About nature photography

Nature photography is the perfect merger of science, art and a love of nature. It takes a lot of patience to get the right shot and then it takes time to develop it. There is no “once take, perfect shot” in this business; instead you have to be prepared for many attempts before you finally get that once-in-a-lifetime shot! 

Manual settings are always better than automatic so that you can control your camera as much as possible. There are also times when a discrepancy between what the camera sees and what you see is welcomed! 

A respected photographer once said that it’s not whether you have an expensive camera at your disposal or not, but if you have a camera at all. That saying really hit home for me while I was shooting in Manchuria (the former Manchukuo) many years ago; there were no cameras in those days so someone would frequently send me their cameras whenever they returned from the field in exchange for used film. 

Once you get passed the basics of manual settings and exposure, then it’s time to start experimenting. The key is to be creative and think outside of the box. Get creative and you will find new ways to use your equipment and that builds your confidence with it. My first camera was an old manual focus 35 mm with a Nikko 80-200 mm f/2.8 lens. I was able to get some pretty interesting shots from that little combo but I've never been satisfied with anything less than a 50mm lens! 

It's easy to become overconfident; something most of us are guilty of at one point or another . It’s best not to think about limitations and what is or isn’t possible for you in your field of work. We all have our own personal strengths and weaknesses, but it’s the confidence in knowing you are capable of achieving your goals that sets you apart from the masses.

Don’t get me wrong; there is no shame in asking for help. I had a mentor along the way who spent many years helping me develop as a photographer, fine-tuning my images, and helping me to understand more about how to use my equipment. His name is Nick Merrill and he still writes out notes with detailed instructions on how to complete a certain shot.