With the snow coming in (here in the Northeast U.S. anyway), it seems like a good time to review some winter photography tips.
1) Stay powered. Cold temperatures reduce the length of time your camera's batteries will function. Always bring a spare or two, and use power-sapping features like auto focus, live view, and LCD playback sparingly.
2) Stay dry. Keep snow away from your camera and lenses as much as possible. While dry, fluffy snow isn't as bad as rain on your equipment, you should still blow or wipe it from your gear whenever necessary. Also, never bring a camera and lenses directly into a warm environment after it has been out in the cold. Pack them in your camera bag or plastic bags before heading inside and let them warm up to room temperature before taking them out. Otherwise, moisture will condense on the glass and metal surfaces, potentially damaging your gear.
3) Expose for your highlights – the snow. A snowy landscape will often throw off a camera's meter, sometimes to the point of underexposing your photo as much as two stops. When shooting in winter, take a test shot and check your histogram. You should have pixels stretching almost to the right side of the graph in order to ensure properly exposed snow. If you don't, add light to your exposures by using a slower shutter speed. However, if your histogram spikes on the right side (you'll probably have the blinkies too), then your photo is overexposed and you need to use a faster shutter speed.
4) When the snow is falling, try a variety of shutter speeds. A shutter speed of 1/250 second or faster will stop the motion of falling snow – if that's the look you want. For a streaky snow, use a shutter speed between 1/125 and 1/30 second, but slower than that and the snow may blur completely away and look more like fog than snow.
5) Get out in the good light. Just like during other times of year, shooting during the "Golden Hour" around sunrise and sunset will result in more opportunities for photos with interesting shadows and textures, warmer tones, and more colorful skies.
Dawn in winter in New Hampshire
For those of you looking for some winter photo instruction, I'll be leading a 3-day winter photography workshop in the White Mountains at the AMC Highland Center, Feb 10 -12, 2012.
Let me know if you have any winter photo questions, or tips of your own.
Until next time…
-Jerry
Find out more about Jerry at his website, and follow him on Twitter at @jerrymonkman
“In a world filled with metrics and bestseller lists, it’s easy to decide that everyone is your competitor and easier still to worry about your rank. Worry all you want, but if it gets in the way of your art or starts changing your mission, it’s probably a mistake.” – Seth Godin
This great quote captures much of what I have struggled with over the years, and how I think about the whole issue of comparisons these days. Competition is rampant in landscape and nature photography – it seems there are always contests to enter, and endless ways to compare ourselves to the “competition”.
Just visit any art fair (or worse participate in one) to experience this first hand. The endless “I can do that” or “is my work good enough” really misses the point of it all. If you have something to say, then it should measure up against what you have said in the past. If it’s not making an impact, then it’s time to improve your vocabulary, or practice your story telling. Comparing our images to others doesn’t take into consideration many important variables like skill, dedication, practice, and most crucial personal experience.
If you allow your perceptions of where you stand in the overall “rank” of photography to guide your creativity, then you’ll never develop your own vision. Is there a shortage of photography in the world today? Not by any stretch of the imagination – in fact we are over saturated with imagery. I would argue that what is in short supply are original voices willing to tell their stories about what inspires them.
Don’t worry about competition, worry about whether you are getting any real responses to your work – often that comes when you forget about what everyone else is doing.
Check out Robert's website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Sometime you want to take pictures without your feet on the ground. Here are some tips for keeping your gear safe while shooting from a kayak. In this video, New Hampshire based conservation photographer Jerry Monkman explains how to keep your camera gear safe while shooting from a kayak.
Check out Jerry's fall Cape Cod workshop here: Eco Photography
[toggles active=0 speed=500][toggle title="Transcript"]Hi, everybody. This is Jerry Monkman from Ecophotography.com. I'm often asked how I keep my gear safe while paddling. So today, I'm going to give a few tips on how to shoot from a kayak.
