Behind the Print: Bobby Moberly Photography and the Views You Have to Earn

3 days ago
6 min read

Website: https://www.bobbymoberlyphotography.com

Bobby Moberly is a landscape and wildlife photographer. He lives in the Sacramento Mountains in southern New Mexico. Bobby enjoys being in the outdoors as much as possible whether it is backpacking for a week at a time or trail running. He is always in pursuit of the unique shot not seen by many others. Bobby has spent as many as thirteen days living out of his backpack on a single trip. He spends most of his time in New Mexico and Colorado but is always ready to see different wild places to photograph.

His work has been featured in Epic Outdoors magazine and also the cover photo of the Backcountry Journal. Some of his work is carried by the Highland Store in the mountain town of Cloudcroft, New Mexico.

Bobby also participates in art shows throughout the year with the help of his wife Tammy.

Man in plaid shirt and cap stands smiling next to art display featuring nature photographs on easels in a gymnasium setting.

Your work captures solid feelings of place and atmosphere. What draws you to the landscapes you choose to photograph, and what are you looking to convey in those moments?

My favorite landscapes to photograph are the ones far from roads and a little hard to get to.

The views that you have to earn are the best for me. There are some people who would love to be able to see these views but due to physical problems they will never be able to see them. That’s why I love capturing those shots with my camera to share these beautiful places. The other landscapes I enjoy shooting are the normal local landscapes that everyone can connect to and see. But what I enjoy is watching the weather and trying to catch these shots with great clouds or awesome sunsets.

The same view that everyone sees but from a little different angle or a weather event that most never get to witness at these places.

Was there a turning point where photography shifted from something you enjoyed into something you wanted to share or sell more seriously?

Yes, there was that turning point for sure.

I’ve always spent a lot of time outdoors hiking or trail running, always seeing amazing things and taking a quick shot with my phone which never does it justice. So I bought a real camera so I can share these moments of time with others. I always thought that it would be very cool if I could get to the point where someone would actually like my work enough to pay for my photos. When that started happening it was very encouraging and motivating to improve my techniques and invest in better gear.

I’ve been very blessed to be able to continue to grow as a photographer getting to share my prints with people all over the country now. As a bonus it is nice when your passion starts paying for itself.

When you’re out shooting, are you someone who plans heavily (locations, light, weather), or do you lean more into spontaneity and discovery?

Yes I’m the guy who plans heavily with everything, weather, time of the year, time of the day and with wildlife when they will be in a certain area for the best chance of what I have pictured in my head.

Photographer in a cap and jacket uses a tripod to capture a mountain scene with rocky terrain, snow patches, and a clear blue sky.

Once I get a shot in my head I have to try my best to make it happen. I have spent over a year just to get everything just how I imagine it. Sometimes it works out and sometimes well let’s just say I haven’t gotten some of those shots yet. But there is times that discovery is my game like when I hit a creative low and lose motivation.

That’s when I go out in discovery mode usually somewhere rough where I really get away from the normal. This forces me to slow down and not have any preconceived ideas, just having fun and that’s when it will happen new ideas, new views and then I’m back on fire and ready to go.

Many of your images have a strong sense of mood and depth. What does your editing process look like when bringing those scenes to life?

Some of my images come together in editing almost with no effort, if I had the shot in my head and planned for some time for just the right moment in time to tell the story that I imagine. I usually have to darken or soften the shot in editing to set that mood and depth.

Other shots are not that easy they set in Lightroom for months until my creative mood is right to reach the edits they need.

Sunset over white sand dunes with a dramatic sky. Sun rays pierce through clouds, casting warm light and shadows on rippled sand.

What’s one of the most challenging or rewarding shots you’ve captured, and what did it take to get it?

That’s a hard one!

Probably “The Great Descent” it is a photo of some mountain goats descending off of a rock wall face in a remote basin in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado.

Mountain goats navigating rocky terrain with patches of snow. Rugged cliffs form the backdrop, creating a sense of challenging adventure.

Mountain goats are my favorite animal mostly due to where they live. It took me two days of

hiking to reach this basin with only a trail going part of the way. This made it a real

challenge by it’s self plus carrying enough gear for a week stay plus all the camera gear.

The shot was very rewarding to me even though it is not one of my more popular pieces.

As you’ve grown as a photographer, how has your approach to composition or storytelling evolved?

Both composition and storytelling can be the hardest things for me - especially composition.

I have noticed that I am paying more attention to it before I even grab my camera now versus when I first started which also means less photos to scroll through when editing.

I feel that composition is more important to me than storytelling, if your composition is good the photo will tell the story.

What’s something you see newer landscape photographers struggle with that you’ve learned through experience?

I actually still feel like a rookie photographer myself but the main thing I still struggle with is composition.

I would see a great scene and go crazy taking shots only to get home and be disappointed in most of them. Most of the time it was due to my composition because my eyes are seeing the whole scene. The whole seen has the natural composition but I have to remind myself that the camera sees the same scene differently than my eyes do. So I have to remind myself to slow down and actually see what the camera sees and make sure it is catching the best representation of the scene before me.

A hiker with a backpack stands on sandy dunes, gazing at distant mountains under a cloudy sky. The scene is natural and tranquil.

This for me is mostly the foreground. Something to remember is that you as the photographer that you are the artist it’s your piece of art. So you can make your own rules but there is a fine line of your way and the most viewer friendly image and that line is up to each photographer.

When preparing your images for print, what do you focus on to ensure they translate well from screen to a physical piece?

This is a important part of editing for me.

I really try and make sure that I didn’t miss any small distractions and that I didn’t leave any areas too dark.

Sometimes when printing on the HD metal it will come out a little darker than I expect.

This is also where it pays to be your own worst critic because it will push you to perfect your work.

You’ve been steadily increasing your print orders and selling at shows. What have you learned about what resonates most with customers when they see your work in person?

When I shoot the local landscapes the shot must make a connection with the customer.

Also I have to make sure that they can’t get the same picture with their phone it has to relate but at the same time it has to go beyond what they have seen. It also takes time it is not only your work that they are buying but it also you that they are buying especially for returning customers.

They are buying your story as well as your prints. It also pays off for me to listen to my wife, she is a good judge to which prints will sell at the shows.

Photos displayed on a wooden stand in a gym; scenes include wildlife, landscapes, and starry skies. A red ribbon decorates the stand.

For photographers looking to start selling their work, whether online or at shows, what advice would you give based on your experience so far?

Don’t rush it and don’t force it! Stay true to you and what you enjoying. If you don’t then it will turn into a job and not a passion.

Take your time and try to always learn more and improve, if you do this it will grow.

Which medium is your favorite for printing? Were there any specific products or services that drew you to work with Artbeat Studios over other labs?

I mostly print on the HD metal it keeps so much detail and everyone loves the look. You can’t go wrong with the metal if you have a good clean sharp photo.

Recently I have been moving into the acrylic prints especially for shots that have extreme detail. The acrylic prints are pure elegance and classy pieces for sure.

I use Artbeat Studios for several reasons, their attention to detail and they actually care about the quality of their work. I do lots of drop shipping and I know that it will be printed and delivered with no issues. Their customer service is the best!

If there is ever any issue or if I have any questions I know that I can call them and they will answer and they always help me with what I need. That takes all the worry out of the orders so I can focus on my work.

They make a great partner in my photography journey.