Traits of a Nature Photographer
“muddy puddles” Nick Beckner Photography 2020
Do you consider yourself a nature photographer? Do you know who you are as a person? Do you really? I know who you are as a person too. I am that person.
Trait Number One: Insecure
I find myself to be very insecure about my photography. About my skill and role as a photographer. I’m insecure in general, but find that I am my worst critic. I can have hundreds of positive feedback across social media about an image, but I can always count on myself to find fault in it. The acceptance of “success” in creating a great image is lost in sleepless nights of telling myself the image is terrible. I should have done this. Why didn’t I do that? The feedback isn’t truthful. The audience is just being nice to feel better about themselves. Should I even be a photographer?
Sound like you? Let’s go on to trait number two and see if it hits home.
Trait Number Two: Obsessive
My fiancé puts up with me. A lot. It takes a special person to understand that when I want to…need to take a photograph, I have to go out. It can be at random times. She understands me, and understands that I need to go out, and create, to be able to be still. It makes me itchy knowing the sky is perfect and I’m at home. Or at work. Or driving. There has been times I’ve gone out to photograph at midnight because I saw something to spark the motivation, and she has to let me go or deal with my crappy attitude if I don’t get it out of my system.
“I have to go out.”
Trait Number Three: Picky
Add this to the list of things my fiancé puts up with. I’m disgustingly picky. I know what I want in a photograph. I know that you telling me how great a image is doesn’t get rid of the feeling of irritated I am because I found fault in some minor detail in the photograph that outweighs the 99 percent of it being a good photograph.
I’ve had a lot of positive feedback about this image… but I still doubt my post processing was good in this. I also think I should have focused a foot farther than I did.
Trait Number Four: Antisocial
I choose to shoot, nature or night photography, a majority of the time because social interaction exhausts me. I find it very hard to interact in general society most of the time. In the woods, fields, lakes, and midnight streets where I may find myself, I am actually finding myself and being content there. Alone. I can look into myself and begin to fully dive into the act of photography without worrying about smiling or dealing with small talk.
Small Town Nights. No one around. I can relax in these places.
This list could honestly go on forever.
I stopped at four traits.
Can you think of any more traits of a nature photographer?
I used the Geekoto 77in tripod in all of these longer exposures.
You can find it here: https://amzn.to/3bsT7DM
Photos taken with a Nikon D3200 ( https://amzn.to/39nqpRU ) and a D600 ( https://amzn.to/3q7u9hf )
35mm F1.8 ( https://amzn.to/3oA2s0d )
Edited in Adobe Lightroom: https://amzn.to/3oyyDxc
