I spend a lot of time in the water wading after shots, both in fresh and saltwater, so much so that I often joke I don't know how to work a camera unless I am wet. Wading provides unique opportunities to approach wildlife or capture scenes that you simply can’t get from dry land. However, it can also be difficult and dangerous. But, with education and preparation, you can keep yourself and your gear safe, while getting some amazing photo opportunities. Why Get In? Take 1 part camera, mix in 1 part saltwater, add 1 part clumsy photographer, … [Read more...] about Wade Right In: A Nature Photographer’s Guide to Wading to Get the Best Shot
wildlife
Rediscovering a lens that I already owned
When packing for trips, I find myself seesawing between my Fuji X system and Nikon DSLRs. We do underwater, street, nature and landscape photography. Do I pack the Fuji X-Pro2, the crop sensor Nikon D500 and my old D800 or complicate things and buy the new Nikon D850? Earlier this winter, we were packing for street and winter nature and landscape photography in Japan. My wife and partner in Aperture Photo Arts is a die-hard Fuji shooter and between us, we have most of the Fuji X lenses and spare camera bodies. This was the logical … [Read more...] about Rediscovering a lens that I already owned
The Life Cycles Approach to Wildlife Photography – Part 2: Capturing the Complete Picture
Wildlife photography from a life cycle approach not only gives structure and purpose to your photography but also adds to the broader knowledge about these creatures that is necessary to understand and protect them. Every time you create a wildlife photo, you can help educate others about the general awesomeness that is nature, and to the specific awesomeness that is this particular animal. Pretty cool when you think about it that way! (Have I mentioned I truly love what I do and this is one of the big reasons why?) In the first part of this … [Read more...] about The Life Cycles Approach to Wildlife Photography – Part 2: Capturing the Complete Picture
The Life Cycles Approach to Wildlife Photography – Part 1: Learning and Telling the Story
Every chance you have with a wild animal in front of your lens is an opportunity not just to capture split-second moments of action or behavior, but to also learn more about its life story. The things this creature does daily to survive and thrive in an often harsh world. As photographers, we are storytellers. By telling an animal's tale through your photography, you reveal one of countless stories being played out as part of a greater whole within the place this animal calls home. Not just the story of an animal, but also a family, a species, … [Read more...] about The Life Cycles Approach to Wildlife Photography – Part 1: Learning and Telling the Story
Get Ready to Remote, Part 2: Advanced Camera Traps
There are places that can be too difficult to stay with a camera and shoot, there are events that are too dangerous to be around when they occur, and there are animals that are too shy of humans to ever get near to photograph. This is when photographers turn to using Photo or Camera Traps, a way to capture these types of images or video from a distance by remote control. In part 1 of this series, I covered the fundamentals of creating a simple remote camera trap. Now that you have that skill in your proverbial photography toolbox, let's … [Read more...] about Get Ready to Remote, Part 2: Advanced Camera Traps
Get Eye Level to Make More Powerful Animal Photos
Whether it’s of a bird or a person, eye contact in a photo engages and draws the viewer into the photo, creating a connection between them and the subject. As easy as it sounds to just shoot when the critter is looking at you, rarely in the great outdoors are we lucky enough to just walk up to our subject and grab an instant masterpiece image of it. Getting eye level and capturing the right type of eye contact for your composition requires thought, a careful approach, and attention not just to the subject, but everything going on around … [Read more...] about Get Eye Level to Make More Powerful Animal Photos
Get Ready to Remote, Part 1: Simple Camera Traps For Wildlife
Go out into the great outdoors. Find a place that animals like to hang out when people aren't around. Set up your camera to automatically take a photo of them when they do show up. Leave it there. Come back tomorrow to see if you got any shots. Repeat it all over again until you get the awesome shots you want of those shy, hard to photograph animals. Welcome to Remote Camera Traps! In previous articles, I've shared the different ways I've used Platypods in my photography. Possibly one of the best uses I have found is in helping set up a … [Read more...] about Get Ready to Remote, Part 1: Simple Camera Traps For Wildlife
