Wildlife Photography

Edward Gill
Present Wildlife Photographer
Andy Rouse

Biography
Andy rouse is a wildlife photographer that was born in London on a
farm. He eventually graduated with an honours degree in electronics
but he found this exceptionally dull and he found himself becoming
very bored. Andy then joined an American computer consultancy and
travelled the world breaking large banking computer's. he finally
realised that computing wasnt for him and the world of wildlife beckoned. He then resigned from his job a bought a
cheap car and focused his career on photography. Since 1995 Andy has been a professional photographer living in
the south of the UK with his partner Carol.
Andy is a unique and charismatic figure who is renowned for his ability to capture moments from the lives of animals
and birds in the wild from a different view point and often from his trade mark stance. that of being "up close and
personal" to some of the most animals. In order for Andy to expand his passion for telling a story and to highlight the
beauty of the natural world he has recently been developing his photographic style to be all encompassing of the
animals and their environments.
Some of Andy's images have been recognised as being some of the best in the world for many years. In the BBC
wildlife photographer of the year completion Andy has won himself 9 awards in the past 7 years including the Gerald
Durrell award for endangered species. Andy is also the current holder of the cherry kearton ward for wildlife
photography from the royal geographical society. Andy has published 15 books and has appeared many times on TV,
including his 13 part series on wildlife photography. Andy's stylish images are used by clients across the globe and
they appear in magazines, brochures and billboards.
The first photograph I am going to analyse that was taken by Andy Rouse, is a portrait
photograph. The content is based around the topic of wildlife. The subject of the image is
the bear running through water. The intentions were to capture the face of the animal
and the expression it has on its face. This image and most images captured for wildlife
photography will be candid as wildlife photography is about capturing images of animals
and their natural habitats. Andy Rouses main theme that is visible throughout his work is
to get up close and personal.
Visual elements
The main focus if not the central focus in this photograph is the bear this is because he is
in the centre of the image and the most vibrant part of the photograph. Another reason
why the bear is the main focus in the image is because there is little background and what
is there, is blurry and not in focus. The second focus I believe to be is, the water splashing
up from beneath the bear. I think this because it adds character to the image and shows
the bears strength.
The light caught in this image is all natural light, this is because the image will have been taken outside and from a distance. The
natural light caught in this image is very good as it is a soft light that lights the bear up, maintaining a good amount of detail that can
be seen. The main highlighted areas would be the bears face and chest as they are the most detailed part of the image. Overall the
bear is relatively highlighted. This is common within wildlife photography when capturing close ups of animals. I believe the light
caught in the photograph suggests that the time of day will have been between morning and mid day with minimum shadows. The
colour caught in tis photograph is perfect for catching the eye because of the blue background and the light brown foreground of the
bear. The space within this image is very limited but it is just right as the background acts like a boarder around the bear making the
bear seem like it has been brought forwards making him stand out. The texture on the bear makes him look fluffy and soft. Dynamic
range; in this photograph the light is brighter on the left and it gradually gets darker to the right. The light is clearly darker on the
right as there are shadows on the bears chest and face, on the far left the light is bright and the water is quite clear and the bears fur
is very light as well.

Composition
The most visible contrast in this photograph is the contrast between the textures of the plain background and the bears jagged fur.
The contrast is quite noticeable and the makes the image more appealing to the eye. The vantage point the photographer will have
captured this photograph will have of been at a slightly higher point to the bear and he will have maintained a reasonable distance to
the bear. Finally the setting that is visible within the photograph is a river that the bear is running through.
This is the second photograph took by Andy Rouse that I am going
to analyse. It is a portrait photograph. The content is based around
the topic wildlife photography. The subject of the image is the
otter running through the grass. The intentions were to capture
the animal in its natural habitat and its face/facial expressions.
This image is also candid photography, capturing a shot of the
animal in its natural surroundings.
Visual elements
The focus in this image is the otter, this is made clear by how sharp
and in detail the otter appears to be. The light caught in this shot is
all natural light this is clear as there isnt one part of the image
that has any direct light upon it. The light caught in this shot is very
soft and equally lights up the whole image.
The light in this photograph show clues that the time of day that the image was taken will have been between morning and mid day. The
image overall is quite highlighted by the light caught within the photograph but the main highlighted part of the image is the otter as the
rest of the background is a bright green the otter is positioned in the middle of the shot with his grey coloured fur.

