Dall Sheep Ram Stepping Up, Denali National Park

This ram is the king of the mountain.

When composing an animal, I like to leave extra space in the direction the animal's body is pointed toward and extra space in the direction the animal's head is facing. In other words, the animal's body should be coming into the frame vs. exiting, and the animal's head should be looking into the frame vs. out of the frame. Usually, this strategy provides a visual balance.

Sometimes, the body and head point in opposite directions, and in that case, a centered animal may be the optimal choice. Another scenario calling for a centered animal is when it is directly facing and approaching the camera (or the opposite), providing symmetry that balances well in the center of the frame.

The ram's raised right-front leg adds a sense of movement, giving this frame an advantage over the many others captured during this encounter.

A larger version of this image is available here.