The 60-Second Recipe For Dreamy Wildlife Photos
Dreamy wildlife photos aren’t a preset. They’re separation.
Sharp subject, soft foreground, soft background, and light that feels like air. Here’s how it works, and how to recreate it.
Featured Photography: All wildlife images in this tutorial are by Jeff Brenner Photography, a professional wildlife photographer specializing in the American West. Follow his work on Instagram @jeff.n.brenner.
The Formula
Wide aperture + telephoto compression + atmospheric light + selective softening = that dreamy look.
Notice how the bison’s eyes stay razor-sharp while everything else melts into a creamy blur.
That separation isn’t an accident. It’s one of the essential camera techniques that separates beginners from confident photographers.
Why This Works
This style mimics human vision.
When you focus on something in real life, everything else softens naturally.
As you recreate that selective focus through atmospheric conditions and targeted editing, you make wildlife photos feel immersive and intimate.
The compressed backgrounds from telephoto lenses, the natural haze from weather and light, and the selective sharpness on eyes all work together to create separation, visual and emotional.
Want the exact workflow?
If you want to recreate this look in your own images, without the muddy backgrounds, fake vignettes, or over-processed feel that screams “amateur edit”, the premium section walks you through the exact Lightroom sequence, plus the small balance checks that separate invisible edits from obvious ones.
You’ll get:
The 60-second recipe (settings, masks, order)
How to shoot for atmosphere (fog, backlight, golden hour)
The exact radial mask workflow
The “Natural Test” checklist to use before every export
Here’s the exact workflow, step by step.