Sharing some more images and stories from my takeover of @ilcp_photographers
These are meant to be useful to aspiring photojournalists looking to get into conservation photography and science communication.
// The images from my previous post depicted the wildlife that I had continued access to or species that I was working with as a wildlife field biologist. The same goes for learning new camera techniques or even with new camera gear – stick to wildlife or locations that you have easy access to (nearby parks or even bird feeders or pets).
My approach was no different In 2014 when I built my own camera trap system to learn how to create images of shy animals at night. I started with my dog and then found species that were nearby and unafraid – porcupines and snowshoe hares. There are plenty of tutorials, forums and commercially available camera trap gear now, so just do some googling and you’ll find it.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I was creating single images that lacked a story. With camera traps, I was trying different angles with these species to try and showcase more of their behaviors. But still, these were not stories and I was far from a working photographer at this point. Montana
Sharing some more images and stories from my takeover of @ilcp_photographers
These are meant to be useful to aspiring photojournalists looking to get into conservation photography and science communication.
// The images from my previous post depicted the wildlife that I had continued access to or species that I was working with as a wildlife field biologist. The same goes for learning new camera techniques or even with new camera gear – stick to wildlife or locations that you have easy access to (nearby parks or even bird feeders or pets).
My approach was no different In 2014 when I built my own camera trap system to learn how to create images of shy animals at night. I started with my dog and then found species that were nearby and unafraid – porcupines and snowshoe hares. There are plenty of tutorials, forums and commercially available camera trap gear now, so just do some googling and you’ll find it.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I was creating single images that lacked a story. With camera traps, I was trying different angles with these species to try and showcase more of their behaviors. But still, these were not stories and I was far from a working photographer at this point. Montana
Sharing some more images and stories from my takeover of @ilcp_photographers
These are meant to be useful to aspiring photojournalists looking to get into conservation photography and science communication.
// The images from my previous post depicted the wildlife that I had continued access to or species that I was working with as a wildlife field biologist. The same goes for learning new camera techniques or even with new camera gear – stick to wildlife or locations that you have easy access to (nearby parks or even bird feeders or pets).
My approach was no different In 2014 when I built my own camera trap system to learn how to create images of shy animals at night. I started with my dog and then found species that were nearby and unafraid – porcupines and snowshoe hares. There are plenty of tutorials, forums and commercially available camera trap gear now, so just do some googling and you’ll find it.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I was creating single images that lacked a story. With camera traps, I was trying different angles with these species to try and showcase more of their behaviors. But still, these were not stories and I was far from a working photographer at this point. Montana
Sharing some more images and stories from my takeover of @ilcp_photographers
These are meant to be useful to aspiring photojournalists looking to get into conservation photography and science communication.
// The images from my previous post depicted the wildlife that I had continued access to or species that I was working with as a wildlife field biologist. The same goes for learning new camera techniques or even with new camera gear – stick to wildlife or locations that you have easy access to (nearby parks or even bird feeders or pets).
My approach was no different In 2014 when I built my own camera trap system to learn how to create images of shy animals at night. I started with my dog and then found species that were nearby and unafraid – porcupines and snowshoe hares. There are plenty of tutorials, forums and commercially available camera trap gear now, so just do some googling and you’ll find it.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I was creating single images that lacked a story. With camera traps, I was trying different angles with these species to try and showcase more of their behaviors. But still, these were not stories and I was far from a working photographer at this point. Montana
Sharing some more images and stories from my takeover of @ilcp_photographers
These are meant to be useful to aspiring photojournalists looking to get into conservation photography and science communication.
// The images from my previous post depicted the wildlife that I had continued access to or species that I was working with as a wildlife field biologist. The same goes for learning new camera techniques or even with new camera gear – stick to wildlife or locations that you have easy access to (nearby parks or even bird feeders or pets).
My approach was no different In 2014 when I built my own camera trap system to learn how to create images of shy animals at night. I started with my dog and then found species that were nearby and unafraid – porcupines and snowshoe hares. There are plenty of tutorials, forums and commercially available camera trap gear now, so just do some googling and you’ll find it.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I was creating single images that lacked a story. With camera traps, I was trying different angles with these species to try and showcase more of their behaviors. But still, these were not stories and I was far from a working photographer at this point. Montana
Sharing some more images and stories from my takeover of @ilcp_photographers
These are meant to be useful to aspiring photojournalists looking to get into conservation photography and science communication.
// The images from my previous post depicted the wildlife that I had continued access to or species that I was working with as a wildlife field biologist. The same goes for learning new camera techniques or even with new camera gear – stick to wildlife or locations that you have easy access to (nearby parks or even bird feeders or pets).