First off, obviously our main goal here is not to get our camera immersed in water. Everything we do is to keep our gear safe, and the first thing you need to do to do that is to know your own limits as far as paddling. If you're not good at keeping a boat upright, don't take your camera out when you're in a boat. If you can't handle big waves out in the ocean, don't take your camera out when you're in the boat.
Otherwise, if you've got those skills, there are some things you can do to minimize the water getting on your camera. One thing I do is use this really cool camera vest called a cotton carrier, which holds the camera snug against my body so I'm not banging it with my paddle and water is not dripping down my paddle onto the camera.
It's really a pretty neat little gizmo. It's got this Velcro strap to hold the camera snug, and then you just twist and turn and get your camera out and you're shooting.
When I'm shooting, I'm shooting for shutter speeds of 1/250th, 1/500th of a second, a little faster shutter speeds. If I need to use a faster ISO, ISO 200, 400, something like that, I'll do that. There's a lot of movement when you're in a boat, obviously, so you need to use that faster shutter speed so you don't get camera blur.
Before I had a cotton carrier, I would just cinch my camera strap up so the camera was up here, a little more snug, not down here where it was more likely to get some water on it.
That's pretty simple kind of stuff, but that is the basics of what you need to do when you're shooting.
Now, if you're in really extreme conditions but need your camera out to shoot, you're going to probably want an underwater housing. If you can't afford a real expensive one, do what I do. I'm kind of cheap, so I've got this U-A Marine housing. It's still a few hundred dollars and it doesn't give you access to all your camera controls, but if you use auto-focus and auto-exposure, you can shoot all day long with your camera in here safely. If the waves are crashing over you, you don't have to worry about your camera getting ruined. This is a good investment if you're going to be shooting in that kind of stuff.
Also, you can store your camera and other gear in a dry bag, either in your cockpit so it's easily accessible if there's room, or in the hatch where you'll need to, obviously, stop the boat for a moment to get out and get your gear.
Let's see, what else. Lastly, I always have pockets in my PFDs so I can get at extra camera gear easily, such as a memory card holder. These Geppie holders are great because they're waterproof and they float. If your memory cards fall in the ocean, you can just paddle over and pick them up.
I also keep a lens cloth in here somewhere. There we go. Inevitably, you are going to get a few drops on your lens and your camera, and you'll want something to wipe those off. I keep that handy in here. I'll also sometimes throw in a polarizer. It's where I store my lens caps, things like that.
It's good to get a PFD with pockets.
All right, those are my photo tips for the day. Get out there, have fun in your boat, be safe, and enjoy your photo adventure.[/toggle][/toggles]
I see many times people posting interest in taking their hobby of nature photographer to the pro level. Myself and I’m sure other pros have people that contact them asking for advice on what it takes to make a living in this field. My response is that from my experience it’s a seven day work week and can be tough on your family life. I work about forty weekends a year so any family birthdays, holidays, christenings, father and mothers days, sports, concerts, etc, are many times missed. This is much like the entertainment world, pro athletes, traveling salesman, or any other profession that requires you to be on the road many days a year.
Nature photography is one of the toughest fields of photography to make a living in. I’ve found that for me being diversified is the key to making it. Having multiple streams of income keeps the money flowing. Those streams all take a lot of time to keep them flowing.
Marketing is number one, nobody knows you’re alive and in business unless you tell them. Shameless self promotion is something you have to get used to and you need to be the type of person that doesn’t mind this type of marketing as some would consider this bragging about yourself, but it’s just getting the word out that you’re in business and having some success at what you’re doing. I spend a lot of my time marketing, I write a daily blog post, moderate on two photography sites including my own “Macro Nature Forum”, post images, post on Facebook and Twitter, and reply to photographers sending me emails with questions.
I display my images in about twenty art shows a year. This takes up twenty of my weekends, many away from home. The shows start in May and run until October and consume almost every weekend for those months. Some of the shows I’m gone on Friday and return on Monday, leaving me Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, to print, package, and pack for the next weekend. During the winter months I’m going though the process of applying to these shows, which is filling out applications, sending images for the jury process, writing out checks for show fees, etc, keeping it all organized so I have a show every weekend. Taking time to keep track of materials and doing all the ordering and always trying to find the best prices. During the winter when I apply to these shows the jury fees and booth fees run about seven thousand dollars, which I won’t see again for months.
