What do we think when you look a picture? Some sort of emotion, right? The subject matter perhaps doesn’t matter, but we get something from it whether it be enjoyment or disgust, for example. As photographers, though, we look a little deeper. Wildlife photography is no different. When I see a picture the emotions that I mentioned earlier come first, but then I begin to analyse the picture. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, because I give validity to the photographer's effort. Does it matter? Not necessarily – it depends on where you lay. I am a big believer in working for your picture. Did the photographer find the subject? Is he/she knowledgeable about the subject? These things are important to me personally in assesing whether the photographer is a good photographer - and we haven't touched on the skill aspect yet. Not that in some cases we have to work hard at getting pictures. Some of my recent favourites have been taken where I have just driven around and come up to photographable subjects. However, I did find them (of a sorts), a little effort on some level.
I can safely say, I think, that these days, with modern camera and lenses, it is unusual not to take a bad picture. Exposure, focus, image size and other aspects of making the picture are dealt with. However, when taking the subject into the equation, like the gear aspect (remember the days of using tranny film, and how difficult things were?) I am seeing shortcuts when it comes to how impact relates to pictures and how they are percieved. Picture competitions, presentations to societies and clubs and even RPS portfolios are showing pictures that are taken at Rent- a- hide scenarios, or locations passed on from other photographers via social media. Little effort put in from the photographer in real terms. Is this a bad thing? It depends on how you look at it. Taking pictures is about having fun, We all take ourselves a little too seriously when we view our hobbies, and I am sure there are some who don’t have the knowledge or time to find their own subject matter – or cannot be asked to put in the time. That’s fine too, but the old adage of ‘The camera Never Lies’, is a misnomer because it is something that I am always looking for.