When I returned from the trip, to my father’s astonishment I
delivered a whole slew of more than excellent slides, some of which
sti ll stand up to my best work today. Of course, I had no idea I had
done well until my father told me, and I could not see my results
until I returned and they were developed.
Anyway, my father was my first tutor. Much later in time I found the
book “Close-ups in Nature” by John Shaw a fine guide. From there I
kind of moved onto the web and into digital cameras. Once on the
web I looked for interesting camera sites and came across Ken
Rockwell. I tried to swallow his blogs hook, line, and sinker until I
discovered that although some of his technical remarks were a
good resource, his advice on equipment was way off the mark. In
particular, his all-out recommendation to buy the Nikon 18-200mm
Zoom (which even I could tell was a lousy lens) ended my trust in
Rockwell. I looked elsewhere.
When it comes to lenses, two names stand out in my experience,
those of Thom Hogan and Bjørn Rørslett. Hogan was very helpful,
but Rørslett’s analysis of lenses was indispensable for my learning
curve. I came to depend on his recommendations and comments.
Still do.
As for aesthetics, I have no major influences. I was raised by an
artist mother and am thoroughly acquainted with both western and
eastern art. From the beginning I have had my own inner vision of
what is beautiful, based on my inner and outer experiences with
nature. Nature has been my passion and my own inner vision my
guide. Of course, I have loved many macro photos that I have
seen, but I found no single photographer I wanted to emulate.
However, there is one photographer that inspires me, not so much
to imitate him, but just with the work he has done, and that is Fred
Nirque. In Fred I find a brother on the path and his detailed
panoramas are some of the most inspiring photos I have ever seen.
I have zero nature photos on my walls, but one of Fred Nirque’s
photos, “Growling Swallet,” might be an exception.
Nirque did inspire me to obtain some good panorama equipment,
but I found that I am mostly a close-up photographer and don’t
really even do that much macro work. I find 1:2 magnification about
my speed. I like mini-dioramas, tiny landscapes, those perfect world