Taking hunting photos

[Marc]

Another thread got me thinking about this, and I am lucky enough to have a father who is very interested and very good at photography...  I am adequate.

When we go hunting together and are successful, I know that we will be spending some time taking pictures...  Looking for a good backdrop, getting the sun at the correct angle, etc...  But, I always enjoy looking back at those pictures.

On this forum, I have seen some really nice shots of birds taken, and seen some that were mediocre.

As much time as we spend chasing and hunting these birds, I always feel it is worth a few moments to capture the experience properly (or as properly as possible) with a camera.

Here are a few tips that have helped me out, and maybe they can help someone out on this forum as well.

• Make sure you are at the same level as the subject you are shooting...  Standing above a child (or dead bird) will not look as nice as if you get down to the same level as the subject you are shooting.
• If you are holding the camera, the sun should be behind you (facing the subject).  Taking pictures in the middle of the day can be difficult, because the shadow will be present no matter where you stand...  Sometimes you gotta play the hand you are dealt.
• If you are taking the picture, make sure your shadow is not in the picture (I make this mistake all too frequently)...  If I am using a tripod (even a small portable one), make sure the shadow of the camera is not in the picture.
  
• If you are holding the camera, tuck your elbows into your chest for a more steady (less blurry) picture.
• Make sure that the camera frame is level with the horizon...
• Choose a nice backdrop for the picture...  Hunting pictures are always more pleasant to look at when taken in the field rather that the patio at home (although I have forgotten my camera on many a trip).  Nothing like choosing that perfect backdrop, only to get home and see part of the bumper of the truck in the picture.
• Make sure that you capture the image you are shooting in the frame (too far back and you cannot tell what the picture is, too close and you might cut off part of a head or part of the bird you are filming).
• I love Photoshop...  I can level the horizon, add light, crop pictures to better frame the subjects, and do all this with very little technical knowledge or skill.  Photoshop has saved many a poorly taken picture for me...

Sometimes it is nice to capture the image of just the bird you shot, especially if it is posed in an appealing manner...  But generally, if at all possible I also like to have myself and anyone else involved in the hunt in the picture as well...  Looking back at some of my own pictures, it draws up far more of a memory to see a person or myself in the picture...

I have come to carry a small portable tripod with metal legs that bend...  I can wrap this around a tree branch, or set it on a rock and use the timer to take a nice picture of myself, or myself and partner.  When I say small, I think the legs on mine are 4" long, and it has come in really handy for taking pictures...

I really enjoy taking the camera, and often I am so involved in the hunting and the moment, it skips my mind...  I sure wish I had taken the camera out of the bag more when I took my four-year old daughter duck hunting this past season...

If anyone else has any tips on taking pictures, I know I would appreciate hearing about them...

[GobbleNut]

Excellent points Marc.  I agree that taking the time to get some good photos is something everybody should try to do.  Some of the additional things I try to do with turkeys are:
1)  Clean up the bird,....wipe off blood from the head and feathers,...arrange the feathers of the turkey so that it looks as natural as possible.
2)  Take the pictures in the sun, rather than shade, and get an angle that shows the iridescence of the birds feathers, if possible.
3)  Take at least a few pictures without showing the destruction your gun did to the bird.  Most people really don't want to see what kind of damage your super-tight choke did to the turkeys head. 
4)  Smile!  You just killed a magnificent wild turkey.  You should be happy.  The "I am the great hunter,...see what I did"-frown just makes you look like a grump with an attitude.  Get over your bad self. 

[Marc]

Excellent points Marc.  I agree that taking the time to get some good photos is something everybody should try to do.  Some of the additional things I try to do with turkeys are:
1)  Clean up the bird,....wipe off blood from the head and feathers,...arrange the feathers of the turkey so that it looks as natural as possible.
2)  Take the pictures in the sun, rather than shade, and get an angle that shows the iridescence of the birds feathers, if possible.
3)  Take at least a few pictures without showing the destruction your gun did to the bird.  Most people really don't want to see what kind of damage your super-tight choke did to the turkeys head. 
4) Smile! You just killed a magnificent wild turkey.  You should be happy.  The "I am the great hunter,...see what I did"-frown just makes you look like a grump with an attitude.  Get over your bad self.

Some good points...

When duck hunting, we hang our birds so they will look nice for the picture (plus they are easier to pick if they are dry and clean)...  Although, sometimes a bit of blood can add to the intensity of the photograph...

And the smiling thing...   I have friends who look stern and serious for every outdoor picture...  They look upset that they were successful.  I suppose to some degree any photograph is art, and there is always room for the artistic expression...  I don't get it, but then again, there is a lot of "art" I do not get.

[kevin2]

Here is some great information...being a professional photographer, this is what I try to do.

All sun OR all shade, a combo of both is the worst thing. Shade is better, way better, contrary to what you may think. The sun is harsh, if you happen to get a cloudy day, that is nice, as it acts like a big filter to the suns harshness.

Take several photos, as it will give you all that more to work with when you are done.

Know your camera. This may be the biggest item over looked. IF your camera doesn't have a manual mode OR you don't know how to shoot in manual, then knowing what your camera tends to do in the different modes that it does have will help to illiminate blurry OR unusable photos. Experiment with those modes. For instance, I had a instant pocket kind of camera years ago that would only take great photos using the "running man" icon setting. This setting used a faster shutter speed, so no matter the lighting situation, it would typically get a nice clear photo.

Have fun. I take several angles and poses if possible. Flash & no flash. Try to avoid the "bullseye" photo where the subject in the exact middle of the photo. Try to offset that subject in your camera frame.

