Virtual Tour: July 2025: Wild Side by Ian Anderson Oliver – Arts Visalia Visual Art Center
I have always been a lover of nature. I believe there is so much beauty that naturally exists in nature that it makes my job as a photographer easy. I try to avoid the temptation to gratuitously over-edit my photography or to disingenuously manipulate the scene that presents itself to me. My job is simply to enjoy every moment spent with these amazing creatures, to curate the most exciting, and frame them in a way that captures the imagination.
I’ve worked many years as a photographer and art director in the advertising industry and then in the field of education. Photographing children in the learning environment takes a great deal of patience. Unlike an advertising shoot, you don’t always have the ability to step in and request a specific pose or to adjust the lighting as you desire. Instead, I must rely on intuition and position myself in the appropriate place and the appropriate moment. I want to capture that look of accomplishment on a learners face when they have an “ah-ha” moment, or that feeling of security they get from making eye contact with a trusted teacher. When the moment aligns with the proper composition and lighting, I simply need to know when to press the shutter.
I approach wildlife photography the same way. I am not the creator of the scene, merely the storyteller. The only thing less predictable than a classroom full of Kindergartners is a wild animal. Sometimes an opportunity will appear and I will have to scramble to assemble the correct lens combination before it flies away forever (I’m still upset about missing a keel-billed toucan that landed in front of my face in Tortuguero National Park) other times I will lie in silence for hours, waiting an animal to behave in a unique way or to step into the right light.
What I look for is more than just a rare animal. It is an expression, a moment, a memory. I want each photo to capture the time I was blessed to share with the creature on the other side of the lens. My ultimate hope is to share that connection with my audience.