The Glass That Did the Heavy Lifting
2025 was not a year of occasional outings. It was a year lived in the field.
Across the UAE, week after week, I drove before dawn, returned after sunset, and repeated the process until the seasons quietly turned. Mountains, deserts, wetlands, coastlines — many of them visited again and again, not because one visit wasn’t enough, but because wildlife only reveals itself to those willing to return without guarantees.
By the end of the year, my catalog held hundreds of thousands of images. Birds, mammals, reptiles. Moments of chaos and moments of stillness. Not every frame was meant to be kept — but every frame was part of the process.
The Rhythm of Repetition
I averaged nearly two field trips per week throughout the year. Some were long planned excursions; others were instinctive detours sparked by weather, migration timing, or a sudden message about activity in a familiar location. The UAE rewards consistency more than luck. Species appear briefly, silently, and often without spectacle.
That rhythm — return, wait, observe, leave — shaped everything you see in this collection.
The Best of 2025 is not a highlight reel of rare moments. It is a distillation of patience.
The Glass That Did the Heavy Lifting
After reviewing the entire catalog, one truth stood out clearly:
~70% of my images were taken with the Nikon 800mm f/5.6
~20% with the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF
~10% across other lenses
This was not accidental.
The 800mm is my default — it allows distance to remain respectful. Most wildlife does not want a photographer close; it wants space. Long focal lengths preserve behavior. They let scenes unfold naturally rather than reactively, amazing image quality, subject isolation and fast focus.
The 500mm PF steps in when being light matters — birds in flight, or situations when mobility outweighs reach.
Other lenses appear rarely, used for herping, needed the f2.8, or environmental context when distance collapses on its own.
Lenses are specialty tools. They are instruments. Each one answers a different question.
What This Collection Represents
The images in the Best of 2025 gallery are not selected for technical perfection alone. They were chosen because they reflect:
Repeated encounters, not chance sightings
Behavior over proximity
Silence over spectacle
Respect over intrusion
They represent a year of listening more than chasing.
Looking Forward
This year reinforced something fundamental: wildlife photography is not about accumulating images. It is about earning moments.
2026 will bring new ground, new challenges, and deeper focus — but the philosophy remains unchanged. Show up. Give space. Let the wild decide.
Thank you to everyone who followed this journey, supported it, and understood that behind every still frame is a long stretch of quiet effort.
→ Explore the full collection here: https://www.360photographynature.com/best2025
