6 Books That Forever Changed My Wildlife Conservation Photography

Episode 106: 6 Books That Forever Changed My Conservation Photography

Shownotes: ConservationVisuals.com/106

(Digitally transcribed, please forgive any typos)

Jaymi Heimbuch:
[00:00:00] Jaymi: Hey, there I am recording this episode sitting on the floor of my office with a blanket and a heat pad and wool socks, and a sweater and a hot cup of camo meal tea, like all of the comforts of that time of year. When the weather shifts from the warmth of summer to the cool of fall, it is very much feeling like.

[00:00:25] Jaymi: October drifting into fall for our area. Now I know that if you are in the Southern hemisphere listening to this, you're like, No, not here, but at least where I am in Oregon, in the Northern Hemisphere. Super feeling like fall right now. The days are getting way shorter. It's darker earlier, the sun doesn't come up till later, and it's that time of year that I love curling up on the couch under a blanket and reading a really good book.

[00:00:52] Jaymi: So I'm very excited about today's episode because I've actually been thinking about this episode for a long time. I've had a particular stack of books. On my [00:01:00] desk for many weeks now, , knowing that I wanted to talk about these particular books with you, and it feels like perfect timing. That right now is when I finally get around to recording this particular episode, because it's just that season, that perfect book reading season.

[00:01:17] Jaymi: So I chose six particular books to talk with you about because these books have fundamentally changed the way that I think about and approach conservation photography. Now, not all of them are about photography. In fact, none of them are specifically photography books. Yet. At the same time, they have absolutely shaped the way that I think about the images that I make, and more importantly, the way that I use the images that I make to bring attention, as much attention as possible, as much impact as possible to the issues that those images.

[00:01:54] Jaymi: So they kind of run the gamut from. Making me think a little bit differently about [00:02:00] how I get my images, and then they kind of progress into how I talk about the issues. And then finally, as I present myself as a conservation visual storyteller, so I'm gonna kind of run through them in that.

[00:02:14] Jaymi: Journey in that way, , through that progression. So here are six books that I highly recommend you checking out as you get into your favorite season of reading books. Or if you already have a stack on your nightstand, I definitely recommend that you add these to the stack. They apply to anyone. No matter where you are in your journey into conservation, visual storytelling, you can get so much value out of them. Whether you are a volunteer, someone who does this as a, a passionate hobby, or whether you are really building a business around conservation, visual storytelling.

[00:02:52] Jaymi: Without further ado, here are six books I love and I will also mention that all of them are gonna be [00:03:00] linked in the show notes. So if you wanna find specific titles, author spellings, just direct links to go by, you can hop into the show notes and find links to all of them. So, uh, definitely check out the show notes area.

[00:03:14] Jaymi: Okay, here we go. Book number one is What The Robin Knows by John Young. Now this book cracked open a whole lot of stuff for me. I picked it up I think maybe like 2017 or so when I was really starting my Oregon Coast photo tours company. Before Covid, I launched a local photo tours company, and so it was really important to me that I learn as much naturalist skills and training and understanding as possible because a big part of what I wanted to do was not just to show people really pretty sites and teach them how to take.

[00:03:50] Jaymi: Pretty pictures with their camera, but to really talk with them about what it is that they're seeing and the natural history and the story and the conservation messages behind what it is [00:04:00] that they're looking at and documenting as they're on tour with me. So I thought, I wanna read everything I possibly can, and I picked up this book, I can't remember how I found it in the first place, but Pick picked up this book and it unleashed just a flood of joy and knowledge in naturalist skills.

[00:04:19] Jaymi: So again, it's called What the Robin Knows by John Young, and the subtitle is How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World. Now, this book is all about really thinking critically about what it is you're seeing and hearing in bird behavior and what that bird language is ultimately telling you. So you learn a lot about not only that, birds have this language, that if you're paying enough attention, you can really.

[00:04:45] Jaymi: Like Eves drop essentially and learn what's going on, but also how you can use that to your benefit when you're outside in that you understand what birds are reacting to, so you know who else might be [00:05:00] on the landscape or what else you might be needing to pay attention to. So as a nature photographer, this was fascinating to me because it meant that as you go out into. Wilderness somewhere. If you're paying enough attention to the language that birds are using from songs to calls to alarms, as well as their behavior, where are they perching?

[00:05:22] Jaymi: where are they flushing to? What's going on with their movement? Then you can actually figure out. What other animals are in the area or how they're reacting to you. So how you need to change your behavior or approach to minimize your impact on the landscape so that you can maximize the likelihood that you see wildlife and can photograph it.

