Wildlife
photographers and hunters have a lot in common. One of the similarities
is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Adopt the pace of nature:
her secret is patience". As a wildlife/nature photographer it is the essence of
what I do. Whether waiting for the afternoon light, feeding time, or
waiting for mother nature to present the beautiful wildlife she has
created; it is patience that allow me to capture my most rewarding
photographs. It is important to have patience, but it is equally
important to learn the habits, and habitat of the wildlife you will be
photographing.
While
on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii USA I had to wait several hours
to capture this photograph of the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle; commonly
known as Honu in the Hawaiian language. Timing and lighting were
essential, but more importantly, patience. After several hours of
basking in the sun, the sea turtles’ shell will become very dry and it
isn't as appealing as when its’ shell is wet. There are two occasions
when you are able to capture this moment, when the sea turtle first arrives on shore, or prior to going back to sea. Coming on shore
it’s obvious the shell will be wet, but returning the turtle moves
slowly, and the incoming waves will splash over the turtle, which will allow you enough time to capture one or two shots. Sitting
and photographing the sea turtle for hours,and learning their behavior
was essential. It was patience that taught me this valuable lesson. “I
learned from that”.
