Journal of Wildlife Photography Magazine - Winter 2026
Here’s a sneak peek into this issue:
Beyond the Blinkies: Photographing White Wildlife and Winter Scenes
by Daniel Cadieux
“Beyond the Blinkies: Photographing White Wildlife and Winter Scenes,” by Daniel Cadieux explores the technical and creative challenges of photographing predominantly white subjects in winter environments. Using examples like snowy owls against dark storm clouds, he explains how bright plumage and snow can easily fool your camera’s meter, leading to lost detail and flat highlights. The article emphasizes mastering exposure, reading histograms rather than relying solely on blinkies, and making intentional decisions about aperture and shutter speed to preserve feather detail and texture. Cadieux reinforces that properly exposing white subjects requires control, not guesswork.
Beyond technical execution, the article encourages photographers to embrace white subjects as creative opportunities rather than avoid them. Cadieux highlights that mastering exposure and light is essential for capturing fine detail in white fur and feathers. He also points out how high-key photography can produce soft, minimalist images that emphasize subtle field marks and strong composition. The core message is that photographing white wildlife is not just a technical hurdle, but a pathway to more refined vision and stronger artistic judgment.
The Water's Edge: Transforming Wildlife Photography with Reflections, Atmosphere, and Motion
by Tamara Blazquez-Haik
“The Water’s Edge: Transforming Wildlife Photography with Reflections, Atmosphere, and Motion,” by Tamara Blazquez-Haik explores how water can elevate wildlife images beyond simple documentation. She explains that bodies of water naturally attract animals, making them reliable locations for encounters. However, creating award-level images requires more than photographing wildlife near water. Photographers must think creatively about reflections, surface textures, and environmental context to add depth and visual interest.
The article also emphasizes preparation and intentionality. Blazquez-Haik highlights the importance of researching species and locations in advance, understanding seasonal behavior, and anticipating how light interacts with water. By incorporating atmosphere, motion, and reflective elements, photographers can create images that feel immersive and dynamic, transforming ordinary waterside encounters into compelling visual stories.
Diving Into Bird Photography: Mastering the Underwater Housing
by Ray Hennessy
“Diving Into Bird Photography: Mastering the Underwater Housing,” by Ray Hennessy explains how an underwater housing can unlock entirely new perspectives in bird photography. By partially submerging the lens, he creates split-level images that show both the underwater world and the bird above the surface. He covers key technical challenges, including balancing exposure between bright skies and darker underwater areas, often using slower shutter speeds and careful ISO choices to preserve dynamic range for post-processing.
Hennessy also emphasizes patience and experimentation in real conditions. He describes learning which areas worked best, finding cooperative birds, and refining positioning to take advantage of light and composition, from crashing surf to clear spring waters. The overall message is to move beyond traditional eye-level shooting and use creative perspective to tell a fuller story of birds and their habitat.
Shoot Without Pain: A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Injury-Free Wildlife Photography
by Dr. Julie Bergmann
“Shoot Without Pain: A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Injury-Free Wildlife Photography,” by Dr. Julie Bergmann addresses a common but often ignored reality of wildlife photography: physical strain. From long hours standing with heavy lenses to awkward shooting positions and forgotten tripods, she highlights how repetitive stress and poor posture can lead to shoulder, back, and hand pain that limits both performance and enjoyment in the field. The article reframes discomfort as preventable rather than inevitable.
Dr. Bergmann provides practical strategies to help photographers stay pain-free, including posture awareness, strengthening key muscle groups, stretching routines, and smarter gear support choices. She emphasizes that protecting your body is just as important as protecting your gear. By building physical resilience and using better habits in the field, photographers can extend their careers, improve stability while shooting, and capture stronger images without sacrificing their health.
October 2025 - December 2025 Photo Contest Winners
“October 2025 – December 2025 Photo Contest Winners” highlights standout images from the quarterly contest, featuring winners across skill levels and pairing each photograph with a short narrative about how it was made. The section emphasizes the experience behind the frame, including patience, positioning, and the emotion of a rare encounter. For example, “Calm, Cool, Collected” and “To The Throne” are presented with stories that describe the moment unfolding in the field and the photographer’s intent as the scene came together.
More than a winners gallery, the section supports learning by sharing technical choices and real-world context. Details like shooting settings, gear used, and the conditions at the time of capture help readers understand what contributed to the final result. The overall effect is both recognition and education, giving members a clearer picture of what strong contest work looks like and how to refine their own approach.
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