[00:05:45] Jaymi: So I really, really loved how this book went through teaching. A new language, a new natural language through the world of birds. Now, when I say that this book kind of unleashed a whole lot of naturalist [00:06:00] knowledge, it's because the author John Young. Also wrote another book, which is the next book that I'm gonna talk about. But really it was at the helm of some pretty amazing naturalist skill training. When I mentioned that I really wanted to get into naturalist, uh, knowledge and understanding.

[00:06:19] Jaymi: One of the other things that I did was signed up for the Master Naturalist Program here in Oregon, and I enjoyed the program, but I was kind of left wanting more. Really functional skills on, well, what are the questions that I ask when I'm out in nature? To be able to understand more what are the practices that I can use to get more in tune with what I'm seeing and to notice things so that I even know that there are questions to ask.

[00:06:50] Jaymi: How do I really start to learn about what it is that I'm seeing? So not only was what the Robin Knows an amazing book for understanding. [00:07:00] Bird language, but then following the author's other offerings and trainings just absolutely shifted the world for me. So I'm gonna go ahead and dive into the second book, by John Young and also co-written with Tiffany Morgan. Now, the funny thing is I actually had this book in my bookshelf for years before reading what the Robin Knows. It wasn't until after reading what The Robin Knows and seeing the mention of animal tracking basics, where I was like, Oh my gosh, I have that in my bookshelf.

[00:07:32] Jaymi: I remember being in a used bookstore in San Francisco and seeing this and thinking, Oh, that's so interesting. I wanna learn about that. And I bought the book, put it in my shelf. You know how that goes. It was years and several moves later that I finally was like, Oh, that book must be amazing. I'm gonna open it up and actually start to read and learn.

[00:07:54] Jaymi: And my goodness, did I ever learn. So animal Tracking Basics by [00:08:00] John Young and Tiffany Morgan changed my conservation photography because I stopped thinking. Oh, I'm just gonna head out into a location and see what's happening and capture what I can, and instead helped me understand and think about more critically, why am I going to a location?

[00:08:19] Jaymi: What is it that I expect to see there? If there's nothing going on, what are the tracks and signs and behaviors or things that I notice that can inform me about when is a better time to come back, or what other activity or species are here that might not be present right now, but that I could maybe set myself up for seeing our documenting later on?

[00:08:44] Jaymi: So this book really gave me the foundation of not only understanding what it means to read, track, and sign. , but also to develop that naturalist practice that I really wanted to learn. What is it that I pay attention to when I'm out and about? How do I [00:09:00] start to notice things that I then wanna ask questions about when I get home in my field guide?

[00:09:04] Jaymi: All these really important things that you need to be paying attention to as a wildlife photographer. and as a conservation photographer because you just notice the landscape and see it differently. You notice species and see them differently, and it ultimately gives you the ability to get ahead of moments and situations and behaviors.

[00:09:29] Jaymi: That you can then document and come away with far more interesting, far more storytelling, far more unique images. So animal Tracking Basics by John Young and Tiffany Morgan walks you through exactly what it says, Animal tracking basics. You learn the basics of track and sign, but also how you're documenting all of that and taking notes and keeping track of things.

[00:09:51] Jaymi: And also developing a sit spot routine, which I have leaned on so often. Ever since. Really [00:10:00] learning this and putting into practice, developing a sit spot routine as a photographer, I think is critical because it's very easy for us to get impatient. If you've ever sat in a photo blind for a while, I think, you know what I mean?

[00:10:14] Jaymi: Or if you've ever sat in one spot for a really long time waiting for something, you know what I mean? It can be really easy to say, Okay, well I've been here for a while. Nothing's happening. I'm just gonna move on and, and move on to the next shot. Or I'm just gonna go focus over here. And then sure enough, action happens.

[00:10:31] Jaymi: But you weren't ready for it because you were so busy thinking, I'm just gonna move on to the next spot. Or I'm gonna go like, focus over here. I'm gonna pay attention to that over there. Building a sit spot routine helps to build a phenomenal patients level, a new level of stillness and awareness during that stillness.

[00:10:52] Jaymi: So I think that really getting into the practices taught in animal tracking basics [00:11:00] helped. Evolve really, I think in not just the photos that I was making, like my style didn't change, but. How long I would sit and wait for something to happen in order to create more compelling photos definitely shifted.

