Convenience Stores and Photographing Nature & Wildlife
What do convenience stores and filming nature and wildlife have in common? More than you think!
Trading Old Camera Gear for New Inspiration
Recently, Photo Pro, my local camera store had a Cash for Cameras promotion. The invited people to bring in their old camera gear and exchange it for cash. Even better, if you took in house [...]
Why I Love to Rent Camera Gear Before I Buy
I don't know of anyone who would argue with me that camera gear isn't expensive. If you're serious about photographing nature and wildlife, I'm sure you've checked out prices for fast camera lenses and robust [...]
Coming Soon
A New Chapter Will Begin for Nature Photo Studios in :
Seven Simple Things You Can Do On This Earth Day
How appropriate that today on Earth Day, I'm alone in the Utah wilderness watching an incoming storm cast a double rainbow above a magnificent canyon! The first Earth day was started April 22, 1970 The [...]
Monday Sanity Saver April 15, 2019
No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world. ~Robin Williams
Monday Sanity Saver April 8, 2019
Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'! ~Audrey Hepburn
Monday Sanity Saver April 1, 2019
Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been. ~Alan Alda
Monday Sanity Saver March 25, 2019
Change your thoughts and you change your world. ~Norman Vincent Peale
Monday Sanity Saver March 18, 2019
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. ~ Jimmy Dean
Monday Sanity Saver March 11, 2019
Why let sadness chase you, and pain haunt you, when all you have to do is simply... let go? ~ Dr Salma Farook
Monday Sanity Saver March 4, 2019
What are you planting today to harvest tomorrow? ~ Lailah Gifty Akita
Monday Sanity Saver February 25, 2019
For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Monday Sanity Saver February 18, 2019
Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. ~Michael Jordan
Monday Sanity Saver February 11, 2019
Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work. ~ A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Nature Photo Studios End of Year Survey Results
Late last year I asked you to take a ten question survey on what I could do to help you become better nature and wildlife photographers. I was blown away at the response. A HUGE [...]
Monday Sanity Saver February 4, 2019
Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish. ~Brad Henry
Monday Sanity Saver January 28, 2019
Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn. Work hard, and never give up on your dreams, even when nobody else believes they can come true but you. These are not clichés but [...]
The Super Blood Wolf Moon of 2019
Last night, January 20, 2019, I was able to photograph the Super Blood Wolf Moon The January full moon is called the "Wolf Moon". The "Wolf Moon" gets its name from Native American tribes and [...]
Monday Sanity Saver January 21, 2019
Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to [...]
Goals for 2019
If you wanted to read about my photography goals for 2019... I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired when it comes to making goals every year and not reaching them. Recently, I went [...]
End of Year Survey
I Need Your Help My goal, my purpose for being here is to make a difference for nature and wildlife. I try to do that in several ways. One of those ways is hopefully what [...]
Photographing Synchronous Fireflies
You may not know who he is but if you've ever seen amazing images of fireflies on the internet, it's a pretty safe bet that Radim Schreiber was the person behind the camera that created [...]
A to Z Challenge 2017
The 2017 A to Z Challenge is 26 posts Monday through Saturday for the month of April. The topic of each post is about a letter of the alphabet. The first post's topic is [...]
It’s Been A While
It's been a while since my last post so I thought I would bring you up to speed on what's been happening. The biggest news since my last post is that I was hired as [...]
Two Words That Will Make You A Better Filmmaker
When it comes to nature and wildlife filmmaking, I tend to say "I wish" a lot. I wish I would see more wildlife, I wish I could travel to Australia, I wish I'd finish my [...]
The Greatest Non-Answer I’ve Ever Given About Filming Wildlife
David sent me an email asking "if you have never shot wildlife before do you recommend scouting a location before going out to shoot to see where the animals typically are or just go out [...]
