*Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) - Central Coast, CA*

Behind the Lens (Number 7)

October 30, 2014 in October 2014

Wildlife photography is addictive; each chance encounter, like a drug, fuels the desire for another. However fleeting the moment, the mere glimpse of a nonhuman “other” feeds the nucleus accumbens, the reward center deep within the brain’s limbic system. When an encounter is followed by a successful photograph, the cycle is complete and the addiction is reinforced.

*Harbor (Common) Seal (Phoca vitulina) - Central Coast, CA*

Lack of preparation, research and practice is the key obstacle to producing successful images that will strengthen the need to make more. When pursuing wildlife subjects, take the time to learn the behavioral patterns and routines of your subject. Knowing the ethology that influences reproductive behaviors, migration and physiological changes it is possible to transform a “dumb-luck” image to a probable success.

The images attached to this post were made at Moss Landing near California’s central coast. A high tide and late autumnal visit to the estuary increased the likelihood of finding otters and harbor seals. Because I was shooting from a boat, I positioned myself in a prone position to place the lens as close to eye level as possible. Knowledge of the gear and behavioral patterns allowed me to maximize the brief wildlife encounters I had on this afternoon.

Sunset on Lax Lake, MN - Nikon D800E & Nikkor 28mm f1.8G AF-S — *Sunset on Lax Lake, MN* - Nikon D800E & Nikkor 28mm f1.8G AF-S

Behind the Lens (Number 6)

October 20, 2014 in October 2014

Plan ahead and recognize the ephemeral patterns of sunrise and sunset. Leverage your knowledge of where and when the sun appears and retreats to produce compelling images during the most serene hours of the day. Each of the images in this post was produced between the edge of light and dark and reflects the time invested to know when and where to be.

Sunrise on Lax Lake, MN - Nikon D800E & Nikkor 28mm f1.8G AF-S — *Sunrise on Lax Lake, MN* - Nikon D800E & Nikkor 28mm f1.8G AF-S

*Sunset in Crex Meadows WMA, WI - Nikon D800E & Nikkor 28mm f1.8G AF-S*

Behind the Lens (Number 5)

October 09, 2014 in October 2014

Leverage Fall's inclement weather to express a creative vision. By choosing to use a slow shutter speed on turbulent days it is possible to convey the essence of climatic conditions. Rather than retreat to the comfort of home, we suggest that these the best days to play in the rain.

Canon 6D + Canon 17-40mm L shot at f/16 with the rig firmly mounted to my Induro CT313 tripod.

Behind the Lens (Number 4)

October 01, 2014 in October 2014

While sitting on a thicket of damp vegetation in the understory of a mid-successional forest, I tweeted... "I live for days like these," and attached an iPhone rendition of the linked photograph. The tweet was a color picture of the same forest, and the color emphasized the saturated greens of this foggy day. The setting was near perfect, but while the tweet was in color, the morning was all about tones and layers in an early autumnal forest.

I decided to the let photo ruminate in my files for a week before processing the shot as a black and white. To make this image I used a high contrast digital filter that lightened the greens and enhanced foliage details. With the tripod legs spread as far as they could go, I composed the photograph so that the tree to the left and those to right appeared to anchor a barrier between the ferns and the forest. By using a super wide-angle zoom, I could play with various compositions before settling on the one that seemed to convey my peaceful mood on this foggy morning.

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