What brand of equipment do you use?
With the exception of flash cards and a couple batteries all my equipment is Canon and all the accessories Lenses, Flash units, extension tubes, nothing is after after market. I use Sandisk Extreme III compact flash cards for me these are the best.

Do you like shooting digital or would you rather shoot film?
I shot film for many years in 2003 I bought my first digital camera and while  learned the many ways to process and store the digital images I also shot film. I still have my film cameras but I have not used them in several years.

How do you process and store the images?
There are different formats which most cameras can shoot the first is .jpeg. This format requires no processing and most often the camera can be attached to a computer to download the images to the hard drive and printed or the memory card or camera can be attached to a printer. I shoot .raw this image file is much larger and requires special software for viewing and processing. The difference between the two jpeg is like the image you would get from an instant camera and raw in like a negative. I use Photoshop for all my editing and multiple hard drives to store and backup the image data.

Where do you go to get the photos?
I go many places State Parks, National Parks. Wildlife Refuges, and some privately owned property. Most areas do not charge admission never enter private property with out permission from the land owner and always pack out what you pack in.

You can learn many things about an animal just by observation but first you have to know where to find it. Any time I go into the field I know what I’m going to shoot and plan for the subject, if it’s an object of history I know the history, if it’s a bird or mammal I know it’s habits and the habitat it prefers. A good field guide will provide the basics on habitat and some show a range map and almost all have a subject photo or artist drawing. Read and study these field guides at home when you go into the field it’s impossible to take photos and try to id an animal at the same time. 
 

Code of Conduct

1. Pack out what you pack in.

2. Avoid disturbing any wildlife many birds migrate and for some the distance can be several thousand miles they may be in the area to replenish fat reserves needed to complete the migration.

3. Do not approach a birds nest in the spring some birds may flee but some will try to defend the nest and in doing so may damage the eggs or new born chicks.

4. All animals have a comfort zone if you invade this zone the animal will flee but if the subject accepts you’re presence it will usually get closer to you than you can to it, so get into the field before sunrise and only make slow and deliberate moves.

5. Keep habitat disturbance to a minimum.

6. Do not enter private property without owners permission.

7. Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. Do not  approach another photographer without his/her permission it may take hours to gain the trust of some animals and you’re unsolicited approach may ruin an opportunity and possibly cause the animal to flee.