I would like to photograph bears in Alaska and rhinos in
Africa. I may have that opportunity
someday. If I travel there, I'll find
that Africa and Alaska are huge places and I'll only see them for a few
hours. With luck and a good guide I
would end up with a photo of a bear or rhino.
The best photos of Africa and Alaska are taken by people who live there
and see it over and over again in all sorts of weather and times of year. They take wonderful photos of bears or rhinos because
they live in their backyard.
Bears don't live in my backyard. They lived in Nebraska a couple hundred years
ago. If more than a couple return,
Nebraska would "manage" them by creating a hunting season for them
just like the way they recently welcomed the return of elk and mountain lions.
I photographed birds in my backyard on March 19th. This Tufted Titmouse dropped by for a few
seconds. I was able to get a photo of
him sitting on one of my deck chairs. I
would have liked to photograph it in a more natural habitat. My photo is sharp and perfectly exposed. If I spend enough time, I'll be able to get a
good photo of it on a more natural perch.
This Blue Jay was looking for a peanut. It is sharp, perfectly exposed and the perch
is natural. The composition could be
better - the Blue Jay is centered and the branch is horizontal.
I photographed this American Robin sitting on a branch. My timing was great. It has its tail fanned
out in an unusual and attractive display and it is looking directly at me. It is exceptionally sharp and perfectly
exposed. I like the natural branch and
it's diagonal slant. It may be too
perfectly centered, but I like it the way it is cropped.
When I photograph backyard wildlife I practice composition, timing,
focus and exposure. I constantly
critique my work and look for ways to improve.
The more I practice, the better I become or at least I remain
proficient.
If I have the opportunity to photography wildlife in Alaska
or Africa, I'll be limited to a few very expensive days. My backyard skills for composition, timing,
focus and exposure will travel with me.
While my fellow travelers are fumbling with their cameras and trying to
remember how to use them, I'll be taking photos that are correctly exposed, in
focus and with good composition. My
backyard skills will travel with me.
