Picture Of The Week 08-17-09

Where: Chincoteague, VA • Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Notes: It is most often desirable to have smooth even backgrounds in nature photography. This produces the effect of clarifying the subject. Contrast can be achieved not only with differences in brightness and darkness, or with opposing colors, but also by capturing areas of sharpness and blur as well. This is usually a difficult thing to achieve because most birds are perched on twig filled bushes, tall thick grass or leaf covered trees. Occasionally I can change the background in a frame by changing my position, but it is not often that time or habitat allows that opportunity. Having the consciousness to try and change the background has come only through experience. It has taken the disappointment of many shots where the subject is in sharp focus but cluttered backgrounds make the photograph to busy. The result of which has motivated my awareness of this affect. A long lens with a low f-stop number also helps to blur out of focus items because of the short focal length it achieves.