During the art shows off season I’m presenting my workshops. I do about twenty workshops which are on weekends. This take time promoting the workshops, adding them to my website and blog, sending out emails and post cards, posting them on nature photography websites, posting on Facebook, etc. Working with the hotels on setting up rooms for the workshop all across the country. Planning the workshops and how they will run. Shooting images for examples in what I’m teaching in the workshops, and constantly updating the material presented at the workshops. Many days each year are spent on the road driving to and back from the workshops and art shows.
Wow, I’m already tired and I haven’t scratched the surface on what I do. While all this craziness is going on with the art shows and workshops,
I have to maintain my moderator duties online.
I work with art consultants that buy images for their design projects, print the images, package, ship, and invoice them.
I contact companies that would be willing to sponsor me, work with them when they need images for ads, photo conventions, sometimes even go to photo convention for them. I send them promos for my workshops that they can list on their websites.
I do online workshops, which takes time again promoting, critiquing the participants shooting assignments.
I have a how to macro book that took time to write and have printed, I have to maintain stock at Amazon, maintain on my store front sales, packaging and shipping to customers.
I have five e-books completed and am working on more. Again more promotion, sales and sending the e-books online. I also make them into CDs to sell at the workshops and art shows.
I’m working on how-to macro videos for You tube.
I travel and present programs for camera clubs, photo conventions, garden clubs for flower photography, have done some at REI stores.
Send submission to magazine with article ideas, and once accepted working with the mag to set-up the article and images. Invoice them.
Send out information introducing myself to new art consultants, interior designers, calendar companies. etc. reply to their emails as they contact me asking questions about pricing, printing, etc.
I maintain a blog which I write and post as frequently as possible and I write when possible for Tamron’s blog. Post on facebook any updates on workshops, art shows, and any other happenings.
Maintain a website, posting new images updating art shows and workshop schedules.
I will visit and sell through art galleries, so time is spend traveling to the galleries maintaining stock.
I have companies that contact me for stock images, negotiate, send files, and invoice them.
I get to beta test new products for companies, and they always wait till the last minute to send you the product and need a response NOW! Take time to work with the product, Email back and forth with response.
I have charities that call and ask for print donations which I always do. Deal with emails, set-up time to make contact with prints.
Take care of all the accounting, sales, taxes, keeping track of cost of running the business.
Working toward setting up webinars for live how-to macro workshops online.
Wow, all this work is making me tired, I need a nap.
Now are you starting to wonder why I haven’t mention anything about shooting. As you can see there is not much time left to shoot. It can be frustrating and hard to schedule time to shoot, as you have probably heard most pros say that the business takes up ninety percent of their time. I do make time to shoot but it has to be scheduled at the peak times which for me are the spring and fall. The summer I almost never get out to shoot as the art shows consume so much time.
I have to say I’m pretty sure there are a few more thing I do, but I think you’re getting the point. If I tried to make it on any one of these streams alone it would be tough, but with a little income coming from all these streams I do very well, but I sacrifice a lot of time and family life to maintain this business.
I have to say even with all the work I do I can’t wait to wake up in the morning at five o’clock and get to work! I wouldn’t trade what I do with anything else. I always tell people where else can you work where people are complimenting you while handing you money!
Good luck if you give it a shot.
You can visit Mike's blog and learn about his workshops here: Tiny Landscapes
Mike's eBooks are available in the OPG store here: Mike Moats
Wilson's Phalarope swimming on a marsh – 1000mm, AI-Focus
Making sharper images– Part 1 – A lot of wildlife photography is dependent on the use of telephoto,telephoto-zooms and super telephoto lenses to make reasonable images of small subjects or larger animals off in the distance. When you use a telephoto lens, you need a new set of techniques in order to ensure that you end up with sharp images. Nothing is more frustrating than coming across some desirable subject, actually getting them into your viewfinder only to get home and discover that the images are lacking in the sharpness department.