The colour within this photograph is very bright and eye catching, this range of colour really stands out and makes the image more
vibrant. There is quite a bit of depth to this image this is mainly gained by the simplicity of the background which makes the otter come
forwards, making the background seem far away which makes the foreground and background seem like they have a considerably
amount of distance between them. There is a good amount of space in the photograph, this is to concentrate all attention onto the
otter. The textures in this image are great, the otters fur give you the idea that it would feel smooth but rubbery. The texture of the grass
give you the impression that it would feel wet and sharp. There isnt much dynamic range in this photograph, the darkest part of the
image is the underneath of the otter. This is because the natural light, which will be coming from above, will not be able to get
underneath the otter. The rest of the image is equally lit up.

Composition
The central focus of this photograph is clearly the otter that is running through the grass. This is obvious as he is the most prominent and
the most focused object in the image. Another reason why the otter is the main focus is because he is positioned right in the center of
the shot.
This is the last photograph I am going to analyse that is by Andy Rouse. The
content of the photograph is based around wildlife photography. Andys
intentions were to capture the four elephants wading through the lake with
the sun setting in the background and to show them in their natural
surroundings. The subject of the photograph is the animals.
Visual elements
The areas that appear the clearest and sharpest are the elephants, the water
their stood in and the sunset in the background. The reason why the elephants
are one of the clearest things in the photograph is because of the silhouette
effect the sun is creating on the elephants. The reason why the water is also one
of the clearest parts of the photograph is because the sun creates a really nice
colourful effect on the top of the water along with the yellow and orange
reflections from the sun that are hitting the top of the water.

The most highlighted area of the photograph has to be the elephants, this s because they are black and stand out very clearly. The
reason why the elephants seem black is because of the silhouette effect the sun is creating on them. The elephants shadows are viable
in the photograph, highlighting the silhouette effect. This contributes to the reason why the animals the most highlighted part of the
image. The photograph will have, roughly been taken between the times of 5pm and 7 pm. The photograph shows clues of what time
of day it is because of the sunset in the background. The light caught in this photograph is natural light, this is clear as there are
silhouettes visible throughout the image including the elephants and this is created by the natural light coming from the sunset. It is
also clear that the use of natural light is present in this image is because of the colour within the photograph. Also the shadows that are
caught within the image are created by the sunset because as it lowers its rays hit objects and create shadows backing up that this
photograph used natural light to capture the image. This light caught in this photograph is not so harsh, it is very soft and full of colour.
The use of the rule of thirds is present in this photograph as the image can be broke down into three sections, foreground, middle
ground and background. The colour in this photograph is very eye-catching but also slightly restrained as the colours include red and
orange but they are quite dark and subtle. There is quite a lot of depth to this photo and this is created by the strong colours and
objects that are present in the foreground and middle ground. The lake between the elephants and the tress and sunset in the
background also contributes to the depth of field in this photograph. The texture in this photo is very limited due to the dark colours
and also due to the light caught within the image as the sun is setting the light can create a silhouette effect on things, which means
everything looks smooth and plain in terms of detail. The lake and sky in this photograph contain a range of tones from dark to light .
The sky goes from a darky grey colour in the bottom left and then gradually goes to a dark orange then finally to a bright yellow.
Composition
I believe the central focus in this image is the elephants that are descending the lake. This is because they are in the centre of the image
and are the first thing to stand out when looking at the photograph. The is a large contrast between the colours of the foreground and
the elephants compared to the lake and the sky. This is because the elephants and foreground is black and the rest of the image
contains orange, red and yellow. The setting for this photo is real and was not taken in a studio, this image was taken in the wild.
Past Wildlife Photography
John Pezzenti, Jr. (12
th
June 1952 3
rd
December 2007)

