I certainly have no shortage of up-close wildlife images.  One thing that I learned a long time ago is that people (and sometimes editors) like detail filled close-ups of wild animals.  The truth is that I feel quite often the simplicity and elegance of loosely composed images is a more powerful statement. 

I picked an easy subject for an example of a close-up.  A male Mallard right outside the window of my car.  I don’t think there is anything in nature with more class than a large fancy (wading or other) bird, some branches and a nice blue sky.

Great-blue Heron

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Egret

Green Heron

Sometimes a good reason to have small (on scale) animals and a larger landscape is to show the habitat that they live in.  Such is the case with this female and baby elk.  This is Yellowstone N.P.

Our next shot is not a part of the above group, but is an example of showing just a bit of an animal.  This is a young Pronghorn with a full-grown adult as they peer through the grasses.

I included the next (a close-up) image of a male Baltimore Oriole because…..well because he is a male Baltimore Oriole

This primeval, Jurassic looking location is the Hoh Rainforest in Washington State.  A very difficult place to carve out a composition.

Winter images are definitely a subject I will take with or without sunshine.  Much like with autumn I take the sky out of the picture if it is overcast.  You just need a well thought out composition.  I lined these trees up intentionally to make the trees seem more full.  Then I moved left and right to provide some separation for the tree trunks.

I’ll close out our images at the beginning of the day instead of the end.  Sunrise at Wolfe Lake, Bong State Rec. Area, Wisconsin.  A glorious day to be alive!  No day can go bad when you start it like this.

Enjoy this perfect fall day,

Wayne