States of Minds: Wildlife & Nature Photography

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91058931490107667082011-11-22T18:46:43.305-05:00States of Minds: Wildlife & Nature PhotographyAs an amateur nature and wildlife photographer read about my amazing nature photography experiences. Come join me as I walk you through wildlife photo shoots and reflect on my experiences as a freelance and outdoor photographer.Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-63269419366194214282011-10-19T22:12:00.001-04:002011-10-19T23:39:03.915-04:00Sad to Announce Our Closure Officially

Greetings, I am Dan States, and I am the Creative Lead for this blog, and until today, also kept a display of wildlife and nature photos on a different site. Due to a series of events spanning the last 9 months, my life has taken a very unexpectant turn, and I am dealing with several serious things at one time. When it rains, it pours, they say. Life is funny. Some people that don't even try

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-83369736253463324212011-09-26T11:29:00.000-04:002011-09-26T11:29:36.693-04:00Closing Down

Our creative lead at States of Minds has had a family emergency to assist with, so we are unfortunately forced to close our doors until the crises is resolved. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and would like to thank our loyal readers and customers. Our gallery will remain available for the next few weeks, so if you would like a print, please contact us and we will try our best to

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-18614230824190860962011-06-04T14:59:00.000-04:002011-06-04T14:59:39.784-04:00A Walk in the Park (Centennial Park, Columbia, MD)

We finally seem to be getting some good weather in the Baltimore, MD area, so we decided to get outside and enjoy it over Memorial Day Weekend. We arrived at the north entrance to Centennial Park in Columbia, MD in early afternoon, intending to take a nice little walk around the lake. I took my camera to take impromptu snapshots, not for a wildlife outing. That said, I was surprised at the

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-68080523510832805372011-03-09T21:30:00.000-05:002011-03-09T21:30:21.605-05:00First Baltimore Wildlife

I moved to the city of Baltimore about two weeks ago, and have been getting adjusted to a new city and new opportunities-alot of hustle bustle and great times learning a new area. The Inner Harbor is so far one of my favorite Baltimore neighborhoods. It is one place I have found abundant wildlife in the city to get my nature fix on! A few days ago, while taking night time harbor

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-21837479786151886622010-10-29T13:07:00.000-04:002010-10-29T13:07:50.169-04:00The Right Place and Time for Nature Photography

The Chilly Mahoning Creek The cold shocked my feet numb within 30 seconds, my wool socks not able to keep my feet warm with the moderate current of fifty degree water flowing over my feet and lower legs. Whose idea was this anyhow? I knew the shot I wanted, but needed to be in the middle of the creek to get it-and since I needed many long exposure shots to piece together a panorama, I

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-74696047953107910662010-10-24T17:34:00.000-04:002010-10-24T17:34:26.736-04:00Little Things that Bite a Nature Photographer

Ant Symbiosis The photo to the right makes a fine print-I obviously edited it to a sepia tone, but the background was originally blue sky. It looks great framed on the wall...especially when I recall the pain that I went through to get the shot! I had been on my way home when I noticed the ants making the trips up and down the stalk of the flower. Not thinking about it much, I set up a small

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-719284115617764602010-10-21T20:07:00.000-04:002010-10-21T20:07:51.599-04:00Day Out at Three Falls in Pennsylvania Wilds

Tucked away far from any paved highways in the Pennsylvania Wilds area-just outside of the Quehanna Wild Area, sits Three Falls-a beautiful waterfall which is about 20-25 feet high. Having just found concrete directions to the site a week prior to a sceduled shoot at (relatively nearby) Table Falls, I decided to arrive early and check out the Three Falls area on Round Island Run. I got on the

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-87264878383043447982010-10-04T23:02:00.000-04:002010-10-04T23:02:22.991-04:00Dry Waterfalls and Gloomy in Oil Creek State Park

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time in Titusville, PA-basically the birthplace of the modern oil industry. A friend and I were eating breakfast at a downtown diner when I noticed several nature photographs on the wall-several were waterfalls, and all were taken by a local photographer-and all of them were taken at Oil Creek State Park Throughout the rest of the week, I

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-60218448836491714092010-09-01T13:04:00.000-04:002010-09-01T13:04:46.810-04:00Top Tip to Walking Quietly on the Trail

