By Jim Moerschel

For over 30 years I’ve been intrigued with creating images of nature. I have always loved roaming around any wild setting, especially with a camera. There is always a feeling of adventure – of discovering something new and ultimately creating photographs that are truly artistic.
Webster describes an artist as one who creates things of beauty, artistic is showing taste and skill. Artistry can be applied to any subject
that the photographer chooses, but in this article the world of nature
will yield the art and be the focus of our attention.
Our subjects in the wild are practically limitless and it is the image makers job to be critically selective of the main subject, supporting
elements, foreground, background and appropriate lighting. These
elements must be in complete harmony together within the frame with
none conflicting as a distraction from the main theme of the intended
message.
Let’s take a journey and see a few of the images that I’ve created
in the wild and wonderful world of nature through the years.
Spider webs have always fascinated me. Partly because they are such an ingenious and effective snare, but also their beauty. When viewed through the magnification of a macro lens on a chilly autumn
morning the web sparkles with dew.

It was just such a situation at the Basherkill Preserve in New York state that I found this dew covered web amidst a clump of Purple Loosestrife. My first inclination was to move in real close and just
include the web as the subject, but the more I studied the scene, I made
a decision to change my macro lens for a close focus telelphoto.
My 100 – 300mm was used. The camera was mounted on the tripod
And I “zoomed” back and forth for a short time, trying to find the best
composition. I chose to place the web off center and use the large cluster of purple flowers as a colorful support element. The rich green
color of the background foliage plays a vital role in the color combination that harmonizes for a nice image. My f stop was 5.6, which
placed the background just out of focus to create a soft effect and keep
unwanted distractions toned down.
One of my favorite National Parks is Olympic, located in the northwest corner of Washington State. As a tour leader on photo
safaris, I make sure that we drive before daybreak up Hurricane
Ridge Road and stop at one of the most breathtaking overlooks
anywhere.

Most mornings during the summer months a virtual “sea of clouds”
covers the actual sea at the edge of the town of Port Angeles. From our high vantage point we can look down upon the fluffy layer of clouds and Wait for the sun to rise.
I’ve photographed this scene several times from a variety of vantage points and one day decided to use a grove of towering pines as a foreground “frame.” The lens was my 100 – 300mm mounted on my
N90s and a tripod. The telephoto was set at 300mm which “compressed” the trees and background elements together. The distant
mountain was purposely placed in an opening in the grove and the viewer can peer through the silhouetted foreground and appreciate the
magic of being above the clouds.
Dew on any nature subject enhances the photogenic qualities. The two photos here were taken on many miles apart yet the appeal is the
Same.

       
On a tour to Mount Rainier National Park I made it a practice to get
up before daybreak and search for scenes that would look great at
sunrise. Right near the edge of a lake I spotted a small conifer coated
completely by the dew. It was the shape of the 3 foot tree that inspired
a series of photographs. Due to severe winter weather the trees here are subjected to fierce winds, heavy ice and snow for long periods. Many that I found were grotesquely shaped by these forces, but this specimen had a “S” shape to it. The tiny, graceful tree was glittering with the dew and the final touch was a shimmering web and several arching
strands of silk that looked like pearl necklaces. The 100 – 300mm zoom
was used to compose the image and my f stop was 5.6 to keep the background “soft” to harmonize with the main subject.
The large dew covered web was found in a field only a half mile from my home. During the autumn, large Banded Argiope spiders spin
Large orb webs in the tall grass and shrubs. The webs, with or without the spider makes a fine subject.
Early morning light is best for the photogenic webs and on those chilly mornings they will be covered in heavy dew. I generally place the camera facing the rising sun so that the rays of light will back-light the
beads of water and silky hairs. The important factor to remember is the background so choose a web that doesn’t have close twigs and stalks
right behind it. These will render too sharp in the final image and distract from the graceful web. Since these webs are mostly found at ground level, I use a Bogen super clamp to hold the camera on one leg
of the tripod in a secure position. Then I have to lay flat on the ground to peer through the viewfinder and compose the final image. Naturally,
I get soaking wet. “Oh well, anything for the sake of art.”
Sometimes the final element to a scene doesn’t arrive until the last
minute. That happened one day while I was composing a scene at a
local pond. The entire pond was surrounded by Purple Loosestrife and
the vivid flowers were spectacular. I set the tripod up, placed the 100 – 300mm zoom lens on the camera and panned about the perimeter of
The pond trying to find the best composition.

Suddenly, a tiny Goldfinch landed on some tall marsh reeds. I pivoted the mounted camera, zoomed the lens to 300 telephoto and
placed the bird slightly off center and pushed the shutter. The bird took flight. As suddenly as it had appeared it disappeared, proving that
the opportunities of nature photography are fleeting.
Sometimes the presentation of the final image may convey a mood or
Feeling beyond which the photographer intended. Such was the case of
Two images presented here. The silhouette abstract was shot in Zion
National Park and the tide pool image in Acadia National Park, Maine.

