Interview with William Burt
To make this website even better and to answer some questions I had, I interviewed the professional photographer William Burt. He lives in Old Lyme Connecticut and has taken pictures of my community. He has also judged the EH Land Trust photo contest, which is in my community as well.
*Answers edited for clarity
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William Burt is shown above
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1.) Why would you choose wildlife photography as a career?
Usually it's because you enjoy it, and you are fascinated by the subject. For me, I enjoy the wetlands, birds, and the places around wetlands. I like to see them, and write stories about them.
2.) How long have you been in a career with wildlife photography?
I started as an early teen, but I've been real serious with it for around 40 years.
3.) Do you have a favorite animal or plant to take photos of?
Yes actually, it's a bird called a rail. They are very mysterious and hard to find. Even harder to take photos of.
Usually it's because you enjoy it, and you are fascinated by the subject. For me, I enjoy the wetlands, birds, and the places around wetlands. I like to see them, and write stories about them.
2.) How long have you been in a career with wildlife photography?
I started as an early teen, but I've been real serious with it for around 40 years.
3.) Do you have a favorite animal or plant to take photos of?
Yes actually, it's a bird called a rail. They are very mysterious and hard to find. Even harder to take photos of.
4.) How can you start a career in wildlife photography?
Basically, just by doing it. You go out and explore what you like and see what you don't like. Practice makes perfect and soon enough you'll make a career out of it.
5.) Is there certain places you can see more wildlife?
Mostly wetlands because water animals and land animals mingle, so you have twice as much animals to choose from.
6.) What is your favorite place to take pictures?
In North Dakota there is some northern plains that have some wetlands, and at the mouth of the Connecticut River there is quite a few birds.
7.) How do you stay hidden so animals come out?
Every subject requires a different approach. Sometimes you use camouflage, you can build a blind so they don't see you, you can sneak up on the subject, you can find their nest, etc.
8.) Do different subject have different times of day they come out?
Definitely. Some birds come out only at night, some come only at day, some are at noon, others at evening, everything has its own time.
9.) Do you call the birds with bird calls or try to attract them in any way?
Very rarely. I will sometimes use a recording of a bird call to get a response for special or rarer birds.
10.) Have you encountered any rare birds?
Yes, especially rails. They are very hard to find.
11.) How long on average does it take to get a good photo?
Sometimes it can take little or no time at all, and other times it can take years. I've had to go back to the same spot for years to get the shot I was looking for. On average it probably takes about an hour to get a good picture.
12.) What was the longest you've ever taken to get a good shot?
Like I said previously, it took me a couple years to find the bird I was looking for-a rail.
13.) Do you use a special camera and/or lens?
Yes, you usually use at least one telephoto lens if you are taking pictures of birds, and I use a serious Canon camera, but you can find some good brands really cheap these days.
Basically, just by doing it. You go out and explore what you like and see what you don't like. Practice makes perfect and soon enough you'll make a career out of it.
5.) Is there certain places you can see more wildlife?
Mostly wetlands because water animals and land animals mingle, so you have twice as much animals to choose from.
6.) What is your favorite place to take pictures?
In North Dakota there is some northern plains that have some wetlands, and at the mouth of the Connecticut River there is quite a few birds.
7.) How do you stay hidden so animals come out?
Every subject requires a different approach. Sometimes you use camouflage, you can build a blind so they don't see you, you can sneak up on the subject, you can find their nest, etc.
8.) Do different subject have different times of day they come out?
Definitely. Some birds come out only at night, some come only at day, some are at noon, others at evening, everything has its own time.
9.) Do you call the birds with bird calls or try to attract them in any way?
Very rarely. I will sometimes use a recording of a bird call to get a response for special or rarer birds.
10.) Have you encountered any rare birds?
Yes, especially rails. They are very hard to find.
11.) How long on average does it take to get a good photo?
Sometimes it can take little or no time at all, and other times it can take years. I've had to go back to the same spot for years to get the shot I was looking for. On average it probably takes about an hour to get a good picture.
12.) What was the longest you've ever taken to get a good shot?
Like I said previously, it took me a couple years to find the bird I was looking for-a rail.
13.) Do you use a special camera and/or lens?
Yes, you usually use at least one telephoto lens if you are taking pictures of birds, and I use a serious Canon camera, but you can find some good brands really cheap these days.
14.) Do certain lights of the day work better than others?
Yes, very early in the day and later in the day have the best light quality because it creates a warmer color to the image. The worst time is noon because it will create hard shadows. Also, you don't want to use straight up flash. It will create the same effects of noon sun. If you can soften your flash, your photos can look amazing.
15.) Do you use any programs or apps to get your photos to look better?
I will occasionally use Photoshop to adjust the colors, densities, and other things on my photos.
16.) Do you have a favorite photo?
Oh that's a hard one. I'll have to say its one of my rail photos.
17.) How do you think wildlife photography is important?
You can get people to see how beautiful the world is through a single picture, which will hopefully encourage them not to trash it, pollute it, or destroy it
(Bonus Question) So you've been interested in rails for a while?
Yes, I actually discovered one by accident! I was trying to take pictures and one just scurried between my legs and jumped into the pond. I later found out from Roger Tors Peterson, who wrote a lot of bird guides, that it was a rail.
Yes, very early in the day and later in the day have the best light quality because it creates a warmer color to the image. The worst time is noon because it will create hard shadows. Also, you don't want to use straight up flash. It will create the same effects of noon sun. If you can soften your flash, your photos can look amazing.
15.) Do you use any programs or apps to get your photos to look better?
I will occasionally use Photoshop to adjust the colors, densities, and other things on my photos.
16.) Do you have a favorite photo?
Oh that's a hard one. I'll have to say its one of my rail photos.
17.) How do you think wildlife photography is important?
You can get people to see how beautiful the world is through a single picture, which will hopefully encourage them not to trash it, pollute it, or destroy it
(Bonus Question) So you've been interested in rails for a while?
Yes, I actually discovered one by accident! I was trying to take pictures and one just scurried between my legs and jumped into the pond. I later found out from Roger Tors Peterson, who wrote a lot of bird guides, that it was a rail.