We asked Chris to tell us 3 interesting or unusual facts about Wildlife photography
Wildlife
photography is perhaps most different to other forms of photography due to the
uncontrollability of your subject. You quickly discover that no
matter how hard you try you will always have the wrong lens on, no, that heron
isn't going to catch a fish when your looking (that only happens after 2 hours
of crouching in a really uncomfortable position when you've finally put your
camera down because you just HAVE to stretch), and yes, you are going to have
to get dirty....very very dirty.
So
here are 3 things that I think are a 'must do' to be a wildlife photographer
1. You have to be ready for anything.
So sometimes I go
outside with my Camera with a plan. I'm going to take photos of some frogs and
toads today. I grab the best lens for the job, making sure to put on bug spray
so I don't get bitten. This time I've got it all planed out. I'm edging my way
through the grass and I can hear the frogs splashing into the water as they
spot me just seconds before I spot them. My eyes are peeled, scanning the floor
in front of me in this game of senses. Suddenly I hear a noise coming from my
left. Must be a toad I determine since it is coming from further away from the
water. I smile as I creep forwards; I don't recognise the call, perhaps it's a
toad I've never seen before. My eyes were glued once again to the ground in
front of me, when suddenly the 'ground' leapt up in front of me, and started
clucking madly at me and fanning it's tail."oh my! It's a
dinosaur! It's a giant man eating bird! It's some deadly zoo animal
escaped!" I thought to myself, but
determined to record my find I grabbed a few shots before making a bee line out
of there. (Of course I totally had the wrong lens on - grin). It wasn't until I
was on my street that I stopped running and had a quick look at the photos I'd
taken. And suddenly I realised what it was. It's a turkey. A wild Turkey. So In the end I got zero shots of frogs or toads that day, but I did discover that
turkeys are a lot bigger than frogs, and that sometimes you have to be ready
for anything.
2. You have to be willing to get dirty.
I'm walking home from
school one day and I hear toads calling (and yes for those of you who are
laughing still, these were REAL toads - not Turkey-toads - grin). Odd, I think
to myself - why are so many toads calling in the middle of the day? Suddenly I
realise why; it's early may - they're mating! Pulling my camera excitedly out
of my backpack, I plunge into the long grass heading towards the sound. It
rained earlier that day, so by the time I reach the pond edge my pants are
soaked right through from the grass. Still, I'm determined to get some good photos
this time, so I creep up to the waters edge. They're not hard to spot - the
water is quite literally packed with thousands of American toads doing...well
you know; their business. I watch amused for a while, but these guys aren't
really who I came for; I want to find one of the males who is still calling. He
calls again and I spot him, hiding under a bush, calling for a mate to come.
Without a thought ditch my backpack in the mud and lie down flat on my stomach,
so I look as small as possible to him. Now I only have a small lens on from
photography class (did I mention you always have the wrong lens on?) so I slide
my way closer and closer, right up to the waters edge and wait. He watches me
for a while, as if trying to decide whether to continue calling or swim away. I
hold my breath, camera poised. Finally he turns away and calls again. My finger
touches the shutter. Click.
I notice the light is
getting quite golden and check my watch - 5:30!! Where did all the
time go! Without a thought I wriggle backwards (so as not to scare the toads)
grab my backpack and race home, with the biggest smile on my face. Well, let's just say
my family may of been slightly alarmed when I came home about an hour late from
"school" covered from head to toe in a thick layer of mud....grin.
3. You have to be persistent
Sometimes nature will
test you. Push you to your limit. One of my favourite times to take photographs
is what I call the 'golden hour' - you know the time, late in the summer
evening when the light becomes all golden? I love how it makes everything look
just that little bit more magical, even the blades of grass in the garden glow.
I wanted to capture this in a photo. So I line my self up with the sun a lie
down in the warm evening grass. I have to get right down flat because I want to
try to get the sun shining down through the grass at me. I get my settings just
right, squish down that little bit more and start taking photos.
Suddenly there
is this burning pain on my chest, then another one just above my ankle. I yelp
in pain and shoot up just in time to notice that I was absolutely COVERED in
red ants! The expression 'got ants in your pants?' comes to mind, only it
really was not funny.
Tell us what you are
most looking forward to about this years Studio Tour
I'm looking forward to getting to know the
other artists in the area better, as well as meeting the public and hopefully
changing how they think of the wildlife on our doorstep through my photography.
Come visit me at the Studio Tour and I'll have even more stories and photos to
see, after all, who knows what I'll get up to this summer!
Website: chriskingdon1.wix.com/photography
