The first time I came across the concept of photography, the foremost image that popped into my head was the idea of wildlife and nature. The reason being, that throughout my childhood, I had seen wildlife photographers on television and in documentary films. These were the only photographers I got to really see in action. For me, ultimately, wildlife, nature and the game reserve attached itself to the concept of photography but as I gained immense interest in it, all became clear.
Ever since my interest in photography began to develop about six or so years ago, I had a fixation on photographing wildlife and nature, but because I lived in a big city (Johannesburg, South Africa), I often became slightly disheartened because all I wanted to do was get out into a game reserve and be in the bush! One day I finally came across a place that all of you will be very familiar with, where there are birds in the trees, flowers dancing in the shade, soil teaming with life, grass infested with little critters, dragonflies whizzing over the swimming pool”¦it’s your back garden.
Some people may not have the luxury of birds and other creatures constantly roaming around their garden, but there are a couple extra things you can do that will definitely help attract them.
1. Buy yourself a simple bird feeder and some bird seeds and hang it in one of your trees. Make sure to place it in a spot that you can photograph without any obstructions.
2. Water your plant life and shrubs. If your plants are all dead, nothing will want to roam around your backyard jungle.
3. Every so often, buy some fertilizer to help your plants grow and to help your soil attract earth worms and other insects that birds will just love to snack on and pose for the camera.
4. Look into getting a small bird bath or pond. This will also help attract dragonflies which can produce some great photography.
On a bright and breezy Sunday morning whilst I was having breakfast, I noticed that there was a lot of activity on the grass viewable through the diningroom glass doors. There were several birds in a feeding frenzy, all snacking on the creatures that crawled beneath the green freshly cut grass. In a situation like this, my breakfast took a prompt backseat and I got my camera and zoom lens out and I proceeded to silently get myself into a good position in the garden. I ended up lying flat on my stomach on the grass, that was ever so slightly damp from the early morning dew and it was all worth it!
Sometimes you need to get yourself a little dirty when you’re out doing some photography, but that can all be cleaned up later on whilst your images are uploading to your laptop. You may need to lie flat on your stomach in a pile of dirt, or get knee deep in murky muddy water (make sure it is clear of crocs) but that’s what makes photography so exciting.
Don’t be scared to get dirty, be adventurous and enjoy it.
