Brian Doyle on CONSERVATION & WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
My name is Brian Doyle, a conservation and wildlife photographer and instructor based in Minneapolis. Photography is my creative outlet, my greatest passion; but it's also how I connect with the world around me. I draw my inspiration from the moments of awe I have felt so many times in my career, guiding in some of the most remote places in the world, and try to put a little piece of that feeling in every photo I take.
Every capture has an image narrative and a written or oral narrative. Images tell us a story – as we know from the famous phrase – but the addition of visual language creates a humanized and emotional connection with its audience. Together, these narratives strengthen the power behind the photo, creating a multisensory reaction.
To create this experience, research is essential. I begin with researching the landscape or the animal and the time of day I am interested in photographing. Like most landscape photographers, I scope out the locations prior to my designated shoot to notate high-traffic areas and times. Depending on the photograph I envision, I utilize certain apps to assist me – including Photopills. With these apps, I am able to pinpoint best moments for details such as golden hour, blue hour, nautical twilight, elevation, and angular diameter. Photographing wildlife takes more patience, learning the natural habitat of the animals and ensuring the animals feel comfortable enough with me in their surroundings. The most important aspect of photographing wildlife is the understanding of my equipment. Wildlife can react in a given moment, so being ready to change my aperture or shutter speed is crucial. Together, with these tools, I aim to capture and blend moments together to instill a sense of time in my artwork.
These connections provide us the platform for protecting the voiceless wildlife and preservation of our environment. Now more than ever, at the environmental crossroads we as humans all face – and with access to near-infinite information in our pockets – the moral imperative to help shape how people understand, interact with, and interpret the world we live in for the better is undeniable, and the effectiveness of photography and digital media unmatched in helping us to realize this massive endeavor.