Emotional impact is at the heart of Richard Bernabe’s wildlife photography, and in this excerpt from his Photoshop World session, “Behind the Eyes: Making Wildlife Images with Emotional Impact,” he explains why it’s the most important skill you can develop behind the camera. While technical skill is always part of the craft, Richard reminds us that what truly elevates a photograph is its emotional pull—those images that stay with us because they speak to something deeper.

The Story Behind Emotional Impact

I believe emotional impact is the most important skill in wildlife photography—above technique, above gear, above any specific genre skill you could name. When a photograph stirs emotion—whether it’s awe, joy, empathy, tension, or even discomfort—it creates a connection between the subject, the photographer, and the viewer. That connection is what makes an image memorable and meaningful.

Emotion gives a photograph its staying power. It lingers not just as a visual impression, but as an experience. That’s the bridge that turns photography into storytelling—the thing that lets a viewer feel a moment rather than simply looking at it.

In this class, we explore the tools that help build that emotional connection: eye contact, the choice not to use eye contact, interaction, gesture, intimacy, humor, conflict, and something called anthropomorphism. These are all creative decisions that shape how a viewer emotionally enters the frame.

Here’s an example. This baby elephant in Kenya uses contrasts—size and framing—to create an emotional response. I’ll break down exactly why later in the class, but even without explanation, you can sense the impact.

I’ve worked with dozens of photo editors and art directors over the years, and they all say the same thing:
“Give me images with emotional impact.”

Sharpness, resolution, composition—they matter, of course, but not nearly as much as we photographers sometimes think. What editors want are images that make people feel.

Take this polar bear on fast ice in the high Arctic. What does it make you feel? How does it land with you? That’s where the real value of the image is.

Or these two polar bear cubs. Why does this frame resonate? Why do we respond to it?

This is true in every art form. Think of your favorite movie, book, or song. You remember it because of how it made you feel—not because of its structure, arrangement, or technical details.

Even something like this image of impalas in Zimbabwe—captured at one-eighth of a second while panning—uses blur and motion to evoke emotion in a completely different way.

Eye contact, intimacy, conflict, mystery, anthropomorphism… these are tools for creating emotional impact. But there’s one thing you can’t fake: emotion itself. You have to feel it first.

You have to be receptive—curious, open, willing to be moved by what you see out in the world. When you’re emotionally engaged, your images will be too. And when you feel it, the people who see your photographs will feel it as well.

Your Next Big Photo Boost Starts Next Week

The Landscape Photography Conference is next week! If you love chasing great light and bringing home images with true “wow,” don’t miss this chance to learn from Scott Kelby, Richard Bernabe, and an incredible lineup of instructors. You’ll pick up practical tips you can use right away, get inspired by stunning examples, and enjoy full replays for a year so you can keep learning long after the event.

Grab your camera and join us—let’s make some epic landscapes together! Register here