[00:11:17] Jaymi: I know for sure. One great example of how I've used this is I bought a kayak. I named it Mary Oliver, and I love to take Mary Oliver out to a very lovely stream area that's super calm water, lots of animal behavior going on, and I kind of use that time as a sit spot time in a way.

[00:11:39] Jaymi: I'm not trying to rush and paddle to get to certain spots to be able to capture animal behavior. As soon as I see it, I'm kind of watching and contemplating and noticing what's going on with mostly bird species that are out there, but also otters and beavers and elk and other species that are there.

[00:11:58] Jaymi: And I'm just kind of watching and [00:12:00] witnessing and thinking about, Oh, I noticed them doing that. I'm gonna kind of wait till things calm down and then I'm gonna go get into that spot over there. And I've been able to capture. Really cool images of swallows feeding their fledgelings and, uh, shore birds feeding within feet of me because they're so comfortable even falling asleep in front of me within four or five feet because they're so comfortable.

[00:12:24] Jaymi: And all of these moments that are vivid in my mind, all because of the sit spot routine and the animal behavior that I've learned. Mostly from these two books, What The Robin Knows and Animal Tracking Basics. And you know, the other thing that I think is important to think about when you're really developing a solid practice, like sit spot routines, noticing what's going on in the landscape and documenting it, really building a practice of nature, journaling and tracking. What's going on in the landscape on a daily basis.

[00:12:57] Jaymi: It also is incredibly helpful for [00:13:00] ethical wildlife photography, and it's because it leans,

[00:13:08] Jaymi: you know, ethical wildlife photography means that you are doing. Everything you can to minimize your impact and your effect on the wildlife that's in front of you. You're trying not to change any behavior. You're trying not to startle or flush or do anything that might change the natural behavior that an animal would be doing if you weren't there.

[00:13:31] Jaymi: Right? And so I think that building routines like this is critical to being an ethical photographer , and really working around the animals' movements and letting wildlife kind of lead the way for how you are gonna go ahead and document that

[00:13:48] Jaymi: so I love, love, love these two books, What The Robin Knows by John Young and Animal Tracking Basics by John Young and Tiffany Morgan. Now the next book that [00:14:00] really has shaped the way that I approach conservation photography and visual storytelling is a book called Nature Wars, The incredible story of how Wildlife Comebacks turned backyards into battle grounds by Jim Stba. Now this book was actually recommended to me by a researcher that I was working with when I was working on Urban Coyote Initiative. It was actually the very first time that I went out with a researcher doing urban coyote work. Urban Coyote Initiative in its form didn't even exist yet. This was like, I was in a hotel room working on this story when the idea of turning it into a project that would become Urban Coyote Initiative was sparked.

[00:14:43] Jaymi: So this book really was something that that shaped my photography from the moment that I really stepped into the role of Conservation photographer and kind of claimed that title. Right. So as the subtitle states, Nature Wars really looks at these different [00:15:00] scenarios where humans in wildlife have come to need to coexist with one another. And often that's because wildlife makes a comeback, yay, conservation success. But what does a comeback really mean When we have to coexist in suburbia or in urban settings?

[00:15:19] Jaymi: And often there are a lot of contentious issues that pop up. So for example, one of the stories in here is the comeback of beavers, and the trouble that beavers can cause based on their natural inclination to be ecosystem engineers, especially in areas that humans have already tried to engineer to our own means. Now what I love about this book is that the way that the author Jim Stupa presents the stories reminds you that even as a conservationist, when you're likely to side with the animals, reminds you that [00:16:00] you can't ignore the human side of the equation.

[00:16:03] Jaymi: And both sides, you know, the wildlife side and the human side are valid. Every time we get into a conservation issue, there are many sides to it, many truths. All of the truths are valid, and we have to figure out paths forward that benefit all parties involved to the greatest degree as possible. Is really difficult to do that when any one party is totally vilified, right?

[00:16:32] Jaymi: We as conservationists see this as, a lot of times we are dealing with people who have vilified a species and are targeting a species for removal or are, you know, calling it vermin or um, problems or whatever. We're, we're saying, Hey, that species has a right to be here. We need to make room, We need to ensure that the species can exist, but at the same time, we really have to acknowledge where other people are coming [00:17:00] from in order to make any progress on that road.

[00:17:02] Jaymi: Now this book came along at the perfect time because I was looking at a project that deals with one of the most controversial canan species on the planet Coyotes. They There're definitely a species that causes a lot of debate and controversy wherever they pop up.