4 Reasons Why You Should Document Your Surroundings on Video
One of filmmaking's greatest strengths is its immediacy. You may think you live in dull surroundings, but the camera captures and frames things the human eye may overlook. Furthermore, it captures a precise span of [...]
To The Frustrated Nature and Wildlife Photographers and Filmmakers
Filming nature and wildlife is my passion. It's what winds me up and cools me down. While I read a lot of nature and wildlife blogs, I also like to read blogs about life. One [...]
Being Out In Nature Is Never A Waste Of Time
I'm always trying to be a better nature and wildlife filmmaker. Every day I try to get a little more insight into animal behavior, plant identification, weather, anything that helps me capture footage of the [...]
I Said I’d Never Do It and Damnit Here I Am Doing It!
It seems that whenever I use the word "never" as in "I'm never going to do that again", I end up eating my words. Although I AM proud of the fact that I said I [...]
It’s About Perspective Not Awards
It's been a few years but I finally got up the gumption to enter a couple of my short films in the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. If you know me, I'm not only my own worst [...]
Your Worth as a Filmmaker Isn’t Measured by What Camera You Own
Don't Play the If Only Game What camera should I buy? That's the number one question I get asked when it comes to nature and wildlife cinematography. The second most asked question I get asked [...]
Filmmaking Naturally’s Five Most Popular Posts
I love filming nature and wildlife! I love sharing what I've discovered and filmed as well as sharing my workflow and beliefs. Some posts resonate more with people than others. I thought I'd post the [...]
How A Million Slides Made Me A Better Nature And Wildlife Filmmaker
Before I made the switch to digital video in 2005 I was a still photographer. My cameras weren't digital, they used film. For those of you that may have never used film let me give [...]
Nature and Wildlife Filmmaking: Finding The Little Things
Yesterday, I talked about finding joy discovering the little things in nature and filming them. Today I'd like to talk about actually finding these little things. At first it may prove difficult or even impossible [...]
It’s The Little Things That Make Nature and Wildlife Filmmaking So Special
Gilbert Chesterton said "One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak."Today as I was reviewing some footage I shot this past fall that quote really resonated with me not so [...]
Never Let Anyone Come Between You and Your Camera
"Never let anyone come between you and your camera. That's my rule #1" Those were the words one of my good friends and fellow filmmaker messaged me when I told him that I hadn't picked [...]
Just Be Yourself When Filming Nature and Wildlife
This morning I was visiting Ana Rameriez's blog, and read her post "Let the World See Who You Are". It really struck a cord with me and inspired this post. So thank you Ana! It's [...]
2015 Goals For Filming Nature and Wildlife
My typical method for filming nature and wildlife it to visit a location and film whatever catches my eye. There's certainly nothing wrong with that as it's worked for me for many, many years resulting [...]
Six Reasons To Get Out And Film Nature And Wildlife This Winter
Let's face it, as the mercury drops, so does our desire to get out and film nature and wildlife. It's cold, the landscape is bleak and wildlife is hunkered down conserving energy in an effort [...]
Sometimes It’s The Gear Sometimes It’s Not
I read a recent article by nature and wildlife photographer Mark Graf of Graf Nature Photography about meeting a man that said "Nature wasn't meant to be photographed." His meaning was that nature is so [...]
Panasonic AJ-PX270 Low Light High Sensitivity
Low Light Sensitivity As a nature and wildlife filmmaker, you can most often find me out in the field at first light and last light. One of the hardest things for me is to see [...]
Using Color To Stand Out From The Crowd
In an earlier article I talked about music as one of the three things tha caused former Indian Creek Nature Center director Rich Patterson to say ""I like yours because they are outstanding and very [...]
Camera Or Vision?
Recently a photographer posed the question, would you rather have the best camera system in the world (price is no object) or learning to truly see (you could spot artistic compositions anywhere), which would you [...]
Don’t Pass On An Opportunity To Film Nature and Wildlife
Nature and wildlife filmmaking is all about decisions. Where do we go to find our subjects? Once we find them how do we compose the shot that we want? Is the exposure right? Is the [...]
