Summer: A Photo Essay

Hello! I am properly back this time, I promise. Weekly posting shall resume!

This week, I will be talking about summer nature photography and the concept of a photo essay.

A photo essay  is a series of images that documents an event or tells a story. We often associate photo essays with news photojournalism, but this does not mean they don't apply to nature photography.
What are the keys to a successful photo essay?

1. Set the scene.

In nature photography, we can become myopic about our subject matter. Close animal portraiture is nice, but does not provide any environmental context. A good photo essay should include other elements of the animal's habitat so the viewer can get a complete picture of the story.

By including both macro and scenic shots of the flower beds, I've also introduced some variety into my photographs. Now, the reader immediately has some idea of what this story is going to be about - we are outside, in a garden.

2. Introduce the main characters.

The key measure of success of a photo essay is whether not it portrays a clear story. This is easiest to achieve if you have an idea of what you want to convey before you begin shooting. My story, for example, is going to be about insect life in the heady summertime.

To simplify things a bit for the blog post (I never like to include too many photos - I feel like it becomes overwhelming), I've focused here on grasshoppers. Open, grassy areas are excellent spaces to hunt for grasshoppers, who aren't exactly the most elusive of insects. In addition, their large size makes them an accessible subject matter even to those without dedicated macro lenses. If you want some tips for insect photography, click here.

3. Subplot

If you are doing a series on an animal, it is a good idea to include different behaviors from that species, if possible. It adds more dimension to your story.

Here is a shot of a slant-faced grasshopper doing what grasshoppers do best: eat. Eating is always an interesting behavior to document.

4. Conclusion

This is the part we've been waiting for! What was the point of your story? What happens in the end? This is also the point at which you might urge the viewer to action, or force the viewer to make a decision.

We, of course, know what summer means to insects.

So, what do you think? Have you ever created a photo essay? Does yours include text, or is it only pictures? And do you think that this photo essay was successful? Let me know in the comments below!

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Little Surprises (Or, why you should always take your camera)

The first problem of photography is locating your subject - and that's what this week's post is about.

As much as is reasonably possible, you should always try to carry your camera with you.

This is because opportunities have a nasty tendency of popping up when you least expect them. A walk around your apartment complex suddenly becomes a photo session; you spy an unusual bird in the walmart parking lot (this has happened to me); your friend brings her adorable puppy to a party, etc. All of these situations make for great photography, but not if you don't have your camera.

Late instar grasshopper

This is the guiding principle of street photography, but we hardly think of it for nature photography. It's as if "nature" has retreated to its own little place in the world, and we can't encounter it unless we go specifically looking. Well, I contend that this is a false notion. Due to encroachment and habitat loss, urban wildlife are becoming more adaptable and more common.

Grasshopper nymph

Of course, as you shouldn't be surprised to hear at this point, insects are the queens of urban animal life. Small and highly adaptable, insect species flourish where other animals are unable to survive. This means that there is likely a whole safari of creatures waiting outside your front door.

...Have you gone to look yet?

Grasshopper nymph

 I wanted to highlight these little grasshopper nymph pictures because I took them in a flower pot outside my apartment door. To clarify, it's not a garden; it's a single flower pot. And it's not even my flower pot. Having my camera on hand whenever I go outside allows me to capture unexpected critters like these. And hey, they look pretty cool, right?

So how about you? Are you glued to your camera, or do you tend to leave it at home?

Insects not your thing? Check out my article on bird photography.

Want to see more tips? Check back every Friday for a new post. Click here to follow me on Tumblr and here to follow me on Bloglovin! Don't forget you can also use the handy sidebar to subscribe via email or RSS feed.

Wisdom of the Flowers

I like bugs.
Insects are great subjects for photography because they are unique, exotic, and varied - albeit very small. Their size often necessitates a macro lens to capture their true beauty and detail.
Also, they are accessible.
Many of us nature photographers, myself included, do not have the luxury to jet off to Africa, South America,  or some other locale populated by strange and vibrant megafauna - elephants, monkeys, zebras, leopards - you know.
Bizarre and wonderful insects live in  your backyard. In fact, you can find them even if you don't have a backyard. I found this fellow in a flower pot outside in my apartment complex. I quickly grabbed my camera for a little photoshoot.

He sat rather still for a rather long time, allowing me the luxury of exploring different compositions and depths of field.

I know when I see an animal, particularly one that's flighty, like a bird, come into my viewfinder, I tend to automatically leap to set composition stored away in my brain. Many times, I snap a somewhat generic shot just in time before the critter scurries off. 

But is it worth it?

A still subject allows one the time to think and compose with precision, bringing more creativity into the photographic process. Hopefully this sort of practice will let me have more interesting compositions ready on hand for when the occasion strikes.

I need to stop taking exclusively this picture, basically:

Thanks for reading!

And, as always - get outside people :) Bug season is starting! (At least in the US)

Picture info:
Grasshopper Nymph

Taken with Nikon D70 + Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro

Hello Hello!

Hi, so this is my second photography blog (you can also follow me at twofeetphoto.tumblr.com).
The main purpose of this blog will be to share my love of nature and the natural world with you. If nothing else, I hope these posts will at least inspire you to take a walk outside and see what you can find!

I'm still figuring out how to use Blogger, so please excuse the mess!