In our normal, everyday lives, walking on cement sidewalks, crossing paved roads, and traipsing around on tiled floors, few of us realize exactly how we're walking. I don't mean just the speed, but also the nuances like: What muscles am I using? Am I efficiently utilizing the energy I am spending? Are my joints paying the price for this little stroll? Am I being as quiet as I can be? Last

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-8120805760361240822010-07-26T00:14:00.000-04:002010-07-26T00:14:21.873-04:00Kunes Camp and Rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania Wilds

The warm sun peeked through the foliage heating me up even as I gathered my gear across from mile marker 3 on the Quehanna Highway in the Pennsylvania Wilds. I glanced into the woods and thanked my lucky stars that it was mostly shaded. It was already near 90 degrees despite the early hour and rather humid as well. I feared the weather would be my undoing on my shoot today-I hoped to find

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-80499057618193270632010-07-21T19:25:00.000-04:002010-07-21T19:25:57.897-04:00The Huckleberries in Quehanna Wilds

The sun was scorching; I mean, I don't mind getting tanned, but I don't like to be cooked! I had hiked in to Kunes Camp in the morning and planned to hike in and around the Beaver Meadows Shallow Water area and check on the huckleberries. All of these places are in the Pennsylvania Wilds section of North central PA, in a place called the Quehanna Wild Area. Quehanna Wild Area is huge! 1,000's

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-34284874723531532892010-07-10T14:51:00.000-04:002010-07-10T14:51:14.881-04:00Cooked Goose-Geese in a Heat Wave

A few days ago the east coast was in the midst of a nasty heat wave, I had to wait until mid evening to walk the dog to keep her from burning her paws. As soon as we crested the levy on the walking trail, I saw about 2 dozen geese floating nervously down the creek! I guess they had sheltered up during the heat and were only then coming out to get refreshed in the creek and find a bite to eat.

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-25377842509305902002010-06-27T21:16:00.001-04:002010-06-27T21:19:08.933-04:00Preparedness and Zen in PA Wilds

Being ready for anything in the outdoors can make all the difference between getting the shot or getting frustrated. Today was a rare day when I was given a second chance to photograph a large white tail deer. I was visiting some family in the country (rural PA) when we noticed this large deer across the road! There was only one little problem-my camera was in the vehicle with the windows up!

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-24283439805639029702010-06-22T20:26:00.026-04:002010-06-22T21:39:46.853-04:00Tom 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

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-27527639949166936342010-06-13T16:12:00.003-04:002010-06-21T14:04:59.783-04:00Buzzed! Experiences Photographing Bees

Feeling pinched for time in a hectic schedule, yet still feeling the urge to get out and shoot, I found myself just outside the house in the waning sunlight. At first I was discouraged because I had so little daylight left, but it led to a greater appreciation of all of my surroundings. Whoever said that a person can find all the entertainment they need in their own backyard had it exactly

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-17879172286921059452010-05-23T17:37:00.006-04:002010-05-23T17:46:38.908-04:00Stalking Wildlife for that Great Photo

Most anyone can walk into the woods and see wildlife, but getting the animal to stay still long enough to get a great photo of it while acting naturally is another matter altogether-and requires much skill, work, and luck. One method is to sit/stand very still while watching and waiting. Another tactic is to stalk the wildlife. For wildlife photography, it's imperative to be proficient at both

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-64302098875268147012010-05-19T12:58:00.009-04:002010-05-19T13:38:44.755-04:00Raccoons-Nature's Slapstick Comedians

Having spent countless days alone in the wilderness, I am perfectly at home there, but still needed a good laugh on occassion. Luckily, nature's comedians extraodinaire were in abundance! Raccoons, relatives to bears, are relentless scavengers who will search nearly anywhere for food-going to great lengths just for a quick bite to

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-87720720375900887192010-04-26T20:42:00.000-04:002010-04-26T20:42:11.998-04:00Exploring the "Rocky Lick" in PA

Sinnemahoning is one of Pennsylvania's secret little gems-a quiet, sparsely populated, nature lover's getaway where the rest of the world seems to disappear, taking the tension from your shoulders with it while you explore this scenic area. Situated on the Bucktail Trail Highway (Route 120, a very scenic drive!) between to other small towns (Driftwood and Renovo), Sinnemahoning itself is

