When time stands still

Nature photography is a most rewarding experience practiced by different persons for different reasons but in all cases what probably draws one to this activity is a love of nature and the pleasure one gets from being outdoors.

Naturalists take pictures of plants and animals to keep a record of species observed at a particular time or locality.

They also take pictures to illustrate articles and lectures. Professional nature photographers shoot pictures for commercial purposes.

These pictures are used to in advertising as well as to illustrate articles in printed magazines and in websites.

For me nature photography is a way of sharing my love for nature with others but it also gives me great pleasure and has taught me to be observant and continuously aware of my surroundings.

When I am in the countryside I become tuned to small changes in light that others might miss.

With the right light a flower, a drop of water on a leaf, an insect or small animal can all become the subject of an impressive image.

Motion can be frozen and a photograph can show things that are too fast to be seen by the naked eye.

Macro lenses can show details that are too small for a casual observer while a long lens can bring things closer.

Nature photography teaches you patience.

Sometimes you have to wait for a long time for the right light or the right movement but while waiting you observe details and behaviour.

It often happens that while walking you notice a single flower but after a few moments looking at it you start seeing others around it in spots where a few seconds before you had not seen any.

While taking nature pictures time stands still. Minutes and hours can merge together to come apart again with the click of the camera shutter. When seeking the subject for the next picture one becomes a part of nature with all senses fully tuned to the surroundings.

Nature photography can be a form of meditation that can give you inner peace and calm and lead to self fulfilment like few other things can. Nature never ceases to amaze me and when I think that I have seen it all I find another angle or point of view that allows me to capture a new experience of nature.

All this gives me pure joy every time I go out in nature.

This article was published in The Times on 20.01.12