
Welcome Wildlife in Your Urban Backyard
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been talking about how to establish habitat and meet your wildlife neighbors. But I understand that not everyone has
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been talking about how to establish habitat and meet your wildlife neighbors. But I understand that not everyone has
Last week, I wrote about some of the least photographed backyard subjects: insects. This week, I’m bringing you some insight into photographing a subject we
Although close to one million species of insects have been identified to date, many more are out there and just have not been scientifically identified.
When you Google “wildlife photography images,” the pictures that pop up are a collection of large cats, wolves, foxes, bears, red squirrels, and monkeys, along
Over the past three weeks, I wrote about ethics, knowing your equipment, and accessories. For the fourth and final week in this series on becoming
Last week, I wrote about knowing your camera, and I emphasized the benefits of learning one piece of equipment at a time. However, accessories can
When you’re first starting out in photography, it’s easy to quickly get overwhelmed by all the gear options out there. It’s also easy to buy
When instructing a workshop or working with an individual client, I begin by raising the topic of ethics. Some folks are already on board or
OK, this title is meant to be clickbait. However, many nature photographers working in temperate zones consider ISO 800 to be a “high ISO.” That
Last week, I wrote about the massive amount of information contained in our RAW files. The histogram allows you to be sure that you’re capturing
Want to take your image files to the next level? Shooting in RAW format is key. JPEG files don’t make use of the vast majority
I only shoot manual mode for my nature photography, and I’ve done it this way for years. No, it’s not because I want to look
If you’re going to venture out into the wild, leaving your personal hermetically sealed bubble we call a vehicle, then it’s important to understand how
One of the number-one questions that I receive about photographing bears is “How do you stay safe?” To some degree, that’s what this whole discussion
Let’s continue this discussion about black bears (Ursus americanus) — via the rabbit hole of the social dynamics of wolf packs and the long-disproved concept
Last week, I discussed the most rudimentary stuff you need to understand about trying to analyze the behavior of black bears (Ursus americanus) in the
Full disclosure: I just spent two weeks up in the boreal forest of northern Minnesota along the Canada/United States border photographing black bears (Ursus americanus)
I have spent years exploring the longleaf savannahs of the American southeast simply because few other wildlife photographers do. But then again, maybe there is
I’m sitting in the most comfortable “blind” I have ever used. At the moment, the temperature is in the upper 60s, a light wind blows
Thus far, in this series on the Art of Composition, we have focused on what I think of as the foundation of composition in wildlife
This week, I am taking a pause on the Art of Composition series. Instead, I want to share a story that I think can really
In the last few articles in my series about the Art of Composition, we have been discussing the impact that getting low has on our
In last week’s discussion, I talked about how perspective, and specifically camera angle, can impact how we see and think about our subject. The
As I discussed last week, the concept of perspective, especially in wildlife photography, is so much more than just vanishing points in our compositions. Perspective
From the beginning of this series, “The Art of Composition,” we got bogged down in discussion about depth of field. This isn’t exactly a topic
After two and a half months of being in the field nearly every day in the cold and frozen landscapes of Montana and Minnesota, I
In the last installment of this Art of Composition series, I discussed the differences between APS-C (crop) sensors and full-frame sensors in relation to depth
In the last installment of this series on the Art of Composition, I discussed focal length and its impact on depth of field — and
I think a bit of a disclaimer is in order here… In the previous article of this Art of Composition series, I discussed how depth
Part of the challenge of writing a series of emails about the art of composition is simply figuring out exactly where to begin. Naturally, this
Ever since 1816, when Nicéphore Niépce first experimented with projecting an image from his homemade camera obscura onto a piece of paper coated in silver chloride,
“I have been trying to create those really cool black background photos you make but can’t seem to get it like yours in Photoshop. What’s
Over the last couple of months, I have tried to spell out a simplified approached to thinking about how we set our exposures in the
In the previous installment of this series on rethinking exposure, I talked about aperture and my approach to f-stop settings in the field. All too
In part three of this series on rethinking exposure, I discussed how most working wildlife photographers approach the issue of deciding what shutter speed to
It never ceases to amaze me how “tuned in” animals are to the subtleties of the environment. Take brown bears during the salmon run, for
To be successful at wildlife photography, you have to stop thinking about exposure in a technical sense. The nuances of photographing wildlife, the way things
For the many different people of the Pacific Northwest and Siberia, the brown and grizzly bear hold a special place within their cosmology thanks to
Bears have what biologists call and Overt Reaction Distance (ORD). Me, I like to call it the bear bubble. Outside of this bear bubble, they
One of the biggest myths that surround black bears is that sows will attack people when they have cubs. Believe it or not, there is
With a sense of hearing that is twice that of a human, and a sense of smell 2,000 times stronger than ours, everything about a
In my last Question & Actions, I made a bold move. I attempted to jar any photographers who are still struggling with their exposure out
I’m going to roll a mental grenade at you, and you might not like it. If you are worried about what your camera settings are,
Of the 3 different species of bears in North America, black bears are without question my favorite. I know they’re not as exotic as polar
Of all the questions I get, one that keeps coming up over and over is how I travel with all my equipment. A couple
Black bears are rarely aggressive, nor are they are not territorial. And except for young teenage males, these animals are pretty keen on respecting personal
It finally happened. After nearly two decades of digital photography, I had hard drive failures. Actually, that’s not quite it. I had software failures. But
Over the last few weeks, I have written a couple different articles about photographing in low light with high ISO settings. These are important conversations
Since my last Q&A here, I have received quite a few emails asking me to clarify what I meant by lower resolution cameras having better
“I have a big trip coming up to Africa and I don’t want to mess up the important shots. Specifically, I want to make sure
After a week in the temperate rainforest of Eastern Tennessee filming and photographing wildlife, I am back in civilization with a brand-new video for you!