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-51676401756135664882010-04-11T23:01:00.000-04:002010-04-11T23:01:36.490-04:00Losing my Mind in Pennsylvania Wilds

There are times it is good to lose your mind-this last weekend was one such time for me. It seemed I had not taken any time to enjoy myself for about a month, and I was sure due for some relaxation. So, when a friend called and asked if I would like to do something, I jumped at the opportunity to share some of the sights of the Pennsylvania Wilds with him. The day was bright and warm, with a

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-87043974335666709192010-03-05T21:31:00.002-05:002010-03-05T21:38:56.825-05:00Wild Urbanity-Life's a Bluzz!

Even though I focus mostly on wildlife and nature photography, I still very much enjoy other genres such as cities and urban areas. The photographic possibilities are endless, limited only by your own imagination! The urban jungle has many surprises if you know where to look. While there is abundant wildlife in the city also, I will be focusing on a different area for this post (I will be

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-60177585650929568442010-02-20T07:24:00.001-05:002010-02-20T07:26:19.612-05:00Interview with Nick Cantle, Part Deuce

For those who enjoyed "Interview with Nick Cantle, a 21 Year Old British Nature Photographer," I am sure you will enjoy the second part of our conversation! After some scheduling issues were worked out, and some major "technical difficulties" on Nick's end were quickly overcome (for details, see Nick's Twitter page http://twitter.com/NickCantle and say a prayer for his Mac!)...we are back to

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-91072648418813329312010-02-12T10:15:00.000-05:002010-02-12T10:15:40.249-05:00Wildlife Dangers of the Wilderness

(Editor's note: Part two of my interview with Nick Cantle has been moved to next week due to scheduling constraints. We apologize for the inconvenience but wish to convey the best interview as possible, so please enjoy this posting and return next week.) When many people think about hiking or the wilderness, they envision an environment fraught with dangers-bears, alligators, venomous snakes,

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-6977460209707995782010-02-06T13:56:00.007-05:002010-02-06T14:05:15.033-05:00Interview With Nick Cantle- A 21 Year old British Nature Photographer

As a wildlife and nature photographer I don't only enjoy my own photos, but those of other photographers as well-not only for their aesthetic value, but in order to learn a few things as well. There is a huge number of talented nature photographers across the globe and I was recently fortunate enough to talk with one such subject and decided to share some of his knowledge and experience with our

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-39800589987663836632010-01-31T12:15:00.002-05:002010-01-31T12:20:25.859-05:00Experiential Education-Learning Nature Photography the Hard Way

As a self taught wildlife and nature photographer, I find the learning curve steep at times-but I also find that I retain the lessons I learn far better than I would retain abstract concepts I only read about. That said-I am still human and sometimes make the same mistakes twice in the heat of the moment. About a week ago, I was driving on a back road with a good friend, when I looked up and

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-84474619933804966362010-01-14T22:05:00.001-05:002010-01-14T22:06:50.938-05:00Dan States and Adventure Locations

Readers of States of Minds and admirers of our wildlife and nature photography have requested information on where our adventures have taken place. After some reflection, I realized that I could add a new dimension to our online presence and have opened up two new sites, where folks can see exactly where my adventures have taken me on maps and Google Earth-please check back often, as I will be

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-86182151956954957012010-01-09T16:46:00.000-05:002010-01-09T16:46:30.351-05:00Monkeys and the Silver River

Ahhh, winter in Pennsylvania can be beautiful...it also gets old rather quick as one tires of shoveling, getting bundled up to get the mail, and, of course, have the need to stay in when one gets sick-a condition I identify with rather well at this point in time. So, I have been thinking of some warmer adventures, including Silver River State Park in Florida. I have been to the Silver River

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-36211417279438608522010-01-06T20:42:00.001-05:002010-01-06T20:43:09.024-05:00Wet but Warm in the Winter Wilderness

Earlier this week I found myself having about an hour of free daylight right before dark. It has been unseasonably cold and windy in the area-well, on my free days, anyway, when I would be tempted to grab my camera and go for a winter hike. But the end of this day was...gloomy, but comparatively warm, with a light snow falling and no wind...so, this was as good as I could ask for! Having just

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-47251837680836500852010-01-02T14:40:00.008-05:002010-01-06T21:40:24.282-05:00Mosquitoes and Rattlesnakes in South Florida Nature Photography

The sun had not yet popped over the horizon to warm the new day, but I was already moving very fast, in a race to catch the best light of the morning. My footfalls rapid and silent as I slid through the semi-tropical forest, my eyes alternating between finding a path in front of me and scanning the ground for dangers; seeing a coiled rattlesnake in front of me, I deftly side-stepped it and

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-50937510929827912062009-12-29T13:29:00.001-05:002009-12-29T13:31:22.268-05:00To Our Readers!

