Obviously, spring is an exciting time for nature photography. Our choices of subjects are everywhere, budding trees to blooming flowers, bird migrations and increased animal activity. The woods awaken from a winter sleep. If your time is limited to get out to photograph, it can perhaps become a bit overwhelming in trying to decide what, where, and when.
I have been spending a little bit of time with this particular Barred Owl because its home is fairly close to my own. I have been returning when I can because photographing a wild owl is not only a unique opportunity, but also highly unpredictable on where it may be roosting at any particular time. Sometimes it takes close to an hour of looking just to locate it.
Similarly, I have also invested time in the past under a blind at known fox dens that ended up very unproductive and a huge consumption of time. If I had spent the time elsewhere, perhaps I would have not come home empty handed. Putting in this time sometimes pays off, and other times it does not.
So during such a dynamic season such as spring, you are faced with some decisions on how much time to spend on any particular subject. For some, perhaps the number of shots you have already of any particular subject dictates the time. I think it is also important to consider that the more time you spend with any particular subject, the more you get to know it, its particular quirks, details, lighting or behaviors. But it can come at a cost of chosing time on a single known subject versus seeking out new ones. Like everything in photography, choosing your battles and subject matter are full of compromises.
Choosing ‘fruitful’ locations certainly help – where there is an abundant amount of subject matter. Spots like this are always a great find because you can shoot a great variety of subjects with a short investment of time. But quite often I find flower ‘x’ is no where near bird ‘y.’ So it helps to have a bit of a plan, and be considering in your mind possible backups. Keep an eye on the weather, because that may influence your decision to go one place vs. another and the kind of light that may be available to you.
I am interested in hearing others thoughts on this, and how they go about the process of selecting how they spend their time in the field.
– which have a bit smoother texture and consistency than Clif Bars and are also quite good. I am in the process of ’sampling’ more of their flavors. 
