When we think of wildlife photography, and especially bird photography, we imagine filling the frame as tightly as possible with the subject and getting maximum detail on the subject.  There is certainly great challenge and also visual rewards in such an image.  Conversely, we may have pigeon-holed ourselves as artists by not giving the bird “space to breathe” within the frame, and also neglected to think of the greater commercial value of a more subdued composition.

A maze of barren tree branches and a featureless sky reveal an American Robin surveying its surroundings. Photographed with the Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens and the Canon EOS 60D DSLR.

The above composition relies on the negative space of the sky, as well as several of points alignments to the rule of thirds.  Exposure settings: 1/320 F/10 ISO 200.  Taken with the tripod-mounted Tamron SP 150-600mm VC Lens and the Canon EOS 60D DSLR.