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Frequently Asked Questions
I use camera equipment from Canon. I use many different setups, but for wildlife, I mainly use the EOS R5 camera body and 400mm f/2.8 lens. However, I've produced some of my greatest images during the many years that I used a Canon 7DmkII body and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens! Remember, images are made by the photographer, not by the camera.
Many people ask me how I "edit" my photos, or what "editing software" I use. In full transparency, I prefer to keep the full integrity of my images as they were shot on the camera. While I don't make any alterations or "edits" to my images, as this would compromise their integrity, I do post-process my images to make basic adjustments and corrections to crop, exposure, white balance, sharpening and noise. Everything in an image is processed so that it is as faithful to the camera as possible. In order to achieve the "dream-like" special effects that many seek, I exercise patience, persistence, vision, and advanced techniques in the field which allow me to fidn the most perfect setting. If you are interested in learning any aspect of my photography, from scouting in the field, to advanced shooting techniques, to post-processing workflow, please check out my workshops here!
Absolutely! All of my images are of completely WILD animals in their WILD habitat! Of course, on occasion I have photographed people with their pets, for example, but I've never photographed captive animals in sanctuaries or zoos. If I ever end up photographing captive animals, the images will always very clearly indicate that the animals are captive!
NEVER FEED WILDLIFE. PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE AN ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TO BE TRANSPARENT AND TO TREAT THEIR SUBJECTS WITH RESPECT.
With the exception of biting insects (and one time, a fish) - never! While anything is certainly a possibility when interacting with wildlife, it is most important to prioritize the wildlife ove rany potential "shot." This means thinking ahead, always giving wildlife theor space and being very careful not to disturb them, and being prepared to deescalate unexpected encounters (ie: having bearspray within reach, having a route to escape, etc). That said, I have had many unexpected encounters with animals, large and small, that could have resulted in an attack if I had acted differently. In general, animals do not want to attack unless they feel we have left them with no other choice. I have even slipped and fallen in the middle of the night as a large male polar bear approached me, and the bear was so frightnened by the sudden movement, that he ran for the hills!
Originally, I had planned on becoming a physician, and was in the pre-med program at the University of Colorado where I double-majored in Neuroscience and Psychology. At college, I was also spending much of my time with the CU Freeskiing Team, where I was constantly traveling and competing in some of the most beautiful alpine destinations in the world. I would always bring my camera along wherever I was going, and spend my free time looking for unique places and wildlife to photograph and share with my family. Eventually, as I discovered the fulfillment of sharing those moments with others, I realized that spending time in nature and telling nature's story through images was ultimately what I was most passionate about. I decided to pursue skiing and photography with my life and see what doors would open. I'm still learning more every day, and hopeful I can continue to make photography my life's work!
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