Animal magic

Q Can you give me help on how to get good portraits of wild animals – and explain what actually counts as an animal portrait?

A This is an interesting question,

Kirsty. I enlisted the help of top wildlife photographer Andy Rouse to come up with part of the answer. Essentially we agreed that for an image to be called an animal portrait, the main focus and message is based on the subject itself and that it should be a frame-filler – whether that’s purely a headshot or possibly a bit more of the whole animal. I’m sure others could argue a different interpretation but that’s how we see it.

To get a good portrait of an animal, you need patience – and lots of it. Even domestic animals and zoo animals don’t behave exactly as you want and, unlike a human subject, won’t respond to precise commands regarding positioning. However, there are things you can take from human portraiture that will make a difference. Focus on the eyes; make sure the background is clean and allows the subject to stand out well; and, where possible, get good catchlights in the eyes to give a bit of sparkle and life.

If you are able to capture some sense of the animal’s character or mood, that’s a real bonus, and doing so will certainly elevate your image.

I reckon your first attempts to get an animal portrait should be at a zoo or park where the animals are used to humans. Spend time observing the animals, and make notes of what they do and where they like to sit before you even get the camera out.