small in the frame

Red-shouldered Hawk juvenile – Small in the Frame

By Mia McPherson, on January 25th, 2013%

Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk – Small in frame – Sawgrass County Park

Five days ago I posted a Bald Eagle image where the eagle was small in the frame and explained that I felt that the setting was as important as the subject, I also feel that way about this image of a Red-shouldered Hawk juvenile perched in a tree. I photographed this young Red-shouldered Hawk at Sawgrass County Park in Pinellas County, Florida a few years ago as the early morning light lit up the grasses and Bamboo in the background.

The subject doesn’t always need to fill the frame to have impact and appeal, sometimes the background or habitat has as much appeal as the subject.

Mia

Small in the Frame – Bald Eagle

By Mia McPherson, on January 20th, 2013%

Bald Eagle – Small in the frame – Golden Spike National Historic Site, Utah

Yesterday Ron, Brian Gatlin and I went to Bear River National Wildlife Refuge and the Golden Spike National Historic Site area in bad light, falling snow and lake fog looking for birds to photograph and we came up pretty much empty-handed but we did find this adult Bald Eagle perched on some snow-covered rocks going towards the Golden Spike National Historic Site Visitor Center as the snow fell. The eagle was quite a distance away but I loved the rugged habitat so I decided to have the raptor small in the frame rather than over-crop and reduce the image quality. For me the habitat in this frame is as important as the Bald Eagle.

It was about 5 degrees Fahrenheit which was cold for us even photographing from inside a warm vehicle so I imagine the Bald Eagle was cold too.

We didn’t come away with the images that we hoped for but the company was terrific and we all had a great time while surrounded by the beauty of nature.

Mia

More Bald Eagle images

Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow in a snow storm

By Mia McPherson, on December 24th, 2012%

Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow in a snow storm – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 1600, +2.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

The White-crowned Sparrow in this image is small in the frame, the bird isn’t super sharp and there isn’t a lot of contrast or color to the photo either yet the image speaks to me.

When I look at this image I see the snow-covered shrub and can compare the size of the bird to how high the snow is piled up. I can see an icy ring of snow around the base of the bird’s bill. I see harsh conditions but I also see the small sparrow’s ability to survive and adapt to the environment.

I see more than the image itself.

Mia

It is a challenge to photograph in low light and even more so with snow falling heavily which is why I selected a higher ISO than I normally do, ISO 1600 is pushing it with my Nikon D300 and I also had to use positive exposure compensation so the image wouldn’t be too dark.

More White-crowned Sparrow images

Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow – Very Small in the Frame

By Mia McPherson, on September 28th, 2012%

Very small in the frame juvenile White-crowned Sparrow – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

Normally I wouldn’t take or present an image where the subject is as small in the frame as this juvenile White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is but I couldn’t resist because I like this image a lot.

I like seeing the sun-bleached “bones” of last years Phragmites along with the tassels of those from this season plus the dried tan color from the playa and some green growth from recent rains in the background. I enjoy the pastel bands of colors, the graphical lines of the old Phragmites stalks and even though the juvenile White-crowned is very small in the frame it still draws my attention.

A small bird in a large world.

Mia

Small in the frame

By Mia McPherson, on August 19th, 2010%

Though I quite often photograph birds so that they are what is labled “frame filling” I also like to compose images that show the bird or animals small in the frame.

Palm Warbler perched on Sea Purslane
Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
D200, F6.3, 1/640, ISO 200, 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light.

For me this image above is as much about the Sea Purslane and the OOF Sea Oats on the sand dune in the background as it is about the as it is about the Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum). I wanted to show the scale of the bird and purslane, the warbler is tiny and the individual leaves of the purslane are too.

Oystercatcher juvenile in the surf
Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
D200, HH, f5.6, 1/160, ISO 320, 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light.

I do have other reasons for taking images where the birds are small in the frame. I don’t approach, harrass or disturb nesting birds or chicks. I will remain at a distance from the nest or chicks even knowing that I’ll take a heavier crop than normal and while I am framing the shot I will look for a setting or background that will work with a bird smaller in the frame.

The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) chick in the image above isn’t frame filling but I feel the wave about to crash in the background and the bits and pieces of shells and the bird’s pose provide enough interest. Also since the chick is small having it smaller in the frame can accentuate that.

Laughing Gull in a quiet lagoon
Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
D200, HH, f5.6, 1/1600, ISO 400, 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light.

I didn’t feel that the Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) in the photo above was all that interesting from the distance I was away from the bird but as I positioned myself lower and lower in the lagoon while looking through the viewfinder I found the still water, dark reflections and the contrast of the lighter colored gull very interesting, so I took a few shots. I know the image above isn’t likely to appeal to a large audience of viewers, but it does have appeal for me.

Feeding Brown Pelicans over the Gulf of Mexico
Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
D200, HH, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 200, 80-400mm VR at 175mm, natural light.

Another reason that I might compose an image with birds small in the frame is that I may want to include several birds or animals in an image and include enough background to give the viewer a sense of place.

The Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in this image are actively hunting over and diving into the Gulf of Mexico, the gulls seen in the image are hoping to get the baitfish that the pelicans might lose. I wanted to convey the differences of the sizes of the gulls and pelicans as well as include the clouds in the early morning sky.

These are just a few examples of why I might compose images with birds or animals that are small in the frame.

Mia