Look up, look down, look all around

I read an interesting blog post the other day - it conveyed one key message: When you are out shooting, don't waste time looking at the images you've just taken, keep looking around you and see the opportunities in front of you. 

This is one of the issues I have found when out shooting wildlife…the risk is you see everything through a viewfinder rather than really experiencing the sighting itself. It is hard to get the balance right. With experience you become more selective at each sighting and you make the call on whether you can get the shot you want or not. The important thing is to make a conscious decision to look up, look down and look all around your environment. If you do this you will force yourself to see the bigger picture and the context of the sighting. You will also see things that you were not looking for and new photographic opportunities. 

This afternoon I was looking at my portfolio and I found the following images. All of these images were secondary subjects whilst chasing after a larger sighting. It was experience that taught me to look around my environment beyond the "big stuff"…These images didn't become a distraction, they became complimentary. I was able to compose and take the shot whilst looking at other primary sightings...

Whilst watching a large Bull Elephant, I noticed just in front of me a Purple Roller perched on a branch. This bird was right under my nose, and I spotted him because I wasn't looking in my viewfinder!

Whilst driving around a large dam to look for large game, I spotted this South African Shelduck sitting on its own on a piece of wood. The reflection and solitude of the duck made for a fantastic shot.

A very vocal Swanson's Spurfowl made for a great sighting! This time in search of lions, when this was spotted only a few meters away. His calling could well have been due to the closeness of the predators we were searching for!

An African Wattled Lapwing - this beautiful bird and its reflection I spotted whilst watching Baboons on the other side of this watering hole. 

Here's a Southern Pied Babbler. Whilst photographing general game from a hide, this fella flew down and perched on a branch right beside me. I slowly and quietly moved my lens on my tripod in his direction and grabbed this shot. I'm by know means a proficient bird photographer, but when an opportunity presents itself, you have to take it!

And finally, the African Guinea Fowl, yes you see them everywhere in Africa, but does that mean we shouldn't photograph them?

These are all great additions to my portfolio. They are all "classic" portraits, but given that each one was taken whilst I was viewing something else, its proof that with such an abundance of wildlife around you, an awareness of your surroundings and stepping back from your lens can give you great results.

Until next time...