I first want to extend our thanks to you all for taking the time to enjoy our blog entries-we appreciate it very much! We work very hard to ensure you having a positive, enlightening and entertaining read at your disposal; however, we also realize that due to editing, many of our entries must not be all inclusive (our Creative Lead loves to go into detail, but understands he needs to keep it

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-36504333230293993072009-12-27T12:21:00.007-05:002009-12-27T12:32:09.987-05:00To Catch a Panther by the Tail

I started in photography while living and working in the Florida Everglades for three years, surrounded by more wildlife and more exotic species than I knew what to do with! I greatly enjoyed the challenge of getting close enough in their natural habitat to work the camera shutter on them-even the ones I failed to find in the wild. Unless I was sleeping, I was outside. My regular job there

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-16093598603768650082009-12-20T13:16:00.000-05:002009-12-20T13:16:41.101-05:00Shots From the Road

I yearned to explore. Having lived only in the east, I wished to explore the west-areas still wild and free-where mountains were mountains, not hills posing as mountains. Deciding I would visit my brother in Seattle, WA, I searched for the best way to get there. I could fly, which would be both cost and time conscious, but sort of a waste in that I wished to see some of this country from the

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-28359110972620745772009-11-30T14:18:00.001-05:002009-11-30T14:22:28.894-05:00Alligator Adventures

Alligators have made a huge rebound in numbers all across the southern US, and were very common in the northern Everglades region when I lived there. As dangerous as they seem, they are usually rather timid around people, which makes it difficult to photograph them at times, despite their high population. The photo at left was taken from an airboat while nudged into shore at the Seminole

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-50136324648825728602009-11-22T17:30:00.001-05:002009-11-22T17:32:01.729-05:00Buttermilk Falls-Impromptu Trip

My friend and I planned to do something-anything-just to get out and blow off some steam yesterday. Usually we just drive and where ever we end up is where we end up. We were all set to do just that, but I showed him a poster sized print (16x20) of Table Falls (as seen here on Shutterbug http://bit.ly/2IhetP) and he loved the shot. He asked me if there were any other waterfalls in the area and

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-57458622188242975912009-11-14T15:36:00.001-05:002009-11-14T15:37:45.931-05:00The World's Pause Button

One of the biggest lures to outdoor photography for me is the opportunity to lose myself completely in the moment. I think of this as hitting the world's pause button because nothing else on the planet exists aside from myself and the nature surrounding me. I used to think in that situation that nothing existed except for my subject and myself, but I found that to be untrue. If I let myself

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-77637521645924852612009-10-31T19:29:00.003-04:002009-10-31T19:31:04.175-04:00Hide and Snake

I loved working nights in the Everglades because I was always free to roam at dusk and dawn-the two times per day with the most wildlife ativity. I lived in a small hut type building which thankfully had electricity and air conditioning, but also at several times became infested with honeybees. Bees do not make good houseguests, so when they moved in, I temporarily moved out. At one point, I

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-8546166586119619902009-10-17T16:06:00.006-04:002009-10-17T16:10:35.492-04:00An October Snowfall in Pennsylvania

It has been a miserable past week in western Pennsylvania-unseasonably cold with some of the earliest snowfalls on record, catching many people off guard. In most areas that had snow, it did not accumulate, or, if it did, the snow melted rather quickly before it could pile up. However, in some higher elevations (for Pennsylvania that means around 2,000 feet) the snow did accumulate,

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-20178785884844309462009-10-04T13:14:00.010-04:002009-10-04T18:49:50.951-04:00Serenity at Pennsylvania's Table Falls

