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Q: Did you take all these photographs yourself?
Q: Where did you take most of these photos?
Q: How do you get so close to your subjects?
Q: Do you shoot with a digital camera or use regular film?
Q: What film do you use?
Q:What camera do you use?
Q:What is it like to get to spend all of your time in the wilderness shooting wildlife and pristine scenics?
Q:How did you get started in photography?
Q:Where can I learn about digital photography?
Q:Can I use one of your photos for free in my project or home page?
Q:How do you get the water "to look like a painting" in some of your waterfall scenics?
Q:Do you lease the rights to use your images

Q:What camera should I use?
Q:What are shutter speeds and F stops?
Q:What other photographic equipment do I need?
Q:What should I photograph?
Q:Can you point me to any web sites that can help me understand photography better?
Q:Should I buy my equipment at my local camera shop or from the NY City shops via mail order?
Q:How can I get my photos onto my computer?
Q:Are there any organizations that can help me with my nature photography?
Q:I need information about a nature or photography subject for a report, can you help?
Q:Can you point me toward any worthwhile environmental causes or organizations?
Q:I have a web site, will you exchange links with me?
Q:I want to become a professional Nature photographer, any advice?
 

Q: Did you take all these photographs yourself?

A: Yes, they are all mine.
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Q: Where did you take most of these photos?

A: National parks are a good place to photograph because the animals are less wary than in other places. Shooting things close to home is always a good idea too because it is usually something you can spend more time with. I don't like to get too specific as to the locations of some of my photographs. Some of the wildlife live in environmentally sensitive areas that are already overcrowded with visits from we humans and don't need me blabbing about them.
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Q: How do you get so close to your subjects?

A: By using a very long telephoto lens I am able to get close shots without getting too close. From a greater distances animals are more likely to act in their normal manner and the photographs will show that. Working from a blind and letting the animal come to you also works well, but you must be aware the animal's habits to be in the right place at the right time . Trying to approach a wild subject is not recommend because it stresses the animal which may be dangerous to you or detrimental to the wildlife you are trying to photograph.
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Q: Do you shoot with a digital camera or use regular film?

A: Much of the images on the Wildlife and Nature section of my web site were shot with good old fashioned 4x5 and 35mm film.
Anything I shoot today is with Nikon professional D series cameras..
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Q: What film do you use?

A: In the past I have used alot of Velvia and Provia from fuji. Kodak 's Elite  200 slide film  is a good higher speed film when you need a faster shutter speed and/or more depth of field. I started out shooting Tri-x 400asa black and white film which was great because it is very easy to develop at home.
Now with the digital advances I shoot many different ISOs on one memory card, it is wonderful.
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Q:What camera do you use?

A: Before digital came along the Nikon F4 was my favorite camera. I have been shooting with the Nikon D2H and D70 cameras since 2001. . I have sold all my old film cameras and have gone 100% digital.
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Q:What is it like to get to spend all of your time in the wilderness shooting wildlife and pristine scenics?

A:This the great myth of Being a nature photographer, I spend much more time marketing my photography than taking photographs. How's that for irony? It kills me to be behind the computer on a beatufull day, but that makes me appreciate the time that
I do get "back to nature" all the more. These days I photograph more people than wildlife or nature, but I do manage to get away once in a while.
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Q:How did you get started in photography?

A: I started photographing for a newspaper after photo school and I got to shoot a lot of film there.
I shoot weddings, portraits and the usual freelance stuff.
Ed Sharp Bio

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Q:Where can I learn about digital photography?

A:Here is a good place to start
Digital Preview message board

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Q:Can I use one of your photos for free in my project or home page?

A: Sorry, but that is not permitted. I would love to be able to share my images with you to use for free but this how I make my living. Would you go to the bakery and ask them to let you have a loaf of bread for free? If they gave away their bread they would be out of business fast.
Photography is my bread and my butter!
For a qoute on rates for usage of my images E-Mail me

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Q:How do you get the water "to look like a painting" in some of your waterfall scenics?

A:A slow shutter speed setting
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Q:Do you lease the rights to use your images
(Stock Photography)?

A:Yes, for a price quote go to myStock Photography usage form. Enter your contact information and the details of your intended use and I will send you a price quote.
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Questions about your photography
Q:What camera should I use?

A: My advice is to buy simple camera that will allow you the option of switching from automatic to a manual mode to control the basic camera functions (Shutter speed, Aperture and Focus) . You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a camera that will let you take good pictures.
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Q:What are shutter speeds and F stops?

A:Shutter speed and F Stop settings work together to create the exposure(image on film),by allowing the light from the subject you are shooting, to expose the film in your camera. The Image enters your your camera's lens in the form of reflected light. Your selected F-Stop(lens opening size) also known as aperture setting, will determine the intensity of light that will be allowed to pass through the lens on the way to the film. The light then must pass the camera's shutter in order to strike film (make the exposure). Your camera's shutter stays closed until you click the shutter release button on your camera (take the picture). The shutter opens and closes for the amount of time you have selected with your shutter speed setting, allowing the lmage comming through the lens' aperture to strike the film for that selected amount of time.