[00:17:18] Jaymi: And one of the things that I learned in part, thanks to this book and, and other study really, and, and, and another book that I'm gonna talk about in a moment is that if I want to be effective with changing minds and changing hearts and changing behaviors, then really understanding where. An audience is coming from, especially if that audience is on the quote unquote other side of the debate.

[00:17:47] Jaymi: So the stories in this book really helped to create that frame of mind or that mindset for me as I started to go into conservation. Storytelling. Now if you are already documenting a [00:18:00] species that can be controversial in your work, or even if you're not, but you're interested in using your imagery for conservation ends, I definitely recommend reading Nature Wars by Jim Stba because it's gonna help you more deeply understand and also remember that every story out there has multiple points of view, and we as visual storytellers need to acknowledge those multiple points of view and tell the full story.

[00:18:32] Jaymi: Making sure that every party that's involved in that story is seen and heard, and knows that they're seen and heard, so that we can actually. Forward progress in each story that we tell and hopefully make progress for all parties involved. So Nature Wars by Jim Stba. Um, even if you're not working on conservation, visual storytelling, it's a really good read.

[00:18:55] Jaymi: Definitely recommend. Now speaking of communicating with other [00:19:00] folks that might be on, uh, the other side of a fence of something or have a different perspective from you or have a different reference point from you. Another book that I think is essential reading for anyone doing conservation, visual storytelling or conservation work is called Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Life.

[00:19:21] Jaymi: It's by Marshall b Rosenberg, and this book was recommended to me because I was working on a project. With someone I didn't necessarily see eye to eye with and it was having trouble collaborating with and I really wanted to make it work. , I really wanted to do everything that I could to make that collaboration successful. and I reached out to a few people for some guidance on, you know, how to make the collaboration work. And one of those folks recommended nonviolent communication, a Language of life to me. and it was another game changer.

[00:19:59] Jaymi: Now, [00:20:00] the collaboration still completely collapsed. , I didn't make it. I couldn't make that work that was broken beyond repair. But what I learned from this book, I've applied to conservation, visual storytelling, and it's been really, really helpful, especially when I'm working on stories where I find it really hard to, um, accept where someone else is coming.

[00:20:26] Jaymi: And I know that a lot of us run into this, we're just like, We wanna make a difference. We just want them to see that what they're doing is wrong or damaging or destructive or terrible in some way. And it's really frustrating. We're like, why can't you see this?

[00:20:42] Jaymi: You know, we all get into those situations with people that we maybe fundamentally disagree with or it's just a really frustrating experience. But the thing is, If we just dig our heels into the ground and say, Well, I'm right, you're wrong. We're not gonna make any [00:21:00] progress. We have to be able to, again, understand where someone else is coming from.

[00:21:04] Jaymi: And to do that, we really have to stretch our own communication skills so that we, as you know, you as the storyteller, me as the storyteller, we can stay open, we can hear what's being said and also be able to present what we are thinking and feeling and needing in a way that the other party will hear it and accept it and listen to that and stay open and bridge the communication.

[00:21:39] Jaymi: Like in conservation work, probably the most important. Thing that we all have to do in order to make conservation happen is to bridge a communication divide and to make sure that we are getting what we are trying to say across, and that another party knows that what they're trying to say is [00:22:00] being heard.

[00:22:00] Jaymi: So nonviolent communication, this is a, an incredible strategy and a toolkit that you can use. Not only when you're actually out, maybe photographing an issue and running into people and needing to talk with them about, you know, a conservation topic, but also in how you position your stories.

[00:22:21] Jaymi: Depending on the audience that you wanna get your story in front of, you might need to really think critically about how you are listening and how you are communicating things So that you actually make progress. Now, one of the biggest things that I learned from this book that, you know, even though I don't practice this with perfection, like it is always a work in progress, but one of the biggest things that I came away with from this book that I wish for everyone who picks it up and reads it is.

[00:22:51] Jaymi: It gave me the ability to have confidence in where I'm standing on an issue so [00:23:00] that I can go ahead and put aside my opinion and really hear what someone else is saying. And this is a pretty big deal because if you aren't confident in where you stand on something, then you don't feel like you have the, the mental or emotional space to.

[00:23:16] Jaymi: Hear what someone else has to say. You're too afraid that you're gonna lose where you stand on it, that you might shift or forget, or that somehow you have to like ultra protect your opinion and it shuts down communication. And with these tools, I felt like, I have the tools that I need to fully listen and be present and understand and empathize with what someone else is saying to really hear it to fully be there. And that doesn't mean that I'm gonna lose where I stand in my opinion. And. What I think and feel and what I think is really critical, it doesn't [00:24:00] mean that I'm giving that up.

