The eyes have it

Much like in meeting people, the first rule of photography is to focus on the eyes. By looking someone in the eyes, we show we are paying attention. When we get distracted we lose focus on the person and what they have to communicate.

In photography you have to focus in on the eyes, they have a lot to tell us. They convey emotion. They are expressive and can entirely change the way a face looks, even if nothing else changes in the expression. If the eyes are out of focus, the entire picture loses its clarity.

Eyes are beautiful. Arguably they are the most beautiful element in any frame — that goes for people, other mammals and even birds. Think about the most powerful photos you have seen and what you remember about them, invariably the ones I remember include a powerful gaze. Think about the stunning photo of a green-eyed Afghan girl on the cover of National Geographic in the mid-2000s or your favorite portrait of Princess Diana.

The eyes bear power in animal photos too. In bird photography, we often talk about the color and beauty of the feathers, but the eyes of many birds are some of the most vivid you will ever see. The American Bald Eagle has piercing eyes. The Roseate Spoonbill has gorgeous colorful pink and yellow feathers, but their faces are set with warm red eyes. You definitely don’t want to miss out on the beauty in a bird’s eye.

And if you want to ensure your bird photos are sharp, you simply need to focus on the eyes. If the eyes are clear, you can be sure your photos will be as sharp as an Eagle’s gaze..

Extra Eyes Always Appreciated

Recently a friend of mine called to tell me the Caroline C had sunk in the Manatee River. As a sailor, I knew exactly what they were talking about and where it was. I also learned that SeaTow was working to get the boat floating so that it could be moved out of the river. As a photographer, I knew the effort could make a great photo story.

I hopped on the sailboat with my wife well before sunset and we motored over to the Caroline C. When we arrived, SeaTow was already there preparing to raise the 90-foot trawler. She was still on her side, the barnacles thick on her bottom and possibly the thing that held her together for so long before the rusted-out ship finally gave way to the river.

The opportunity for photos was everything I had hoped. I was able to shoot photos of the ship on her side and as she was being raised. I was even able to get video on my phone of SeaTow pulling Caroline C up off the river bottom. The sun set right after SeaTow got her out of the water, so I used the light to my advantage to get some gorgeous images of a rusty old boat. I shared the video and images with Duke Overstreet, SeaTow’s owner, and he edited them into this video.

I was able to get all of this because someone let me know what was going on that afternoon. When I was working at the newspaper, we frequently got tips and we would gather information from public sources. Now that I am on my own, I depend on folks in the area alerting me to what they see. I can’t always make it out immediately, but knowing what’s out there allows me to make choices about where I should be.

People have alerted me to where plovers are nesting and great places to see a variety of birds. All of that information is valuable to me in finding and sharing my photos. It also helps me gather and convey information on conservation and related issues important to Florida. So if you see something you think I need to photograph, please don’t hesitate to call or text me at 941-773-8558. If you have suggestions on a great place to see wildlife on any given day, you can also leave them in the comments below. And if you can help me find a Snail Kite, I’d be eternally grateful!!!