     
On an early morning drive through the narrow canyons of Zion, I
Spotted two dead, scraggly trees along the road. I was drawn to the
Twisted, gnarly limbs and that both trees were still in deep shadow. The distant towering cliff of Navajo sandstone was brightly lit by the angled rays of the sun. By moving my camera from side to side I began
To compose the two trees into an abstract shape, while making sure that they were right in front of the cliff. This made a nice silhouette image.
What I didn’t realize until viewing the series of images was that in many it appeared that there were two monsters battling it out. This image shows the two trees (monsters) joined together as if in a death lock.
My photo of the tide pool was done at sunset, with the sun to my back. A tiny bit of light still lingered and my tripod mounted camera
aimed straight down at the tiny scene of mussel shells, dark pebbles and one fragment of a shell or claw.
I could see that the setting sun was casting a warm toned glow in the
water between the elements of the scene, but never realized how the final image would appear. The glow of the sun almost appears as flames
amongst hot coals. How did this happen? I do recall that the water moved because of wave motion during the long exposure of 1/2 sec. That
I was forced to make due to low light.
Moving water from a brook, stream or raging river can keep me busy for a long time. I am intrigued with shooting long exposures as
the water flows over rocks, steep falls or simply meanders gently. As
long as there is some movement, the photographer can create some very interesting and sometimes magical scenes of water in nature.

In Zion, there is the Virgin River that during the spring is a fast
moving, sometimes raging river that has over countless centuries carved
the canyons of this wonderful park. In Autumn it has dried considerably and is really a creek. But, with the exposure of the rocky river bottom, the ripples that the stream creates are graceful art forms.
The bonus of being in Zion at this time of year is that there is colorful
fall foliage along the river to add into the compositions. In this scene
A touch of autumn colors were included to impact the muted, reflected
earth tones in the shallows. All along the river, the light reflects from the towering sandstone canyon walls creating ethereal lighting conditions for the photographers “waterscapes.”

Another image was made just a few steps away on this same river. This time I made a closer composition of the rippling water, rocks and
wonderful reflected light. Truly magical and definitely nature at her artistic best.
There are instances when an external element adds that nice extra
touch to a scene. The two images portrayed here were taken at completely different times of the year. The Lotus flower and dragonfly
Photo was actually “pre-visualized.” This term was coined by the late,
great photographer Galen Rowell, who used this technique to create
some of the most magical images in nature imaginable. Actually, the term means to anticipate the action or actions of potential elements
finally coming together so that the photographer can make a meaningful photograph or one that is better than if the action hadn’t taken place.

    
My Lotus flower shot is just such an image. I spotted the flower in
a friends pond and the lighting was back-lighting the colorful petals.
The portrait of the flower by itself would be stunning, but I noticed that
a dragonfly was using it as an occasional perch. How neat it would be
to catch the dragonfly sitting on this beautiful flower. So, when the
insect flew off I made my move. The tripod was placed close enough to use My close focus 400mm lens. Then I decided that I should rotate the lens for a vertical image so as to include the dragonfly and the flower
Together. My flash unit was turned “on” and I was ready. A few moments later, the dragonfly returned and I made my shot. Over the next several minutes it returned again and again and I made several
exposures. The final image turned out to be exactly how I “pre-visualized it.”
One frosty morning I spotted an oak leaf nestled in an ice covered shrub in the field. The lighting was soft, early morning rays that
made the ice crystals shimmer. Once I settled on my composition
the background was kept soft and slightly out of focus by using f 5.6
F stop on my long telephoto lens. The scene didn’t need any pre-visualization, because the leaf was already there as a fixed element in
the scene, but became an integral component as a focal point in the scene.
Sometimes the scene comes to life before your eyes. One of the
most dynamic image making places anywhere is Bryce Canyon, national Park in Utah. It is great at any time during the year.

The light changes throughout the day and the photographer
simply can be overwhelmed with subjects as they hike the trails or
watch from the many “overlooks” into the bizarre world below them.
The image that I’m presenting here was the result of extraordinary
lighting near the end of the day. As the sun sets in Bryce some areas
remain lit longer than others and the amazing reflective light bounces
Around the weird shaped formations known as“hoo doos.” The formation I had my lens aimed at appears to be an ancient city and as
the angle of light changed the “city” came to life. It almost appears
that the formation has several lights “glowing” from within and I made
my shots, but it didn’t last long. In less than a minute the glow subsided
and the formation became rather dull. Sometimes luck plays a part in
all this, but the photographer has to be quick and take advantage.

On a trip to Arizona, I spent time in Saguaro National Park. These giant cacti are wonderful subjects especially at sunset. I had noticed the
sky was getting red and the clouds were gathering. This was the “monsoon” season out here and cloud bursts happened frequently and with very little warning. This makes for some spectacular photography.
I worked my angle so that the cactus was surrounded by dark clouds
with the intense sun shining right behind the giant. I exposed for the sky and this created the silhouette.
The world of nature is filled with artistic shapes and forms. If we search long enough and be dedicated to the outdoor experience we
will come away with images that tell the story and tell it beautifully.
Thank you for joining me on this journey

Sincerely,

Jim