Nature Photography is 98% Patience…

It’s true. Nature photography is 98% patience… 1% luck… and 1% skill. Mostly, it is a waiting game. You need to have the patience to wait for hours or even days for the right opportunity to come along. The folks that filmed the incredible nature series Planet Earth waited for weeks or even months to get just a few moments of action. 98% Patience.

One percent luck. The moment actually happens — what you have been waiting for. The light is just right. Your subject appears. Of course you did your research, you learned your subjects patterns, behaviors, preferences. A little more than just dumb luck… but still luck. 1% Luck.

You capture the shot. One percent skill. You learned your equipment — became familiar with it, practiced until its use was second nature. Not just an extension but a part of you. You were ready when the moment happened. 1% Skill.

The Thicket Antpitta at the beginning of this post was photographed in Panama’s Darien Biosphere Preserve. Antpittas in general are very difficult to see, let alone photograph. At Cana in the Darien, their quickly ascending series of hollow hoots is regularly heard. However, antpittas are ground dwellers and typically remain in the thickest undergrowth, well out of sight.

We heard this Thicket Antpitta and it was close. We searched low and lower until Glenn found a hole in the bush where it could be seen. We allowed the whole group individual looks, laying flat on their bellies to see. Then it moved. Still calling, I was able to track its movement a short distance and found a new window. My camera was set and ready for the conditions. Difficult as they were, peering through leaves and branches, I was able to take three images. This one being the best.

Patience. Understanding your subject. Knowing your equipment. Then having everything come together to get he shot. Elation in capturing the image!