ToJohanna Turner, camera trap photography can be frustrating, but when it works, it really works wonders.
After browsing through pictures with her group, she was struck by a realization.
I bought my first trail camera that night.
To the photographer, camera trapping involves three very different skill sets.
Basic photography principles are needed, of course, but also a willingness to experiment with controls.
This is especially important in long exposure shots like cityscapes.
The third element is artistry.
I had been working on this shot for over a year, she recalls.
The camera site is so remote that it took Turner a whole day of hiking to get there.
The artist also finds beauty in what she calls lucky accidents.
One of her favorite images also stars a mountain lion that showed an unusual behavior.
It would have been terribly overexposed had there not been a storm coming in that created dark clouds.
It’s a connection to another, primal world.
Camera trapping showed me that is absolutely not true!
Animals adaptthey have no choice but to try.
Sometimes, people feel sadness when they see my photos of animals with a vast city around them.
Some find it beautiful.
And many feel a mix of emotions.
It isn’t a simple situation, so all of those reactions are valid.
Johanna Turner shoots striking wildlife images around LA with the help of a camera trap.
Her images depict the local fauna against the gleaming backdrop of the cityscape.
One of her favorite images also stars a mountain lion that was unusually active during the day.
Camera trapping showed me that is absolutely not true!