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Take Advantage Of Silent Shutter
Many DSLR's have a Quiet Mode. One way this is done is by separating the sound of the shutter from the slap of the mirror. When you press the shutter button the mirror flips up and the shutter is fired, exposing the image. But then the mirror doesn't flip down until you remove your finger from the shutter button. This works surprisingly well to make your camera not sound like a camera and it's far less distracting in quiet situations--I've even photographed live ballet performances this way without ruining the show. Silent Mode Trumps Quiet … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Take Advantage Of Silent Shutter
Lightroom Live: Wildlife & Nature with Jason Hahn
You gotta join us live for our next Lightroom Live, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away a copy of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Monday, September 18th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2 pm in the Virgin Islands. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Lightroom Live: Wildlife & Nature with Jason Hahn
Lightroom Live: Wildlife & Nature with Jason Hahn
You gotta join us live for our next Lightroom Live, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away a copy of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Monday, September 18th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2 pm in the Virgin Islands. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Lightroom Live: Wildlife & Nature with Jason Hahn
Gear Review: Atlas Packs ‘Athlete’
Atlas Packs is a new company and they have created a good product. They've created backpacks that are extremely comfortable to wear and that carry a lot of weight without leaving you feeling fatigued. What's more, they truly don't look like technology backpacks that are full of expensive tools--they just look like a regular hiking backpack. Who's This Camera Bag For? Atlas Packs would be perfect for anyone who needs to carry their camera equipment as well as other stuff because they are well designed and have plenty of room for coats and … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Atlas Packs ‘Athlete’
Tips For The Hiking Photographer
Sharing pictures from beautiful places is one of my favorite things to do, especially when I've hiked to get there. However, if I suddenly had to choose between never making a picture for the rest of my life or never hiking for the rest of my life...I choose to give up photography. I'd rather continue seeing marvelous places for myself and never share them in pictures than be able to share ordinary places in pictures but never hike. Plus, hiking is one of my favorite ways to torment my kids. I've learned a lot of techniques for hiking … [Read more...] about Tips For The Hiking Photographer
Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Focus Priority Settings
Our latest cameras boast lightning-quick autofocus and it's a good thing because my kids and their cousins are lightning-quick subjects, not to mention sports and wildlife subjects. The thing is, your camera has two or three options related to autofocus you may not have considered which will affect your performance. Focus or Release? There's a spot in your menu that dictates whether the camera will make a picture when the subject is out of focus. The default setting is for Focus Priority, which means the shutter will only fire when the … [Read more...] about Mirrorless Camera Maniac: Focus Priority Settings
Specialty and Style: Why They are Important for Your Photos
In photography, few questions have the power to trip people up as those which seek answers to the concepts of "style" and "specialty". Student: "What is my style? What is your style? Should I specialize? Should I specialize in a style? I would like to style my specialty according to the specialization of the prevalent style, how do I do that?" Instructor: "Ummm… Green?" Style and specialty are frequent topics I'm asked about while teaching photography, and some of the hardest areas to give easy answers. While I have always taken these … [Read more...] about Specialty and Style: Why They are Important for Your Photos
Photographer of the Day: Matt Cuda
Category: Wildlife Photographer: Matt Cuda "Ruby-Throated Hummingbird" A sure sign of summer, and a true delight, is seeing the first hummingbird appear here in New Hampshire each year. Much easier to watch than to photograph as they flit around the yard. The closest thing to fairy-folk that I've ever seen. Matt did a wonderful job of capturing the grace and beauty of these birds, and the added color of the flowers and the pale green background, make this photograph stand out from the crowd. Well done, and thanks for sharing with our … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Matt Cuda
Are Your Photos Getting the “Blurts”?