Filming Nature & Wildlife In The Land That Time Forgot
Recently, Panasonic called and asked if I wanted to shoot some more footage with the PX270 now that Iowa had greened up and subjects were more plentiful. But I had something better in mind, a [...]
Four Reasons Your Home Turf is the Best Place to Film Nature and Wildlife
I don't know what it's like where you live, but whenever I thought about filming nature and wildlife, my home turf in Eastern Iowa was usually pretty far down the list of locations where I wanted to plant [...]
Nature & Wildlife Filmmaking: When Strangers Come Calling
I saw an interesting post by a nature and wildlife photographer the other day talking about non-photographers inquiring as to what they were photographing when they were out in the field. They explained in their [...]
Discovering Your Creativity for Nature and Wildlife Filmmaking
In my last post "It's Important To Get Out In The Field Even If You Don't Feel Like It" I wrote about making the effort to get out into the field and film nature and wildlife [...]
It’s Important To Get Out In The Field Even If You Don’t Feel Like It
It's no secret that one of my greatest passions is filming nature and wildlife. I've been taking photographs or shooting video since I was about eight years old. No matter what my day is like [...]
Avoiding Nature and Wildlife Filmmaking Regrets
Most of the time when I pick up my video camera and head out into the field, I never really have a set plan for what I want to film. I guess I tend to [...]
It’s Not The Gear That Makes The Filmmaker
How many times have you said to yourself, if only I had (insert some piece of filmmaking gear) I'd be able to shoot better footage? I know I've said it dozens, hundreds, heck maybe even [...]
5 Reasons Why You SHOULD Film Clichés
Even though I'm a nature and wildlife filmmaker I still browse photography websites from time to time. The two are so close together that what often applies to one applies to the other. My latest [...]
Happy Holidays From Filmmaking Naturally
Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you had a great holiday! I look forward to sharing my love of nature and wildlife and how to better capture both on video with you in the coming new [...]
The Sun Doesn’t Always Shine In Nature But Go Out Anyway
When The Weather Turns Bad Do You Pack It In? You Could Be Missing Some Great Footage! Everyone loves to go out an film nature and wildlife on a warm, sunny day. I mean who [...]
Marooned Without a Compass
Why do you film nature and wildlife? I've always loved anything that had to do with animals. My parents have an old 8mm film of me trying to feed an apple to a rocking horse [...]
Wildlife Filmmaking – It’s All About Being There!
Whenever I meet another seasoned nature and wildlife filmmaker, the conversation invariably evolves into our favorite moments that we've experienced out in the field. When I was first trying to learn wildlife filmmaking my conversations [...]
Filming Wildlife and Nature It’s About the Journey
It's just a given that nature and wildlife filmmakers spend a lot of time out in the field doing a whole lot of nothing. If you've ever spent any length of time in a blind [...]
Want to Film Better Nature & Wildlife? Then Shoot Something Else!
Greetings my fellow nature and wildlife filmmakers! Did you know that today is National Dabbling Day. Until recently I never even knew we had a day devoted solely to dabbling on any level let [...]
Filming Nature and Wildlife – A Little Planning Can Avoid Frustration
Do You Know What Today Is? As nature and wildlife cinematographers, we're certainly faced with a lot of frustrating situations that at times make us just want to scream. The weather is probably the [...]
Should Wildlife Filmmakers Share Information?
I was watching a nature and wildlife photography show the other day. Two nature photographers were going back to a place where there were some fantastic flowers growing tall against a blue sky. When they [...]
The Greatest Dilemma Wildlife Filmmakers Commonly Face
It's something that every wildlife filmmaker will face more than once in their career. The choice they make can make or break a filmmaking session. I'm talking about staying with a subject or leaving in [...]