  • A fast shutter speed will stop fast action without the image being blurred by the motion- Sports,leaping Salmon,etc
  • A slow shutter speed an be used in many"artsy" ways to emphasize motion- waterfalls that look silky,fast moving objets that are blurred by their motion, panning,etc
  • A narrow aperture allows more of the scene to be in sharp focus -Scenics,macro Photography,etc
  • A wide aperture can be used to make distracting backgrounds become less sharp while allowing the subject to stay in sharp focus- Portraits,head shots of animals,etc 
  • The faster the shutter speed, the wider the aperture must be
  • The slower the shutter speed, the more narrow the aperture must be
  • The more narrow the aperture, the slower the shutter speed must be
  • The wider the aperture, the faster the shutter speed must be

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    Q:What other photographic equipment do I need?

    A: A Tripod is one of the things that can help you go from taking snapshots to making images you are proud of. The main purpose of a tripod is to hold the camera steady during the exposure for a sharper image. A good camerabag/backpack,assorted lenses,cable release,greycard/exposure guide are some assesories that can make photographing alot easier. The equipment that can be purchased is endless, but make sure you put alot of thought into your equipment purchasing decisions or you could end up spending alot of money on something you never use. It is best to define your photographic needs first then plan on purchasing the equipment that can help you achieve those goals.
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    Q:What should I photograph?

    A:The old saying that writters often use "Write what you know" goes for photographers too, "Photograph what you know". Subjects that you are interested in or can connect with generaly will let you express yourself through photography best. Your images don't just say something about what you are photographing, they also can reveal how feel about that subject.
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    Q:Can you point me to any web sites that can help me understand photography better?
    A: Check out my Links page

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    Q:Should I buy my equipment at my local camera shop or from the NY City shops via mail order?

    A:Your local camera shop can be a great help when just starting out in photography. When ordering from a mail order camera shop or online,you probably won't get the detailed advice that you would with a real person. One must also be very carefull when ordering with a mail order camera shop not to be ripped off. Things are not as bad as they used to be, but there are still risks involved with buying equipment you don't see untill days after you pay for it. Some shops sell grey market equipment and film that comes without a USA warranty. This may be OK as long as you make sure you know what you are buying.
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    Q:How can I get my photos onto my computer?

    A: If you shoot digital just upload to your computer with using a card reader or the cable that came with your camera.
    If you shoot film, your slide,negetive or print must be first scanned onto a disk of some kind and then you can put that disk into your computer to view and edit your image. Once loaded into the computer the image may be adjusted with a program like Photoshop and transformed into different file forms like .jpg or .gif for the web.
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    Q:Are there any organizations that can help me with my nature photography?

    A: Yes, Check ot my links page under "Photographic Organizations"

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    Q:I need information about a nature or photography subject for a report, can you help?

    A: Yes, Check ot my links page for a variety of topics to choose from
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    Q:Can you point me toward any worthwhile environmental causes or organizations?

    A: Yes, Check out my links page under "Conservation" 

    Q:I have a web site, will you exchange links with me?

    A:I used to have a page for exchanging links, but right now I am not accepting any new web sites.
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    Q:I want to become a professional Nature photographer, any advice?
    A: I am a big believer in following ones dreams and a life dedicated to the thing you are passionate about, for many of us wildlife and nature Photography is that thing. It is also important ,on the other hand, to realize that to survive in today's world a person must be able to make money to put food on the table . This has been the artist's dilemma for centuries , hence the term "Starving Artist".  Do NOT give up on Nature Photography if it is something that you really enjoy. For all we know you may be the next LL Rue or Art Wolfe ,but it would be wise to be realistic for now and have another career to fall back on. The most important thing I would recommend is to is make sure you have some other source of income to support your Wildlife Photography, especially if you are first starting. The sad reality is that very few people make a full time living as a wildlife or nature Photographer, most  must supplement their incomes conducting workshops, giving lectures, doing freelance photography work or bykeeping a "Day Job". An education in the Environmental Sciences could put you on a career path that would allow you to be close to nature and at the same time teach you many things about the natural world that would help you greatly with your wildlife photography. There are many talented part time photographers working as a Wildlife Biologists, forest Rangers and other related fields. These people have access to resources that sometimes can help them get shots no one else can get.
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    Some good ways to get started in
    the business of wildlife photography

  • Join The North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). This is a great organization for the novice s well as professionals. Helps with everything from learning new techniques to business of nature photography. May well known pros and  magazine editors are among the membership. They also offer a program called the "Infinity Foundation" that works with students to improve their photography.
  • Doing craft fairs, exhibiting at banks, restaurants or anywhere else that you can find to get them seen.
  • Check your local newspaper or yellow pages for art councils or art leagues that you could join. They can offer advice and let you network with artists in other mediums to see how they market themselves.
  • Join a Photography Club
  • A web site can be very time consuming and lot of work, but is another great way to get exposure for your work and on an international level!. If you are not selling photographs from your site there are  services that will allow you to have a free web site, they include Compuserve, AOL, Geocities just to name a few
  • Buy a copy of "Photographer's Market" at your local bookstore, check out what magazines are looking for the type of stuff you have and send a letter asking for their "want list". Do NOT send photos or slides to a magazine without first checking to see if they accept unsolicited photos. Some will not return your photos or slides if you sent them unsolicited!!!


    • Read John Shaw's series of books on Nature Photography.
    The most important one of those being "The business of Nature Photography"
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