This week we had the pleasure of featuring passionate wildlife photographer, Andrew Seegmiller! Growing up right in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, we are excited to learn more about our local friend and his work. We've asked Andrew a few questions below, so let's get started.
1. What started your passion for photography?
As a kid I always had a point-and-shoot camera with me and as cell phones got cameras, I carried that instead. It wasn’t until years later I was searching for a creative outlet when I bought my first “real camera” and started taking pictures of wildlife I saw on my hikes. Before too long I was completely obsessed with trying to get better and better photos of the animals I was seeing.
2. What is your go-to setup?
Sony A1 with the 400mm f/2.8 has been my go-to for years, often paired with either the 1.4x or 2x teleconverters. The times my 400mm is not attached to the camera, I typically have my 70-200 f/2.8. Really Right Stuff Tripods and heads to help support the big lens.
3. How often do you go out and shoot?
I try to get out as often as I can just for my own sanity, but wildlife tends to really ebb and flow. Certain times of the year I’m out every day shooting something and other times of the year it seems I’m out hiking around with my camera a lot but not really shooting anything. There’s something to be said about every season but winter tends to be my favorite.
4. Can you give us a couple of tips on how you’ve captured your best wildlife photos?
Patience, Patience, and more Patience. I know it sounds very cliche but time and time again having patience is often the key to getting the shot. Next, knowing your gear and how to adjust to a changing environment. Each wildlife encounter is unique, and adapting to the specific conditions and behavior on the fly will help you come home with more shots. Lastly, knowing and understanding animal behavior is critical to not only finding the animals you are trying to photograph but also anticipating when and where they will be to help line up your shots.
5. What is your all-time favorite photo you’ve taken and why?
Narrowing it down to just one seems impossible, but year after year the image “First Light” of a bighorn ram standing on a ridge as light fills the canyon around him stays in my absolute top favorites. It was a morning I had thought was going to be a total bust, the sheep I had been photographing for a few days had moved to a spot I couldn't access so I had started packing up and getting ready for the hike back to the truck. As I was turning to leave, I took one last look at the sheep and saw one lone ram starting to make his way up towards the ridge line, he crested the ridge, pausing for only a few seconds to look around before dropping down the other side and out of view. It is a morning that has really stuck with me and I’m happy to have gotten an image from it.
Big thank you to Andrew for spending the time to let us get to know him better. Andrew is a customer we tend to see quite often in the store and we jumped at the chance to share his work. You can see more of Andrew's work on his website or his Instagram.
Get to Know Andrew:
From an early age Andrew has been enamored with the outdoors and wildlife. Growing up in an artistic home fueled Andrew’s love and appreciation for nature. Childhood adventures like camping, hiking, fly fishing and observing wildlife led Andrew to become a passionate wildlife photographer and professional fly-fishing guide.
With Andrews's artistic upbringing, Andrew developed a keen eye for detail that shines through in his photography. Through his art and guiding experience, Andrew hopes to inspire an appreciation for nature and advocate for the beauty and importance of protecting the wild.