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Philosophy

5 reasons to minimize your camera gear

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Photo by Martin Taylor
Have you ever felt like you were just one camera lens away from completing your ultimate collection of gear? Have you ever said to yourself, “if only I had that 600mm lens, THEN I could take those awesome photos I want.” Or maybe there’s some nifty little accessories that you’re just itching to get.

I think it’s pretty easy to get excited about new camera gear. I’ll admit it: I’d love to get my hands on a 600mm f/4, or that Canon 7D. And, I’m sure you would too 🙂

But, then we get reminded by great photographers like David duChemin that gear isn’t the most important thing. The photographer is what really makes the photo, and one of the best ways to improve your photography is to simply just go out there and take more photos. Experiment. Make mistakes. Learn from them.

I think as nature photographers, it’s especially important to minimize our gear, and here are a few reasons why: [Read more…] about 5 reasons to minimize your camera gear

How to create intimate portraits of nature

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Bigelow's Monkeyflower / Photos by Steve Berardi
Bigelow's Monkeyflower / Photos by Steve Berardi
Which of the two photos above do you like better?

They were both taken of the same flower, with the same camera settings. The only difference between the two shots is the position of the camera.

I’ll take a wild guess that you like the first one more. And, I think this photo is better because it has more of an intimate and friendly feeling to it. [Read more…] about How to create intimate portraits of nature

“Wow, you must have a really good camera!”

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Photo by Martin Taylor
Photo by Martin Taylor
Anyone who has ever taken a sharp, properly exposed, and well-composed photo has heard these very words.

A couple of years ago someone I know, a writer of three published books and numerous articles, came across some of my flower photos. He looked at them intensely and said, “Wow, you must have a really good camera!”

I stared at him looking perplexed then smiled and said that I thought his writing was excellent and that he must have a “really good keyboard and computer!” He understood. [Read more…] about “Wow, you must have a really good camera!”

“Stop and take a look around once in awhile”

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(c) iStockPhoto/CreativeShot
(c) iStockPhoto/CreativeShot
Have you ever seen the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day off? One of my all time favorite quotes is at the end of this film when Ferris says,

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and take a look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

Bueller wasn’t a naturalist (or a photographer), but I think his advice is the key to enjoying nature.

In our modern world of cell phones, next day shipping, and instant access to just about anything, it’s really hard sometimes to take a break and escape this “on demand” attitude.

But, to really enjoy nature and see all of its beauty, you have to look through patient eyes. You have to stop and take a look around once in awhile.

Here’s a short story to help illustrate what I mean: [Read more…] about “Stop and take a look around once in awhile”

What is a natural photograph?

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Photo by Vic Berardi
Photo by Vic Berardi

Sometimes as nature photographers, our minds focus too much on getting a good photograph, instead of just enjoying nature and being there to capture some of the light we come across.

It’s important to keep nature natural, and I’ll tell you a story to help illustrate what I mean. It’s about the ethics of attracting animals by “baiting” them–feeding them in an effort to get them to come closer to you, so you can get a photograph. [Read more…] about What is a natural photograph?

Don’t be a photographer, be a photonaturalist

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Photo by Steve Berardi

Do you remember why you first got into nature photography? Most likely it was the mesmerizing beauty of nature that inspired you to buy a camera and attempt to capture those precious landscapes, or that wonderful flower, or that unique wildlife.

I remember clearly what inspired me to buy my first SLR camera–the American Southwest. I still cannot describe what I love about the desert so much, but maybe it’s the desolation, or its ability to prove the infinite strength of life. Ever since seeing the desert landscape, I have been on a mission to capture all that glorious natural light.

As you become a better photographer and get caught up in learning all the latest tricks and buying the latest gear, it’s easy to forget what originally inspired you to learn photography. [Read more…] about Don’t be a photographer, be a photonaturalist