Outdoor Photographer Puma Article

Join Jeff Parker for his Pumas & Peaks of Patagonia Photo Tour
I am stoked to share the great news! The April 2018 issue of Outdoor Photographer features my image of a puma from Patagonia on the cover. It also includes the article I wrote about the Pumas of Patagonia, along with a host of additional images.…
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7 Tips for Night Sky Photography

If the stars appear brighter to you in winter you’re not losing your mind! One reason is that during this time of year those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are looking through the Orion Arm of our Milky Way galaxy.…
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7 Tips to Nurture the Art of Seeing

7 Tips for the Art of Seeing, by Jeff Parker, a Blog for the Naturally Curious™
I offer my “7 Tips to Nurture the Art of Seeing” in the spirit Pablo Picasso’s words: “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” I think part of what helps us wash away that “dust” is finding ways to approach the world differently than we usually do.…
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Big Bend for the Nature Photographer

Big Bend Photo Tour with Jeff Parker
As both a nature lover & nature photographer, Big Bend National Park is one of my all-time favorite places. I lead a tour there just about every year because I really enjoy showing other photographers — and nature lovers — some of my favorite spots.…
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No Border Wall at Santa Ana NWR!

No border wall at Santa Ana NWR!
I am strongly against the construction of the do-nothing border wall, particularly in the few remaining natural areas of the Lower Rio Grande Valley such as Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.  Mary O put on her journalist hat and interviewed me about the subject.…
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Time for South Texas Photography!

Green Jay in South Texas
Now that summer’s pretty much here it’s time for South Texas photography! The hotter it is the more active the wildlife grow and the better shots you’ll get. The desolate landscape of the South Texas Brush Country doesn’t look like much, but the biodiversity makes it one of North America’s best places for wildlife photography.…
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The Bluebonnets of Texas

Historian Jack Maguire once wrote about the bluebonnets of Texas that “the bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland.” But did you know that Texas actually has SIX DIFFERENT SPECIES of native bluebonnets?…
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7 Tips for Snow Photography

Jeff Parker's tips for photographing animals in the snow
February often brings winter’s biggest storms so I figured now made a good time to post these “7 Tips for Snow Photography.” I kept them simple, but feel free to shoot me an email if you want more details. 1) Watch the contrast.…
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Winter Nature Activities in Texas

Finding winter nature activities in Texas may seem tough even though our Lone Star winters aren’t always cold. (In fact, as I write this at the tail-end of December the temperature is a balmy 80 degrees!). But the Lone Star actually offers plenty to do in nature this time of year.…
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Push Yourself Beyond Your Comfort Zone

I was a “car guy” long before I took up photography, and so when I had the opportunity to do some photography recently at Circuit of the Americas during both the Lone Star LeMans and Formula 1 events I was really excited.…
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Autumn Macro Photography Tips

Macro Photography Tips from Jeff Parker
As we head into November, I thought I’d post a blog featuring some autumn macro photography tips. Enjoy! 1) Abstract in Autumn. Macro’s great for creating abstract art, and autumn leaves make one of the best subjects for making that happen – not simply because of the character of their veins and edges (as you’d expect), but for the interesting manner in which their colors appear.…
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Artist in Residence ~ Togiak NWR

Nature Photography 101 Workshop
I was an Artist in Residence at Togiak National Wildlife Refuge as part of the Voices of the Wilderness Program. Here are some thoughts from my time in southwestern Alaska: WILDERNESS? My first afternoon I’m with just one person: Allen Miller, a Supervisory Park Ranger.…
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Bat Viewing in Texas

Bat viewing in Texas heats up in the summer, especially in August. Bats live on every continent except Antarctica. Of the 1,000 or so unique species worldwide, 70% eat insects. In Texas, we have 32 species of bats statewide. (Learn about 10 of them here.)…
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It’s about the Experience…

I know you’ve seen the shots. The mountain lion leaping from one red rock to another. The close-up of the beautiful, fluffy wolf. The stunning snow leopard slinking through the snow. I can virtually guarantee these are shots of game farm animals.…
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National Wildlife Refuges ~ America’s Better Idea

Bosque del Apache Photo Tour
The National Parks have famously been called “America’s best idea.” I have visited many of our National Parks and they ARE awesome. However, I tend to think that our National Wildlife Refuges are “America’s Better Idea.” Our National Parks were created for their scenic beauty or historical significance.…
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7 Tips for Backyard Bird Photography

Photography Play Day
These 7 tips for backyard bird photography will help you make better images of the winged critters that frequent your yard. When doing backyard bird photography there are many things to take into consideration. One, of course, is having the right photography equipment.…
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Beauty of Bosque del Apache NWR

My wife, Mary O. Parker, and I have been thinking of the beauty of Bosque del Apache NWF. This is about the time of year when Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge begins to come fully to life. That got my wife Mary to reminiscing about the tours and visits we enjoy there.…
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Fall Foliage in McKittrick Canyon

The fall foliage in McKittrick Canyon makes a great subject for nature photography. Now that it’s actually cooler than 90 degrees here in central Texas, I can finally wrap my mind around photographing Texas in autumn. Below, you’ll find some info about one of my favorite autumn destinations.…
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Year of the Cat

Pumas & Peaks of Patagonia photo tour with Jeff Parker/Explore in Focus™
It seems that instead of “birders,” Mary and I have become “catters.” In the last 12 months, we have seen five species of big cats in the wild and I got a glimpse of a smaller one—Geoffroy’s cat—during the Patagonia trip in April.…
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What to Consider When Buying a Tripod

What to Considner When Buying a Tripod, Explore in Focus™ with Jeff Parker
What should you consider when buying a tripod? I get asked this a lot when folks want to learn more about which equipment would best suit their nature photography needs. So, for those of you who don’t subscribe to my e-newsletter, here are tips that I sent out in July.…
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Sea Turtles and Such

Sea Turtle Hatchlings Run for Water at North Padre Island National Sea Shore, Texas
I thought since mid-summer is the time for sea-turtle releases along the Texas Gulf, this would make a timely blog post. As many of you know, Mary and I have a book coming out titled, “Explore Texas ~ A Nature Travel Guide” through Texas A&M University Press.…
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Pumas in Patagonia

Jeff Parker's photo tour of Pumas of Patagonia.
“There he is!” whispers my wife Mary O. We’re near Torres del Paine National Park, Chile sitting in a van in the cold rain. Mary O. has just spotted a large male puma making his way down the hill to the guanaco kill we’ve been watching for the last hour.…
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