My approach was no different In 2014 when I built my own camera trap system to learn how to create images of shy animals at night. I started with my dog and then found species that were nearby and unafraid – porcupines and snowshoe hares. There are plenty of tutorials, forums and commercially available camera trap gear now, so just do some googling and you’ll find it.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I was creating single images that lacked a story. With camera traps, I was trying different angles with these species to try and showcase more of their behaviors. But still, these were not stories and I was far from a working photographer at this point. Montana
Sharing some more images and stories from my takeover of @ilcp_photographers
These are meant to be useful to aspiring photojournalists looking to get into conservation photography and science communication.
// The images from my previous post depicted the wildlife that I had continued access to or species that I was working with as a wildlife field biologist. The same goes for learning new camera techniques or even with new camera gear – stick to wildlife or locations that you have easy access to (nearby parks or even bird feeders or pets).
My approach was no different In 2014 when I built my own camera trap system to learn how to create images of shy animals at night. I started with my dog and then found species that were nearby and unafraid – porcupines and snowshoe hares. There are plenty of tutorials, forums and commercially available camera trap gear now, so just do some googling and you’ll find it.
As I mentioned at the end of my previous post, I was creating single images that lacked a story. With camera traps, I was trying different angles with these species to try and showcase more of their behaviors. But still, these were not stories and I was far from a working photographer at this point. Montana
For aspiring storytellers // Let’s talk about photos vs video. All of the digital cameras we use now can capture some level of video on a varying scale of quality. For those of you wondering if video storytelling is useful to learn, I would strongly suggest that you become familiar with moving pictures as a way to convert a story. My first media job was in 2012 working for a video production company and my primary job was video camera operator. It has continued to inform my storytelling principals as a supplement to a photo story and vice versa.
As I mentioned, I’m a total bird-nerd and here in Montana we have some pretty incredible avian spectacles. One of which is the springtime courtship display of the greater sage grouse. I spent weeks freezing my face off in blinds photographing these birds strutting their stuff. After a couple of years watching this behavior, I realized that the photos were leaving out so much of this birds display, after all, the display is visual to us but the females select the males based on how they sound.
So I set out to capture some interesting video clips of these birds. Be sure to turn up the sound!
What do you think about the video of the sage grouse vs the still photos?
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
Unpublished work // I’ll continue on the storytelling thread here with another photo series focused on field biology work directed towards a better understanding of a local bird species here in Montana – the harlequin duck. Like the images in my previous post, these images weren’t taken on assignment, but rather the access and reason for being there was to contribute as a biologist with the survey. There’s a specific balance needed while being asked to be part of a team conducting actual field work and also taking photographs throughout. Clear communication upfront is needed so no one gets annoyed or taken by surprise when you start taking photos. All of the images that I take, while on assignment or otherwise, are always available to the scientists I work with for their presentations, reports and scientific papers. Yes, this is not a sustainable model since most of the work is either unpaid or you’re being paid as a biologist, but the value in the practice and honing your skills as an aspiring photographer is priceless.
Photo 1 – A female harlequin duck with two males in pursuit during the breeding season.
Photo 2 – Sense of place in the mountains of Montana where harlequin ducks breed.
Photo 3 – MT State Avian Biologist Kristina Smucker searching for ducks.
Photo 4 – A male harlequin duck at home in the fast moving mountain river.
Photo 5 – With ducks spotted up stream, the team prepares to setup a capture net.
Photo 6 – Stringing the net across the river.
Photo 7 – Measuring the beak of a female harlequin duck.
Photo 8 – Kristina Smucker weighing a male harlequin.
Photo 9 – A male harlequin before release.
Photo 10 – A male harlequin duck resting on the edge of a mountain river.
Always think about the variety of images you need to create a story: scene setting, characters, action, detail, portrait, and closing to name a few. Even if you think a simply as a tight, medium and wide image of a scene you are doing well.
I’m sharing some older images from 2014 and notes from an IG takeover for @ilcp_photographers.
\\ In my previous posts I’ve shown some single images and a couple series on a specific species with the camera trap images. But what’s been lacking in my imagery so far is a story. For those of you asking for advice on this career path, storytelling is one of the most important elements. While a single image can be powerful and can weave a story into its elements, the real power of visual storytelling comes from a series of images, a photo essay. That’s where emotion, context, purpose and impact come into visual storytelling and it was the single biggest ‘aha moment’ for me. I still have much to learn.