The first thing to focus on (pun intended or not, you decide) is the subject’s eyes. In nearly all cases, the eyes of your subject should be tack sharp. So, that means that your going to have to put your camera’s focus point onto the animal’s eyes. Or, you can either exclusively use the center focus point and just accept the fact that your going to be spending a lot of time in Lightroom or Photoshop cropping your images to create a usable composition, or you can learn to use your camera’s features to create that composition in the viewfinder.
If the camera/lens combination you’re using allows it, learn to move the focus point around the available areas. Most of the consumer digital SLR cameras and many of the point-and-shoot cameras allow you to select from a number of different focus points. The trick is to practice selecting the currently active focus point until you can do it quickly, efficiently and without thinking. When I was getting serious about wildlife photography, I’d watch television through the viewfinder of my camera. I’d put on a lens that would allow me to have just the television in the viewfinder and then I’d move the focus point to the person who was currently speaking. It took a couple of weeks of practice but I finally got to the point where I could quickly perform the finger gymnastics necessary to instruct my camera where to move the focus point to. Practicing while you’re otherwise relaxing is a great way to learn a new skill so you’ll be ready when that cute little critter pops up while you’re in the field.
Chipping Sparrow perched on a mossy branch – 700mm One-shot focus
Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible to move your focus point around. Depending on your camera body, you may lose the ability to change focus points at F5.6 or F8. For instance, when I put my 2.0x teleconverter on my Canon 500mm F4L IS lens, it turns it into an F8 lens and I’m stuck using the center focus point. In that case I’ll have to live with shooting loose enough that there is enough room around the subject to allow for cropping in Lightroom or Photoshop, or depending on the situation, I can use another feature that many cameras have.
While I normally have my camera in AI-Servo mode (Nikon calls it Continuous-Servo AF) when I’m photographing wildlife, I’ll occasionally switch to One Shot focus mode. This allows me to put the camera’s center focus point on the animal’s eye and then recompose the image before I press the shutter to make the image. Again, this is a technique you can practice while watching television. The One Shot focus method only works on subjects that are relatively static. If you’ve got a subject that is moving around a lot and you’re stuck with the center focus point, you’ll just have to accept some extra computer time while you crop the images.
Okay, so now we’ve got our focusing techniques down so we can use our camera’s autofocus systems to make sharp images focused on our subject’s eyes and we’ll create as many images as possible that don’t need extra processing in our photo editing software.
In the next article, we’ll continue the discussion on making sharper images.
A couple of months ago I was asked by OPG to try out a new camera carrying system by Cotton Carrier.
Their Camera Vest system works much like a Baby Bjorn for cameras, holding a camera snug to your chest and distributing the weight comfortably on your shoulders and torso. When I am on my shooting adventures, I usually carry my camera and a spare lens or two in a waist pouch, which I position so that the gear compartment is in front of me. This has always seemed to be the best way to have my camera easily accessible for action shots, but either I'm getting older (o.k., I know I am) or my gear is getting heavier because I'm finding the waist pouch option is increasingly putting pressure on my lower back. I was eager to try out the Cotton Carrier vest to see if it fit my shooting style. After a few outings over the winter and this spring, I've decided it will be my "go to" system for adventure shooting.
To see how the system works, you can check out the above video made by the Cotton Carrier crew. Basically, a mounting plate attaches to the bottom of the camera, which then slips into the mount on the vest. A Velcro strap can be placed across the camera to keep it snug, a feature I found to be very helpful at keeping my camera from swing around and banging into rocks and trees as I made way way along the trail, especially on steep climbs. You can also attach a leash to the camera to prevent accidental drops.
