Wildlife photographer finds silent approach
Leaf through the images in one of John Van Den Brandt’s calendars, and you’ll have the same reaction as a kid on the latest Six Flags roller coaster: “Ooooooooh!”
His tack-sharp photos catch ospreys, bears, coyotes and other wild creatures at the precise instant they are doing something amazing.
He gained national attention through the brisk sales of his first 4imprint calendar in 2007. The first wildlife calendar was so popular that he began shooting images for a second one almost immediately. He’s just wrapping up his third 4imprint calendar.
“I got interested in photography as early as junior high, when we learned to develop black and white film in industrial arts,” he said. “I didn’t major in photography in college, but I very enthusiastically pursued acquiring the skills on my own - through books and practice.”
He has shared a few of his secrets with Post-Crescent readers before - my favorite tip is his extra effort to capture the light reflecting on a bird’s or mammal’s eye, which is a testament to both the power of his Canon’s 500mm lens and his infinite patience - but this time he revealed one of his most silent secrets to getting close to critters.
Silent as in paddling right up to them.
Combining a camera and a kayak or canoe is one of those “why didn’t I think of that” flashes of brilliance. It was bound to happen with Van Den Brandt, whose love for paddling runs deep, down to his PADL 4VR license plate. I get skittish when I take my expensive camera gear into any boat, but his kayak makes this whole waterborne photographer thing look easy.
“My wife, Jean, and I love paddling. We get out in our canoe about 45-60 days a year,” he said. “One warm winter, we paddled on Christmas Eve and New Year’s. We always see a lot of wildlife on our trips, and it occurred to me that the canoe or kayak would be a wonderful photography platform that could get me into areas that are inaccessible on foot.”
Lugging camera gear through the bug-infested underbrush in hopes of a fleeting glimpse of a bird or other animal is totally avoidable in a boat, he explained.
“Why bother, when getting out on the water reduces or eliminates most biting bugs?” he asked. “It also allows any available breezes to be most effective in keeping bugs at bay. A kayak affords sweeping views of shoreline, unobstructed by other trees or brush. Wildlife can be seen far enough away to carefully approach and photograph them.”
Most animals are not expecting predators to approach from the water, so they view a softly floating kayak or canoe as a curiosity, not a threat, he said.
Sooner or later, every animal needs to drink, and that’s why Van Den Brandt is able to get so many breathtaking photos from his kayak.
Here are a few more reasons to float your boat for better wildlife photos:
Ross Bielema is a freelance writer from New London. You can contact him at pcsports@postcrescent.com.
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