Wildlife photographer to speak in Bangor

BANGOR – The Eastern Maine Camera Club will present a program by nature photographer Bill Silliker at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at Bangor Public Library. The public is invited.

“No telephoto lens can offset a lack of technique at getting close to wildlife,” said Bill Silliker, aka the Camera Hunter. As the instructor of wildlife and nature photography for L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery Schools, he has learned how to help others become better camera hunters. In his intensive slide talk for serious nature photographers, he will offer ideas on how to combine photographic skills with those of a hunter.

Silliker will begin his talk with a glimpse of the work of a few pioneers of wildlife photography, which he described in October 2002 issue of Outdoor Photographer magazine.

The photography skills he will outline include equipment considerations, metering methods for consistent success with elusive subjects, composition and working with natural lighting. He also will describe types of wildlife photographs and why each is important. The program is sponsored by Fujifilm Professional.

Silliker will talk about how to find wild subjects, how to evaluate an animal’s behavior, the use of camouflage and various types of blinds, approach techniques that can permit photography without interfering with wildlife and safety concerns in working with wild animals.

Silliker wrote and photographed “Saving Maine,” “Uses for Mooses,” “Moose: Giants of the Northern Forest,” “Maine Moose Watcher’s Guide” and “Moose Watcher’s Handbook.” His photographs illustrated “Just Loons” and “Just Eagles” by Alan Hutchinson. His work has been featured on ESPN, National Public Radio’s “Living on Earth,” CSPAN’s “Books TV” and NBC’s “Today Show.”

Silliker has been instructor of wildlife and nature for L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery Schools since 1992 and is a frequent speaker as a member of the Fuji Film Talent Team. He maintains a Web site with tips for wildlife photographers at www.camerahunter.com, edits a site for wildlife at www.wildlifewatcher.com and write a monthly column for the Internet magazine NaturePhotogrphers.net.