Pick-up Shots

Recently, my photography time has been limited due to other (delightful) responsibilities. Even as I write this, I have a little person playing with blocks at my feet. But I’m fortunate to live in the Bay Area where—when the opportunity presents itself—there are plenty of places I can maximize that time. One way of doing that is focusing on what I call ‘pick-up shots.’

When I have all the time in the world, I’ll hike or drive around looking for wildlife. I hope something worth photographing presents itself, but it’s a hit-and-miss tactic. On the best days, the stars align, and I uncover something magical. More often than not, however, I return with plenty of space on my memory cards. So, if I feel like being productive with a few spare hours, I’ll focus on a species I know I can quickly locate and try to pick up additional shots that expand on their full behavioral story.

In the past month, I’ve focused on northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). I’ve been lucky enough to photograph them multiple times and collect a portfolio of portraits I like. I try to keep a running list of additional images for species like that: images that might not be the obvious choice but are essential to catalog their behavior. I look for close-up photos of different body parts, distinguishing features, mating, fighting, interaction with other species, and different weather conditions. This helps me find images I might not have otherwise considered and contributes to a diverse collection of images.