The development of a wildlife photographer is a fun journey to witness. I’m not implying that everyone’s story who chooses to follow this path is the same, this is not remotely true in the least. But there do seem to be certain starting points and milestones along the way that share similarities. For instance, many wildlife photographers start off by taking portrait images of the animals that they photograph. These tend to be images of stationary animals posed while sitting or standing or while perched on a tree branch. Next, the photographer may add some basic action into their pictures; an animal walking, scratching or a bird taking off from that tree branch they had previously been perched on.

As the photographer progresses, they will begin to add more and more action into their images, those images will become more and more refined, sharper and more creative. After a time, the photographer may begin to seek out specific scenarios in which to photograph wildlife. They’ll start to look for terrain features to incorporate into their pictures, or maybe weather conditions that would contribute to the overall creativity of a very specific image. One step isn’t less important than another, they all contribute to the skills each wildlife photographer needs in order to create compelling images.

My individual journey as a wildlife photographer has included many, if not all of these milestones. And so, one beautiful summer morning I found myself sitting in a glorious mountain meadow surrounded by wildflowers, a clear mountain lake lay in front of me and most importantly, the Mountain Goats I was hoping to photograph had arrived!

I was more than happy to photograph these Mountain Goats as they ate, sunbathed, and played, and the landscape offered some incredible opportunities for some nice portraits. But as I photographed them, one thing remained as the top priority in my mind, the lake. If one of the Goats approached those clear, calm waters, I needed to drop everything I was doing for the potential images that I could see in my mind.

I had spent nearly an hour with this energetic band of Mountain Goats when it finally happened! A mother and her kid were slowly approaching the reflective water. Slowly, I approached the Goats from the opposite bank, sat down and waited. They continued their approach, the mother drank from the cold water and then gingerly stepped in and began to cross! I couldn’t believe my fortune, such a beautiful setting for such a unique image! The nanny goat began to cross, her kid watching with interest, clear water splashing as she moved.

Days later, I gazed at the image again and smiled, it was now hanging on my living room wall, a constant reminder of just how amazing the journey of a wildlife photographer can be!