Beginner Just grey squirrels and a rat.

Applemuncher

Applemuncher

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Name
Justine
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I usually like to photograph landscapes really and I'm only a beginner - I've been taking photos in earnest for about two months or so. I decided to go to the local park to just photograph some squirrels to see how I got along with that. It was alright - I did get some photos but I'm really struggling on how to make them more interesting - they are just kind of plonked there in the middle of the screen but if I tried to add interest then I was just adding parkland really which, of course, they camouflage in to.

I was hoping to get some advice from some of the more seasoned wildlife photographers if you wouldn't mind - any hints and tips are greatly appreciated.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/MdeTRF]Squrrel2 by Justine Edwards, on Flickr[/URL]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/MZKoXY]Squirrel1 by Justine Edwards, on Flickr[/URL]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/N3nXWZ]Squirrel by Justine Edwards, on Flickr[/URL]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Mdf1uR]Squirre;3 by Justine Edwards, on Flickr[/URL]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/N7SQvE]rat by Justine Edwards, on Flickr[/URL]
 
You kind of answered your own question which is that interesting photos need interesting subjects and preferably good backgrounds, otherwise they are just, well, uninteresting.

A passing comment on the photos is that the light in them isn't exactly great and the one where there is nice light you have shot from the wrong side of the animal so its front is in the shadow (or it is in a shadow). Also, in all of them the backgrounds are not great, you need to consider background as much as subject when composing photos, getting low can help here as it lends more perspective and doesn't look like you're looking down on them.

Wildlife photography takes patience patience patience and a whole lot of luck too, if you really want a good shot then you need to scout out locations where you can find the animals you want in the surroundings you want to shoot them in with the light how you want it. Then its a case of waiting, possibly in a hide.

Of course, you can get lucky just by strolling around but even then you need to be able to spot where the good backgrounds, light and angles are.
 
Nawty said:
A passing comment on the photos is that the light in them isn't exactly great and the one where there is nice light you have shot from the wrong side of the animal so its front is in the shadow (or it is in a shadow). Also, in all of them the backgrounds are not great, you need to consider background as much as subject when composing photos, getting low can help here as it lends more perspective and doesn't look like you're looking down on them.
Click to expand...

They kept moving! I was just on a walk around the park so I get what you're saying, it's kind of hard to get on the right side of a squirrel though (and a rat) so I just photographed them as they presented themselves. I was frightened to move in case I spooked the thing. There's loads of squirrels in the local park and I always thought they were kind of interesting...until I tried to photograph them. :)
 
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