Wildlife photography is a genre that has always intrigued me. Perhaps it was the backdrop of exotic locations, or capturing an elusive subject. There was always something that tickled my fancy when I saw images of wildlife in magazines. Having a commercial photography experience in the past, approaching wildlife photography was not without its challenges. This time, the subject is not going to pose for you and is unpredictable. Weather elements will test your patience and provide you with horrible lighting when the perfect subject is finally in your sights! Travelling distances and hours of walking in tropical heat does push ones perseverance. Often more than not, you end up with nothing to show for. So why do it?
Photography is a beautiful hobby to take up. It allows you to capture a moment, freeze a memory in time, rewarding you with a timeless connection that is priceless. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a good photographer or imaging artist. All you need is to have captured that moment and the story is all yours to tell forever.
Wildlife photography provides you with more, but can be challenge. It connects you to the natural world in so many different ways. It will reward you with magical moments that deepen your appreciation for nature even if it’s only in your own backyard. You hone your skills with every press of the shutter and begin to learn about your subject’s behavior and the habitat it dwells in. You can raise awareness for conservation or even help educate the young. And lastly, especially at my age, you get to go out and walk, which on its own, has tremendous health benefits! And like any hobby, it challenges you to improve oneself. It helps you strive to achieve a goal and increase your personal growth.
How you wish to approach your wildlife photography adventure is entirely up to you! You don’t have to chase down every single species or spend days upon days staking them out. You could join a group or do it solo. In the end, you enjoy it the way you want it, with your limitations. Let it be an extension of your enjoyment and not a burden where you’re pressured to perform. Approach with no expectations, take every step as a learning journey, and soak in what nature has to provide. What’s captured are the additional rewards that plot your journey forward.
That’s how I approach my wildlife photography. With no deadlines, no expectations, and no pressure. Sometimes, taking a long train ride with an hour’s walk thereafter, only to be caught out and rained upon, stuck with damp socks and shoes, with no images to show for, are all part and parcel of the journey. It just makes the return trip all the more determined and enjoyable.