Most everyone can agree, hunting memories hold a special place in each of our lives. All the way from the very beginning, whether that is childhood or adulthood for some, and on into the present, we cherish those memorable times spent in the woods with friends and family. For many years now, and especially in today’s day and age, photographs have been a great way for us to capture those memorable hunts and moments for both us and future generations to look back on.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I believe that statement to be true. There can be a world of difference between a good picture and a bad one. Aside from the obvious differences that can be seen, such as light, angle, resolution, etc., I believe the difference between a good and a bad picture says a lot about the significance of a moment or memory to that particular individual. In my mind, quality conveys importance.

Maybe you already have some knowledge and skill when it comes to photographing your kill or trophy. Or maybe you’re like I was, looking for tips and pointers on how to make the most out of your “photo session”. Either way, I hope that you find this article beneficial. Everything I have learned over the years has purely been through trial and error. I am not a professional photographer, nor do I carry a high dollar camera around with me. This is just what I have come to know from my own experiences, and from watching others in the hunting industry.

1. Angle

Angle is probably one of the most important parts of the “photographing your trophy” process. It is very easy to snap a picture from up above, but I have found the lower you get, the better the results. When taking the picture, you want everything to be down at the animal’s level. The hunter should be sitting on the ground behind them, opposed to towering over them. By keeping everything down low, you allow for the primary focus of your picture to be directed toward the animal, your trophy.

From that lower perspective, you can also adjust your position as the photographer to incorporate alternate angles from left to right. Not every picture has to be from the animal’s side profile. Moving up towards the head of the animal for more of a “quartering-to” angle can better showcase the animal’s head and antlers.

Now I have heard the argument many times that lower profile images make the animal look bigger in comparison to the hunter. In some situations, yes, it does. I’ve seen many pictures where the hunter is sitting far back behind the animal, making him look smaller, and therefore the animal look bigger. When I say I like to sit on ground behind the animal, I mean right behind the animal. In contact with the animal. Yes, the animal may still look bigger to some. It’s going to, because it’s obviously in between you and the camera. But by getting right up next to it, I believe you take away most of the false sense of reality we’re referring to, and simply put a bigger spotlight on your kill and trophy than on your own physical presence.

2. Positioning

So we know where we need to be from the photographer’s standpoint. Now let’s talk about how to best position the hunter and the animal. The majority of the time, in what I refer to as “Kill Shot” pictures, the deer or animal is positioned on its side or flank with the hunter holding the head up. Not saying there is anything wrong with this, but remember, our photographer is getting down on the ground at the animal’s level for the picture, and our goal is to showcase our kill. When the animal is on its side, from a low angle, it can appear very flat. For deer in particular, having the white belly up can also be a subtle distraction for the viewer.

I recommend placing the deer or animal upright. Belly down, back up with the legs underneath. Think of how a deer is positioned when they bed down. That’s what we’re going for. By doing this, we are able to fill more of our frame with the animal. We can also better see the body size of the animal, and are able to hide the hunter’s boots and legs behind them.

The hunter, as we said before, should be sitting on the ground behind the animal. Often times the hunter will need to be right up against the animal to support it with a leg or knee and keep it from falling over. Do your best to avoid any random legs, knees or boots being visible to the camera.

3. Lighting

Lighting and resolution also make a big difference in the quality of your photo. You can have everything lined up right…a good angle, perfect positioning, a majestic background, but none of it is worth as much if the picture comes out blurry or too dark. It does not take a fancy camera to produce the perfect picture. In today’s day and age, almost everything can be done on your smart phone. And in all honesty, most of my pictures are taken with my iPhone.

Issues with the resolution, or “blurriness” of a photo are easily corrected. This takes nothing more than your time and attention to ensure that your camera has time to focus before taking the picture. Lighting can be a little more difficult, depending on your conditions and environment.

To keep it simple, the biggest thing you want to avoid is your picture being to dark. I personally prefer to take pictures without a flash whenever possible. I just think it looks better, but there are situations where the lighting is too low to go without it, especially following an evening hunt when it is pitch black.

I am no professional photographer, and I cannot talk technical terms when it comes to lighting and camera flashes, etc. My biggest advise in this area for hunters is, no matter what take your time, and when possible use natural light.

Also take into consideration your background. The more natural, the better. I always recommend avoiding pictures where structures, roads, vehicles or fences can or will be seen. This just makes for a cleaner photo.

4. Other Considerations

Finally, as we conclude, most of the time you only get one shot at a photo op with your kill before it’s in the truck and on it’s way to your freezer. Make the most of it. If there are any cool pictures or angles you want to try, maybe a close up of your bow or gun across the animal, close ups of the antlers, sponsor product placement, etc., this is the time to do it.

Granted, I work for a company in the hunting industry, so I normally do things like this for either Fall Obsession or our sponsors, so I understand if this part of the photographing process is less relevant to some. But don’t think you have to be associated with an outdoor company to do stuff like this. Fun pictures are always cool to have.

The last piece of advise I will give you is take lots of pictures. Every angle, every position, take multiple pictures at a time. Try it with the flash on and then the flash off. Back up for some, get close for others. You can always delete or weed out the ones you don’t want, but you can’t really go back later and take more.

From here, I will leave it with you. A small amount of effort and time can certainly go a long way. Hopefully through this article you have picked up some usable tips and tricks that will better help you showcase your hunting memories for years to come!

Happy Hunting!

-Sam Thrash, Fall Obsession Administrative Staff

Capturing the Moment

1. Angle

2. Positioning

3. Lighting

4. Other Considerations