[00:24:02] Jaymi: by putting it aside for a moment to really be fully present for someone else, even if I really disagree with them, I still need to hear what it is that they're saying because if I can't do that, then I can't understand what are their fears, What are their values, what are the. Places that they come from so that I understand what they need to hear from me, to understand what I'm trying to say, and to be able to make my point in a way that they understand and that they hear it.

[00:24:31] Jaymi: It basically just gave me the ability to, even in a situation where I'm feeling that heightened sense of like adrenaline rush with disagreement, I can come back and say, okay, I, It's safe for me to go ahead and just take a deep breath, be really calm and fully listen,

[00:24:48] Jaymi: and that tool is just absolutely priceless. I mean, in daily life, let alone in conservation work. But in conservation work, I think that this book was something that really shaped the way [00:25:00] that I approach understanding storytelling, understanding audiences understanding. Positioning in a way like that sounds very markety, but I mean, honestly, positioning what you have to say in a way that another person can truly hear it because you understand how they need to hear something.

[00:25:22] Jaymi: Um, okay, so that's, that's this book. That's all I'm gonna say for that cuz this is all, I'm rambling a lot. I really love talking about this stuff. So non-violent communication, a Language of Life by Marshall b Rosenberg, This will absolutely shape. Your conservation, visual storytelling, especially if you're working on issues that tend to be hot debates or you have to work with people that you disagree with or, um, you're working on anything controversial, this will absolutely help you.

[00:25:55] Jaymi: Now speaking of working with, Audiences and positioning [00:26:00] stories. I have two more books that I want to talk about with you that I think are really important for conservation visual storytellers to embrace and to utilize, and this next one is built primarily for business. This is a business and a marketing book. I read this because I was shaping a business, but when I read it, I was like, Oh my gosh. This is perfect for conservation storytelling too, for how we think about our approach to telling these visual stories. So the audiences embrace them. So the audiences. Remember them and share them and make them part of their lives.

[00:26:37] Jaymi: So this book is called Building a Story Brand. Clarify your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller. And the subtitle is, Use the Seven Elements of Great Storytelling to Grow Your Business. Honestly, if you pick up this book, all you have to do is replace customers with viewers or grow your [00:27:00] business with, make a bigger impact for conservation.

[00:27:03] Jaymi: Like you just have to swap out words and everything about it absolutely applies. So building your story brand has this really simple formula and basically they're like, Hey, if you as a business use this formula, your marketing is gonna be simple, clear, to the point, and attract customers instead of being like convoluted or confusing or, unrelatable. And this is ultimately very true when you are trying to clarify a conservation story that you're documenting or a conservation issue that you're documenting.

[00:27:35] Jaymi: So the formula is simple. It's this. One, a character two has a problem. Three. And meets a guide. Four. Who gives them a plan? Five and calls them to action?

[00:27:49] Jaymi: Six. That helps them avoid failure. Seven. And ends with success. So basically the the formula is simply like, Hey, there's a character [00:28:00] with an issue. They meet a guide who says, Here's a plan and here's what you need to do with it. That plan then helps the character avoid failure and achieve success. Pretty simple and straightforward, right?

[00:28:13] Jaymi: Isn't that also what we wanna do with Conserv? , there is a character, typically our audience member, who we're trying to reach with a story and they have a problem. They might not even be aware of the problem, but the problem is the conservation issue. Now we as the story tell, Are the guide.

[00:28:31] Jaymi: So it's our job to create sort of a plan and a clear call to action for someone so that they can see some success and avoid failure. The way that we have to do this is, of course, you know, more complicated and can be tough because we're dealing with a conservation issue that can be multifaceted and difficult and uh, and global, but at the same time, Doesn't it ultimately boil down to this?

[00:28:57] Jaymi: You know, we have to show our [00:29:00] audience viewers that there is an issue, this conservation issue, and we need to give them some sort of a plan that shows them how acting on that conservation issue in some positive way will lead them to success and help them avoid failure. You know, showing someone. That there's such a thing called climate change and giving them a plan where they can act on that.

[00:29:25] Jaymi: Maybe call your senator or change your behavior or stop buying X, Y, Z product will help them to success. Have a future with clean water and clean air and avoid failure. Live on a planet that's apocalyptic, right? , like I know that I'm oversimplifying this, but at the same time, every single time that you build a conservation message or a conservation story, if you think about it in this very simple terms and think about it with your audience first.

