Striving for Something Special in Your Bird Photos

^{Note: This tip comes from Photography Life’s article - 21 Tips for Bird Photography}

A photograph that surprises people will pull in a lot of attention. By comparison, a stereotypical photograph does not attract that much attention.

If anyone had seen a typical composition quite a few times before, no matter how appealing, it would not invoke much interest. Most of us know rules like the rule of thirds, the golden triangle, etc. Sure, they help some of us in making composition… easier.

But it has to be understood that they are merely guidelines, at most. Many of us follow those rules too strictly.

Instead, getting out of the herd mentality will improve the individuality of your photos, which, in turn, leads to originality.

Tip #1 - Originality—in composition or otherwise—is the key to a piece of work’s widest reach.

Let’s look at a couple of bird photo examples that display originality.

This photo shows originality by including the shepherd's hook and even the cable holding the bird feeder.

• The photographer has created a story with a sense of mystery—we need to think about what that object is and why the bird is perched there.

• It adds several composition elements, including a frame, a curve, a focal point, and color contrast.

• The composition breaks the Rule of Thirds, adding an additional jolt for the viewer.

This photograph breaks a major composition rule: never to have a ‘line’ pass through your subject. But it suppresses that with visual treats.

• They used a pastel, high-key color pallet.

• The slightly opened beak creates a focal point.

• The Rule of Thirds adds visual weight to the bird despite the ‘break’ of its body by the plant.

• The bird makes eye contact, which also adds visual weight.

• The negative space behind the bird helps to separate it from the surrounding foliage.

Tip #2 – Don’t rely on the quick snap in your excitement after spotting a bird. Stop. Analyze the scene. Look for non-stereotypical possibilities.

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!)