Contrary to what you may think, filling the entire frame with your subject/s and even cutting part of them off can turn out fantastic photography. Don't be afraid to pop off a couple of these too, as you never know what you'll like and enjoy once you process them at home.

[Tony Harris]

Great thoughts and ideas.

Don't be afraid to pose the person with the turkey. The bird slung over their shoulder with them walking away. Them walking out to the bird. Hefting it up like they just grabbed it off the ground. Even them laying the bird out straightening the feathers as they give thanks. And grab a few pics of the bird. If the head isn't mangled get a close up, a close up of the feathers maybe even a single feather.

While the picture of the hunter and bird can be a great addition to the trophy you just took remember you are telling a story with the pictures to those who weren't there.

[TauntoHawk]

Guys a thread about pictures is worthless without pictures 

Post some of your favorites up.

Its funny because with deer, even a nice buck I usually snap one or two quick cell pics of them laying on the ground and thats it.

Turkey, alway take the time to set up as nice a photo as I can to remember the hunt better. A lot of these are still cell phone pics before I got a nice camera to keep in the truck. Any more tips Marc?

I'll share a few of my favorites

My wife's first ever bird, unforgettable! 24lb stud put on a spit/drum/gobble show on for 45min

First bird I got to call in for my dad, taught me hunting in general. He might not know turkeys well but we chased em around enough to get me hooked as a boy.

A memorable Youth hunt at one of my favorite places to hunt, a beef farm on the side of the Catskills with a sweet views of some rolling hills.

[Marc]

Here is some great information...being a professional photographer, this is what I try to do.

All sun OR all shade, a combo of both is the worst thing. Shade is better, way better, contrary to what you may think. The sun is harsh, if you happen to get a cloudy day, that is nice, as it acts like a big filter to the suns harshness.

Take several photos, as it will give you all that more to work with when you are done.

Know your camera. This may be the biggest item over looked. IF your camera doesn't have a manual mode OR you don't know how to shoot in manual, then knowing what your camera tends to do in the different modes that it does have will help to illiminate blurry OR unusable photos. Experiment with those modes. For instance, I had a instant pocket kind of camera years ago that would only take great photos using the "running man" icon setting. This setting used a faster shutter speed, so no matter the lighting situation, it would typically get a nice clear photo.

Have fun. I take several angles and poses if possible. Flash & no flash. Try to avoid the "bullseye" photo where the subject in the exact middle of the photo. Try to offset that subject in your camera frame.

Contrary to what you may think, filling the entire frame with your subject/s and even cutting part of them off can turn out fantastic photography. Don't be afraid to pop off a couple of these too, as you never know what you'll like and enjoy once you process them at home.

So what do you do when trying to take a picture at noon?  I enjoy the sunlight creating the iridescent colors on the birds, but you are right about the harsh shading...  Do you use a flash in the shade during "high-noon" hours?

Last year, both the birds I killed were around noon to 1 pm, and the pictures did not turn out so well for me...

Great advice, and thank you for posting.

[kjnengr]

I agree with a lot of the guys that have already posted.  Even though a bunch of my hunting buddies could care less about pictures, I feel like I owe it to myself, my memories, and the animal I just killed, to preserve the moment in the best way possible.  It kills me to watch buddies take pictures with just their cell phones.  Even point and shoot cameras have way better lenses and aperture settings than even the latest phones.

One suggestion someone once gave me was to put the bird on a log or other natural object instead of just on the ground.  I kinda like how this turned out.



I also like taking close ups of body parts - the feet and/or spurs, iridescent feathers glistening in the sun, etc, etc. 

If you called up the turkey with a special/sentimental/new call, take one of the pictures with that too. 

Take some pictures of the environment around you before during and after the kill - not just kill shots

[eorlando]

First off let me introduce myself.  I am new to the forum and love to turkey hunt... well hunt everything.  I am from SWFL.  I love to take photos of nature and pics of animals that I have been lucky enough to take. There is lots of good information in this thread.  Take your time and make sure you take lots of pics.  Once the moment is gone it is lost forever.  Here are a few of my favorites over the years.  Some turkey related and others not...I have a ton more pics to share if anyone is interested.  Enjoy.  Eric

Try really hard not to have houses or trucks in the pic as I did with this smoke phase osceola.  Little did I know that this was a once in a lifetime bird when I shot it (this was my first turkey EVER!!!).  I sure wish I had taken better pics at the time.  Luckily I have a beautiful mount to show it off.

Silver Phase Turkey by e_orlando, on Flickr

Untitled by e_orlando, on Flickr

Untitled by e_orlando, on Flickr

Untitled by e_orlando, on Flickr

Untitled by e_orlando, on Flickr


Untitled by e_orlando, on Flickr


Untitled by e_orlando, on Flickr


DSC_0630 by e_orlando, on Flickr

[TauntoHawk]

Awesome pictures man!

[alclark2]

I'll add that if you are taking digital pictures... TAKE 50 or 100. You can always delete them if you don't want them, but you can't ever take them again. I took a really nice partial red phase bird at my first home state bird. I only took a few pictures of him in my truck. I really regret that now. I took probably 50 pictures of my Alabama bird. Atleast ten were excellent. I really enjoy them now.

[ncturkey]

i took this photo of my daughters first Longbeard with my cell phone.
I took this picture with my Canon on a Tripod. I did miss getting the weed out of the way.

Night pictures are hard to get. This one was taken with my cell phone.

I love catching the memories right when they happen.

My wife took this picture by hand with my Canon Camera. This was taken in my back yard.

Here is my best picture I have ever taken. It was my 2011 Gobbler. I took the pic with my Canon Camera on a tripod. The lighting was perfect for the shot.

[Gooserbat]

Great info.