18 Photographers Share Their Incredible Stories on Nature and Wildlife Photography

Photograph/Gavin Leane

Gavin Leane
A resident of Dublin, Gavin teaches young adults with special needs and challenging behaviour. In his spare time, he enjoys photography, but does not believe in restricting himself to any particular genre.

“How do you know that you have left your mark behind in this world? This scene made me question if we are truly mortal.”

It was sometime in February… I was walking along the Dublin coast, when I came across a dead fox. It appeared to have passed away naturally, a unique occurrence in an area infamous for roadkill. I shot a few photographs of the deceased animal and then headed home. Later that night, it snowed. My thoughts instantly drifted to the fox, and pictured the form it would take when covered with snow. The next day, I went back to the spot, and as I had imagined, the fox was covered with a shroud of snow. Aside from looking peaceful, the sight reminded me of the coldness of death and the vulnerability of the wild.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D
Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Exposure: 1/1600sec at f/1.4, ISO 125

Tip
One Camera, One Lens, One Vision
A lot of beginners feel the need to own several lenses, without mastering the essence of any. With nature and wildlife, the temptations of using an extreme focal length (super telephoto or ultrawide) are difficult to resist. Use a fixed lens, maybe a 35mm or an 85mm. These are focal lengths that reduce drama, and thus, challenge you to see differently.