[00:29:56] Jaymi: Your message is that much more powerful, you're that much more [00:30:00] likely to make an impact. So whether you're doing a story or you're doing a gallery exhibit, or you're doing a campaign or a short film or whatever it may be, I honestly think that considering how to utilize what's taught in building a story brand, even though it's for businesses, if you consider it for conservation, storytelling, it's gonna really help you to get clear on.

[00:30:25] Jaymi: Shaping a story that actually appeals to the audience and doesn't just feel like you're yelling at them, or it doesn't feel too complicated for them to really understand or understand how it applies to them. Cause ultimately, we want people who see our stories to understand why it's important to them, why it matters, why they need to care and take part.

[00:30:46] Jaymi: And this book will absolutely help give you clarity in that. So building a Story brand by Donald Miller. . Now the last book that I wanna talk about is also about how to share your story, [00:31:00] but in a bigger, broader way.

[00:31:02] Jaymi: And if you are a photographer who is interested in, or already does speak about your work, you really wanna pick up this book. This book is. Talk like Ted, The Nine Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo. Now, I hope that I'm pronouncing that last name right. I'm pretty sure it's Gallo, g a l l o.

[00:31:26] Jaymi: So talk like Ted, The Nine Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds is a really amazing read. It's super fast. It's something that you can easily have as like a bedtime book, like you keep it on your nightstand and you read a chapter here or a chapter there and really think about it.

[00:31:42] Jaymi: My copy, I'm holding it in my hand right now, and my copy is just littered with different colored post-it notes and little notes written on them throughout it, and all of these ideas and thoughts that the book is sparked for how we present information to other people.

[00:31:58] Jaymi: So I was really looking [00:32:00] at this as not necessarily how do I become a better public speaker, but how do I shape and share stories better so that they are more impactful so that they make a bigger splash? But at the same time, I definitely learned some really amazing public speaking skills that I can then go practice.

[00:32:19] Jaymi: So if you are someone who speaks if you give presentations or keynotes or talk at camera clubs or maybe give TEDx talks, this book is really, really helpful. Now, it's not only helpful if you are planning on speaking publicly, but I think that you can also take everything that you learn in here.

[00:32:39] Jaymi: And apply it to other mediums, like how you write articles and think about shaping the articles that you write on your website about an issue or how you might create a presentation deck about a project that you're working on, or even how you might apply what's in here to writing grant applications, because storytelling is [00:33:00] essential to winning grants as well.

[00:33:02] Jaymi: So everything inside this book I think, can be used in more ways than simply public speaking alone. But you really wanna pick up a copy if you are doing any public speaking at all. It has so many examples and ideas and and tips and strategies, and it's super approachable and also just a really entertaining read as well.

[00:33:25] Jaymi: So this is talk like Ted, the Nine Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds by Carmine Gallo.

[00:33:31] Jaymi: So those are six books and just six books that have absolutely shaped the way that I think about and approach conservation, photography and conservation. Visual storytelling. They've been pretty essential reads. There's a lot more books on my bookshelf that I love and absolutely recommend as well. But I really wanted to give you sort of like a concise reading list that takes [00:34:00] you from how you think about your photography itself when you're out in the wild world, to how you are shaping your stories and ultimately presenting those stories to audiences so that you as a photographer, as a visual storyteller can make the biggest possible impact with your work. From start all the way to presentation. I hope that this is really helpful for you and again, all the links to the books that I've recommended here can be found in the show notes to this episode.

[00:34:31] Jaymi: So you can go and find the exact titles and author name spellings and links to go find them at libraries or to buy them in the show notes itself. Thank you so much for spending some time nerding out on books with me, and I would love to hear your recommendations for books as well.

[00:34:51] Jaymi: Any books that you have read that have changed how you think about your photography or your approach to stories or how you think about [00:35:00] nature or our place in nature. I love reading books like that and would absolutely appreciate any recommendations that you have. So shoot me an email or send me a DM and let me know what books you think I should be reading, and I would be very happy to pick up a copy because as I said in the beginning of this episode, it is book reading season.

[00:35:22] Jaymi: I'm looking for what other books I can have at the ready for those dark, cold fall winter evenings where I just wanna curl up with hot chocolate and a book on the couch and start reading, so don't be shy. Send me your recommendations. Meanwhile, pick up these books. Give them a read. I'd love to know what you think, and meanwhile, I'll talk to you again next week.