One of the ultimate compliments for a photo is when it makes someone just blurt out a one syllable word or sound. "Wow", "ooh", "awww", "damn", "whoa", "spoon"... you get the idea. The measure of a photo's success isn't if it followed all the "rules", it's whether it makes the viewer feel something. If you get a spontaneous exclamation out of your viewer, they have felt something! If you aren't getting these "blurts" about your work, using these concepts and techniques will make an instant impact on your creative process for … [Read more...] about Are Your Photos Getting the “Blurts”?
Alaska Eagle Photography Diary 2017 – Part 3
(NOTE: All photographs Copyright Scott Bourne - All Rights Reserved.) As I write this I am in the airport waiting to fly home to Seattle. I’ve spent 15 fantastic days in Alaska co-leading an eagle photography workshop with my friend Robert O’Toole. We had two groups, each working with us for five days. Each group had an incredible opportunity as the area was populated with as many eagles as I have ever seen. To top it all off the birds were very animated and we had sunny days each and every day of both workshops. While there is a great … [Read more...] about Alaska Eagle Photography Diary 2017 – Part 3
9 Tips to Put More Life into Your Wildlife Photos
As the (insert amazing wild animal of choice here) steps out of the edge of the woods into view and you imagine getting award-winning images of it, countless choices face you for how to make those images. "What aperture should I use...what ISO...should I try to move closer...should I shoot it as a vertical...should I put on a teleconverter...should I take off the teleconverter... should I switch my car insurance to that company run by a lizard…?" In wildlife photography, things happen fast. Deep, right? You can quote me on that. When … [Read more...] about 9 Tips to Put More Life into Your Wildlife Photos
Photographer Featured On New USPS Stamp
Each year the United States Postal Service receives tens of thousands of images to be considered as artwork for new stamps; last year they received more than 40,000 entries, but they chose fewer than 25 to publish. One of this year's new stamps, the Nebraska Sesquicentennial stamp, is a photograph made by Michael Forsberg. It's a stunning picture of sandhill cranes in flight (at the top of this post), and it's clear that Forsberg is a master of his craft. There're two things I'd like to point out about his success in being published in such a … [Read more...] about Photographer Featured On New USPS Stamp
The Central Coast of California: A Winter Wildlife Destination
The Central Coast of California offers diverse photographic opportunities: rugged cliffs, such as the Big Sur coastline; charming cities including Santa Barbara or Carmel; William Randolph Hearst’s estate, known as the Hearst Castle; picturesque vineyards stretching across the hillsides; and wildlife, particularly in late December and early January. My friends and I decided to travel to California’s central coast over the New Year’s weekend. Our main goals were to photograph monarch butterflies in Pismo Beach, sea otters in Morro Bay, and … [Read more...] about The Central Coast of California: A Winter Wildlife Destination
Photographer of the Day: Pablo Reinsch
Category: Nature Photographer: Pablo Reinsch Title: Hand to Hand It's the little things. In this case, a little lizard. The composition is strong. Positioning the subject across the top third of the frame allows the hand to provide scale with the pale, soft whorls of fingerprints providing textural contrast to the dark, iridescence of the lizard's skin. Nicely done. Photo originally shared in Photofocus' Flickr group. To learn how your work can be featured on the site, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Pablo Reinsch
Photographer of the Day: Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez
Category: Nature Photographer: oaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez Title: Bear A great portrait of a a dangerous creature. Black and white post-processing produces an image with a ghostly feel. Over on the the G+ thread, the photographer talks about the fact that, perhaps, he got to close to the animal to get this image. The ensuing conversation is worth reading for some pointers. Photo originally shared in Photofocus' Google+ group. To learn how your work can be featured on the site, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez
Photographer of the Day: Matt Tiegs