Top Five Places in the World to Film Wildlife With Your Video Camera
The world we live in is rich with beauty and these five spots provide exceptional opportunities to capture it. The next time you are ready for some adventure, grab your favorite video camera and [...]
Persistence Often Pays Off for Nature and Wildlife Filmmakers
When it comes to the process of wildlife and nature filmmaking I think of it as a three-legged stool. Two of the legs I've already talked about, patience and practice. The third leg of the [...]
Practice Nature and Wildlife Filmmaking to Hone Your Skills
The saying goes once you learn how to ride a bike you'll never forget. Well, that may be true but I can tell you from experience that doesn't mean you'll be any good at it. [...]
Tallgrass Prairie Insects Make Filming Nature Vibrant
If you drive pass the tallgrass prairie of the Great Plains it is easy to think that there is very little going on given the relative lack of large animals. Yet nature is never what [...]
Filming Nature: Capturing the Partial Solar Eclipse
As a nature and wildlife filmmaker, weather and more importantly, the sun plays an important role in the video footage I capture. Overcast days can make woodland wildflowers look fantastic but make a landscape dull [...]
How to Set up and Use Focus in Red on the Panasonic HPX250 P2 Camera
When Panasonic released the Panasonic AG-HPX250 P2 HD Handheld Camcorder it was the camera I had been waiting for. Full raster HD, a monster 22X zoom lens and AVC-Intra codec. The peaking feature made it [...]
The Best Tip Ever for Shooting Better Nature and Wildlife Video
As a nature and wildlife cameraman, I want to share one of my best tips for shooting better nature and wildlife video. But before I tell you what it is I want to tell you [...]
Are You Filming Illegally in our National Parks?
As a nature and wildlife filmmaker, Yellowstone was one of my favorite locations in the United States to film nature and wildlife. Every year, millions of tourists, photographers and filmmakers travel to America's first national [...]
Wildlife Filmmakers Rejoice! The HPX250 Digital Zoom Rocks!
Nature and Wildlife filmmakers are always looking for ways to get closer to their subject when shooting wildlife video. Even the Panasonic AG-HPX250 with it's incredible 22X zoom lens, you sometimes wish you had a [...]
Using Peaking in Panasonic’s HPX-250
In addition to the 22X zoom and AVC-Intra codec, another one of my favorite features of Panasonic's AG-HPX-250 is peaking. Basically peaking is electronically "highlighting" the edges of your subject. My HPX-170 has peaking but [...]
Panasonic’s AG-HPX250 Zoom Demonstration
Over the last couple of days I've had an opportunity to test Panasonic's new HD camera the AG-HPX250. Panasonic has taken the guts of a over the shoulder camera and placed them inside the body [...]
Filmmakers And Their Understated Value Toward The Conservation Of This World
Nature and Wildlife Filmmakers Can Make a Difference Nature and Wildlife Filmmakers play an integral part to making the citizens of the world aware of the dangers or injustices being done to nature and wildlife, [...]
Beginner’s Guide to Shooting Nature & Wildlife Video
Get on the mailing list for Beginner's Guide to Shooting Nature and Wildlife Online Filmmaking Course! Whenever I'm filming nature and wildlife in some location I'm almost always asked what's the best camera to buy [...]
In the Company of Wolves
Everyone has a defining moment that somehow ends up shaping their future. For me it was filming a wolf pack in Northern Minnesota. I had recently made the switch to shooting HD video and [...]
Introducing Filmmaking Naturally
Filmmaking Naturally, online video tutorials assist you in your quest to obtain better wildlife and nature footage. Award winning cinematographer Kevin J Railsback shares his decades of experience obtaining stunning imagery of the natural world. [...]
The Unboxing That Took Three Years to Do!
Three years ago I came upon a deal for some photo gear that was so good I couldn't pass it up. At the time I purchased this gear I didn't really have a need [...]
Nice blog and photography!!
Such an amazing collection of photographs.
Especially love the cat.