Noppadol Paothong Photography

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Noppadol Paothong Photography

Noppadol Paothong is an award-winning nature/conservationist photographer and a staff photographer w

09/03/2026

My photo exhibit, "Wild Places," opens tomorrow September 4th at the Kooyumjian Gallery at Webster University (Sverdrup Building, 8300 Big Bend Blvd, Webster Groves, MO 63119).

Schedule:

• 4:30 PM – Lecture (RSVP required, limited seating; an overflow room will be available for additional visitors)
• 5:30 PM – Opening Reception (open capacity)

More information and tickets here: Eventbrite link (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nature-photography-lecture-reception-with-paothong-and-musonda-tickets-1990008328480?aff=oddtdtcreator)

I hope you can join me for this exhibit!

08/29/2026

79 out of 100. That's how many covers I've photographed for Missouri Conservation's Xplor magazine! This mosaic celebrates the magazine's 100th issue. Published six times a year, Xplor is an awesome tool for teaching kids to love nature and the outdoors. If you and your kid(s) haven't subscribed yet, please do; it's free for Missouri residents! Subscribe here: mdc.mo.gov/Xplor

08/26/2026

A Loggerhead Shrike, AKA the 'butcher bird,' impaled a cicada on a thorn. This is only the second time I've ever photographed one, the first being about 17 years ago, and the first time I've ever captured this kind of behavior.

When I first saw it a couple weeks ago, I was out photographing flowers and didn't have the right lens with me (just a macro lens 😓), even though it perched just 20 feet from me. By the time I retrieved my 600mm, it was gone...go figure!

The Loggerhead Shrike is the only shrike species found exclusively in North America, and despite being a songbird with no talons, it hunts like a raptor, catching insects, mice, and even other small birds with its hooked bill. Lacking the grip strength to hold prey down, it impales its catch on thorns instead, earning it that gruesome nickname. Here in Missouri, it's listed as a species of conservation concern due to declining populations.

It's a humbling reminder that there's always more to notice in the field. Seventeen years between sightings, and I nearly walked past this one too. I'll be paying a lot closer attention to the grey birds from now on!

08/24/2026

(These are NOT my images. I have permission to share these wonderful photos from participants in my Sage Grouse, Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, and Greater Prairie Chicken Photography Workshops, held this April in Wyoming and Kansas.)

This year's grouse season brought unseasonably warm weather, but the photo opportunities were still incredible: a herd of pronghorn trotting right through a sage grouse lek mid-strut, and a Dusky Grouse that showed up like clockwork every morning on the sharp-tailed grouse lek.

One morning this April during my Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Photography Workshop in Wyoming, I noticed all the 40 birds on the lek suddenly freeze. I spotted a Northern Goshawk hovering above and had just seconds to warn my participants before the hawk dove on one of the males.

The male barely escaped the hawk's talons. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and I was thrilled to see my participants capture it in photos of truly award-worthy quality.

On the Greater Prairie Chicken lek in Kansas, the energy was just as intense, with males fighting fiercely for female attention. We even had a short-eared owl stop by to check out the commotion.

These workshops are about much more than photographing wildlife. They're opportunities to learn together, grow as visual storytellers, and develop a deeper connection with the natural world through photography.

Unlike many photography workshops, my primary focus is entirely on the participants. I don't spend workshop time creating my own portfolio images. Instead, I dedicate my full attention to teaching and providing one-on-one guidance, both in the field and during classroom sessions.

As one participant kindly put it:

"Nopp's photography workshops are among the best I've ever attended. He is one of the world's leading grouse experts and puts his clients first, stepping back so they can capture the best shots and learn along the way. Exceptional photographer, caring teacher, truly thoughtful person."

There are a few spots still open for the Greater Prairie Chicken Photography Workshop next year. If you're interested, please message me!

08/22/2026

A quick heads up: next Saturday, August 29th, I'll be presenting a photo program at the Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs, Missouri (1401 NW Park Road, Blue Springs).

The program covers how I created some of my most iconic images, along with some of my recent favorites, plus personal tips on nature photography.

If you're in the Kansas City area, I hope you can join me. The program runs from 10-11am. For more information, please click the link: https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/217687

08/21/2026

I finally had a chance to go through my images during a prep day before my Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse photography workshop this spring. I had a surprise guest show up on the lek: a male Dusky Grouse crashed the party and spent his time chasing a sharp-tailed grouse around. I didn't get to spend as much time with him as I would have liked, but during the workshop, several participants got some nice shots of him in the snow (yes, it did snow a few days later 😂).

We had all sorts of unusual visitors to the lek this year, including this Dusky Grouse, plus Pronghorn, a Great Horned Owl, a Short-Eared Owl, an American Kestrel, and a beautiful Northern Goshawk. With their permission, I'll post some of my workshop participants' images next week. I think they're fantastic and award-worthy.

08/19/2026

A Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis mutica), no bigger than a dime, feeding on the nectar of a Black-eyed Susan. This butterfly gets its name from the checkered pattern on its wings, glinting with metallic silver bands. Missouri's metalmarks are bright rusty brown above, with two narrow rows of small spots or silvery bands along the outer half, and they're associated with damp woods and grassy, wet, low-lying habitats.

It was a cool find, since this species is becoming a rare sight these days and is now listed as a species of conservation concern in the state. I was thrilled it stuck around long enough for me to capture the shot before it took off.

08/17/2026

There's something about the way ambient light and natural sound move through a gallery space that changes how you experience a photograph, and that's been my favorite part of seeing "Wild Places" come to life at the Kooyumjian Gallery, Webster University.

Here's a 3-minute walkthrough of the exhibit. Many of the images are from a new collection I shot just this year. On display through September 23rd at 8300 Big Bend Blvd, Webster Groves, MO 63119. I'd love for you to experience it in person if you can.

Gallery hours: 9am – 6:30pm
*Entry: call the public safety number posted at the door, and security will buzz you in.

08/10/2026

A raccoon forages through a duckweed-covered wetland, feeling along the bottom for crayfish, frogs, and other small prey, alongside a great egret. Both species take advantage of the shallow, food-rich waters that the wetland provides.

08/08/2026

My photo exhibit at the Kooyumjian Gallery at Webster University (8300 Big Bend Blvd, Webster Groves, MO 63119) has been open since August 1st and runs through September 23rd. I finally had a chance to visit it myself this week, and it took my breath away! Kudos to the curator and staff at the gallery for putting together such a great show.

The exhibit doesn't just display my favorite images from recent shoots. It also shares natural history, my perspective as the artist, and the story behind each photo, plus a bonus: the camera settings and techniques I used to capture them.

I stood there in awe (there were nice nature sounds playing in the background, which helped 😉), realizing that each frame reflects my best memories, the hardships of working in the field, and how lucky I was to witness those moments and get to share them with people.

I hope you get a chance to visit the gallery. There will be a lecture and opening reception on September 4th: lecture at 4:30pm, followed by the reception from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
Please RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nature-photography-lecture-reception-with-paothong-and-musonda-tickets-1990008328480

*Gallery entry: please call the public safety number listed at the door, and security will buzz the door open for you.

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Columbia, MO

Website

http://www.npnaturephotography.com/

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