How Nature Photographer David Shield Plans His Shoots

The 411

Name: David Shield

Occupation: In addition to Photography, I work for a water distribution and conservation company in Northern California.

Location: I was born in London, England. I have lived in several US States; however in 2008, I decided to buy my first home in Northern California. I now live within a days drive to The Bay Area and The rugged Eastern Sierra. Living here, I feel I now have access to two completely different, yet beautiful worlds.

Key Links:

• David Shield on Flickr
• David Shield on Google +

Background in Photography

My interest in photography started from basically nothing. One day I decided that I would go out and buy a camera, just for fun. That first camera was about fifty bucks. As I started to read more photographic reference material, my interest just kept growing, until several camera exchanges and a whole lot more bucks later, and this fun idea had snowballed into a full blown straight-from-the-heart passion. Several years later, I had achieved moderate success in photography, through selling my prints and leading photography workshops. I now plan to complete a new website, that I hope will lead to further print sale success, as well as being able to provide inspiration to anyone that views my work.

How do you plan your shoots?

There are many aspects that go into the planning of a  shoot. I start at the beginning of the year by deciding which places I will visit during the following twelve months. I then study weather patterns, sun position, and both sunrise and sunset times, to determine the best possible time to visit each location. While this method has been successful, I find that there is no way to forecast exactly what will happen in nature. My best advice is to never underestimate the importance of first scouting the area you plan to shoot. Knowing the exact spot you need to be and when, will give you a better chance of capturing the moment you envisioned.

And now… enjoy more photos by David Shield