Want to make beautiful photos of the wildlife YOU see? These simple tips will get you started.   

1. See Eye-to-Eye

When you spot an animal you’d like to photograph, don’t stay where you are. Try to put yourself at your subject’s level. Aim your camera at an animal’s eyes, and you’ll get a peek into its world.

2. Keep It Clean

Try to avoid clutter in your photos. Move in closer and angle your camera so your subject doesn’t have to compete with a busy background.

3. Leave Room to Roam

It’s tempting to put your subject right in the center of a frame. After all, it’s the star of the photo! But this can actually make a photo look less interesting. Instead, imagine that you’re giving the animal a little “room to move” by placing it to one side or the other.

4. Get the Light Right

If you snap your subject with the sun behind it, color and detail will disappear into dark shadows. Most of the time, it’s best to shoot with the sun behind you or to the side of your subject. This will make the photo brighter and clearer.

5. “Zoom” with Your Feet

Whenever possible, avoid the “pinch and zoom” feature on your smartphone or tablet. It can make the photo look grainy. But you don’t want your subject to be a tiny part of the photo, either. So, walk up as close to your subject as you safely can. Then fill the frame with the plant or animal—or both.

The photos on these pages were all taken by kids who entered National Wildlife magazine’s Photo Contest. National Wildlife is produced by the National Wildlife Federation, the same group that publishes Ranger Rick.