In addition, you have the option of adding a second mounting holster down near your hip, where you can mount a second camera or a longer lens that has a tripod collar. Once the camera is in the mount, it won't come out until you turn it 90 degrees and pull it up, so there's no risk of it falling out of the mount. The vest distributes the camera's weight very well. I spent one day cross country skiing about 8 miles and did not all feel encumbered by my camera and felt no pain from carrying the camera at the end of the day. And being able to access my camera and start shooting in just a few seconds is a great advantage that I'm looking forward to having this summer as my shooting schedule fills up.
If you are a plodder who mainly shoots landscapes with a tripod, this system may not be for you, as you do have to remove the Cotton Carrier mounting plate to then attach your regular quick release plate. However, if you're an active shooter who wants to have your camera at the ready, this is a great way to carry your camera comfortably.
You can see all of the Cotton Carrier products at the Outdoor Photo Gear website here: Cotton Carrier
Until next time…
-Jerry
Find out more about Jerry at his website, and follow him on Twitter at @jerrymonkman
Over the years I’ve received much great advice that has contributed significantly to my growth as a photographer. While guiding a photographer last week who was only bitten by the photo bug a few months ago, I offered a simple piece of advice: “Sweep the edges of your viewfinder before making an exposure.” It was something I learned ten years ago while reading a “how-to” book published by Arizona Highways. At the end of the day I was happy to hear her say that she learned more during our few hours together than she had in several months on her own. I always find it rewarding to help other photographers learn and grow as artists.
On the drive home I began to reminisce about all the little nuggets of wisdom I’ve learned in the past eleven years. Some came from books, others from magazines and even more from other photographers. Regardless of their origin, each one has benefitted me in some way. Like many of you, I never want to stop learning. No doubt, the advice below is only the beginning of what will surely be an even longer list in another eleven years.
Sweep the Edges - Since I mentioned this one in the introduction to the article I thought I’d start off with it. It’s also one of my favorites and something I do every time I compose an image without even thinking about it. Very simply, once you have composed a scene in your viewfinder do one final visual sweep of the edges of the frame before depressing the shutter button. You’re looking for little distractions. It might be a branch intruding into the frame, a bright spot in a corner or even the foot of your tripod creeping into the bottom of your composition. This will also force you to slow down and spend more time crafting a deliberate composition.
Don’t Forget to Turn Around - I read this very early in my career in a “how-to” book published by Arizona Highways that seems to have been discontinued. The author’s point is simple: no matter how awesome the scene before you is, always remember to glance over your shoulder because it just might be even better behind you. I follow this advice on nearly every photography outing and it has netted me some of my favorite images.
Don’t Forget to Look Down - I learned this lesson while viewing Tom Till’s image of colorful desert wildflowers pushing through cracks in mud. The placard next to it explained that while Tom was photographing a grand landscape he happened to look down and found a scene far more original and interesting than the one he had intended to photograph. You just never know what you’ll find if you keep an open mind!
Include People in Your Photos - This one certainly won’t apply to everyone. However, it’s a valuable tidbit of advice that has certainly been favorable to my bank account. My good friend Todd Caudle, who has been one of the most generous and inspirational pro’s for the entire length of my career, is responsible for this one. While photographing wildflowers at Lost Dutchman State Park about ten years ago, Todd suggested that I consider including people in my photos. Todd suggested that photographing my girlfriend at the time while hiking, climbing, canyoneering and mountain biking would open doors to some of the outdoor magazines. I didn’t take his advice seriously until I met my wife, Melissa, a few years later. It’s a shame I waited. Had I immediately began following Todd’s advice I surely would have been published much sooner.
Look For and Exploit Reflected Light - We’ve all seen photos of Antelope Canyon’s sculpted walls glowing neon with reflected light. Until I gathered this piece of advice from uber-talented photographer and friend Guy Tal, I wasn’t aware that reflected light was so prevalent in nature. And, it even happens on a grand scale. Clouds reflect light back down on to the landscape and massive cliffs bounce light all the way across the Colorado River canyon near Moab. Snow reflects light into shadows. Once you learn to identify reflected light you can easily use it to your advantage – even when photographing in mid-day.
