How To Take The Best Trophy Pictures?

[UKHunter]

I'm interested in how people set-up their animals, themselves, etc. for taking the best trophy photo's.

One tip I have is always try and get the horns or antlers with sky behind them in the photo to make them stand out more.

I look forward to everyones tips..

 

[G Skinner]

Try to eliminate showing tongues and blood ....
Glen

 

[Pheroze]

Several articles in Sports Afield have discussed this issue. The articles have more to do with taking pictures that convey a more respectful message rather than how to emphasize the structure of the animal. I think the idea is that it is important to set up the shot with the knowledge that non-hunters will be influenced by what they perceive.

I think we have earned the right to be smiling at the accomplishment, so I struggle with how to make them better reflect what hunting is.

 

[UKHunter]

Several articles in Sports Afield have discussed this issue. The articles have more to do with taking pictures that convey a more respectful message rather than how to emphasize the structure of the animal. I think the idea is that it is important to set up the shot with the knowledge that non-hunters will be influenced by what they perceive.

I think we have earned the right to be smiling at the accomplishment, so I struggle with how to make them better reflect what hunting is.

Agreed. No need to portray lots of blood and gore, etc

This thread is more aimed at taking the best pictures for your memories. There are constant issues being raised on here with taxidermy woes, etc. Not to mention the added cost. So I thought this thread would help people understand how to take better pictures of their animals should they choose not to go down the taxidermy route.

 

[cpr0312]

Certainly with sky in the background if possible, a couple of different angles as well. One of my outfitters would mostly lay prone to take the pics, and then have you at 3 or 4 different angles or on different sides of the animal.

 

[Bhfs300]

My PH on my first trip 2012 was getting into the use of a camera and we sat and read several SA magazines as we sat in the blinds.
The biggest stress was showing respect to the animals. All them said not to hold horns pose behind the animal most didn't think it was a good idea to have rifle/bow on the animal.
Thank the picture at a low angle making the animal the bigger part of the picture if not sky behind the horns nothing close so the low fstop will make the background be out of vocus.
Cleaning up and posing the animals in a natural pose. He did a great job. A couple examples.

 

[sierraone]

I will be facing this "possible problem" in the future. I say possible, because at this point the pictures will be for the walls in mine and my son's house. They are not going on any Facebook or Twitter twatter. I don't use them to begin with.

 

[gizmo]

Low angle and sky lining the horns is a great start. Since I've returned from Africa I've started cleaning up the animal too, wouldn't ya know it my wife started putting some of the picks in the living room now. Obviously don't let tongues hang out etc....
Here is a couple pics of one of my clients I took this fall with a cull deer.

I thought they turned out very respectful. As far as the no weapons in the pick thing, I don't buy it. At some point it goes from being respectful and tasteful to "politically correct" which is where I draw the line. Those who are "offended" by a rifle in the pic need to grow up and grow a pair. Anyway, don't forget side lighting when necessary and possible.

 

[sierraone]

Agreed. If the rifle bothers them, then they can go somewhere else, such as Entertainment Tonight or NFL Today!!!

 

[Bhfs300]

So I thought this thread would help people understand how to take better pictures of their animals should they choose not to go down the taxidermy route.

Not only if they choose to not have the taxidermy done but the pictures are the only thing that you have for the time they are being worked on in Africa, Dip and Ship or finished. That was a year the first time and nine months last time for me.
You also want to have pictures for comparing if you do have trophies sent in case of a mixup in Africa.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Excellent suggestions thus far. I am interested to see what everyone come up with

Here are a couple of examples of minor things you can change to "improve" the picture you take.
Images are all about personal taste. So take this with a grain of salt.

If you have a zoom lens use it as much as possible.
Zoom in and out and take plenty of pictures at each setting/set up.

I merely cropped this image. Moves the focus to the hunter and the "trophy"
Photographer got plenty low enough but you end up with the furrows being more prominent.
The sunset colours are great and the contrast is great.
Head lights and flash use to warm the picture up.
Subject is slightly off centre which is great. It can make an image more interesting.

BEFORE

AFTER

This one, again the image is cropped and sharpened slightly.
It's just the ZOOM factor again.
I also tilted the image it back to the left 2 degrees. (The PH had the camera tilted slightly.)
The second image is sharpened it TOO much.

BEFORE

AFTER

Look at the entire image in the view screen. Look at the edges of the screen.
CONJURE THE ENTIRE IMAGE.

 

[Nyati]

Take three pictures,

One with the animal, yourself, rifle, whatever you like.

Another with only the animal, full body.

Last one a closeup of the head.

 

[Lee M]

**NOT**PERMITTED** books on antelope and deer hunting have good info on this and I have used this guidance over the past few years. Stay low in the picture with your head even or lower than the antlers/horns of the animal if possible. Remove any grass or sticks in the way and get the photographer low as well. Here is a pic I took of a friend with his first pronghorn. He complained and bitched about having to get down on the ground (accidentally kneeled on a cactus) but thanked me later. I was almost on my stomach to get low enough so not shooting down at the ground and trying to get some horizon in the pic. There are some sage sticks that I missed removing in front of the hunter, but still a decent pic for an amateur. Also as Brickburn gave good examples of, try to fill the picture with the actual animal and person. Anyone with photography skills/knowledge give me some feedback and suggestions. I also don't have a good camera and did this with my iPhone. The pronghorn semi smile was not noticed until the next day

 

[rinehart0050]

I thought @Bivy had some great less-than-conventional photos in his hunt report:
http://www.africahunting.com/thread...s-travel-to-uhlenhorst-hunting-safaris.23271/

 

[gizmo]

Here is a few for critiquing. I'm enjoying this thread as trophy pics are very important to me . I like the pointers and feedback.

@Nyati this ones for you

low angle and good skyline but I missed some sticks

 

[rinehart0050]

@gizmo those sunsets make me miss Texas. Reminded me of Josh Abbott's "My Texas." I managed to check off a good amount of his list while there.

 

[Nyati]

@gizmo, thank you Erik, very good pic of a beautiful ram.

 

[ActionBob]

On my first safari the PH brought along a jug of water and a hand towel to clean the animals up. I have always brought that up since with various degrees of enthusiasm shown by subsequent PH's. I complained about a tongue hanging out and that PH grabbed his knife and cut it off! I admit is was effective

As for good closeups of the horns or heads, yes to follow up on taxidermy, and on things like zebra and spotted cats, get several views of the patterns like over the back. and close up details of things like elephant tusks.

So yea, skyline, clean em up, respectful poses, zoom in but also zoom out to bring in terrain when appropriate. Takes lots, they are easy to delete but impossible to get more.

 

[siml]

I see nothing wrong with a smile in a pic, I dislike pics of alcohol in a photo(nothing wrong with a drink), often in pics you see the rifle pointed straight at someone's head...big NO NO!

 

[gizmo]

I agree Simon, it's a load of horse shit to say we can't smile in our pics. Someone previously said it and I agree, I think we earned the right to smile. Hell in some of my pics with my lion I'm smiling and my eyes are teared up. Showing emotion means we're human.