Podcast 37 – Backcountry Photography with Charlie Williams

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I’m talking today with my good friend and elk hunting brother, Charlie Williams. We cover a lot cool shit but we’re mainly focused around the topic of hunting photography in the backcountry. Charlie takes us through how he first got started with taking pictures, teaching himself the basics, and developing his own unique creative style.

We then dive into gear necessities for hunting photography and how to select the right starter camera for yourself. We also discuss how social media affects how non-hunters view our heritage and what we can do to sustain a positive image in the public spotlight.

To check out some of Charlie’s recent photo blogs, please visit https://sportsmensnation.com/blog/snapshot-the-drag.

Topics Covered In This Episode Include:

Charlies recent trips to Arizona, Utah, and Arkansas where he did some photography work
How to go about telling the full story through photo diversification so it encompasses everything from beginning to end
Late season doe hunting in Michigan and putting some meat in the freezer
Public land elk hunting in Colorado and putting it into perspective on how hard it is to kill an elk with a bow in an OTC unit
Hunting plans for this year and looking down the road towards elk hunting in grizzly country
How Charlie got into photography and the initial inspiration that started it all
Getting “The Shot” and the behind the scenes work that goes into setting up for authentic photography
Finding a certain style and how that changes as you progress as a photographer
Getting out of a rut and how to find inspiration when your’e in a slump of creativity
How to get started with beginner photography and how to select the right gear and equipment from the start to fit your needs
Point and shoot cameras versus a DSLR camera and the pros/cons of both
Editing photos and how much that factors into the final product
Photography gear essentials for backcountry hunting
Watching YouTube videos to really learn the ins and outs of camera settings so that you can have a lot more control for each shot
Portraying hunting in a positive light so that we are maintaining a good image with the non-hunting public
How social media has changed how hunting is perceived and how we can be more aware of our audience who are viewing photos online
Using photography and telling the full spectrum, not just the kill, to help encourage more people to get involved in hunting