph.
Tip #3—Don’t be afraid to use your post-production skills to improve your composition, especially regarding foreground and background elements. Birds won’t always be situated in the best place for us, but we can fix that to some degree!
Photograph by Mark Olsen: This is a perfect example of a properly composed bird image using foreground and background elements.
Get Creative with this concept!
Photograph by Jose Manuel
Tip #4—Think outside the box with your foreground and background elements. What is a less obvious possibility? Perhaps a beak tucked into the feathers, which also adds a focal point!
Want more? If you want to learn more about bird photography, and capture beautiful shots of your own, we recommend downloading and printing out Photzy’s 10 Bird Photography Cheat Sheets (Special bonus available now!)