“What is the best camera and lens combination for wildlife photography? Should I just buy the Sigma 150-600?” -David Randall. Atlanta, Georgia. I should probably
“How do you create such soft foregrounds and backgrounds? I understand that using a smaller aperture is necessary, but even at f/4 I never seem
About a month ago I announced our new photography contest for subscribers to the Journal of Wildlife Photography. As with our contests in the past,
You talk a lot in emails and issues of the Journal of how important it is to understand the biology and ecology of animals if
Being a successful wildlife photographer means more than just being a technically proficient photographer. All of the photographic knowledge in the world is not going
One of the questions that has always plagued wolf biologists was exactly why wolves formed large packs. By the numbers, all theoretical equations suggest that
Have you met Greg Basco yet? Greg is a Costa Rican based wildlife photographer, and an absolute master of flash. Beginning with the Winter issue
Despite snowshoes, each step plunges me several feet into the snow. One foot not quite in front of the other. Step after step accumulates great
https://vimeo.com/794605753 Do we really need fast lenses? That is to say, with all the new and amazing technology on the market today, with the ability
When wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park, one of the first questions that researchers sought answers for was exactly how, or why, they selected
It takes a blizzard to create the conditions necessary for an abstract rendition of a bison like this. With snowfall measured in feet this day
The dusky grouse doesn’t get much love. Yet they are one of the most extraordinary species in the Northern Rocky Mountains in the ability to
Most predators are solitary individuals. Leopards, tigers, grizzly bears, bald eagles, etc. But then there are those that are not. Lions are one example. African
The Norse god Odin was so much more than the god of war. In fact, he never was a warrior at all. That was more
When it comes to wildlife photography, how do we define what makes an image good? To spell it out seems simple enough until you try
Whitetail deer are relative newcomers to the Rocky Mountains of the American West. Whereas mule deer are a species of the steppes and high mountains,
A few days ago, I quietly listened to several photographers standing on the side of a snow-covered road debate what they were looking at by
Back by popular demand, this is Featured Friday! This week’s featured image is of a purple heron, created by Srikrishna Das. For those of you
I’m on snowshoes roughly two miles into the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park. Despite the fact that it’s winter, and roughly 8,000 feet in elevation,
Did you know that red foxes have a 70% success rate at hunting as long as they are facing north or south? An international team
Questions and Actions “You talk a lot about the importance of being creative with compositions and learning to think like an artist. I don’t understand.
Questions & Actions “I have been photographing seriously for about five years and I think it’s time to try and make money with this “hobby.”
The snowfall built up on the back of this bison is a testament to the insulating properties of his “robe.” Thermal imaging done from planes
Today I came across a beautiful cross fox in the snow but I simply couldn’t bear to pull my camera out. Cross fox is the
I keep a field notebook with me when I travel. Facts and figures, details of the day, and ever so slightly rum soaked ramblings at
Winter in Yellowstone is the great orchestrator of life. The challenges imposed by this seasonal plunge back into the ice age is the proverbial eye
Questions and Action Question: “I’m coming to Yellowstone later this month and I would really like to find a bobcat. Any advice?” -Michael Humphry Over
I’m on the prairie this December. It’s cold. Windy. Snowing. The roads here have turned to ice and temperatures the last few mornings have begun
Alyce Bender is one of our staff writers for the Journal of Wildlife Photography and a Tamron Ambassador. In the midst of packing a household
Disclaimer: I am going to talk about Nikon, but this isn’t about Nikon. According to the exciting new world of YouTube personalities out there, I
As wildlife photographers, you and I already understand the calming and healing powers of nature. We live this every day. But not everyone else does.
