Self-taught N.S. photographer gets creative to capture stunning images

NS photographer takes wild photos Photographer Simon d’Entremont goes to amazing lengths to capture wildlife in its natural splendor.

HALIFAX — Simon d'Entremont calls himself an amateur photographer, but for those who have seen his work, his pictures say otherwise.

Simon spends his free time capturing stunning images of wildlife, nature, and nightscape scenes in Nova Scotia.

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)

It's a hobby he's been enjoying for about six years.

"I started with astrophotography, which is actually quite technically challenging," explained Simon. "I really enjoy nighttime photography– shooting the Milky Way and shooting astrophotography."

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)

Simon says his love of wildlife photography began when he decided to spend more time outdoors, enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise. He brought his camera along and the magic happened from there.

"In Nova Scotia, seabirds, shorebirds, ducks and so on, caught a lot of my interest. More recently, I've been very interested in birds of prey like hawks, or owls, or eagles," said Simon.

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)

During a single outing, Simon says he often takes over 1,000 pictures.

"My saying is, you shoot and you get home and check your photos when you get home," said Simon. "And sometimes you've caught a really neat surprise, that you've caught a piece of action."

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)

Although there are many tips and tricks to be shared, Simon says his main piece of advice for other up-and-coming photographers would be prepared to get dirty.

"That is a testament to the fact that often you need to get in uncomfortable poses and positions to get a nice eye level view of the bird, which helps get a good photo, makes the bird stand out, makes the background out of focus," said Simon.

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)

Simon says the best time to go out is either early in the morning or late in the day. That's when he finds the birds are the most active and the lighting is best.

Along with YouTube tutorials, Simon says there are many ways to step into the world of photography.

"A good way to get into photography is to find a friend that you admire their work and see if you can hang out," said Simon. "Also, there are photo clubs in the region who will organize photo trips."

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)

He says having his work recognized is always a humbling feeling.

"I think a lot of other bird photographers really enjoy the opportunity to see my work, but also learn from seeing the types of things that I do, the types of tricks that I use and to be able to put that into their own work," said Simon.

(Photo courtesy: Simon d'Entremont)