Your Name: Bob Varnell
Type of Camera: Pentax K-5 II
What do you love to photograph the most? I’ve always loved exploring the world’s natural beauty so it follows that I enjoy photographing landscapes and wildlife. The most fascinating aspect of nature photography for me is trying to capture the ideal lighting on any given subject, and I enjoy the fact that sometimes it’s extremely fleeting! There’s nothing more beautiful than watching a mountain, sky, flowers, and trees illuminate with the first rays of light or catching the glow of the clouds as the sun is setting. I also enjoy trying to photograph wildlife at the perfect moment: a whale breeching or an eagle grabbing a salmon or a hummingbird drinking the nectar from a flower.
What is one thing you have learned that has improved your photography? Kevin and others have emphasized the importance of not being too focused on your main point of interest and what’s directly in front of you, but turn around and look at all of your surroundings. We were in the Rocky Mountain National Park photographing Bear Lake during sunrise and someone said “look behind you”, and there over our shoulder was the moon setting over the mountain with the Aspen reflecting the sun in the foreground. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Advice you’d give to others wanting to grow in their photography skills: Have fun! Unlike many of our daytime jobs it’s OK to mess up again and again and again. Keep trying and when you finally get it right it’s that much more enjoyable. Workshops are great. Kevin’s workshops are top notch and highly recommended but also branch out and try other workshops. Even if they’re not quite as good you usually pick up a couple of pearls along the way. With many aspects of photography there’s not a right or wrong way to do things, but you just need to find the way that works best for you and develop your own style. I’m working to achieve my own photographic style and I hope we cross paths in our pursuit and we can share what we are learning!
