Nature Photography How To

My wide-angle lens was perfect when the late-evening shadows crept across the mountains of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The sweeping landscape, wide open and treeless, was suited to the wide field of view. Until, that is, the weather turned, and with it, my perspective on that wild place. I woke one morning to rain pattering intermittently on the nylon of my tent. Between showers, I emerged to find the mountains obscured by scudding clouds.

Wildlife and nature photography is certainly a niche market but it turns out to be bigger than many think. According to our contributing photographers in this month’s column, photos of nature and wildlife can be sold for a broad range of uses, including stock, editorial, book publishing, interior design, fine art, and even assignment. Other important questions we ask our wildlife and nature photographers this month include what does it take to make your passion for these subjects a business? How do you market and promote your images?

In this video (brought to you by B&H Photo and currently available on YouTube) photographer Chris Nicholson provides a wide variety of pro level tips and tricks to help you get the most from your next visit to one of America’s beautiful National Parks. Captured during a photography workshop, this video has a runtime of nearly one hour and includes sample images, advice on the best places to explore and what to bring with you. 

Photographer and writer, Jaymi Heimbuch has a profound interest in wildlife and nature. Her goal is to create images that trigger an emotional connection with viewers, and which spur us all to be stewards of nature. Through her work, Heimbuch hopes to spark wonder, respect and appreciation for animals.

I think I speak for nearly every photographer when I say going to a new location excites me, especially if it is one I have dreamed about for years. We all dream of these once-in-a-lifetime photo adventures. But the truth is for most photographers, the majority of our shooting is actually done in locations that are closer to home and allow us to return more regularly.

We assumed the first thing Jim Graham does in order to create his elegant landscape images is decide how to isolate his subjects from distracting backgrounds to achieve the always-desired single subject, clearly defined.

We were wrong. The first thing he does is ask himself: What do I see? Then he asks: How do I use the camera to communicate the feeling I have about what I see?

The Canon Digital Learning Center is now offering free tutorial videos hosted by world-renowned bird photographer Arthur Morris. Arthur demonstrates which techniques, gear and settings he uses to create artistic photos of birds and other wildlife.