FRAMING TIPS
Discover how to balance the composition successfully
NUTTY
A very handsome nuthatch sitta europaea, preparing to take off from the trunk of a dead tree. Taken from my woodland hide
1 USE THE GRID
Most digital cameras have a 3x3 (rule of thirds) grid display which is a useful compositional tool. remember to be creative and keep your subject away from the middle of the frame.
2 NEGATIVE AND ACTIVE SPACE
Try not to frame your pictures too tightly, and use negative space to emphasise the subject and bring balance. remember, using active space can add drama and anticipation to your shots.
3 CLEAN BACKGROUND
composing your shot against a clean and unobtrusive background will help to isolate and define your subject. This is also good for editorial pieces as text can overlay the negative space.
4 PROP SETUP
Once you can anticipate where a bird or animal will be, especially if you are tempting them with food, you can add props to the scene. This will help you to plan and control your compositions.
5 AF POINT SELECTION
Most of the time when shooting from a hide you will be able to use AF point selection to pre-compose the scene. This can help you capture moments you might otherwise have missed.