Guest Post: Keenan Hursh Creates Photographic Art from Concept to Print, Featuring Yellowstone's Northern Pygmy Owl
- Keenan Hursh
- Apr 1
- 12 min read
Photography is an absolutely wonderful artform. It's a way that we can share our visual perspectives of the world around us with others. A medium in which we can freeze a moment in time forever. There's simply no better feeling than capturing that perfect shot, when everything comes together and aligns in just the right way, allowing us to create visual magic and encapsulate an entire experience into an image.
Creating an Artful Image, From Concept to Print
In this article, we'll explore the entire photographic process from the sparks of an idea, to heading out into the field and capturing an image, to post processing, and ultimately printing. While images can have many final destinations, there's something special about hanging a tangible photograph on your wall.
I'll reference the image below as an example throughout. This is one of my favorite shots of one of my absolute favorite animals on earth, a Northern Pygmy Owl, captured in Yellowstone National Park this past winter. In each section I’ll specifically discuss this image and why I made the decisions I made. Of course, with photography being an artform, this is all subjective, but I hope this guide can provide some valuable insights.
Let’s get right into it and take a look at all the steps that go into creating a great photograph and print.
Developing a Compelling Idea or Concept
At its core, photography is storytelling. Before picking up your camera, you have to decide on the story you want to tell. Having a fundamental and well-rounded understanding of your concept will guide your creative decisions and increase your chances of capturing impactful images. While spontaneous photography can sometimes yield great results, having a clear vision will set you up for success.
If you're unsure what story you want to tell, ask yourself:
Why do I care about this subject?
What inspires me to photograph this location or moment?
What message am I trying to convey?
Quite simply, the concept is the foundation of your story. Without a strong idea, even the most technically perfect image may lack impact. Take the time to define your vision before you start shooting.
For my pygmy owl shot, this was an image years in the making and one that I had wanted to capture for a very long time. I've always loved raptors, especially owls, and having seen this species quite a bit throughout the park, I knew that I wanted to capture a really nice up-close and tight portrait shot. These owls are tiny, only about 6 inches tall, but they are also ferocious little predators earning them the well-deserved 'Murder Floof' nickname. Considering all of these factors I wanted to portray this wonderful animal in just the right way. I wanted to convey its size using environmental elements but also its bold and aggressive nature.
Figuring Out the Most Effective Way to Tell Your Story
Once you've settled on a concept, the next step is determining how to communicate your story effectively. It's important to start considering the specific elements that will enhance your narrative.
Some questions to guide you:
What elements of the scene best communicate my story?
Are there elements I should exclude to avoid distractions?
Do I want to capture an iconic shot or showcase a unique perspective?
With Wildlife Photography: Do I want a portrait or environmental image?
Another great way to set yourself up for success is to thoroughly understand your subject and the place you will be visiting. Researching your subject can greatly improve the impact and effectiveness of your storytelling. If you're photographing a landscape, study the area's geography, seasons, and weather patterns. If you're capturing wildlife, learn about the species' behavior, habitat, and active hours. Understand the place you’ll be traveling to by studying maps and learning how to best navigate the region. A deep understanding of your subject will help you identify compelling storytelling elements.
Another valuable approach is analyzing the work of other photographers. Identify images that captivate you and determine what makes them effective. Learning from others can provide inspiration and help refine your own storytelling techniques. Of course, I wouldn’t suggest blatantly copying other’s work but rather use it as a tool to steer yourself in the right direction.
In order to capture my Pygmy Owl shot, I had to take all of this into account. I knew I wanted a close-up shot of this animal but now I had to figure out an effective way to really portray the way I perceive and admire the Northern Pygmy Owl. This started with lots of research and observation. Not only did I read up on this animal, but I was also able to observe and photograph it in the wild quite a bit leading up to this shot. I learned where to find this species at certain times of the year and identified their preferred habitats.
Here were my goals for effectively communicating my concept with this image:
I wanted an up-close portrait shot with a nice creamy background
I wanted to portray the tiny scale of this animal using environmental elements
I wanted the owl to be looking directly at me to highlight the fierce and bright yellow eyes that are iconic to many owl species
I wanted to capture the owl in winter, when they're quite common and active, to portray how tough and rugged they are
I wanted to portray their stunning and intricate plumage
Using this information and these guidelines, I now had a concept and knew exactly how I wanted to portray it. The planning was done—now I had to head out into the field and attempt to make my ideas a reality.
Preparing Your Gear and Equipment for the Perfect Shot
Now that you have a concept of the story you want to tell, you'll need to make sure you have the right tools to get the job done. Your equipment needs to have the technical capabilities to bring your story to life and capture a compelling image.
Let's start with the camera body itself. Many modern mirrorless cameras can produce sharp, high-resolution images, but you'll need to consider specific requirements. I would strongly recommend using a camera body with full manual controls so that you can fine-tune all your settings. If you're going to print your image quite large or significantly crop, you'll want to ensure you have an adequate number of megapixels. If you're planning to capture a fast-moving wildlife subject, make sure your camera has quality autofocusing capabilities and can shoot at high-speed burst modes.
