Number 2 – John Shaw

The final 2! John Shaw made the complexities of photographing nature, possible. This may seem like a sweeping statement but in the early and mid 80s there was a kind of secrecy behind photographing wildlife by many leading nature photographers incase others produced similar “competing” work. It’s ridiculous when you think of it, especially now when “How to” photography books fill up book stands at your local Waterstones. But back then when it was all about transparency and getting it right first time, such things as exposure, filtration, camera supports and the most important element, technique were not extensively covered at all. John Shaw changed all that. Although he has produced 6 books to date, the best of the bunch, I believe, is The Nature Photographer’s Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques. It’s a step-by-step going through, well, pretty much everything in order to record your subject to the very best of your ability. He is a stickler for technique, stating that “A photographer with inferior equipment but with a good, solid technique will always produce better photographs than one with the latest equipment using a sloppy technique. How true! He instills such things as buying the best tripod you can afford and arguing why would you use a UV Protection Filter? What are you protecting it against? And, if the centre column of your tripod limits how close you can work to the ground, saw it off! I could go on and on and on…….Indeed, when I lead my own workshops and when asked if there are any books on photography I would recommend, this and John Shaw’s CloseUps in Nature are the 2 that immediately spring to mind.

There’s not an awful lot to be found on John Shaw on the Internet. When he was born, early career etc, other than the following which speaks volumes in terms of how he is regarded, not just in his native country of the US but the world over. He was the first ever recipient of the Outstanding Photographer Award given by NANPA (North American Nature Photography Association), Featured Legend Behind the Lens by Nikon and was Microsoft’s designated Icon of Imaging in 2006.

Influence

The above mentioned book was first published in 1984 but I didn’t get my hands on one until 1990. I couldn’t put it down and think I may have read it cover to cover more times than I can remember. It was fresh, straightforward, no-nonsense advice. A book filled with invaluable tips and lavish photography. His methodical approach worked very well with me as I would always, with nearly each picture I took, write in a notebook, the camera settings  and where I got my exposure from and how far I bracketed. It was the best way I knew how of learning. If exposures were off, I could refer to my notes and see where I went wrong. Of course, you just need to look at the picture’s EXIF data these days but it did instill a rather perfectionist attitude which I have tried to maintain. Mostly through my dislike of spending any more time than I need to infront of the computer!

Aside from his methods and explanations, I adored his images. Simple, graphic lines. His landscape images are rarely complicated and some of his most memorable, at least for me, are as simple as a tree at sunset or a frost covered leaf. It wasn’t necessarily about the subject but the subjects placement within the frame. Here is clearly a man equally at home shooting dew laden grasses as he is bison in Yellowstone. He explains, strong images are very much about making sense of nature’s chaos. Deciding what it is that you like about that scene and leaving out what detracts from it.

Tags: american nature photographer, american nature photography, books, john shaw, john shaw photographer, the nature photographers complete guide to professional field techniques