Of course, neither photo is necessarily “better” than the other (in fact, about half the people I’ve asked prefer the first one, while the other half prefer the second). The two photos illustrate just how much can change in a short amount of time. I’ve talked about this before, as it applies to landscape photos, but it’s really something to consider for all types of photography.
After all, a photograph is really just a snapshot of time. Nature photography isn’t just about taking photos of a particular subject, but it’s also about taking those photos at the right time.
When is the right time though? Well, that’s actually up to you as the photographer! The right time will depend on what you’re looking for in the final image. The right time for one kind of image might be the wrong time for another kind of image.
As a simple example, let’s say you want a sharp photo of a flower. Well, then you should probably wait for the moment where the camera and flower are perfectly still, and when the flower is lit just the way you want it.
Or, let’s say you’re looking to photograph your favorite waterfall. Then, you might want to photograph it at sunrise (for the even lighting), and when the water is flowing strong.
Other times, you may not even make plans to photograph a subject and you just randomly stumble upon it at the right time: perhaps you sit down to take a break during a hike and all of a sudden a hummingbird starts sipping nectar from a nearby flower with a great background.
The point I’m trying to make here is that nature photography isn’t just about being in the right place, but it’s just as important to be there at the right time as well. Sometimes you can plan this, and other times you’ll just need a little luck 
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About the Author: Steve Berardi is a naturalist, photographer, computer scientist, and founder of PhotoNaturalist. You can usually find him hiking in the beautiful mountains and deserts of Southern California.
Very good points, Steve. FWIW, I like the photo on the right better than the one on the left though both are great shots.
It’s a Decisive Moment in Nature.