These images represent one of my first attempts at thinking like a storyteller rather than just going out to get pretty photos or a single image of an animal. In 2014, still working as a biologist, I was asked to be part of a team here in Montana that was surveying bat caves ahead of the anticipated arrival of White-Nose Syndrome – a non-native fungus that has been decimating bat populations across the US since it’s discovery in 2006. This post is less about White-Nose Syndrome and more about storytelling and the kinds of images that are common in most visual stories.
Photo 1 – The team descends into the first of two cave rooms on their way down to the main room – this is an establishing image to set the scene for the images to come
Photo 2 – A member of the team counts hibernating bats as one flies by – a medium image with multiple elements
Photo 3 – The outstretched wing of a Myotis species of bats for measuring
Photo 4 – A cluster of Myotis species of bats – a portrait or character image
Photo 5 – Team members swabbing bats for fungus testing – an interaction image of people doing something
Photo 6 – Sunrise over the Missouri River in central Montana – closing image of the bat’s habitat
For the aspiring conservation photographers out there, think about the stories that you can tell close to home.
I’m sharing some older images from 2014 and notes from an IG takeover for @ilcp_photographers.
\\ In my previous posts I’ve shown some single images and a couple series on a specific species with the camera trap images. But what’s been lacking in my imagery so far is a story. For those of you asking for advice on this career path, storytelling is one of the most important elements. While a single image can be powerful and can weave a story into its elements, the real power of visual storytelling comes from a series of images, a photo essay. That’s where emotion, context, purpose and impact come into visual storytelling and it was the single biggest ‘aha moment’ for me. I still have much to learn.
These images represent one of my first attempts at thinking like a storyteller rather than just going out to get pretty photos or a single image of an animal. In 2014, still working as a biologist, I was asked to be part of a team here in Montana that was surveying bat caves ahead of the anticipated arrival of White-Nose Syndrome – a non-native fungus that has been decimating bat populations across the US since it’s discovery in 2006. This post is less about White-Nose Syndrome and more about storytelling and the kinds of images that are common in most visual stories.
Photo 1 – The team descends into the first of two cave rooms on their way down to the main room – this is an establishing image to set the scene for the images to come
Photo 2 – A member of the team counts hibernating bats as one flies by – a medium image with multiple elements
Photo 3 – The outstretched wing of a Myotis species of bats for measuring
Photo 4 – A cluster of Myotis species of bats – a portrait or character image
Photo 5 – Team members swabbing bats for fungus testing – an interaction image of people doing something
Photo 6 – Sunrise over the Missouri River in central Montana – closing image of the bat’s habitat
For the aspiring conservation photographers out there, think about the stories that you can tell close to home.
I’m sharing some older images from 2014 and notes from an IG takeover for @ilcp_photographers.
\\ In my previous posts I’ve shown some single images and a couple series on a specific species with the camera trap images. But what’s been lacking in my imagery so far is a story. For those of you asking for advice on this career path, storytelling is one of the most important elements. While a single image can be powerful and can weave a story into its elements, the real power of visual storytelling comes from a series of images, a photo essay. That’s where emotion, context, purpose and impact come into visual storytelling and it was the single biggest ‘aha moment’ for me. I still have much to learn.
These images represent one of my first attempts at thinking like a storyteller rather than just going out to get pretty photos or a single image of an animal. In 2014, still working as a biologist, I was asked to be part of a team here in Montana that was surveying bat caves ahead of the anticipated arrival of White-Nose Syndrome – a non-native fungus that has been decimating bat populations across the US since it’s discovery in 2006. This post is less about White-Nose Syndrome and more about storytelling and the kinds of images that are common in most visual stories.
Photo 1 – The team descends into the first of two cave rooms on their way down to the main room – this is an establishing image to set the scene for the images to come
Photo 2 – A member of the team counts hibernating bats as one flies by – a medium image with multiple elements
Photo 3 – The outstretched wing of a Myotis species of bats for measuring
Photo 4 – A cluster of Myotis species of bats – a portrait or character image
Photo 5 – Team members swabbing bats for fungus testing – an interaction image of people doing something
Photo 6 – Sunrise over the Missouri River in central Montana – closing image of the bat’s habitat
For the aspiring conservation photographers out there, think about the stories that you can tell close to home.
I’m sharing some older images from 2014 and notes from an IG takeover for @ilcp_photographers.
