Nature nerds unite!
The learning aspect of nature photography is a driving factor in my own approach to subjects. While never delving deep into anything specific and I’m no academic, I’ve amassed a collection of field and ID guides that help me identify, understand and explain what I’m taking pictures of and why those things are special or unique in some way. I think my first “project” like this was to learn more about my favorite wildflower - monotropa uniflora - Indian pipe. Since first noticing and photographing them badly, I made the decision to do better and I learned a lot about these and other saprophytic flowers. Since then I’ve taken on other projects like photographing the Prairie river here in Wisconsin and my enduring love of bogs and cedar swamps. Oh and lichen. And mushrooms! The list is basically endless.
While my photos may not mean anything to anyone else or affect the wider world, they do deepen my understanding and frankly awe of nature and how interconnected it is. This, as you say, dogged pursuit of curiosity, has also led me to participate in many expert-led field trips with the Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation. Usually a botanist, forester, hydrologist, wildlife conservation expert or similar shares knowledge of their subject while rambling around in nature. I’ve always come away learning something new.
So thanks for bringing up this aspect of nature photography, something I think is often overlooked, but resonates strongly with me.