Taking Photos and Videos of Wildlife during Summertime in Northern Arizona

Written By Blake Sneed

This summer I started out with the goal in mind of photographing sunflowers in Arizona. 🌻 They usually begin blooming around late June and early July, and last throughout a majority of the season.

Yellow sunflowers shining in the summer sun with a green pine tree and meadow in the background with a small mountain in the very back beneath a blue sky with bright white clouds.

As I was searching for flowers to photograph in Northern Arizona, I could hear some elk bugling off in the distance. Shortly after hearing them, I was able to find them in my viewfinder and began taking photos. It was truly perfect timing, as the sun was starting to go down and golden hour had begun. This not only created stunning light in the meadow below me, but also made the elks’ antlers glow in the light. I was using a very high ISO for these photos since the elk were backlit by the sun and I wanted to make sure their antlers were sharp, so when editing these photos I didn’t try to cover up any of the resulting noise and embraced it instead. I am more than pleased with the results, and hope you like them! I was definitely in awe at this experience and it was my first time photographing elk in the wild.

A herd of elk crossing through a meadow at golden hour with their antlers being backlit by the setting sun and glowing in the light.
A group of four elk crossing through a meadow at golden hour with their antlers being backlit by the setting sun and glowing in the light.
A group of elk standing in a meadow facing different directions at golden hour with their antlers being backlit by the setting sun and glowing in the light.
A group of three bull elk crossing through a meadow at golden hour with their antlers being backlit by the setting sun and glowing in the light.

After taking photos of these elk, I was inspired to continue searching for more wildlife to photograph. This led me to a nearby lake, where I later set up my tripod on a few different days to take photos and videos of wildlife that would visit. This included everything from antelope to ibises and herons, and even a cute little raccoon family stopped by a few nights to eat dinner! 🦝

An ibis bird stands in a shallow part of a lake.
A group of ibis birds in a shallow blue lake eating with pine trees in the background.
An ibis bird searches for food to eat with its long bill in a shallow blue lake.

If you’ve read this far, thank you for joining along on this Arizona summertime adventure with me! If you want to see more, I made two YouTube videos of me taking these photos, and they also have the raccoons eating their dinner, since for some reason I only took videos of the raccoon family 🦝

Taking Photos and Videos of Sunflowers and Wildlife during Summer in Northern Arizona

Taking Photos and Videos of Wildlife by the Lake during Late Summer in Northern Arizona, Part 2

Blake Sneed

My name is Blake, and I’m a photographer and storyteller based in Arizona, USA.

The American Southwest is where I have spent most of my time exploring, and my photographs are inspired by the natural beauty and magic I have encountered throughout this remarkable region.

The places, plants, and wildlife featured in my photos are incredibly special to me, and I strive to capture and share their unique essence in my work.

I’m generally drawn to anything natural—from the incredibly fine details you can discover when you look closely at a tree leaf, for example, to the complex patterns that emerge when you zoom out and see the whole forest. I love getting in close to see how seemingly small details can connect to something much larger, and how nature can be incredibly intricate and complex, yet still feel simple and peaceful. My work is an exploration of these connections, contrasts, and the quiet harmony I find within them and want to express and share.

I love the spirit of adventure—the open road to somewhere new, breathing in fresh air, and feeling the sun and wind on my skin. My main goal with my photography and storytelling is to connect with others through a shared sense of wonder and beauty—to inspire exploration and a deeper experience of the world around us, encourage people to look a little closer at what calls to them, and create what speaks to their hearts.

As I continue adventuring, I strive to keep learning so that I can do all I can to help protect and preserve these sacred places. Through sharing my work, educating others about what I have learned, and continuing to deepen my own personal connection with these places, I hope to encourage a greater understanding of, appreciation for, and protection of the natural world that is all around us.

I’m forever grateful that photography gives me a way to document my own vision, experiences, and connections along my journey. I hope my work inspires you to stay curious, explore the world, and find a little more wonder along the way.

https://blakesneed.com
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