Once a week, we interview one of our Patrons or a photographer from our Slack community on NJspots.com!
We hope that you learn a new spot or new camera setup!
Who are you, and where in New Jersey are you from?
My name is Robert (Bobby) Stormer. I’m an aspiring wildlife photographer and conservation photographer. My goal is to use my visual art to help animals around the world! I’m a NJ suburban native from New Milford who is often out in the wilderness tracking animals.
I use two IG accounts. My main account is for all types of photos, but mainly wildlife (you can follow above). My second account I recently made (@njfoxwhisperer) is solely dedicated to my favorite animal, the red fox! With this account I want to show the beauty of these animals and also show the hardships they face. I’m in the research process of creating an organization in our area to help mange foxes.
What are the three best spots for photography in New Jersey, and why?
Out of protection for the animals I cannot give exact locations but I surely can give some habitat tips to point you in the right direction!
1. Any town, state, national park whether its your local park or a huge wildlife refuge area. This photo was taken at a town Park in Bergen County.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCryBfABgQG/?igshid=1fkmhj2mjt93w
2. Rivers, lakes, oceans, swamps. A few good spots are the Hackensack River, Passaic River, Meadowlands, Overpeck Creek, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, etc… This photo of a Great Egret eating a small fish was along the Passaic River.
3. My favorite: Urban wildlife. Could be a small wooded area in town, behind a building or business, next to the train tracks, sports fields, even in your backyard. You’d be surprised how many animals live right beside us! This photo of a mange Fox kit was taken in a very urban populated area.(this kit has been helped and treated for the mange!).
Want more ideas? Check out our NJ wildlife guide and Birdy Jerz guide. Or if you’d rather stay inside, check out these NJ wildlife cameras.
What's your camera setup?
Body: Sony A7II (waiting for something new to drop to upgrade), Sony RX100V
Lenses: Sony 200-600mm (main lens for wildlife), Sony 70-200mm, Sony 28mm, Sony 85mm
What's your dream piece of gear? Think big!
Sony A9II with Sony 600mm f4 and I’d also love to build camera traps with some high quality camera gear.
What's one bucket list photo of New Jersey you haven't gotten yet?
As a creative always thinking of the next mission, I can’t just have one! So I’ll give my top three:
1. Bobcats of New Jersey
2. Grey foxes of New Jersey
3. Snowy owls on the beach
One tip for aspiring photographers?
If you’re looking to get into wildlife photography its not just all about taking photos…. Research, study, learn habitats and animal traits, connect with fellow enthusiasts — it takes A LOT of time and effort. Find potential locations and just go out and shoot! You have to become one with nature. Get up EARLY — animals are most active during this time! There are bad days and there are great days. Learn to appreciate the animals more than the photos you are taking. When I got into this I made one main rule for myself: animal protector first, wildlife photographer second.
What's your favorite part of being a photographer?
“Photographer Feature” is an ongoing segment featuring our Patrons and Slack community members. Contact editor Abbey Dufoe for more information.
