Who or what has inspired your wildlife or nature photography

Growing up in Central NY and loving the outdoors. Nature photography was just an extenion of my life. But I have to say it was wildife& nature photographer John Shaw http://johnshawphoto.com


It was his booked...his photography that I styled myself after.

What was your inspiration?

William

Jim Brandenburg is mine. He also is a very good neighbor, and has helped me out a few times as I was getting started. Fine man, fine photographer.

Wow Steve... there are not many people who can say they have Jim Brandenburg for a nieghbor:) so cool .

I have all John Shaw's books and they are great...but the real inspiration is NPN

There are so many great photographers that it is difficult to list them all...that said...for me the most inspiring photographer are Bob Steele and Jim Neiger for avian, Marc Adamus and Guy Tal for landscapes, Ronnie Gaubert and Danny Young (nzmacro) for macro and flora.

Originally I got into photography because of the images in National Geographic. I thought "hey, I want to shoot pictures like these". Now, I'm ispired by images from Galen Rowel as well as Darwin Wiggett. Also pretty much everything in the ES&S gallery inspires me.

Wow Steve... there are not many people who can say they have Jim Brandenburg for a nieghbor:) so cool .

Well, not many, but more than one. Brandenburg's hometown is about half an hour from me. He has a gallery there and I've also bumped into him several times in my own town as well. He personally signed a copy of "Chased by Light" to me, and once complimented me that I was one of the few photographers that asked him about his ideas rather than what camera gear he uses. Turns out we have many of the same tastes and know many of the same out of the way spots. His creativity and eagerness to take chances has inspired me.


Kent in SD

The original, now anonymous, photographers who accompanied the surveyors of the C.P.R. railway. Brilliant work, particularly when you consider it took seven mules, so the story goes, to carry the darkroom, plates, chemistry and other equipment needed in that era.

Should you ever have the opportunity to see the work, it is well worth it.

Dave

Brandenburg has some really great books. Someday I hope to own some of them.

I found inspiration from reading Rowell's books, as his philosophical approach opened up a world of thinking for me. Sam Abell's classic images have left a lasting impression on me as well. I'm continually amazed by David Muench's compositions. Most landscape photographers try to imitate him, and yet his images still have their own unique look.

As a freshman at UC Berkeley, I was "blown away" by first visit to Yosemite Valley. Couldn't get enough of it, took an intro geology class and changed my major from chemical engineering. Obviously, Ansel's gallery was a great inspiration. Just wish I could have bought a few of his "cheap" prints back then.

I've only been shooting for five years so I'm not up on all the noteable nature photographers, but I have always been impressed with Art Wolf and John Shaw.

Frans Lanting... "Eye to Eye" in particular.

Basil

Everyone on NPN! And very early-on Ansel Adams. Introduced to his work by his son, Michael, who was a classmate of mine in med school and a good friend for many years. Can you believe it...Mike tried to get me to buy some prints for $50 each in 1963. I didn't have $50 but was blown away by such a HIGH price for a black and white photo...later bought my first one for $800 in the 1970s. Life is SO FUNNY!

I love Ansel Adams' work, but my truest inspiration is Wynn Bullock. There is something mysterious in his work, a touch of fantasy or something that just intrigues me. I love the way he sees and uses light in his work. Lovely B&W that I can just look at again and again and never tire of.

Les Blacklock, whose Minnesota caledars we always had in the house when I was a kid.
I didn't start doing nature photography until about 20 years later though.
How's that for a long gestation?

Pete D.

p.s.
I about fell over a couple of years ago when I saw a large (like huge, he shot 4x5), signed Les Blacklock print in a State Farm Insurance Claim Center here in southern Ohio.

I’m relatively new to photography. I’ve been shooting for about a year and a half.

Peoples work who inspires me-

Frans Lanting
Darwin Wiggett
Marc Adamus
Bob Steele
Juza
Jess Lee

Nature

Guy

A couple of things I keep coming back to are Pentti Sammallahti and John Berger's essay on his work.

I was blessed to have parents who truly loved the outdoors, and instilled in me a love and respect of nature. My father was my first influence as a photographer, watching him shoot when I was a very young kid. Once I really got serious about photography, I was blown away by the work Art Wolfe did, and bought one of his books. I would have to say that the Muenches also produce work that I find stunning.

MMM American Photographers, Galen Rowell, David Muench and favourite Jack Dykinga

Australian, Peter Lik, Ken Duncan, both of whom do stunning 6x17 work

And like Guy, nature itself has been a driving force to doing landscape. I'm not even remotely interested in any other type of photography so if it wasn't for nature itself I would not pick up a camera

I was actually inspired to do photography to document my biology studies when I was in graduate school. It took me a while to realize that a great photo can both document and be pleasing aesthetically. My first exposure (no pun intended) to great nature photography was in the late 1970's when I attended a John Shaw and Larry West workshop. That workshop inspired me to look at other ways to improve my work and my real adventure began there. I can say, however that the greatest influence on my photography has been the wonderful photos and many folks here at NPN who are willing to help with any problem or question. This is a great place for anyone to learn how to take great images. If a person at any level doesn't learn something something here it is his or her own fault. Thanks to all who contribute to NPN.

It's hard to figure this out. I started my interest in photography long before I knew any names. After I first subsribed to OP and started learning the columnists and featured photogs and then as I continued my learning process, there are definitely names that make me smile and remember their techniques.

Leonard Rue
the late John Netherton
John Shaw
Tom Mangelson(?)
and several others that my tired mind isn't coming up with.....

And my sincere thanks to all involved and to all that I meet and am inspired by... because I LIVE for this!!!

For the inspirational Photographers, the list is a bit small:
Art Wolfe, Jim Brandenburg, Steve McCurry, Sebastiao Salgado, Thomas Mangelsen, Frans Lanting, elliot porter, and Rolfe Horn. off the top of my head.

traditional artists like Ed Ruscha and the Hudson River School has surely messed with my artistic mind as well.

Definitely Tom Mangelsen...I once checked out a book of his photos at the library and was blown away by them...really a great inspiration.

Initial I wanted to be a watercolour artist, so as a child here in UK I was influenced by artists such as Keith Shackleton and the late Sir Peter Scott - only problem I never knew when a painting was finished - big problem for an artist don't you think?

I then looked at artistic photographers and one photographer immediately drew my attention for his style of portraying and celebrating the nature world "Jim Bradenburg" whose DVD "Chasing The Light" I recently obtained and what a decent chap he is. Eliot Porter and his work with the f64 club - very inspirational as a photographer just starting out on lifetimes journey,

I was also drawn to the spiritual side of photography and writings of the late, great Galen Rowel were also very inspirational.

From technical perspective John Shaw's books and outstanding images - how could anyone not be inspired?

I also had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Tom Mangelsen last week here in the UK - a really down to earth decent person whose images, passion and ethics I really admire.

And I could not agree more with Guy Tal "NATURE" always amazes me.

Geoff Simpson
Peak District, England
"while I may witness what are considered rare events in the natural world, to the creatures that play out these events they are often everyday occurrences"

When I started making photographs in the early 70's the only photographers whose work I was somewhat familiar with were Ansel Adams and Eliot Porter. This early familiarity came primarily through the Sierra Club's 'coffe table' books. They were indeed fabulous!

As time has gone on, I my inspiration has been provided by the natural world; especially the mountains and most especially, the Sierra. These mountains are the tall home of my spirit.

-PB