Closer is NOT Always Better

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed viewing wildlife. To me, seeing a wild animal in its natural environment is exciting. Photographing a wild animal in its natural environment is even more exciting. At least for me, it is. As a teenager, seeing whitetail deer standing amid the tangled woods of Maine had a profound and lasting effect on me. My love of nature and wildlife stemmed not from seeing the deer, but the deer in its habitat. These scenes and thoughts from years ago influence my approach toward wildlife compositions today. Guided by my love of nature and my overwhelming desire to tell visual stories, I value photographing wildlife in their natural environment more than ever. I prefer to show an animal behaving naturally in a natural setting instead of simply trying to get closer. Being closer does not make the image better and it certainly is not better for the animal. Sometimes, due to the animal's movement or the lens you are using, you cannot avoid being closer, but I believe a sense of place makes for a better photograph, tells a better story, and represents the animal more respectfully and ethically. In September, I photographed this male impala on the Serengeti toward the end of the day. The environment, dust, and light made this unique scene far more compelling than a tight shot of the impala's head and horns. We learn new stuff about ourselves and our photography all the time, but we must remember why we do what we do more than how.

Photograph What You Feel

Nikon Z6II

Nikon 100-400mm f5.6 Lens

ISO: 400

APT: f5.3

EXP: 1/2000th of a Second Hand Held