\\ In my previous posts I’ve shown some single images and a couple series on a specific species with the camera trap images. But what’s been lacking in my imagery so far is a story. For those of you asking for advice on this career path, storytelling is one of the most important elements. While a single image can be powerful and can weave a story into its elements, the real power of visual storytelling comes from a series of images, a photo essay. That’s where emotion, context, purpose and impact come into visual storytelling and it was the single biggest ‘aha moment’ for me. I still have much to learn.
These images represent one of my first attempts at thinking like a storyteller rather than just going out to get pretty photos or a single image of an animal. In 2014, still working as a biologist, I was asked to be part of a team here in Montana that was surveying bat caves ahead of the anticipated arrival of White-Nose Syndrome – a non-native fungus that has been decimating bat populations across the US since it’s discovery in 2006. This post is less about White-Nose Syndrome and more about storytelling and the kinds of images that are common in most visual stories.
Photo 1 – The team descends into the first of two cave rooms on their way down to the main room – this is an establishing image to set the scene for the images to come
Photo 2 – A member of the team counts hibernating bats as one flies by – a medium image with multiple elements
Photo 3 – The outstretched wing of a Myotis species of bats for measuring
Photo 4 – A cluster of Myotis species of bats – a portrait or character image
Photo 5 – Team members swabbing bats for fungus testing – an interaction image of people doing something
Photo 6 – Sunrise over the Missouri River in central Montana – closing image of the bat’s habitat
For the aspiring conservation photographers out there, think about the stories that you can tell close to home.
I’m sharing some older images from 2014 and notes from an IG takeover for @ilcp_photographers.
\\ In my previous posts I’ve shown some single images and a couple series on a specific species with the camera trap images. But what’s been lacking in my imagery so far is a story. For those of you asking for advice on this career path, storytelling is one of the most important elements. While a single image can be powerful and can weave a story into its elements, the real power of visual storytelling comes from a series of images, a photo essay. That’s where emotion, context, purpose and impact come into visual storytelling and it was the single biggest ‘aha moment’ for me. I still have much to learn.
These images represent one of my first attempts at thinking like a storyteller rather than just going out to get pretty photos or a single image of an animal. In 2014, still working as a biologist, I was asked to be part of a team here in Montana that was surveying bat caves ahead of the anticipated arrival of White-Nose Syndrome – a non-native fungus that has been decimating bat populations across the US since it’s discovery in 2006. This post is less about White-Nose Syndrome and more about storytelling and the kinds of images that are common in most visual stories.
Photo 1 – The team descends into the first of two cave rooms on their way down to the main room – this is an establishing image to set the scene for the images to come
Photo 2 – A member of the team counts hibernating bats as one flies by – a medium image with multiple elements
Photo 3 – The outstretched wing of a Myotis species of bats for measuring
Photo 4 – A cluster of Myotis species of bats – a portrait or character image
Photo 5 – Team members swabbing bats for fungus testing – an interaction image of people doing something
Photo 6 – Sunrise over the Missouri River in central Montana – closing image of the bat’s habitat
For the aspiring conservation photographers out there, think about the stories that you can tell close to home.
I’m sharing some older images from 2014 and notes from an IG takeover for @ilcp_photographers.
\\ In my previous posts I’ve shown some single images and a couple series on a specific species with the camera trap images. But what’s been lacking in my imagery so far is a story. For those of you asking for advice on this career path, storytelling is one of the most important elements. While a single image can be powerful and can weave a story into its elements, the real power of visual storytelling comes from a series of images, a photo essay. That’s where emotion, context, purpose and impact come into visual storytelling and it was the single biggest ‘aha moment’ for me. I still have much to learn.
These images represent one of my first attempts at thinking like a storyteller rather than just going out to get pretty photos or a single image of an animal. In 2014, still working as a biologist, I was asked to be part of a team here in Montana that was surveying bat caves ahead of the anticipated arrival of White-Nose Syndrome – a non-native fungus that has been decimating bat populations across the US since it’s discovery in 2006. This post is less about White-Nose Syndrome and more about storytelling and the kinds of images that are common in most visual stories.
Photo 1 – The team descends into the first of two cave rooms on their way down to the main room – this is an establishing image to set the scene for the images to come
Photo 2 – A member of the team counts hibernating bats as one flies by – a medium image with multiple elements
Photo 3 – The outstretched wing of a Myotis species of bats for measuring
Photo 4 – A cluster of Myotis species of bats – a portrait or character image
Photo 5 – Team members swabbing bats for fungus testing – an interaction image of people doing something
Photo 6 – Sunrise over the Missouri River in central Montana – closing image of the bat’s habitat
For the aspiring conservation photographers out there, think about the stories that you can tell close to home.
