Why Background Matters More Than Equipment

Why Background Matters More Than Equipment

Wildlife photography can become very equipment-focused.

Which camera?

Which lens?

How many megapixels?

How fast is the autofocus?

All of those things matter to some extent.

But one of the biggest improvements I made to my own photography came from paying considerably more attention to something that costs nothing:

the background.

The background is part of the photograph

When we see a lion, leopard or elephant in front of us, our attention naturally concentrates on the animal.

The camera is less selective.

It records everything.

Branches.

Bright patches of sky.

Other vehicles.

Grass crossing the animal's face.

A distracting tree growing apparently out of its head.

A beautiful animal doesn't automatically produce a beautiful photograph.

Look beyond the subject

Before pressing the shutter, I try to ask myself:

What is behind the animal?

A small change in position can sometimes make an enormous difference.

Moving the vehicle five metres may turn a cluttered background into a distant hillside.

Lowering the camera may replace pale sky with soft vegetation.

Waiting for an animal to take two steps may separate its head from a distracting tree.

None of these improvements requires a new camera.

Distance creates separation

The relationship between the animal and the background is particularly important.

If the background is close to the subject, it will normally appear relatively detailed.

If it is a long way behind the subject, it becomes easier to render it softly out of focus.

That separation helps the animal stand out.

This is one reason I don't always want to drive as close to wildlife as possible.

Sometimes backing away produces the stronger photograph.

Light matters too

Background isn't only about focus.

It is also about brightness.

A beautifully lit animal against a dark background can produce a dramatic photograph.

Equally, an animal in shadow against a bright background can be difficult to make work.

When possible, I try to notice the relative brightness of subject and background before the moment happens.

Wildlife rarely stands exactly where we would like it to.

But understanding the possibilities helps us recognise the opportunity when it appears.

Environmental photographs

A good background does not necessarily mean a completely blurred background.

Sometimes the environment is the story.

A giraffe among acacia trees, an elephant beneath a stormy African sky or a lion surrounded by long Mara grass can tell us much more than a tight portrait.

The difference is that the background is then deliberate.

It contributes something to the photograph.

Equipment helps — but seeing matters more

Good cameras and lenses undoubtedly make certain photographs easier.

Fast autofocus helps with moving animals.

Long lenses help when wildlife is distant.

Wide-aperture lenses can produce beautiful subject separation.

But expensive equipment cannot decide where you position yourself.

It cannot recognise a distracting background.

And it cannot decide whether the photograph is stronger if you wait another 30 seconds.

Those decisions belong to the photographer.

When I am helping somebody improve their wildlife photography, I therefore spend surprisingly little time talking about buying equipment.

I would rather help them learn to see.

Because once you start noticing backgrounds, your photographs can improve immediately — without changing a single piece of equipment.