When it comes to creating a great image, lenses, focal lengths, and aperture values are just as important if not more so than the camera. The lens you choose will drastically affect the look and feel of your image and therefore how it is viewed and interpreted.
You may also need helpful accessories. If you're after stability and compositional control, a tripod can be extremely helpful—I never leave home without one, especially for landscapes. For controlling light, neutral density or polarizing filters might be necessary. The key is to make sure you have what you need to capture the shot you've been dreaming of.
When it comes to my Pygmy Owl image, I’ll break down the choices I made when it comes to gear. My choice in camera was easy, I chose the Canon EOS R5 because it’s an exceptional mirrorless camera that excels in both wildlife and landscape photography. This is my go-to camera for pretty much everything. I also knew that I would likely be significantly cropping this image due to the fact that Pygmy Owls are so small. The R5 has a high megapixel count on a full-frame sensor so I knew this would be ideal. It also can shoot in very fast burst modes which is great for wildlife. When it comes to lenses, I opted to capture this shot with my Canon RF 200-800mm lens. This thing isn’t the fastest lens out there, but it’s quite lightweight and compact compared to my 600mm f/4 lens which would normally be my go-to for wildlife photography. I spotted this owl from quite far away and had to hike a relatively far distance through deep snow to get the shot. Because of this I opted for the smaller lighter lens knowing that if everything lined up it would work quite well.
Capturing Images in the Field with Precision
So, you've decided on a concept, and you've ensured you have the correct tools and equipment. Now it's time to head out and actually capture your image. All the planning in the world will only go so far if you aren't ready to capture the shot when the time comes.
One of the most important factors to consider when capturing an image is your camera settings. Of course you can shoot on Auto, especially if you're just getting started, but I encourage all photographers to consciously select at least some settings. Because of this, I pretty much always shoot on full manual. For wildlife photography specifically, auto ISO can help simplify things while maintaining control over shutter speed and aperture, so if you want one less thing to worry about this can be a great approach.
Let's break down the camera settings I chose when capturing this image:
Camera settings:
Focal Length: 800mm
Shutter Speed: 1/800
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 5,000
I first considered focal length, as this determines overall composition and affects depth of field. I zoomed all the way in because Pygmy Owls are tiny, and I didn't want to disturb the animal by getting too close. For shutter speed, I chose 1/800th of a second because there wasn't abundant light (overcast day with light snow), but I knew the lens had great stabilization when paired with my camera's IBIS, and the owl was sitting relatively still. I selected an aperture of f/10—slightly stopped down from the lens's maximum of f/9 at 800mm—to maximize sharpness. Even at f/10, the background remained creamy and smooth thanks to the long focal length and distance between my subject and the background. And finally, whenever shooting wildlife, I opt for whatever ISO gives me the right exposure by keeping an eye on my histogram. I ended up with an ISO of 5,000 to achieve proper exposure. With modern cameras and advanced noise reduction software, high ISO values can still yield excellent results.
I've found that turning your ideas into reality can often be the most difficult part of this entire process. It's important to have a goal but don’t forget to remain flexible in the field. You never know when things will change, and new opportunities will present themselves. I’m sure we’ve all experienced the horse blinder effect where we get laser focused on one thing and miss out on what would have been a really nice image. When I finally spotted this owl late in the afternoon, I recognized the opportunity I'd been hoping for and focused completely on capturing the image I had envisioned for so long. Perhaps this wasn’t my exact plan at the beginning of the day but I knew I had to try given the opportunity. Luckily this subject was cooperative and I managed to get a shot I’m very happy with.
Post Processing to Bring Your Images to Life
Now that you've captured your images, it's time to do some post processing to help your photos really come to life. You've collected your data by capturing the initial images, and now it's time to get the most out of that data and transform a seemingly dull RAW file into something great.
The first step in my workflow is always culling—typically the most time-consuming part, especially with wildlife photography where thousands of images might yield only a handful of keepers. On productive days, I often end up with thousands of images and sift through them to find my favorites. I usually end up editing only about 5-10 percent of my wildlife images at most and only export about 1-3 percent. By effectively culling your images, you can spend more time editing and fine-tuning the very best.
Once you've selected your favorites, the actual editing begins. It's worth mentioning that editing, like photography itself, is subjective. With my nature photography, I try not to take too many creative liberties. I want to document the way I viewed a scene through my own eyes or convey how it made me feel. When people view my photographs, I want them to think about the image itself and not how I edited it.
