Photographing Your Deer in the Field
Capturing the moment with better harvest photos in the field
By Joe Servello
In this age of cameras on our phones there is no excuse for not getting a nice photo of your successful deer harvest. Lets take some time to learn how to take good field photos to preserve that successful hunt on film for the future.
So you’re in the middle of the woods and you’ve put down a nice buck. You realize that now is where the work begins. You need to get it gutted and drag it back to the truck. Unfortunately, in all the excitement, some hunters forget to preserve the moment by taking a good photo of them with their deer while still in the field where it all happened.
Now is the time to take a breath, settle down and reflect on what just happened. You have just killed the biggest buck of your life and can’t wait to tell all your hunting buddies, but now is the time to take it all in. When I take a nice buck my first priority is to get some photos to capture the moment forever… and taking good quality photos is the best way to do that.
First thing to remember is do not gut your deer until after you have finished taking pictures. This helps clean up the photos of too much blood and the possibility of getting the gut pile in the pic. Tuck the deers tongue into its mouth and wipe of, the best you can, any blood on the deer.
Position the deer so that you can get the whole deer in the photo. I like tucking the legs up under as if they were laying in their bed. Get behind the deer in a position where neither you or the deer are blocking one another. Then take as many pictures, in different poses and head positions, as you can. Head forward, head sideways, head on the ground… you get the idea.
Things to remember…
If you take pics with your weapon in the photos be sure to point the weapon in a safe direction away from you. Usually best to hold the weapon in your hand.
Look like a hunter and wear your hunting clothes.
Make sure there is a clean natural background, no buildings, vehicles, gut piles etc.
A smile always makes for a good photo as well.
Be sure that neither you or the deer is cut off in the pic and the photo is centered. It is good to zoom in as much as possible, but not so much that you cut out the subjects in the photo.
A cigarette in your mouth or a beer can in your hand does not make for a good look in a quality outdoor photo.
There is no longer the excuse that you were alone and couldn’t take a photo. Every phone has a camera with a self timer. Just prop your phone against a tree, on a rock, on top of a backpack making sure it is framed good around you and your deer. Set the timer and jump into the picture. You have plenty of time so use that time to take as many pics as you need to get a good shot.
It is certainly every hunter’s prerogative to take photos any way they like, and anywhere they like. And, there is no reason you shouldn’t, but there is nothing wrong with taking some time to capture this, possible once in a lifetime, moment by taking some good, quality, photos of you and your deer.
Because by the time the venison from that deer makes it’s way to your table it will be too late to recapture that moment on film for a lifetime.
Great tips!