It was natural to pause, connect, and then capture the true feelings of what was in front of me.
Since childhood, I have loved being in nature. The camera was like this intimate, closer look within that captured the beauty, emotion, and life-force before me. I took courses in college where we printed out our best work in the darkroom and it was thrilling to share these moments with others – be it a flower, a dewdrop, an animal, or person.
Even when driving my daughters to school I had a camera by my side. I’d see something beautiful and immediately stop to photograph it as my girls begged, “Please, mom, not again!” They saw my passion at a young age.
I want to capture an animal’s soul in their own living room.
My love for travel led me to explore remote and exotic locations. I took photography workshops in Taos, New Mexico and twice headed to New Brunswick, Canada with Freeman Patterson and Andre Gallant to learn all about ‘seeing.’
I began spending summers on Androscoggin Lake (Wayne, Maine) where I did a 9-year study of loons, osprey, and eagles. After a while, I’d recognize the same loons and their habits. I got to know where the ospreys and eagles built their nests and they would come back to the same place year after year, much like myself…
For many years I was the color photographer at a co-op gallery in Indianapolis called “Art in Hand.” J.D. Nolan, another artist there, specialized in black and white photography and we combined our talents into a very special show of contrast. After 9-11, I was inspired to create a series of mixed media images with my drawings, watercolors, and photography. This resulted in a month-long show of my work called, ”Fear and Hope“ at a gallery in Zionsville, Indiana.
My honorary pass to take pictures with National Geographic!
That brings us to the last six years where I started to travel extensively, photographing whatever my adventures had to offer. A turning point happened when I visited South Africa’s Global White Lion Protection Trust. Ironically, we were asked not to photograph the White Lions for their protection. However, the founder, Linda Tucker, viewed some of my images and to my absolute delight and honor, offered me an honorary pass to join National Geographic sometime when they return! This has been a lifelong dream, so you can imagine my excitement.
The next year, I returned to South Africa and added Botswana and Namibia to my journeys. Recently, I visited Borneo and returned with the most overwhelming feeling of gratitude. The animals from my last three years of travel were kind enough to allow me into capture their essence, right in their own living room.
Curious and Compassionate Captures: Share the experience!
“If you don’t believe they have souls, you haven’t looked into their eyes long enough” – Anonymous
If you’d like to experience these connections closer, you’re invited to view these images at IMAGEKIND.COM
