Mastering Bird Photography: Composition Counts!

^{Note: This tip comes from Audubon’s article- How to Compose the Perfect Bird Photo}

In pursuing artistic bird photos that everyone can enjoy—both birder and non-birder alike—it’s essential to think about the scene as a whole and how the parts of the image relate to each other aesthetically.

This is the goal of composition: It’s about framing the scene around the bird so that the final image is pleasing to the eye and conveys important context, such as where the bird lives, what it interacts with, or other aspects of its behavior that viewers might find intriguing.

Here are a few tips to help you achieve such a shot.

Tip #1 – Get Creative in thoughts and planning.

While composition adds another complexity to photography, it allows you to be creative.

Try changing your shooting angle or the distance between you and the bird. This can make a big difference in terms of both the amount of the bird’s environment you capture and showing how the bird relates to it.

For example, the berry bush a bird is feeding on or ripples in the water it is wading through can convey information about the bird’s life but also drastically affect the photo’s color balance, geometry, texture, and mood.

Tip #2 - Tell a Story with all the elements.

In addition to composing a visually appealing photo, you should consider what the image will say to people who weren’t there when you took the shot.

If the bird is reacting to something (such as a potential predator or prey), capturing that in the image will include viewers in the action and give them a glimpse into that bird's life.

For flight shots, consider whether viewers will benefit more by seeing where the bird is going (by putting more space in front of the bird) or where the bird has been (by, say, including the perch it took off from). People love photos that tell a story.

Tip #3 – Know The Rule Of Thirds, But Be Prepared To Break It

A common pitfall among beginner bird photographers is always putting the bird in the exact center of the image.

It’s an understandable impulse, but one that results in all of your photos looking dull and less interesting.

Experiment with the Rule of Thirds and place the bird along an invisible line a third of the way from the edge of the image.

This is a crude approximation of the Golden Ratio, a mathematical proportion that appears throughout nature and art, creating a sense of harmony and balance. 

You can experiment with the Golden Ratio, too, by envisioning the invisible lines a little closer to the center of the frame.

But like any rules of art, these are just rough guidelines—a starting point. Because every situation is unique, the ideal framing for any scene depends on the scene itself.

Explore different options and see how they look through the viewfinder.

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!)