Wildlife Photography Disappointment

You have packed your camera bag, cleared the SD cards, double and tripled checked that your camera is charged and mapped out the location you are heading to - you are very much ready to encounter the wildest of the wild and take their beautiful portraits.

Until you are three hours into hiking through the green bush, and the only wildlife you have encountered was that fly who wouldn’t stop flying into your face and that fellow hiker who gave you a salute and cheery hello.

The more time you spend trekking through the bush - with zilch wildlife - the more downtrodden you become. The heavier your camera feels - which is suitable as your spirits also feel quite heavy. Thoughts such as “ I will never be a good wildlife photographer “ or “ I will never get anywhere with this“ start to barrage your mind until you are a heap of downtrodden goo.

This thought pattern occurred to myself when I was hiking through Sanctuary Mountain last weekend with my mother. I was expecting a forest alive with bird call and swooping Kaka, hopping Robins and croaking Tuis. Only to be meet with silence , with a few croaks and swoops intermingling with the quiet.

The photos I took can be seen below:

My mind started to get dark and stormy and the thoughts that assuaged myself are the ones I described above. Until I pulled myself out and began to think rationally. (Crazy - I know.)

The wild is wild for a reason. It is unpredictable. You can not call a Tui up on the phone to arrange a meeting later in the week. Or email a Kaka about a catch up at 10. Nor is this like the zoo, where the animals are essentially on display for the viewer. Wildlife is wild. You may see that elusive tiger, or you may see a forest of trees. It is largely down to luck.

Below I have come up with some advice for future me - when I start to feel that wildlife disappointment feels - you may find some value from them as well.

The harder that you try and find wildlife - the more you will not see it.

The more you hunt for a flash of blue, or orange, or whatever colour the animal is the more stressed and worked up you will become - and the less likely you will a) enjoy your time in the wild with the hidden wild things b) the less likely you will actually see something. Be still, breathe, and let the wild come to you. Or not. But the more flustered you get- the less likely you will see something.

2. Go somewhere with zero exceptions.

Sometimes we go out with grand exceptions. We will snap photos like our heroes, and come away from our trip with photos that are amazing and awe inducing. But, this is not always the case. Building such grand exceptions - can lead to heavy feelings of disappointment. But, going somewhere with zero exceptions - well there is only one way to go with your feelings isn’t there - UP. Just go somewhere - and allow yourself the experience. Do not plant grand exceptions of how it will unfold - because predicating wildlife is like predicting the future. Hard and fruitless.

3. Chill OUT

Do not get worked up about it. Go out with your camera and have a great time. Even if you end up taking a million photos of trees and air, have a great time soaking in the green. The good thing is, that you made the effort to go out and try. That is awesome.

4. Be kind to yourself

You are a great photographer. You have got this. Stop beating up yourself. Every wildlife photographer has a day when no photo looks great or no wildlife comes out to say hello. And that is okay.

5. Enjoy the experience of the expedition do not have a certain outcome in mind. .

6. Feel the disappointment - but do not dwell on it.

Feeling negative emotions is natural. Sad. angry. Anxiety. It is natural as we are human, not automations. The important thing is though - is feel the emotion, but do not dwell and sink into that emotion and let it ruin the whole experience of being out in the wild.