
Years of sweat, blood, and maybe even a few tears led up to this moment. You've finally tagged a giant, and now it's time to take some photos. You aren't going to just snap a few truck bed buck photos, are you? No. You're going to do this right, and we're here to help.
Daytime Pics Are Best
It's easy enough to take photos during the day after a successful morning hunt. Afternoon kills during early season or warm weather hunts make it difficult to wait until morning, though. After all, the meat is the true trophy, and we don't want that to spoil.
However, if it's cold enough to let the deer hang overnight, or if you can stow the gutted deer in a walk-in freezer, waiting until morning to take photos is best. Sometimes, taking trophy photos at night is inevitable, though. If you find yourself in that scenario, no big deal.
Sometimes taking photos at night is inevitable. Still when that's the case, you can still control the other factors that produce quality images.
Hope for Optimal Conditions
Mornings and evenings are the best times to take photos. The lighting isn't as harsh, and it's fun to play around with sunrise and sunset photos. Everyone loves a good landscape shot with some depth of field and a dipping sun in the background.
Other optimal conditions to consider are cloudy days. It's much simpler to get even, quality lighting when the sun isn't blazing down.
If conditions aren't optimal, and it's super bright and sunny, find a shaded spot, but not an area that's too dark. You need just enough reprieve from the sunlight for a clear shot, but enough of it that everything is still well lit.
Set the Scene
Finding an awesome place to photograph the deer is the difference between a good and great trophy photo. Consider locations with more depth of field (foreground, middle ground and background). Try places with historical meaning or value. Try a setting that shows a geographical location, such as a public land sign. Go for that awesome sunset-in-the-distance shot everyone loves. Now, find your own unique image opportunity.
This is a perspective you rarely see in trophy photos. Think outside the box. Don't get sucked into only traditional photos.
Pose the Deer
The best trophy shots take careful note of the position of both the hunter and the animal. Start by wiping away blood. Then, stick that deer's tongue back in its mouth.
After that, roll the deer onto its belly. Spread both back legs as far apart as possible with both of them sticking straight out. Then, pull the front legs out to each side. Bend them at the knee, and pull each hoof outward to lock the deer in place. Done correctly, the deer should hold itself in an upright position, and only the head and neck will move.
Pose the Hunter
Once the deer is in place, get the hunter in position. They should sit on their butt. Sitting on knees or squatting doesn't look good. Sit either behind or off to the head-side of the animal. Hold it with two hands if behind and one if off to the side.
Some prefer to have the weapon in the shot, while others don't. If the former, either hold the weapon of harvest in one hand, or lay it over the animal's body. Remember, never point it toward the hunter, or position it in a way that looks as if it's pointed toward the hunter in the photo.
Clear the Clutter
It's also important to remove all debris and clutter around the deer, hunter and elsewhere in the frame. Pull grass and weeds in front of the subjects. Remove oddball objects that will look weird or out of place in the shot. Make sure there are no distractions.
All Systems Go
Now, for all the little things... and man, can the little things screw up photos in a big way. Blood leaking after posing the deer, that pesky tongue slipping out of its mouth, forgetting to smile (if looking at the camera), bad lighting, a shaky camera. These things and more can decrease photo quality.
Also, consider the little things that might not necessarily ruin the photo but that can enhance it. For example, gripping the antlers so they can still be seen well, cleaning the lens before snapping pics, and staying still while the shutter blinks so there is no blurring in the photos. These things and more can improve the shot quality.
Frame, Focus, Snap, Repeat
The photographer has plenty to watch for. Frame each shot perfectly. Make sure edges are parallel to the frame, or at least serve as leading lines toward the subject. The key is to look balanced and direct focus toward the deer.
Speaking of focus, make sure each shot is crisp. Don't let it slip to a blade of grass in the foreground or a branch in the background. Then, start snapping photos, and repeat. Remember, most times, it takes 100 photos to get five good ones. Don't rush this process. You've waited months, if not years, for this moment. Capture it.
Take plenty of photos with the animal's head turned in different directions. Chances are good it will look better as either a left, right or straight-on animal.
Get Weird with It
Now that you've taken the standard images, it's time to get funky. Unleash your inner creativity and start taking photos at weird angles. Get high, get low, get sideways and in whatever other position that gets the sick shot you're hoping for. (Literally, not figuratively or metaphorically, of course.)
This photo does several things. It shows the hunter paying respect. It has an interesting angle you rarely see.
And it has an interesting perspective given that the hunters arm and shoulder lines compliment the buck's neck and chin lines.
Try playing around with depth of field (focus blurring), lighting and other key photography elements, too. Test your capabilities. Push yourself. Learn something new. That's the only way to improve. If you aren't getting better, you're getting worse.
Respect the Animal
Finally, if you find yourself sitting on top of a deer, stop and rethink what you're doing. If you find yourself holding the deer in one hand and a beverage in the other, stop and rethink what you're doing. If you find yourself ... See what I'm getting at here?
It's simple, just show some respect and reverence for the greatest big game animal that ever lived. Yes, we kill whitetails for food and fun, but these animals deserve our respect. We must exhibit that connection between hunter and prey, and it needs to show through in our photography, too. Hunters are good. Don't let your media creations suggest otherwise.