You don't have to go far to experience awe at the beauty and power of nature, said Missouri wildlife photographer Noppadol Paothong.
"When I give a presentation, I always show some images of simple species — insects, a caterpillar, [or] an egg," he said. "A lot of this you can find in your own backyard if you look close enough. You just need to learn how to look for them."
Paothong will be in St. Louis on Friday for a presentation at the Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, where he will reflect on lessons learned from more than 25 years documenting wildlife in the Midwest.
Growing up in Thailand, Paothong's interest in the outdoors and photography was sparked by observing insects and birds.
"I loved going out fishing and being outdoors. Waiting for the fish to bite, I had a lot of time to make observations," he said. "But I didn't know that I could make it my career."
Paothong came to the U.S. to study graphic design and went on to become a photojournalist. In 2005, he became a photographer for the Missouri Department of Conservation. In his 21 years on the job, he's had encounters with various Midwestern species including raptors, eastern hellbenders and prairie chickens.
Paothong has a great fondness for prairie chickens. Since 2002, he's made annual visits to central Kansas to photograph the birds during mating season, when the males perform an intricate dance with a low, booming call.
"I'll never forget the morning of my first observation. I was sitting there in the dark, and all of a sudden, I hear a haunting sound, and there it was — one male bird, dancing right below the moon," he said. "I still get goosebumps."
The moment was magical, but Paothong wasn't satisfied with the photo he captured. "The moon was a little bit too high," he said. So he returned to the spot every year. It wasn't until a predawn morning in April 2025, that he finally got the shot he envisioned.
"The iconic image of the tall grass prairie, the prairie chicken with the moon — everything came into a perfect alignment," Paothong said. "Twenty-three years in the making, and I finally got the shot."
Patience and persistence are critical skills for photographing wildlife. Paothong said his best shots were taken after hours of quiet observation, like the time he spent nearly five hours in a pitch-dark prairie, hoping he would see a nocturnal white-lined sphinx moth pollinate a prairie fringed orchid.
"I sat in the dark from 9:30 p.m., waiting on a hunch. At 2:15 a.m., I heard a buzz, then saw this moth hovering over the flower. Strobe lights lit the scene, freezing a moment most people will never witness," he said. "I will never forget [it]."
Paothong considers the photo one of his best works. He's quick to add, however, that every good image comes with many flawed ones.
"In nature photography, perfection is rare, and I've had my fair share of failed attempts," he said.
During his presentation in St. Louis County this week, Paothong will share practical tips for capturing nature and wildlife photos — even if all you have is an everyday smartphone.
"Cellphones take great photos," he said. "Don't focus too much on the gear. Focus on the quality of content."
While phone camera settings like portrait mode and brightness adjustment are useful, Paothong said true image quality comes from the way a photographer approaches the subject.
"Try to be sensitive to the animal, because animals always know when you are present, and whatever you do, it can disturb them," he said. "Give them a little time and space to accept you."
Giving your subject that time and space can sometimes lead them to approach you, like the time an eastern hellbender came up to Paothong in the Niangua River.
"The way he looked at me … you can tell sometimes that they are curious about you. They look at you [and] try to understand you as much as you try to understand them," he said. "It's just fun to learn to understand them and try to portray the animal in a way that reminds us of ourselves [and] the level of intelligence that they have."
For more observations and stories from Noppadol Paothong's time in the field, listen to "St. Louis on the Air" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or click the play button below.
Related Event
What: Conservation in Focus: Lessons From a Life in Photography
When: 7 p.m. Oct. 9. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Where: Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, 11715 Cragwold Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122
"St. Louis on the Air" brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha, Darrious Varner and Alex Heuer. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
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