P#8 Q7B: What's the One Thing That Will Make the Biggest Difference in Our Wildlife Photography?

Enjoy yourself when photographing wildlife

Roy Toft: Wow, the biggest thing. I think if you enjoy wildlife and not just the photo, just enjoy being out there, then you're going to spend more time with your subject, you're going to learn about your subject more, and your photos are going to be that much better.

If you culture this love of your subject and appreciation of your subject (it's not just for the photo's sake), it's for enjoying the animal.

I think that is the biggest thing I hope people can take from this podcast today.

As a wildlife photographer, it's really more about the animals. It's not about the imagery that comes from them.

Be ethical out there, don't run up to the moose so you can get your close up photo and put yourself in danger, and scare the moose. Be ethical.

Shoot, think about the wildlife's safety and what it's doing out there, and those good pictures are going to evolve.

It makes you want to sit there longer if you're enjoying it. I think that's probably the biggest thing: enjoy what you're doing, and the great photos will follow.

Audri Lanford: Before we close, can you tell our listeners what is the best way that they can learn more about what you offer?

Roy Toft: They can get on my Web site, which is ToftPhoto.com.

I have a whole tips page where they can go in and get some tips from me, kind of like what you got today. I have lots of pictures to look at.

I also put up a recent trips page, so if they're wondering, "Where's Roy Toft been lately?" they can see.

I do a paragraph or page on what I've been doing and show pictures.

Also, if you want to learn more of these tips, perhaps get in the field with me, I do a number of workshops in the field. We're out there and we're learning all these things, and shooting together.

That's I think one of the most beneficial things that I do is get in the field with people in real life situations, and just work on our photography, and our appreciation of nature together. People get a lot out of those workshops.

The Web site is probably the best place to figure out what I'm doing and if you want to connect with me somewhere in the field.

Audri Lanford: I was reading last night actually about your "Japan Winter Wildlife" trip in February of 2010, which just sounds absolutely amazing. When you go to the site, definitely check out that page.

Roy Toft: That is one of my favorite trips, to go to Japan to photograph the snow monkeys, which are so cute sitting in the hot tubs. It's just a wonderful experience. You can get very close to these monkeys there. They're habituated to people.

It's fun when you can photograph wide angle with a wild animal and you're not disturbing it. That's a whole fun part of the trip.

Of course, you also get to go to Hokkaido and spend time with the red crowned cranes, and get in the packed ice to see the stellar sea eagles. Quite an amazing trip to see all this winter wildlife in a place that people don't really think about for wildlife.

Most people are probably wondering, "Wildlife in Japan? Is there really much wildlife in Japan?" You can check out the Web site and see the recent trips page on Japan. I think you'll be surprised at what you can see and photograph in Japan.

In closing

Roy Toft wants us to culture our love and appreciation of the wildlife we're photographing. Remember that the photography is about the animals. Respect the animals and their habitats, and be ethical. Don't put yourself or the animals in jeopardy, and enjoy what you're doing.