Don’t Immediately Set Up Your Tripod - I can’t remember where I learned this but it’s made a huge difference in the quality of my compositions. Upon arriving at a location spend some time exploring the area before you plant your tripod. Experiment with different vantage points. Try getting low to the ground or finding an elevated perch. Maybe you’d originally intended to go wide angle but a more interesting scene in the distance demands a telephoto? Even a few steps to the left or right of you’re standing could make a dramatic difference.
Bad Weather = Good Photography - Another great piece of advice whose origin escapes me. Bad weather often creates the most dynamic conditions for photography. Menacing clouds, storm light, fog, rain and snow can all contribute to amazing photography. Or they can flat out suck. That’s the chance you take when you wander out on a stormy day to make photographs. But instead of bemoaning the fact that rain is in the forecast, get excited by it. Overcast? You couldn’t ask for better light for intimate landscapes. Fog? If it’s winter you might find hoar frost. Summer? Look for features in the landscape playing hide and seek behind a veil of fog.
Adapt to the Conditions - This one ties in nicely with the one above. Most of us have probably taken a trip to a far off location with the intent of photographing our hearts out only to find lousy weather upon our arrival. There is always something to photograph. It may not be what you came for, but if you stay positive and learn to adapt you will be able to make images. I don’t remember where this one came from but it’s advice I’ve learned to follow. Bonus: Not only do I get to make photos regardless of the conditions, but I’m much happier and less stressed out, too.
A Bad Day in the Mountains is Better Than a Good Day in the Office - This one comes to us from Todd Caudle. And you know what? He’s right. Wouldn’t you rather hike ten miles into the mountains to photograph sunrise at an alpine lake only to be defeated by a dull gray overcast than spend one stinkin’ minute staring at your computer monitor? I would. I will add one small caveat: A bad day in the mountains is better than a good day in the office – so long as you don’t have to cut off your own arm!
Certainly you’ve all received some sage advice over the years. Why not share it with us in the comments section below? I, for one, am always open to good advice!.
Learn more about Bret, view his images, scout his workshops and read his blog here.
Being nature photographers gives us access to things most people will never see and experiences many will never understand. A brief exchange about such things with two other photographers on twitter led me to ponder on this for a while. I came up with eight things I love about being a nature photographer. I know there are more, and I’m sure you’ll all have some excellent additions to the list.
1. Seeing the natural world around me in a more intimate way than those whose eyes don’t appreciate the nuances of light, texture, shadow and form.
2. Sunrises and sunsets in the mountains, canyons and deserts. Nuff said.
3. Being able to share the visual beauty of those sunrises and sunsets with those who weren’t able to enjoy the moment with me.
4. Getting excited when I hear a good storm is headed my way.
5. Sitting alone, in the middle of the most beautiful nowhere anyone has ever seen, watching shadows lengthen and waiting for those few glorious moments when the light is just right for making an image.
6. Knowing where and when to find the best wildflowers, the best fall colors, the best waterfalls, the best mountain views, the best alpine lakes, the best wildlife, the best…ah, you get the point.
7. Meeting all the really amazing people I never would have met if I hadn’t been addicted to nature photography.
8. All the amazing places I’ve been that I wouldn’t have seen if I wasn’t on the prowl for new and exciting locations to photograph.
So, there’s my list. I’d love to hear some things you love about being a nature photographer. Feel free to list ‘em in the comments below!
Learn more about Bret, view his images, scout his workshops and read his blog here.
Sunrise at Dorr Point in Maine's Acadia National Park.
October 1st marked nine years since I quit working on Maggie’s Farm. In my case, “Maggie’s Farm” was a cubicle at a large insurance company that was just the last of several identical cubicles I worked in over the course of eleven years as a software engineer. I never liked this job, though it made me a decent income and the stress was relatively low. I realize that software engineer wouldn’t make many lists detailing the crappiest jobs in the world – in fact, most would consider it a pretty cushy gig – but I was never satisfied. I yearned to spend more time outside, and I felt there must be a way to channel my creative energy for something more important and beneficial to my mental health and the world in general. I spent the last five years of this “career” begging for as much time off as possible to get out and make pictures, and I’m fortunate to have had managers and colleagues who supported my crazy photo obsession. After 9/11, and with a new baby at home, it became obvious to me that it was time to quit the job that made me good money, but left me unhappy, and I took the plunge as a freelance photographer.
