Monthly Theme - Animals (March 2019)

As we introduce this month’s theme we’re still feeling a bit lost for words with the number of entries we’ve had for February’s Monthly Theme, "Black and White".

We’re so delighted that so many 365ers got involved, it looks like you guys had a LOT of fun. We often say it wasn’t easy to choose our finalists, but this time it was REALLY tough!

You can check out the six finalists below, but first, we want to introduce the new theme. This month we’ve chosen one of our favourite, feel-good topics of all time - "Animals".

Whether it’s fluffy pet kittens or scary snakes in the wild, we want to see photos that make our hearts melt and make the hairs on the back of our neck stand on end - and everything in between!

Some of you will be lucky to have a furry friend that isn’t camera shy and is obedient enough to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ for a few minutes while you get that perfect photo. But, we’ve all heard stories about the challenges of working with animals. Quite rightly, they have a mind of their own. Using our January theme’s Rule of Thirds composition tricks, you’ll be able to quickly think on your feet when a perfect photo opportunity strikes.

We’ve also researched some top tips for capturing amazing animals shots:

Pet Portraits

Partner Up - Having a helping hand to reign in your pet can save you a lot of time and stress, letting you focus on the photography while they focus on the treats and commands.

Get down on their level - getting down to their eye level will really help create the feeling of a portrait, instead of a simple snapshot.

Go for eye contact - the best way to create a connection for a viewer is to get your lens to make eye contact with your pet.

Minimize distractions - Being calm and quiet can really help to create the perfect environment for getting that cute capture, and always remember to be patient!

Macro Magic

Find a fascinating subject - If you’re playing with a macro lens, working with insects in the garden is a great way to get into nature and wildlife photography.

Use depth of field to create drama - Playing with aperture settings can really make the details and beauty of bugs and insects pop in front of the lens!

On that note, play with point of focus - sometimes this can turn a detailed close up into a work of art. Play with different finishes of textures and colours and see what you end up with!

Take a look at some top quality macro shots in an old blog post.

Action Shots

If you’re playing fetch at the park, watching horses galloping or following birds darting across the sky, have fun with your shutter speeds! Typically the faster a shutter, the better it’ll capture action. But, you’ll typically need good lighting and quick reactions!

Check out our handy guide to shutter speeds in this blog post.

Wildlife Photography

Do your research - For most wildlife lovers a lot of money will be invested into a wildlife spotting trip, so make sure you’ve thought about what gear might be best for the environment, time of day you’re likely to see something, and what the surrounding environment might look like!

Be Patient - We all love the epic BBC nature documentaries but gasp every time we learn that 10 minutes of epic storytelling took months, if not years in the fields to film wildlife. You can’t control what and when you might see something, so learn how to be patient, but still be ready!

Stay safe - Even the most incredible shots are not worth risking your own, or an animal’s safety. Remember to keep a safe distance, watch where you’re putting your feet and keep an eye on what’s happening around you!

Aim for simple backgrounds - While you might not have much choice about this one, animals will really pop against a plain sky, ocean or grassy field. You could play with depth of field to also help focus a viewer’s attention on the critter itself.

We hope you have fun this month - we literally can’t wait to see what you capture!

How to enter this month’s theme

When uploading your photos use the tag section (on the edit/organise screen) and insert this week's theme tag: theme-animals.

Entry Guidelines: Photos must be your own and must have been taken and uploaded from Friday March 1st until Thursday March 28th. 6 finalists will be chosen in the first couple days of April, then you get to vote for the winner in the following month!

Vote for a Winner of February’s Black and White Theme

We’re still picking our jaw up off the ground from how many entries we received! You guys rock, and so do your photos for the Black and White theme!

After hours of selection and multiple rounds of shortlisting, we’ve narrowed down just six finalists, so now it’s over to you.

To cast your vote, just reply to this blog post with the number (in digit form) of the photo you would like to see win, before March 14th. We’ll announce the winner in a separate post shortly after!