Table Falls is a little known and very secluded waterfall in Pennsylvania. To get there, begin in Medix Run, PA, and travel the Quehanna Highway southeast (the only direction you can go from there) for a few miles. When you pass the Beaver Run Shallow Water Impoundment on your right, continue another 1-2 miles and turn left on Red Run Road, which is a packed dirt forest road. You will drive down

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-46215691890168508612009-09-27T13:53:00.015-04:002009-09-27T21:29:45.010-04:00Adventures in Pennsylvania Wilds

One of my favorite areas to visit in Pennsylvania is the PA Wilds, which is an immense area of wilderness in the north central part of the state. The Wilds has something for every outdoor enthusiast and is large enough that there is a real opportunity for solitude if that is desired.Some basic facts about this region:29 state parks (27, 600 acres!)8 state forests (1.3 million acres!)Allegheny

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-51225634654678931432009-09-20T10:41:00.013-04:002009-09-20T12:55:28.930-04:00Feedback Please!

I have been taking wildlife and nature photographs for a number of years now, but this past August 2009 is the first I have displayed my work in an online sales gallery; I could use some advice from anyone wishing to give it. My sales are not even close to where we had hoped they would be, and we cannot figure out why. We have a huge visitor/view count for the time period, yet people seem

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-15746927901442855222009-09-14T22:05:00.010-04:002009-09-18T20:19:23.651-04:00Tips for Close Wildlife Viewing and Photography Part 4

So, I've talked about sound, sight, and smell in the first 3 entries of this series; now the last wildlife sense to get past (taste and touch won't be covered), and the toughest in my opinion-what I call their sixth, or even their emotional sense.It's widely known that bees can sense and are drawn to a person in panic because that person's body is producing different chemicals that the bees are

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-45515928834626965152009-09-13T17:04:00.013-04:002009-09-21T20:59:41.801-04:00Tips for Close Wildlife Viewing and Photography Part 3

There have been times when I had not planned to be taking any photos while outdoors, yet tried to sneak up on wildlife while wearing deodorant and clothing smelling of fabric softener-it does not usually work too well, as all animals within a mile of me knew I was there.While the sense of smell is the simplest to camouflage against, it is no less important than the other senses and requires the

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-83444336372478397132009-09-09T19:34:00.010-04:002009-09-17T21:50:37.985-04:00Tips for Close Wildlife viewing and Photography Part 2

The bobcat is in your viewfinder as you smoothly and quietly adjust the manual focus on the lens, when suddenly a mosquito large enough to be a lost flying monkey from the Wizard of Oz bites the sensitive section of your upper ear, causing you to involuntarily flinch...the bobcat sees you and 'Poof!' no more bobcat!Missing a shot like this is easy to do, yet still extremely frustrating! So, how

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-15664904739372397792009-08-30T15:24:00.015-04:002009-08-30T22:33:45.845-04:00Tips for Close Wildlife Viewing and Photography Part 1

Anyone familiar with wildlife photography or hiking, hunting or other outdoor sport knows that it can be difficult to sneak up on wildlife in their habitat. It is quite complicated, with many variables to account for. And while the occasional lucky shot may appear even when people are not looking for it, it helps to have some basic guidelines to follow. Since this topic is so complex, I will be

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-35684077932947578072009-08-29T18:19:00.008-04:002009-08-30T22:34:53.569-04:00Wildlife and Nature Photo Gallery Celebration and Sale!

Thank you all for your votes on your favorite wildlife and nature photograph! As you know, I asked people to vote in order to choose the prints to offer the local public in a sales gallery we have been offered space in. After much thought and consideration, we have chosen the shots in this post as our first entries! We will be adding more prints to the gallery (locally) as space becomes free, so

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-19750158466545893602009-08-25T22:42:00.006-04:002009-08-30T22:36:17.517-04:00Help Me Select Nature Photos for Gallery

Today we received an awesome invitation to share a framed print sales gallery with a local artist! This is a change for us, as we have focused our efforts so far on Internet sales and display in other areas of the country, and we are quite excited about the opportunity!We would appreciate any ideas that States of Minds readers have about the choice of photos/prints to display in the new sales

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-73294420433921589702009-08-24T18:04:00.006-04:002009-08-30T22:37:44.672-04:00Intro to Concentric Rings in Nature Photography

