Beyond The Lens (Nature)

Beyond The Lens is the official photography blog of Zack Clothier, featuring new work, photography news, print releases, exhibitions, and occasional behind-the-scenes looks at my creative process. You’ll also find photography-focused articles and resources covering the tools, techniques, and ideas that shape my work.

For deeper stories from the field, wildlife encounters, adventures, camera-trapping projects, and the experiences behind the photographs, visit The Wild Journal — my ongoing publication exploring the wild places, animals, and experiences that continue to inspire my work.

Categories:
Camera Trapping Grizzly Bears in Montana
April 23, 2026

Ever since capturing my internationally award-winning print Grizzly Remains, I’ve been drawn back to a single question: what else is possible with these formidable animals? This year, I set out to explore that question by deploying a series of DSLR camera traps in the wilds of Montana, hoping to capture grizzly bears on their own terms, far from roads and human presence...

2024: A Year Of Nature
January 1, 2025

From flying helicopters in the icy heart of winter in Alaska, to remote camera trapping in the mountains of Montana, I continued to push the boundaries of what is possible with a camera—capturing our natural world as you’ve never seen it before! The photographs that you see here, in order of when they were captured, represent what I consider to be my finest work from 2024...

My Best Photographs Of 2023 Part I: America The Beautiful
January 1, 2024

Another year has come to a close, and how fast it has gone. It seems like it was just yesterday when I was immersed in these incredible landscapes. In a world where AI "photos" are becoming the “norm” on the web, I find solace in knowing that I can still create these works of art in the field, in nature, not behind a computer using software to artificially generate a scene...

My Best Nature Photographs from 2022
January 1, 2023

In 2022, I continued to expand my DSLR camera trapping efforts in Montana. Specifically, I wanted to capture a collection of fine art photographs of wildlife within the larger landscape. I wanted to show where these animals live. I spent a lot of time studying maps, searching for locations that coincided with what I had in mind. Once I located these areas on a map, it was time to lace up my boots and go explore these areas on foot.

My Best Nature Photographs from 2021
January 1, 2022

A naturalist at heart, I've always been intrigued by wild animals. The ability to not only adapt, but to survive in nature is truly remarkable. As far back as I can remember, one of my favorite past times has been tracking animals. Truth be told, it was tracking that led me down this path of pursuing a career in nature photography.