How to Take Better Trophy Shots

by
posted on October 31, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
better_hunt_photo_ex_f.jpg

With our annual “Members’ Best” photo contest gearing up, we thought we’d give you a few tips to take your pictures to the next level, perhaps even to the pages of American Hunter magazine next June.

• Start with a clean lens. Use a cleaning cloth to remove fingerprints, dirt and dust.

• Lighting: Dawn and dusk are best. The sun should be at the photographer’s back. Wait for cloud cover during midday sun or use the flash to distribute light evenly.

• Use a tripod or rock. A stable camera will take a sharper image.

• Make sure the animal looks respectable. Wipe off excessive blood, hide the tongue on big game and position your animal with photos in mind (tuck the legs, spread a wing or fan).

• Take photos in the field, not on your tailgate.

• Utilize the “Rule of Thirds.” Imagine dividing your photo into thirds horizontally and vertically. The imaginary lines intersect at four points; this is where the subject or focal point of the photo should be.

• Photograph from eye level or lower. Avoid “busy” backgrounds.

• Keep the camera rolling. Digital images cost nothing, so take a few more. You might surprise yourself.

• Most important: Be it a smart phone or DSLR, learn your camera and its functions!

Latest

Upland (5)
Upland (5)

5 Keys To Make This Your Best Upland Season Ever

Tired of walking long distances and coming home empty-handed? Here are five keys to help boost your bag of birds this year.

C&H Precision and MERUS Adventure Launch Guided Hunt Giveaway

Free entry runs through Nov. 13, 2026, and one winner and a guest will be heading to the Texas Panhandle for a fully guided hunt at MERUS Adventure—a private hunting and off-road park near Claude, Texas, outside Amarillo. The trip includes a fully guided hunt, range time with top-tier optics and gear, on-site lodging for the length of the stay and off-road driving across the property.

Things I’ve Learned About Public-Land Elk

Every generation has a story starting with, “I remember the good old days.” Elk hunters have a similar dialogue and although elk numbers are at some of their highest in modern history, public-land hunting still represents a sea of challenges. With decades of elk hunting in my rearview and an ongoing education, a few lessons I’ve learned from elk hunting may aid you in your public-land elk pursuits.

Colorado Ballot Battle Heats Up

The required number of valid signatures to put a “Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment” on Colorado’s Nov. 3 ballot was reached on Sept. 4. If approved by voters—according to Ballotpedia’s summary—it would add the “…right to hunt, fish, and take fish and wildlife through traditional methods” to the state constitution.

#SundayGunday: CZ 600+ ST3 American

On this week's #SundayGunday, we are taking a look at the new-for-2026 design of the CZ 600+ ST3 American, the ST3 being the long- and magnum-action model. Built by the legendary Czech company for the American market, this is a rifle adapted perfectly to hunting on this continent.

How Can Hunters Travel Out of State With Suppressed Firearms?

Getting federal and state agencies out of the way of the citizens who wish to use suppressors to make their guns more polite to their ears and to their neighbors’ is an ongoing, complex and multifaceted effort. There is, however, progress being made thanks to the Trump administration.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.