RSPCA Young Photographer Awards judge shares expert photography pointers
With just a brief time delegated go into the prominent RSPCA Young Photographer Awards, acclaimed wildlife professional photographer and awards panel judge, Emma Jacobs, has actually shared some expert pointers and techniques for landing that winning shot.
The 2023 RSPCA Young Photographer Awards is now open for entries and runs till Tuesday 15 August. Ahead of the awards RSPCA senior professional photographer, Emma Jacobs, is motivating those aged 18 and under to get their video camera or smart phone and get snapping!
Emma said: “With ten different categories* to choose from, there’s something for everyone, whatever their interest – and some fabulous prizes to be won. All animal photographs are welcome, from pets to wildlife, insects, farm animals and more.
“Photographing pets, farm animals and wildlife is amazing – and I’m excited to share my top tips to capture that winning shot!”
“The two hours after sunrise and the last two before sunset are what photographers call the “magic hours”. This is when the light is best for photography; the sun is low in the sky, creating images that look soft and radiant and reducing the contrast between bright and dark areas. This allows you to capture details in the highlights and shadows. The light is a warmer colour too, giving a pleasant glow to even the dullest backgrounds.
“Weather conditions at dawn and dusk can add interest to your photos. Cold, clear nights can lead to wisps of mist on ponds and lakes as the first rays of sun warm the water, while sunsets can create a dramatic background for landscapes and silhouettes. As the day is ending, nocturnal animals will be waking up. During the summer months you have a better chance of spotting them as they forage before sunset. Birds are more active in the morning, having spent the night tucked up waiting for sunrise to signal that it’s time to look for food.”
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Remember it’s alright to remain regional
“It’s not always possible to travel long distances in search of a picture, but you don’t need to go far to find interesting subjects or capture great images. You can find hedgehogs, snails and beetles in your local park. Frogs, dragonflies and damselflies can be seen around ponds and lakes, and butterflies and bees will be feeding in flower beds. You can even photograph moths and spiders in your own home! Cobwebs can create unique silhouettes and insects can be photographed from interesting angles. Flowers and shrubs can give good coloured backgrounds, but try looking for other shapes or colours in the stems and leaves too.”
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Be ready and be client
“Wildlife can take a lot of time and consideration to photograph, do some research on your subject – learn what their habitats are, their waking hours and so forth. This will help you save time searching randomly for wildlife. It’s also important to take time to watch the animal in their environment as quietly as you can. What are they doing? What is around them? What is their character like? All these things can give you ideas for photos and help you tell a story.
“Photos of the animal being active will often be more interesting than a plain portrait, so photograph them doing things that will show their character. Wild animals are generally more active at sunrise and sunset, as searching for food in the full sun can make them feel exposed. Only photograph natural behaviours – and always avoid making animals do anything to cause them harm or distress.
“Remember to be patient and move slowly and quietly, even after you’ve taken the photo so you don’t disturb the animal. Keep in mind that you have no control over wildlife, but that’s what makes your subject so interesting! If it flies or crawls away, look for another – you will be rewarded in the end! All you can do is put yourself in the right place and be patient.”
“There are no hard and fast rules in photography and it can be fun to play around with different methods, such as the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is a compositional technique that breaks an image down into thirds. If your phone or camera has an option to add a grid then this could be very useful if you’re starting out. The grid is two horizontal and two vertical lines which help the composition of the photo. When using this technique, you can position your subject to the left or right of those lines ensuring the horizon and ground have an even split. By positioning the subject of your photo along the grid lines you’ll end up with a more aesthetically pleasing photo composition. Whilst this is a great approach for landing a stunning shot, it’s not something you have to stick to. Half the fun of photography is getting creative, breaking the rules and trying your own thing.”
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Play around and have a good time!
“Photography is all about creativity, so have fun with the photos you take and try different things, you never know what might happen! Zoom in for an intimate close up, zoom out and capture the surroundings and encapsulate the context of the story, get down low and take a photo from ground level, if you can try different lenses on your camera (you can get different lenses for mobile phone cameras too!). Digital cameras and some mobile devices allow you to try different shutter speeds and aperture settings so you can create lots of artistic effects.
“My final piece of advice is to remember that photography is for everyone. You don’t need to have lots of expensive equipment, just a camera that lets you focus in close on the subject.” Emma continued. “Use a camera, use your phone, or borrow one from a friend or family member. Don’t be afraid to give photography a go – you’ll never know what will happen if you never start. Everyone is a beginner at some point.”
The RSPCA Young Photographer awards will be evaluated by RSPCA president wildlife professional photographer and television speaker Chris Packham; wildlife professional photographer and speaker Rachel Bigsby; previous competitors winner-turned-professional professional photographer Catriona Parfitt; expert wildlife professional photographer and photographic guide Ellie Rothnie; and RSPCA professional photographers Andrew Forsyth and Emma Jacobs.
The judges will award prizes to winners in each classification, in addition to crowning an Overall Winner. The Overall Winner will receive a weekend photography break with award-winning wildlife professional photographer Danny Green’s group at Natures Images. Worth £675, this amazing reward consists of 2 nights’ accommodation for the winner and a parent/guardian.
The winners will be revealed in December 2023, at an awards event hosted by Chris Packham at the Tower of London.
Young professional photographers can publish their images, view past galleries and discover whatever they require to understand at: www.rspca.org.uk/ypa.
To help the RSPCA continue saving, fixing up and rehoming animals in desperate requirement of care please visit our website or call our contribution line on 0300 123 8181.