If you’re one of those people who feels stuck in a job, but you have loftier aspirations, all I can say is “Go For It!” It will change your life. Don’t just take my word for it either. I was inspired to write this post after reading “Five Ways Photography Changed My Life” by Moab, Utah based adventure and nature photographer Bret Edge. All of what Bret says in his post is applicable to me, and probably most other photographers as well. I really encourage you to read it.
Though I’ll admit to occasionally missing that steady paycheck, I can honestly say I have never once regretted my decision. Of course my life is more fun as I get to spend 100 days or so a year out shooting in beautiful places. This is what I expected and dreamed of often (usually as I dozed off, head down on my keyboard in the cubicle,) but it is the unexpected consequences of my decision that have really improved the quality of my life.
So following Bret’s lead, here are five unintended benefits of quitting the farm and striking out on my own:
1)Effecting change. All along, I had planned to offer my imagery to conservation organizations to use in their publicity, fund-raising, etc., but I had no idea when I started out that photography had such power to inspire others to change their lives or help change the world. I have been blessed to work on over 100 commissioned conservation photo projects in the last ten years. All but three of those projects have resulted in the successful conservation of open space here in New England, and my clients tell me that quality photos do make a difference when it comes to inspiring government officials and the general public to protect these places. As a software engineer, I may have dreamed of the freedom of a photo career, but I never realized how much positive influence the photos I make would have.
2)Becoming More Comfortable Around People. I wasn’t exactly a hermit before becoming a photographer, but I do have a quiet personality. This of course played into my wanting to be a nature photographer, where I could enjoy long days alone, or with my wife, out in wilderness just creating art. What I discovered though is that to be a successful photographer means spending a fair amount of time around people, giving slide shows, showing portfolios, networking, attending gallery openings. As I started shooting more adventure imagery, I even started just approaching strangers on the trail, in coffee shops, bike shops, etc., and asking if I could photograph them. This might sound painful to the shy, aspiring nature photographer, but it has become one of the parts of the job I actually look forward to. Some of my most memorable experiences as a photographer have come from the reactions I get at presentations or the conversations I have with complete strangers on the trail. Some of these people have even become life long friends.
3)Mountain Biking and Sea Kayaking. O.K., chances are good I would have gotten into these sports even if I had never picked up a camera, but the truth is I only started doing both of these activities after Marcy and I were asked to write “Discover Acadia National Park” back in 1998. We were avid hikers and backpackers, loved Acadia, and proposed a photo guide of the park to AMC Books in 1997. They didn’t bite on that book idea, but later proposed we write the Discover book, which is a multi-sport guide (hiking, biking, and paddling.) I honestly don’t remember if we let on that we only participated in one of the three sports the guide would cover (probably not,) but this opportunity out of the blue really inspired us to explore wilderness in different ways. This was pure serendipity. These days, I can’t imagine a summer going by without a dozen days or so spent dipping my paddles into the cold waters of the Gulf of Maine.
4)Teaching. Workshop leader was not on my radar either when I started my photo career. I had never trained as a teacher nor did I think it would be something I’d enjoy, but serendipity struck again when the Appalachian Mountain Club asked me to fill in for an instructor that had to cancel one of his workshops in the White Mountains in 2002. I was nervous beyond belief, but soon realized I had some clue what I was talking about and that people actually seemed to understand what I was teaching. Now I find myself truly looking forward to the five or six workshops I lead every year. It is deeply satisfying to watch my students practice what I teach, and I get almost giddy when I see one of them have one of those “ah ha” moments when it all starts to click for him/her. I have even been asked to teach photography at my kids’ school, but teaching 17 8 year-olds is way scarier than 8 or 10 adults!
