As a landscape architect, I studied design extensively. And the rules of design certainly follows into photography. That being said, one thing I always have to remind myself is don’t forget to shoot vertical, if it’s appropriate. It’s harder to hold the camera without a vertical grip, but the image is often so improved by that. Don’t forget to shoot vertically!!!

Nice vid. I don't buy into the only from left to right thing. At least to me it doesn't matter which way the bird is going unless it is facing away from the camera. I do believe no matter what way the bird/wildlife is facing, the photo composition almost always looks better with more space in front of the subject than behind. Happy shooting.

'Art and Beauty - these things are subjective, but....' So, my main 'but' is that photography is about far more, and is far more important than, just 'art and beauty'. And amongst the many branches of photography, those that deal with the natural world, or the natural world in its intersection with the 'built world' of people, are (though not uniquely) of greatest importance. Concentrating on producing images that conform to a particular aesthetic, or are in accordance with some dogma, is not necessarily producing images that serve the interests of the natural world or represent its elements with integrity. An image of a bird amongst a mass of twigs in a thicket, for a bird that typically dwells amongst twigs in a thicket, is not a bad image - it is an exemplary image because it honours the subject qua subject, and doesn't just exploit it as some pretty picture that leaves viewers (and 'critics') feeling comforted. People need to see the natural world on its terms, rather than through the norms of curation, because that is what educates, informs, contributes to the development of a perspective - an appreciation of The Real rather than The Sanitized. Consider a banal simplification: ''habitat loss? how so? i've never seen any pictures of birds living in messy thickets like that - it's just terra nullius, ripe for clearing and development". Happens all the time. If we want people to value the natural world, we have to portray the natural world without the fear that we're going to be faulted for some artistic faux pas. There are plenty of opportunities to create mainstream 'art and beauty', but if we care about the natural world and the stresses it faces then we must put upholding the integrity of the subject front and centre.

I think some times you have to get the documentation shot first, then work the scene to clean up the image. Thanks!

Great tips👍👍

Great tips!

Wonderful! And great tips! I have been off of YouTub for a bit. I need to catch up as I have forgotten how fantastic your videos are! 🇫🇷

❤love the ideas

Thanks!