Separation From The Background Is A Common Issue In Wildlife Photography

^{Note: This tip comes from the photography case study #4 ‘Separation from the Background’ inside Photzy’s - 5 Extended Case-Studies on Bird Photography}

This colorful bird is almost lost in the background.

Creating a separation of the subject from the background is a common issue in wildlife photography.

In most cases, we want the bird to stand out. The only time you would likely not want the bird to stand out would be if you were trying to show its natural camouflage.

One of the issues with making a bird stand out from the background is that we often don’t have a choice. The bird is where it happens to be, and we, the photographer, are where we choose to place the camera.

The best way to handle this challenge is with some forethought and planning.

Look at the background if you have some planning time for your bird photography projects. Look at where the light is coming from (or will be coming from) during your shoot.

A simple change of camera position might facilitate a completely different look.

Examine this second picture. Notice how the photographer carefully placed the bird within the frame so that the highlight side of the feathers is juxtaposed against a shadowed area of the foliage.

The reverse is valid for the shadowed side of the bird. It is positioned in front of a highlighted area in the background.

This photo could have been far less appealing without the separation.

Here’s your quick tip: Take account of the background lighting and bird lighting. Then, choose your angle for the camera.

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!)