"Life is in the details," I said, as I rose from a patch of grass where I had been taking photos of the serrated edge of a fallen leaf. Kim was nearby working on her own compositions and stopped to look at me. She said, matter-of-factly, "Yes. It is," and then returned to what she was doing. It's one of those thoughts anyone can immediately recognize as true - as though we were all born with the innate ability to understand the details of life simply because it is as much a part of our own existence and human growth as subsistence ideals of food, water, clothing and shelter. And yet, how often do we "lose" sight of the true beauty of life, the magnificence of simply "being" because we fail to realize the significance of the details. The more I began to think about this sudden knowledge the more I realized its far reaching impact into every aspect of my own life.

Within minutes I had formed a mental checklist of the many areas of living and loving I had neglected because I had been too focused on the size and immensity of the forest and thereby missed the beauty of the individual trees.

It was June 1996 and I was involved in some enormous life changes. I find it interesting that in all the many years I had sat in church in hopes of learning something about God I had never encountered the God of creation. The truths I had always hoped for always seemed intangibly difficult or foreign. And yet, if I was to believe that God created all things, even me, for a purpose, how could I possibly hope to find my own purpose in life apart from understanding God in creation?

By now you're probably wondering what this has to do with improving your nature photography? Well, for years I have taught that photography is 80 percent what you think. What you think is how you shoot. The other 20 percent was all technical and many years ago was a real challenge. Still is - but far less so in this age of electronic wonders.

The cameras we use focus at the press of a button. Our exposures are pretty much automatic and if we decide to use a fill flash, even that no longer takes any real training since today's strobes are automatic also. But one thing has never changed. You can change lenses and apertures and angles and shutter speeds. But one thing never changes - the need for a heart and mind with which to "see."

Too many photographers approach their subjects believing that all that is required is a basic understanding of good composition, lighting and equipment. The images they produce are often clinical in nature (no pun intended). The end result may be a beautiful image but seldom carries with it more than just simple eye-appeal. I think of it as eye candy which always leaves me wanting something more nutritious.

You're probably still wondering how this relates to better nature photography. Then consider this thought. How many times have you prepared for a photography outing and gathered the necessary equipment only to discover that you left something you need at home? We usually figure out a way to get by without it but if you're anything at all like most photographers you feel a little perturbed.

If that has ever described you then you're on your way to understanding the real key to better images. Now ask yourself how many times you've gone on an outing and never realized that you left the most important equipment behind - your heart and mind? Putting your heart and mind to work in photography can elevate the endeavor beyond the realm of craft and into the realms of art. It is here that we discover the reasons why we create, how we create and the process of imaginative creation. It is impossible to produce any real work of art without an investment of the oft overlooked intangible qualities of the heart and mind.

Learning about the importance of the details of life taught me that in order to truly see the world around me - even to look at myself and my own circumstances, I must be able to see the details. The deeper I found myself probing into the details of a flower, for instance, the more I began to see. It was a complete awakening of the mystery and magic surrounding me in almost every aspect of life and it had a tremendous impact in teaching me the importance of my role in the context of my world.

So, on your next outing, remember to take all the essential equipment (the focus of our next article) but more importantly remember to involved your heart through the purposeful recognition of the beauty of life within the details and join us at Field and Forest as comrades in the discovery of the rich mystery of life intricate details - explorers in a "new" frontier.