If you’re from the United States, you might want to harness the calming of powers of nature today. We all have that place that is
Last week I shared a video with everyone about the importance of using keywords in my workflow as a professional photographer. In that email I
Let’s see a show of hands here. Who feels like they have their system of file storage and backups finely tuned and running like a
Douglas MacArthur once said, “Rules are mostly made to be broken and are too often for the lazy to hide behind.” MacArthur was a five-star
Question and Actions “Hi Jared, I know you are in the Smoky Mountains right now photographing wildlife. I like to photograph the elk on the
As a wildlife photographer, have you ever considered what the animals you photograph teach you about life? I think about this all the time. I
What is it about bears that speak to us in such a profound way? Take a sampling from wildlife photographers across the northern hemisphere and
Moving through the temperate rainforest, surrounded by towering sentinels in the form of eastern hemlocks, tulip poplars, and a litany of oaks, I was searching
I’m camping in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and writing this from my tent as thunder cracks overhead and rain beats down on me. Day
People ask me all the time what my favorite subject is to photograph. That’s tough. I like what is in front of my lens at
I had just pulled my boat into the protected bay inside of the marsh where these horses were feeding. I was still actually idling my
Since I first released this photograph, I have fielded quite a few requests for information on how I created this image. Is it heavily photoshoped?
Laying on my stomach, tucked in behind a 600mm lens, I finally notice the two-inch-long cactus needles sitting precariously close to my face. Working the
The Canadian Rockies are a world unto themselves. The mountains are younger. Sharper. More glaciated. Wholly different from anything in the United States. If you
Question “I have seen this photograph all over Facebook now. How in the world do you make this? Is it at night? Did you use
When is it OK not to see the eyes of your wildlife subject? When is it OK to photograph “butt shots?” When the story that
High up in the Canadian Rocky Mountains of Alberta, I found myself one morning on the hunt for moose. The moose here somehow are eclipsed
Well, it’s almost September and that means one thing for wildlife photographers all across the Northern Hemisphere: the rut is upon us. Many of us
In today’s world of digital photography, the line between still photography and video is becoming increasingly blurred. Every DSLR camera in production since 2012
Days begin early when you plan to travel 40 miles offshore. 4am alarm clocks. Full pots of coffee. And thanks be to Poseidon that I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0dDJRDw8UQ Being a successful wildlife photographer means more than just being a technically proficient photographer. All of the photographic knowledge in the world is not
“There is so many conflicting points of view when it comes to using image stabilization. Some photographers say it should be turned off on tripods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a87qmnEb0Qk Along the border of Montana and Wyoming lives a herd of wild horses unlike any other in North America. There’s a world that towers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvIFT_KKH_w There are few things in nature photography that seem to confuse photographers more than the use of flash. In this video I discuss the
With the Summer photography season upon us, and states slowly beginning to relax their restrictions, many of you are probably itching to get out and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma4xPn2bQaY Photographing birds in flight is more than just technical settings and knowing which auto focus area modes work best for the situation. There are
This week’s Feature Friday we are showcasing a beautiful photograph by David Heilman of a truly spectacular composition of a Canada goose. Like the next
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aImfekRvW9g Flash should be a basic part of every nature photographer’s kit. It doesn’t matter if you are a wildlife photography, landscape photographer, or a
Monday, June 8th How well do you know your warblers? The one pictured here is a species of woods warbler, and one of two warbler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lar1WbHUXSk Wide angle lenses are a part of every nature photographer’s kit and are standard fare for most of the landscape work we do. One
Monday, June 1st In the northern hemisphere, June marks the beginning of summer! From central Canada, east to the Atlantic coast, and south to Georgia,
“I was wondering if you could talk a bit about using flash for bird photography. I see so many stunning photos of birds in trees
https://youtu.be/3ltLjMcfgVw Wildlife photography along the Gulf Coast of Florida is an exercise in superlatives. This is a landscape of deep beauty and mystery. Ancient live
https://youtu.be/jXk2w5s6D-k As wildlife photographers, we should always start out at eye level to our subjects. This creates the unique and intimate perspective that allows photographs
Part of the challenge in teaching photography today stems from the ever-expanding cornucopia of camera options. Gone are the days when things were simply Nikon
https://youtu.be/3gCCG70K_jM Finding and photographing owl nests can be a real challenge. But most of all, these are very sensitive situations in which our presence can
Question and Action “Why do your macro photographs look so three dimensional compared to mine? I know you are using flash, but nothing I do
https://youtu.be/mvHw1FGPG50 Mastering birds in flight can be on the biggest technical challenges you face in the world of wildlife photography. But nailing your autofocus settings
“I have spent several years learning photography. I understand manual exposure and am lucky to be able to spend a great deal of time taking
https://www.youtube.com/watch/zbinbsk4oGA The coastal plain of Eastern North Carolina plays home to not only the largest concentration of black bears in the world, but also the
https://youtu.be/5ZjlLr5_SlU This is a throwback video when I traveled to the Wind River Mountains a few years ago in search of Bighorn Sheep. In this
An hour after sunset and the mosquitoes are so thick they can be measured in metric tons. It’s dark. It’s hot. And I am unwillingly
This past week I shared a video with you guys about the importance of using keywords for keeping yourself organized. Today, we are going to
Are you feeling uninspired right now? If so, you’re not alone. All the yuck in the world inevitably takes a psychological toll on us all.