For a general overview of my process, I usually start with cropping to find a composition that strengthens the image. If your goal is to print, make sure you crop to common printing dimensions, maintain sufficient resolution, and eliminate distractions at the edges. After cropping, I adjust the basic sliders to establish overall direction. Then I create masking layers to locally edit specific parts of the image, drawing attention to certain elements while subduing others. For my owl shot, I started out with basic adjustments to get me to a place I liked. I then used masking layers to make the background slightly cooler and the subject warmer for better separation. I also subtly enhanced the eyes to draw viewers into the image. Besides that, I added a very subtle vignette to further draw attention to the subject in the center of the frame.
Selecting Which Image to Print
Once you've edited your favorites, it's time to decide which one to print. This can often be a very difficult decision to make. Sometimes there is a clear image that stands out from the rest but often times you may have multiple favorite images to choose between, or perhaps you have to come to terms that it may not be worth printing any of them. This part of the process, once again is very subjective and will look different for everyone, but here are to a few tips to help steer you in the right direction.
I recommend thinking back to your original concept and determining which image best tells your intended story. Look for images with visual impact that draw viewers in. Often, stepping away from your favorites for a day or two provides fresh perspective. If you're going to invest time and money in printing, you want to get it right so be sure to spend time selecting the image that will work the best.
From my Pygmy Owl session, I narrowed it down to 3-4 favorites before selecting this image. I chose the vertical composition because it mirrored the bird's overall position and form and eliminated empty space on either side. I preferred this tight composition to focus attention directly on the owl, particularly its eyes. A wider shot would have felt too empty with such a small subject. The direct gaze creates an immediate connection with viewers.
Determining the Final Display for Your Image
Now that you’ve chosen your final image, there’s still a few important factors you should consider before going to print. I strongly recommend that if this print is personally for you and not for sale, that you consider where you want to put it. Think about where in your space this print would work well. Think about the natural lighting in your space and make sure it’s well-lit wherever it ends up. Along these same lines, think about what size of print will work best for the space. If you have a large wall and if your image maintains a pretty high resolution, then maybe a large print is ideal. If you’re putting it in a smaller space, then maybe something a bit smaller is better so that it doesn’t feel crowded.
Another consideration is which kind of print you want. This can be very subjective but consider the previous factors and your own personal taste and style when deciding on a print format. Do you want to frame your image, or would you rather have it stand alone? Do you want it to be glossy or matte? These are all factors that you must decide on before printing.
For my Pygmy owl shot I knew that I wanted to put it right above my dining room table that’s pushed up against a wall. I knew that this image would fit well here and would really grab people’s attention. I also personally really like Bay Photo's MetalPrints and opted for their high gloss finish as I knew reflections wouldn’t be much of an issue. In order to fill the space nicely without dominating the room or wall I settled on a print size of 20x30 inches.
Displaying Your Stunning MetalPrint
Alright, you’ve now received a spectacular print of your image. With the help of Bay Photo, you’ve transformed a digital photograph into something tangible that can be viewed and experienced in person. The time has come to officially hang it up on the wall to be seen and enjoyed.
Now that you’ve intentionally selected a location to hang it, you’ll want to make sure you get everything just right. A great place to start is to have a friend help you out, if available. Having someone view your hanging location from a distance and having a second set of eyes can go a long way. One thing that I like to do is to measure the wall and then mark my desired spot with masking tape. You can then step back to make sure everything looks right. I would also recommend measuring twice and hanging once just to be safe.
Once you’ve selected your area it’s time to hammer some nails in the wall and hang it up. If you’re using multiple nails make sure to use a level. You should also ensure that the lighting is good in your selected area before fully committing. If it’s too dark, too bright, or if reflections are too distraction maybe consider hanging it somewhere else. After you’ve done all this It’s time to hang your print on the wall.
Final Thoughts
The process of creating an image - from concept to print - involves numerous thoughtful decisions at every stage. By approaching each step with intention, you greatly increase your chances of transforming ideas into tangible art that captivates viewers. Bay Photo understands the importance of upholding your best work in its best display, and MetalPrints are known for their eye-catching impact.
Photography allows us to share our unique perspectives and preserve meaningful moments. Through careful planning, technical execution, thoughtful editing, and proper presentation, you can create images that not only please yourself but also connect with others on a deeper level.
I hope this guide has been helpful and informative, and I wish you the best of luck on your future photography adventures. Remember that while the technical aspects are important, it's your vision and storytelling that will ultimately make your images stand out.
Special Thanks to Keenan!
Keenan Hursh is a Photographer, writer, and creative storyteller based out of Bozeman, Montana. He draws inspiration from his frequent excursions into the natural world and always brings his camera along to capture whatever adventures he finds himself in. He is passionate about documenting and sharing fleeting moments from the natural world and focuses primarily on wildlife, landscape, and adventure photography. Keenan is both a Photography Trip Leader and the Website, Copy, and Content Specialist for Backcountry Journeys, the #1 trusted leader in small-group photography workshops, trips, and safaris with well over 100 trips across the globe. You can view Keenan’s portfolio on his website at keenanhurshphoto.com.
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