Biography
John Pezzenti, Jr. was an American wildlife photographer born in
Newington, Connecticut, but he migrated to Alaska to pursue wildlife
photography. He spent much of his life taking pictures of wildlife in the
Alaskan wilderness. He moved to Alaska in 1976, working on the Alaskan
pipeline and owning and running a lodge at Kenai Lake during the 1970s. Pezzenti then began
working as an independent wildlife photographer and published three photography books during his
life. His unique photographs and stories have filled the pages of Alaska; A Photographic Journey
Through The Last Wilderness, The American Eagle and Shooting Bears: The Adventures of a Wildlife
Photographer.
John Pezzentis photographic prints hang in a multitude of corporate and personal collections. Some
of his photos hung in the Oval Office during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. He had his photos
published in many different magazines, including National Geographic, Alaska Magazine, Reader's
Digest, and Natural History. He has also been seen nationwide on various television specials. His
greatest accomplishment is to have given lectures at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, Dc,
as well as at the Museum of Natural History and spoke at events at the World Trade Center.
Pezzenti was mysteriously found shot to death at his home in Alaska 3
rd
Decmember 2007, he was 55
years of age. Pezzenti dedicated his life to bringing the soul of wilderness to us all, for which he has
received unprecedented global recognition.
I admire John Pezzentis work due to his ability to reveal natures beauty without adding artificial
nonsense. His pictures help people appreciate nature and develop a love for it. - Emilie Ikeda
This is the first photograph by John Pezzenti, Jr. that I am going to analyze. The content of the
image is based around the topic of wildlife. The subject of the photograph is the female loon.
The intentions were to capture the Alaskan female loon calling her baby with foot slaps to
show the animal in its natural surroundings and for possibly documentation reasons.
Visual elements
The clearest and sharpest part of the photograph is the female loon foot slapping, the most
unclear part of the image is the background. It is slightly out of focus, this is to make the
female loon stand out more. The most highlighted parts of the photograph is the female loon
and the splashing of the water. The chest of the loon is one of the most highlighted areas of
the image this is because it is white and it has a strong contrast between the blue water. The
splashing water is also another highlighted part of the image this is also because of the
whiteness of the water and how the loon is effecting the water. The only clues that the
photograph gives to try and tell what time of day the image was taken is how much light there
is in the photograph. This also shows clues on what type of light was used to capture this
image, which I believe to be natural light. This is clear as the whole photograph is evenly lit up,
even far in the background. The light caught in the photograph is very soft. There are no dark,
gloomy effects made to the photograph by the natural light. For example silhouettes and
shadows.
This photograph has a medium depth of field, at first glance the image looks like it goes far back. This is created by the amount of space
above the loons head and how close and central the loon is at the front of the image. The image gives you a sense that the texture of the
loon would be quite smooth due to its sharp colours that seem to be sectioned out over its body. There isnt much dynamic rang within
this photograph but the darkest value has to be the top of the image where the photograph is out of focus and the lightest value is the
loon with its bold colours and the white water splashing against it.
Composition
The central focus in this photograph is defiantly the female loon, this is because it is the most prominent thing in the photograph and
also because its the first thing to catch your eye. It is also clear that the loon is supposed to be the central focus in the image because it
is the most in focus part of the image and also because it is very centred. The contrast between the white chest of the loon and the pale
blue of the water is a great contrast and makes the photograph appealing to the eye. The setting is a real landscape setting on a remote
bear lake, below Mt.Redoubt, Alaska.
This is the second photograph that I am going to analyse that is by John Pezzenti, Jr. the
content of the image is based around the topic of wildlife. The subject of the photograph is
the grey wolf. The intentions of the photographer were to capture an image of a grey wolf
in its natural surroundings.
Visual elements
The clearest and sharpest area of the photograph is the grey wolfs face, this is because of
the detail the photographer caught within this image. Another reason is because of the
colour that is within the wolfs face, it stands out and is appealing to the eye. My last reason
why the grey wolfs face is the most sharpest and clearest area of the photograph is
because of the black piercing eyes and the jet black nose of the grey wolf that stand out
largely when compared to the white fur and snow surrounding them. The background in
the image is very out of focus, this is to create a more sharper look to the wolf. This
photograph doesn't contain any shadows. The most highlighted part of the photograph is
the grey wolf, he is what makes the image. The photograph doesnt really show any clues
to what time of day it is apart from the fact it was clearly daylight when this image was
taken. You can tell by the light in the image that the light caught on the day of the shot was
natural. I believe this because the whole photograph has an even light over it and there
isnt any signs of direct light.
The light caught in this image is very soft as it creates the photograph to seem cool and calm. There isnt a large amount of colour in
this photograph because It is mainly made up of white and grey, but they are quite eye catching colours. The colour that stands out
the most, in this image is the black of the wolfs eyes and nose. There is a small amount of depth of field created by the blurred, out
of focus background that makes the wolf in the foreground stand out but that is the only point I can pick up on. The photograph gives
the impression that the texture of the grey wolfs fur would be very soft and light and that the face would be smooth due to its short
wet hairs. It also gives the impression that the nose of the wolf would be quite smooth. The main range of tones from dark to light is
within the wolfs fur. At the top left his furs a dark grey and black then it gradually gets lighter until it finally turns to white. The
lightest part of the photograph is in the wolfs white face, the darkest is part of the image is the wolfs eyes and nose due to them
being black.
Composition
The central focus in this photograph is the grey wolf, he is the most and only prominent thing in the image. He is centered in the
middle of the shot and is caught laying majestically within his snowy natural surroundings. I believe he is the central focus in the
image because of the amount of detail caught within the wolfs face and body. For example his swaying fur and the snow falling on his
head. The main contrast between colour sin this photograph is the contrast between the black of the wolfs nose and eyes and the
white of his face and chest. Black and white and very strong contrasting colours and result in the image standing out and catching
the eye. The setting for this photograph was a real landscape, somewhere in Alaska.




