Category: Photo Tips
LATE OCTOBER WHITE-TAILED DEER PHOTOGRAPHY
The rut is on, at least in the northern half of the US. This is an excellent time to get outside and photograph whitetail deer. At this time of year the males look their very best, with beautiful new coats, nice polished antlers, and necks swollen with the rut. They also have other things on…
CONTROL THE BACKGROUND
When people look at my work one of the questions I get asked more often than any other is how I get such nice backgrounds. The answer is I work very hard to control the backgrounds in my images. I like to get nice monochromatic, out of focus backgrounds because this type of background makes…
Working Close to Home
No doubt about it most outdoor photographers love to travel to new and exciting locations to capture the subjects we love. But truth of the matter is that most of us can’t be jetting all over the globe whenever we want. Most outdoor photographers I know are able to take one two or maybe three…
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT
Whenever I am teaching nature photography one of the things I really emphasize is that, in order to be a better photographer it really helps to be a better naturalist. The more you know about your subject the more likely you are to be able to predict its whereabouts and actions. The images you see here…
THE GEEK AND THE ARTIST
One of the things I love about photography is it appeals to both the geek and the artist in all of us. On the geek side you have the technical considerations of making an image; the f-stops, shutter speeds, depth of field, histograms, dynamic range, and that hyperfocal distance stuff that we must all master…
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
Here in Michigan it still remains unusually chilly for this time of year, but spring is definitely on the way. The days are getting longer, bird song fills the morning air, and the trees are beginning to show their buds. One of my favorite signs of spring is the return of the red-winged blackbirds. The males usually arrive in…
THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
I am very fortunate to be able to live out in the woods. Since all of the windows in my home reflect the surrounding woods, it is not unusual for me to have the occasional bird/window crash at my house. I think what happens is that as the birds fly they see the trees reflected in the windows…
WINTER OPPORTUNITIES PART 3
Towards the end of winter often times the snow will melt off the lakes leaving the ice exposed. when this happens I like to head out onto the ice and look for leaves that have been frozen in the ice. This is usually a nice change of pace from the birds and mammals that I have…
WINTER OPPORTUNITIES PART 2
Another great thing to photograph in the winter is the landscape. The winter landscape has a dreamy surreal quality about it that I really like to try and capture. When everything is covered in a fresh blanket of new snow the landscape is transformed. Snow has a way of smoothing out the landscape, not only softening…
WINTER OPPORTUNITIES
As I write this, it is a chilly 3 degrees here in Michigan. If you live north of the Mason Dixon line chances are it’s pretty cold outside at your house right now as well. I love to photograph at this time of year, all of the animals are in their best coats, and all that…