Like it or not, you will take bad images.
Ok, that might sound a bit harsh but it’s true. It does not matter whether you take your time to photograph a wildlife subject or whether you fill up card after card on rapid fire, there will always be a few images that you feel is not good enough to show the world.
Come on, admit it.
You have images on your computer that you have no intention of showing anybody. Out of focus, bad composition, whatever. You just don’t want to show it to anybody.
It’s ok! We all, yes all of us, take images that are not up to standard. The point is this – you need to learn from your sub-standard images. You need to:
- look at them
- recognize that there is something that you don’t like
- decide why you don’t like it
- decide how to fix what you didn’t like
- learn from it
The last point is the most important. Learning from you photographic mistake is the only way in which you will become a better photographer. So, with that being said, here is an example of how one images can teach you many things.
The above sunrise image was shot in the Wolwedans Nature Reserve in Namibia. Early morning. Oryx. Beautiful light. We were snapping away. At first glance I quite liked the image but I knew there was something that didn’t feel right. I took a moment and really looked at it and these are the three lessons I took away from this shot
1. The subject is placed in the middle of the frame. This makes the image feel flat as there is no tension or implied movement. By positioning the Oryx more to the right of the frame there would have been more space for the animal to (potentially) move into creating a more naturally dynamic feeling.
2. The tree on the right is neither in nor out of the frame. It’s almost there. The two choices here would have been to have placed it a little more to the left, showing the entire stem, or to exclude it completely. I quite like the tree as it forms a frame on the right of the frame and also works quite well with the sunlight coming through the branches.
3. The horizon is skew. Even though the Oryx was standing on the slope of a hill the viewer’s eyes will be drawn to the bottom right of the frame. Placing the subject in the bottom right of the frame might have been one way in which to use this strong leading line alternatively would have been to wait and hope the animal walks to the top of the hill.
There are many ways to learn but one of the best ways is to look at your own work – honestly! Don’t look for all the good things. Be realistic and honest with yourself and see what you can learn from your ‘not-my-best’ images.
Another way in which you can learn and be inspired is to look at other photographers images and tomorrow, being guest blogger Thursday, you can do exactly that. Mark Dumbleton has established himself as on one of the up and coming South African landscape and wildlife photographers to watch. Join Mark tomorrow as he explores what makes a good landscape photograph. Great images, great advise, great guest post! Make sure to pop in tomorrow!
I will see ya on Friday! 
Gerry
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