Lightroom is one powerful tool for photographers. However, there is a good chance that you may not be using it to its fullest potential. Adobe
Questions & Actions “You often talk about how that light and backgrounds are just as important as the subject itself. I understand that good light
One of the challenges of nature and wildlife photography is learning how to move beyond the obvious in your artwork. This applies whether you are
Sometimes, when I find myself in a unique situation, especially one so daunting and overwhelming as the approaching quarantines around the world, I find myself
As the pandemic continues to spread and people all over the world are being forced into quarantine, I am doubling down on my efforts to
Questions & Actions “You often talk about how in overcast light you try to keep the sky or the water out of the composition. What
Let’s be honest with ourselves here for a moment. In today’s world of digital photography, using programs such as Lightroom and Photoshop, or On1, or
Behind the Lens The cloud forest isn’t exactly what you would expect from the tropics. There’re no palms here, no strangler figs, no broad-leafed plants
If I had simply shifted the angle of my lens up and to the left, the entire Denver skyline would have filled the background of
https://youtu.be/DkSN0bFqfnY Do you have what it takes to be successful at wildlife photography? It’s not just about fancy cameras and technical knowhow. Let’s face it,
BEHIND THE LENS (literally) We have entered a brave new world of photography. A world where new and cutting-edge technology seemingly breaks headlines on a
Using manual exposure allows you to concentrate on what actually matters in your photography: creating art. If you are worrying about the so called “exposure
Question Why do some photographers suggest always using the RGB histogram on the camera and Kelvin white balance? – Jessica P. Knoxville, TENN Check out
Hi there folks! I am out of the cloud forest now and sitting in a coffee shop in downtown Panama City, Panama catching up on
This week’s Questions and Actions is going to be a bit different. Instead of answering one single person’s question, I am going to answer about
Panama. Beautiful, tropical, dripping with biological diversity Panama. I just wrapped up a workshop down here where we spent the last week island hoping around
Don’t let this question about Sony keep you from reading. This is all about the correlation between resolution and lowlight capabilities! “Do you think the
“The hummingbird migration is underway here and there seems to be thousands of these pretty little birds about my feeders right now. How do you
Howdy folks and welcome to this week’s edition of Questions and Actions! The question I am answering this week is one about exposure. This is
A few days ago I released my weekly Questions and Actions blog. This one had to do with dynamic range and whether or not it
Hi there folks and welcome to this weeks eddition of Questions and Actions! This week’s question comes from Kim McGarrity in Baltimore, Maryland. She writes:
Howdy folks and welcome to another edition of Behind the Lens When it comes to photography, there is simply nothing more important than light. This
Have you ever heard that you should not bull’s eye your subject? This is a common suggestion when it comes to composition – especially in
Howdy folks, and welcome to this weeks edition of Question’s and Actions! This week’s question comes from Kyle Stevenson out of Anchorage, Alaska and his
Well, it’s officially September. For me, that means one big thing: the rut. This is an exciting time of the year for us wildlife photographers
Howdy folks, and welcome to this week’s edition of Questions and Actions. Question “Jared, I noticed that you produce a lot of black and white
After finishing my annual brown bear workshop at Lake Clark National Park in Alaska, I decided to bum around some of my favorite places in
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