Category: Nature Photographer: Matt Tiegs Title: American Kestrel Lots to love here. First, the eyes and face are in clear focus. Next, the bird is framed well, making it the focal point of the image, even without the creamy bokeh that really makes it pop. Finally, that little hint of motion in the feet, coupled with the over the shoulder look, tells the story of a creature checking its surroundings as it prepares to take flight. Photo originally shared in Photofocus' Flickr group. To learn how your work can be featured on the … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Matt Tiegs
Photographer of the Day: Seth Patterson
Category: Nature Photographer: Seth Patterson Title: Doting Doe Babies. Is there any other subject that makes people go "Awwwwww!"? Yes. Animal babies; more so when we see animal parents in action. Patterson has captured an intimate mother and child moment. In the same moment, he has captured the holy grail of wildlife photographers: behavior. As this photo shows, not all behavior needs to be of the dramatic, "fight or flight" variety. Many times, tender parenting works just as well. Photo originally shared in Photofocus' Flickr … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Seth Patterson
Photographer of the Day: Christian Meermann
Category: Nature Photographer: Christian Meermann Title: Rasta Aquarium (5) Nature is full of patterns. Some fixed; some flowing. Meermann's lovely detail shot of sea anemone captures both the fixed patterns of color and the flowing patterns of shape and motion. To often, wildlife photographers focus on capturing the whole animal or a "head and shoulders" portrait. As illustrated here, there are many opportunities to create beautiful, abstract art by focusing on the details. Photo originally shared in Photofocus' Flickr … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Christian Meermann
Photographer of the Day: Rob Dweck
Category: Nature Photographer: Rob Dweck Title: Migration 3 With fast-moving animals, a wildlife photographer must make a conscious choice: freeze or blur. Freeze delivers tack sharp images; blur delivers abstract images. Both are powerful and evocative, but most photographers seem to choose freeze over blur. Dweck's photo illustrates why blur an equally valid, and often better, choice. Nothing says frenetic chaos quite like a great motion blur. Well executed, the animal is still recognizable but takes on an surreal, otherworldly … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Rob Dweck
Photographer of the Day: Ted Stark
Category: Nature Photographer: Ted Stark Title: Annoyance With Stowaways The first thing that struck me about this image was the strong use of the foreground to create a sense of depth. Next, we have the birds. Great wildlife photography captures behavior. Despite the cheeky title, Ted has captured the symbiotic relationship between the bison and the birds. Photo originally shared here in Photofocus' 500px group. To learn how your work can be featured on the site, please read this article. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Ted Stark
Photographer of the Day: Brent Schnarr
Category: Nature Photographer: Brent Schnarr Title: 334:365 alt Nemo Getting a good exposure on dry land is tough. Underwater photography adds so many new variables, few people make an effort to really master it. Schnarr has. Excellent composition. Beautiful lighting. Sharp focus. All of which are more difficult underwater, where movement of both subject and photographer is near constant. As an added bonus, the resulting image shows the symbiotic relationship between clownfish and sea anemones. Capturing behavior is a hallmark of … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Brent Schnarr
Photographer of the Day: Don Komarechka
Category: Nature Photographer: Don Komarechka Title: Macro photography requires a particular eye and technical discipline. Komarechka demonstrates both in this image, but that alone is not why I picked. Wildlife photography tends to focus on subjects to which the viewer can easily relate. Insects and arachnids are not defined as relatable by most folks. So, when a photographer is able to showcase their remarkable, if somewhat alien beauty, I take notice. In both the spider and the fly, Komarechka accomplishes this. … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Don Komarechka
Photographer of the Day: Rachid Saghiri
Category: Nature Photographer: Rachid Saghiri Title: Bekhouchaaaaaaa! Such a simple image. Often times, simple is best … and deceiving. Macro photography is never simple. The strength of this image is its composition. The viewer does not see the insect's face, but that is not needed as this is an "over the shoulder", … not a throw away, "butt" shot. This framing gives the image a sense of both motion and depth, implying that the insect plans to traverse the frame from roughly the lower right corner to the upper left corner. Well … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Rachid Saghiri
