Waiting

As a nature photographer I often have to wait for the shot to be right.  Waiting is hard.  I just wait for the sun to break from the cloud or the wind to pick up so I’m not as patient as those who shot pictures of animals or birds.  They can wait for hours and still they don’t get a useable photo.  I admire those folks.

As I wrote previously my new camera is heavier than my old one.  So I’m gaining an appreciation of the weight other nature photographers lug around.  You don’t get great shots by standing five feet from a wild animal.  It takes a long telephoto lens and a good tripod.  That’s a lot of gear to haul around.

Good nature photographers (I’m getting there) also know a lot about the birds or animals they want to shot.  Knowing their habits, where they get their food and when, where they like to make their homes, all that kind of stuff.

That means a lot of research.  I usually do my research after I take my pictures.  Finding out what kind of trees or wild flowers I’ve taken pictures of.

As hard as waiting is it does have its benefits.  Whether its 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days or 5 years.

Full disclosure:  I wrote most of this blog while I was in line to get my driver’s license renewed.  Waiting.

Pack out what you pack in.