Among various types of photography, wildlife photography fulfills your wish of observing Mother Nature’s splendid beauty firsthand. Being one of the most exotic & exciting fields of photography, it captures the dynamic elements of nature – wild flora and fauna.
Wildlife photography is not all about glamorous and intriguing encounters. Rather it is more like having a crazy adventure while enjoying everything that Mother Nature has to provide.
Once you indulge yourself amidst the wild, you will never want to go back. To escape from the urban bustling, there’s no better alternative than casting away into the wild.
You will be amazed at what you can capture through those tiny lenses of yours. The majestic beauty that has adorned nature with bare hands will leave you thinking about life. As William Shakespeare said and I quote-
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin”
Without further ado, here are 12 reasons that I believe will encourage you to give it a try:
1. Chance to Be Closer to Your Roots
Men became civilized not long ago. Before that, he was a caveman who used to live closer to nature. But slowly we came to the point where we spend all our time in a concrete jungle.
Wildlife photography enables you to travel to various remote places. Sure sometimes it is dangerous and requires tons of patience and skills to get to a professional level. But there is always time to start.
Wildlife photography can be your perfect excuse to escape and embrace nature. Just take a little time to check out this breathtaking saen higgins photo and you will understand exactly what I am talking about.
2. It’s a Challenge and a Brain-Racker
Capturing the best wild photo requires lots of effort. For starters, there is an imminent danger surrounding you most of the time.
Well, you are in the wild so of course, there will be risks of encountering some wild animals.
That’s not the greatest challenge. Taking the right picture without starling the animal is the hardest part.
You also have to be very patient and blend in with nature if you even want to get close to a decent picture. Weather is also an important factor to be taken into account.
These challenges make this job worth it and make your life more exciting
3. You Get to Work Alongside Nature
Nothing is in your favor when it comes to wildlife photography. You can’t control the lighting, the rain, the movement of your object, or even the placement.
It’s all about that impeccable moment of clicking the shutter even though the odds are stacked against you.
In most cases, you don’t even get the chance to capture. But you can’t complain about either. You just need to have patience and wait for that exact moment.
Now that’s called “Adapting & Co-existing in the Presence of Mother Nature” and it certainly is rewarding
4. Capture Extraordinary Beauty
You never know where you might end up for your next conquest. You might be climbing mountains to take a picture of a snow leopard or you might be camouflaging yourself to take a picture of a wild hippo.
Even aside from the wildlife, you will be seeing some amazing places. Lush green plains, breathtaking waterfalls, and starry skies are all part of the deal. Some images are better seen with plain sight without the camera lens.
5. Photography Skills Will Work in Real life
Taking photos might seem easy, but in the case of wildlife photography, it is extremely difficult.
You need to endure all sorts of pain. The most important part is patience. Some pictures may take hours, days, or even months.
Learning to be patient will help you remain calm in real life. You want your photos to look flawless. Thus you need to remain alert & be able to concentrate more.
These skills aren’t just needed for taking a picture. These are real-life lessons as well. Wildlife photography can also help to enhance your instinct, patience, tolerance, and reflexes.
6. Learn to Admit Your Failure
You just don’t happen to capture perfect shots everyday or in your every attempt. You will be living in a delusion if you think so. You will definitely capture some great photos but it won’t be that easy.
You need to accept nature’s beauty and cruelty. You need to be very patient & alert at all times. You may fail even after trying very hard.
But learning to accept your failure & take that as a lesson to move forward will allow you to improve your skills and be better at it.
7. The Adrenaline Rush
On the other side of learning to live with failure lies the spectrum of consistent anticipation & excitement. Once you have mastered this quality, you will never lose interest
And that’s when you will feel the adrenaline rush. Whether it is clicking the polar bears in zero degrees in the arctic or sneaking up behind a King Cobra in the Western Ghats, the thrill is unbeatable!
So, if you are that person who gets driven by the adrenaline rush, pick up your lenses & get going in search of your wild.
8. Possibility of Encountering Some Endangered Species
Wildlife photographers are the only medium through which the world can see what humans have done to the extinct species.
Being a wildlife photographer, you may get the chance to come across a few extinct species. The helplessness & melancholy you will feel will make you think twice before killing seasonal birds or dumping wastes into the water.
Chances of coming across some endangered species like a fierce silverback gorilla or an adorable Fennec Fox are also very rare but is definitely a lifelong achievement if you ever do so
9. Capture Emotions
Capturing different kinds of wildlife photos will also reveal what type of person you are. It’s not easy to capture emotions & invoke those in your viewers. The way you like to see the world will be spoken through your lense.
If you like capturing mother & baby animal pictures, it will portray your loving side. If most of your pictures are about a buffalo being devoured by a group of lions then that will speak volumes about your admiration for strengths & power.
10. Beauty is in Everything
When you start wildlife photography, you will realize Mother Nature is kind as well as harsh to us at the same time.
It’s not always about rainbows & sunshine. You will be trembling with fear when you come across a strong tide in the middle of the sea, yet you will keep admiring its brutal beauty besides, you will also start to find beauty in little things that we often ignore.
You will be blessed with the ability to see things differently.
11. Get to Meet New People
You will feel liberated by finding people who are crazy about the same interest as you are. Finding like-minded people is also a blessing. Because you will learn about a new community, gain knowledge, share a lifetime experience with them.
The most important part is you will be relieved knowing that you are not the only one who spends days stalking the tiny beetle with a lens in hand in search of the perfect shot.
12. You Can Directly Help Save Nature
If you want to contribute to nature, do it by conserving her extinct beauties. Being a wildlife photographer, you learn to praise nature’s creation & find true beauty.
Remaining close to nature gives you the opportunity to take great shots. Now it is your responsibility to let the world know about their endangerment.
So, if you really want to make a difference, then going for this option is just the right footsteps for you.
Final Thoughts
There are tons of professions out there and you can choose any one of them but no other profession will give you the opportunity to observe Mother Nature so closely.
This allows you to travel, meet new people, and discover what nature has to offer. It is also a good way to earn.
Of course, at the end of the day, you will also be needing money and truth be told professional wildlife photographers make quite a good amount of money, meaning, you will get to live the best of both worlds.
