You do not need a plane ticket to find wildlife. Karen González Videla shows how a yard or neighborhood can become a place for creative, useful nature photography.
Start with the wildlife next door
Karen González Videla grew up in Claromecó, Argentina, watching whales from a lighthouse, then moved to the suburbs of Florida at eleven. A wildlife photographer for about three and a half years, she argues that some of her best moments have happened right outside her house.
She shows how to find animals close to home. In her Central Florida yard she has counted over thirteen bird species, and in dense cities insects, rodents and other small creatures are still there. Planting native flowers or weeds, even in pots, helps draw them in.
She then offers ideas for staying creative, such as shooting in golden hour, using streetlamps at night, trying high-key and low-key styles, silhouettes and reflections.
Finally, she explains how local photos can support conservation. Milkweed in her yard attracts monarchs, and her photos of their life stages help her talk about how to help them.
_This story was written by Karen González Videla for Untold Wildlife, our partner in bringing overlooked conservation stories to more people._