Tom Brown Jr. is a Must Read for Wildlife Photographers

In your wildest dreams, would you think it possible to track an ant across pavement? How much can you learn from an animal track? When the animal made it? How large the animal was? How fast it was moving? If it was male or female? How it was feeling-is it sick or hurt?

Tom Brown Jr. answers all of the above questions-and far more, in his books. As a wildlife and nature photographer, I have read most of his books-and use the information he teaches on a daily basis, whether I am in the wilderness or the city; yes, it is that valuable and relevant!

A good place to start is with The Tracker (pictured at right), with Mr. Brown's teaching experiences from his youth, learning from his friend's Grandfather, an Apache Elder. Mr. Brown learned doing and living in the wilderness, and in The Tracker he opens the door to a world few people realize is around us all.

While Mr. Brown excels at teaching using his own experiences as examples, he also has a number of reference books under his belt-one of which is The Science and Art of Tracking (cover pictured below) in which he goes into the minute details of tracking and awareness.

 Every book Mr. Brown has written is extremely detailed and has many lessons to teach-in fact, I have trouble finding words to describe the intensity of many epiphanies I felt while reading (and re-reading!) the books in this series. The lessons laid out will not come terribly easily, however-they require an immense amount of thought and practice in the wilderness. They have had a very positive effect on me, sowing the seeds of knowledge which I hope will grow into wisdom in time. In the meantime, I use the lessons I learned every day, as much of it is adaptable to any situation and environment.                                                        

To see what books in this series might interest you, Mr. Browns author information page on Amazon is a great place to start. If you are still intrigued, or interested in learning firsthand, please visit and explore The Tracker School which is Mr. Brown's exclusive nature school's website-find information on what classes are available and scheduling, as well as what they cover (I have yet to take any courses, but would like to!).