Photography has been a part of my life since I got my first camera at the age of ten. While at college I experimented with all types of photography. After graduating from Clemson University in 1995 with a degree in Graphic Communications I made several cross country trips. I was overwhelmed by the spectacular landscapes and the diversity of wildlife in North America.
Since that time I have made photo trips around the world, in addition, to our national and state parks/preserves. During my travels I have visited the galleries of the best wildlife photographers. I wanted to create my own style while incorporating the best of these professionals in my photography. Full time professional photographers may spend days or even weeks to capture that perfect photograph. Unfortunately, I only have a few weeks a year I can photograph.
When I visit a location I already have the shot in my head that I want to capture ... I just have to find it. Before any trip I spend a lot of time researching locations and trying to discover the best photo spots and best time to go. For wildlife it is often as simple as finding out what they are eating and where they are eating it at. For example, every July Brown Bears meet at Brooks River Falls in Alaska to catch salmon swimming up stream. Landscapes locations are determined by the seasons, weather, and time of day.
When I do find that perfect scene to photograph I try to capture it quickly and then spend the remainder of my time there relaxing and observing before I am off to my next adventure. I call my style of photography Adventure Photography. capture all my photos of wildlife in the wild. Each trip and photo is a true adventure off the beaten path.
A lot of photographers like to keep their locations they visit and the technical details about the photograph a secret. In my Trip Reports I am sharing information about the locations I visited. As far as technical details I am updating all my photos to link directly to my Picasa account where the images are stored. By clicking in an image you will be redirected to Picasa. Then on the right hand side you can click Full Details Page and see all the technical info about the photo from camera used, lens size, to camera settings.
Please visit my online gallery and enjoy.
Don Rucker
