Acclaimed entomologist Tom Myers visited Shawnee State on Friday, September 26th. Myers, who doubles as a wildlife photographer, gave a nearly 90-minute presentation, focusing on his past adventures, photographs that he has taken, and tips for taking photographs of wildlife. His work has been featured in National Geographic.
Myers’ adventures have opened him up to new worlds. His work has taken him to the most barren tundras on Earth, and have exposed him to cultures where his camera is seen as a magical object.
“They banned me from the cemeteries because they thought the camera could see into the graves,” Myers explained to the patrons. The particular instance he was explaining occurred during his month-long stay in Papua New Guinea.
Although Myers’ main focus is insects, he also photographs polar bears and penguins. Dr. Sarah Minter explained that some of the areas he has visited can only be reached by dog sleds or canoes. Not only did he give a description of the wildlife living in the tundras, he documented the difficulties he and his companions faced on these trips; finding food and shelter, maintaining warmth and facing other obstacles presented by nature.
“Polar bear does not taste like chicken,” Myers joked. One photo Myers showed off featured an entire colony of penguins, which can number up to 400,000. Another showed a penguin cuddling up on his leg. He emphasized working with both your own comfort zone and the animal’s comfort zone.
Roughly a third of the presentation was focused on similar photography tips.
“Photography is light,” Myers said. He focused on ways light can be manipulated to take photographs; through modification, reflection, and diffusion. He explained that low angles and eye level photos help the quality of the photo, and leading lines help draw attention to the subject.
“You can use fast flash or fast shutter to stop action.” Myers demonstrated this through a picture of two albatrosses, one stopped in the air mid-flight.
After the presentation, Myers held a brief question and answer session.
The presentation concluded with three tips: be curious, keep exploring, and keep learning.
The Chronicle 