5) My kids think I’m cool. O.K., they’re only seven and nine, so maybe this opinion will be different five years from now (or maybe five months from now in the case of my nine-year old, who yesterday uttered, “Daddy, don’t talk to me in that tone of voice.”) But you know what, my kids do appreciate the work I do. They take pride in the fact that I work to protect the environment, and it really bolsters their own self-esteem when I have them come along to work on a project with me – they are already astute at holding a reflector and finding little critters worth photographing. I feel like my photography career is a major and positive influence in my relationship with them, and our experiences in the field are the building blocks for their own interesting and successful lives. And that is worth its weight in gold and something I could not have purchased no matter how many hours I billed for cranking out computer code.
These are just a few of the reasons that my life changed for the better because of photography. I can’t imagine a career that feels more “right” than being out shooting in the natural world. I realize how lucky I am to have realized that this is the right job for me, let alone having been fortunate enough to make it a reality, but I really believe that anyone who is given the time to explore his or her passion will find success in one way or another.
Until next time..
Find out more about Jerry at his website, and follow him on Twitter at @jerrymonkman
I spent two days backpacking on the Appalachian Trail in May. It was my first time spending a night in the backcountry this year, and it felt great to be out. The smell of balsam fir was intense along this section of trail, conjuring all kinds of great memories of hikes past. I was working on a project that has great potential.
Paper birches next to stream.
I spent day one in a light drizzle, which provided great diffuse light for photos like this one of paper birches next to a stream. To keep my gear dry, I used that most advanced piece of equipment known as an umbrella. I use various camera and lens covers in the rain, but I still find that I prefer to use an umbrella clamped to my my tripod. The only other accessory I used for this shot was a polarizer, which I consider to be required for shooting forest scenes like this in order to really bring out the colors of the forest.
Camping on the Appalachian Trail in Maine.
Luckily, day 2 was sunny and breezy so my clothes and camping gear dried out pretty quickly. I used a Lensbaby for the above shot. I’ve always found it challenging to shoot camp scenes in fresh ways, and the Lensbaby was a fun way to mix it up a bit. While my socks dried out in an hour or two, they were soaked again pretty quickly as the trail that day was covered in about two and half feet of wet snow above 3700 feet. It’s melting fast though and the trail below the snow line was a running freshet for about half a mile.
Near the Appalachian Trail in Maine.
This boggy area was filled with fresh moose sign. I spent about five hours hanging out and waiting for moose with no luck though. I could also see the bog from much of that day’s hike, but no moose sighting. Maybe there weren’t enough flies yet to drive the moose out into the open. Still it was a cool place to hang out, knowing that they were around somewhere. After the hike, I drove to Bar Harbor to shoot a photo tips video for the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Until next time…
-Jerry
Find out more about Jerry at his website, and follow him on Twitter at @jerrymonkman
Competition in Nature Photography
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011This great quote captures much of what I have struggled with over the years, and how I think about the whole issue of comparisons these days. Competition is rampant in landscape and nature photography – it seems there are always contests to enter, and endless ways to compare ourselves to the “competition”.
Just visit any art fair (or worse participate in one) to experience this first hand. The endless “I can do that” or “is my work good enough” really misses the point of it all. If you have something to say, then it should measure up against what you have said in the past. If it’s not making an impact, then it’s time to improve your vocabulary, or practice your story telling. Comparing our images to others doesn’t take into consideration many important variables like skill, dedication, practice, and most crucial personal experience.
If you allow your perceptions of where you stand in the overall “rank” of photography to guide your creativity, then you’ll never develop your own vision. Is there a shortage of photography in the world today? Not by any stretch of the imagination – in fact we are over saturated with imagery. I would argue that what is in short supply are original voices willing to tell their stories about what inspires them.
Don’t worry about competition, worry about whether you are getting any real responses to your work – often that comes when you forget about what everyone else is doing.
Check out Robert's website for images, workshops, webinars and more: LINK
Tags: competition, Nature Photography, robert rodriguez jr, viewpoint
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