This is the final photograph I am going to analyse that is by John Pezzenti Jr. The content
of this photograph is based around the topic of wildlife. The subject within this image is
the Californian snow geese that are on their way to Siberia that stopped on the Kenai river
in Alaska. The intentions of the photographer were to capture these Californian geese in
their natural surroundings and also possibly for documentation reasons.
Visual elements
The most clearest part of the photograph is the Californian geese, this is because they are
in the centre of the image and because they are white and stand out, contrasting against
the background. The background is slightly out of focus and blurred this is to make the
geese the sharpest part of the photograph. The geese are positioned in the centre of the
image making them she focal point of the image, the fact their reflections are visible also
aid this. I think if the reflections were not part of this image the photograph wouldnt be
as eye catching or appealing as it almost sets it aside from being a standard image of a
bird, it gives it an artistic quality. I like the way the terrains merges from brown to blue in
the photograph as it creates a nice backdrop for the image, almost as if it were painted.
The light captured in this image is natural light, it is a soft light that isnt direct but wide
spread and it creates a calm and peaceful effect on the image. The colour caught in this
photograph is all natural colours that almost blend in to one another. The colours are very
muted and restrained but the image is showing the natural environment along with the
nature within it.
There is depth to this image because of the shadows visible in the foreground followed by the geese in the middle ground and lastly
the earth behind the geese is the background. the dynamic range in this image is very limited, the darkest tones will be found in the
earth in the background and the lightest tones will be found in the feathers of the geese. This image would not be described as busy
neither passive but it is merely documenting nature.
Composition
The central focus in this photograph is clearly the geese that positioned in the middle of the image, I think this is clear due to the
reflections, caught in the water, of the geese. This shows that the geese are the central focus as the reflections highlight the geese
and make them stand out instantly when you have your first glance at the photograph. The setting for this photograph was on the
Kenai river in Alaska, and is a landscape photograph.