While living in Florida I was lucky enough to beoutside most days and nights, allowing amplephoto subjects, especially since I was in a very remote section of the Everglades where most wildlife had no fear of people. One of my favorite was the local white tail deer population.It is quite hard to sneak up on a deer as they are constantly on alert for predators (ask any hunter!). It took some time

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-37735564207313088192009-08-23T12:22:00.005-04:002009-08-23T12:49:20.940-04:00The Unexpected Nature Photograph

I have learned to expect the unexpected when I am shooting in the wilderness. Much of what I have seen has been due to a mixture of luck and a little skill. I have learned the hard way to be ready for a shot, after missing the action many times; even when I have been ready, there are times when I had the perfect shot, but the conditions were wrong. The picture at left is a prime example of a

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-45673873193445902472009-08-22T19:00:00.023-04:002009-08-22T22:44:13.433-04:005 Tips For Great Nature Photos

Though I feel most of my best work comes from long excursions in the wilds, there are times when long trips are just not feasible. For such times, when I have the urge to shoot, but lack the time, I search closer to home. There are many opportunities for stunning nature shots in your own backyard, or at least close to home. There are several tricks I use to get the goods including:1. Get outside:

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-90477938854574798292009-08-21T17:25:00.005-04:002009-08-22T22:44:35.645-04:00Wildlife Photography Tips

I have a holistic approach to wildlife photography; when I am on the job at a shoot, I become as much a part of the natural environment as possible. The smallest details are very important (such as a rubber-band around keys to silence them or wearing pants with buttons instead of snaps or Velcro), and some may be slightly uncomfortable, such as not wearing deodorant or other scent which would

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-33540406676638829192009-08-20T18:20:00.003-04:002009-09-18T20:20:48.018-04:00A Nature Photographer-Chase

Last night a neighbor a few doors away stopped me to ask if I had heard anything about a black bear caught- very recently- in our area! I replied that I had not and asked a few questions which led me to believe it possible for her claim to be true. Of course, I could not let such an opportunity slip through my fingers!I sprinted down the street to grab my camera gear, throwing the bag over my

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-47837179310825941342009-08-15T20:21:00.002-04:002009-09-18T20:48:09.001-04:00The Bobcats

People had been talking about the mother bobcat and her nearly full grown kittens for the past week; I had yet to catch sight of them. It was late twilight in the everglades, getting darker by the minute on the back service road I was walking on-my eyes were adjusted to the darkness, so I could see well even under the thick canopy of tree limbs.I heard an armadillo rooting through the dirt in the

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-53016222257288252052009-08-08T14:28:00.000-04:002009-08-08T19:41:26.822-04:00Stress relief can be hazardous to your health!

I lived in the Everglades region of Florida for three years while working at a therapeutic at-risk youth camp in the wilderness; it was there that I first became interested in photography, mostly because I wanted to share some of the wildlife and other sights I was able to see with others. Having lived in Pennsylvania most of my life, I was accustomed to wildlife being afraid of people-I was very

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-41790523091269190962009-08-06T20:04:00.000-04:002009-08-08T14:28:46.385-04:00Introduction to adventure

I am an avid outdoorsman with considerable experience in a variety of conditions, climates, and situations; I love being outside and find beauty in everything I see, which I share with others through photography and writing. The wilderness is my sanctuary, and I wish to share my appreciation and some experiences.Each of the photographs and prints I display and offer has a story behind it. I am a

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-80288132960699047852009-07-28T22:25:00.002-04:002009-09-28T23:00:20.941-04:00About Me

I don’t try to be, I just am. That is my favorite mantra when I am on a nature shoot. I find I have much more success and fun when I relax and enjoy my surroundings, becoming a part of them myself, than I do if I were to set a lofty goal such as trying to find a specific animal. I feel most alive when I lose myself (figuratively and purposefully) in nature; I cease to exist, in a way, and

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9105893149010766708.post-53878900709678975382009-06-27T22:17:00.000-04:002009-09-27T22:48:34.359-04:00Contact Me

Have a question, comment, or concern? Please feel free to contact me using the form below. Thanks! Your Name : Your Email : Subject : Message : Image (case-sensitive):

Dan Stateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16406910563621787385noreply@blogger.com0