Up-Close and Personal

I have always tried to be one step apart from your typical nature and wildlife photographer. Many have said that my style of photography is unique, dangerous and can often times be scary. Photographing two male grizzlies fighting for salmon fishing rights at the Brooks Falls waterfall in Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, from a distance of 10 meters at ground level is certainly not for the faint of heart. Just about every wild animal on the face of the earth has been photographed with 500 and 600 mm lenses from distances of a 100 yards or more and that’s great, they are all beautiful and breathtaking. When I click the shutter on my camera, I want to see the light reflecting off the eyes of what ever it is that is in my viewfinder. This is not an easy task considering my lens of choice is my Canon EF 100-400 mm. Having a vast knowledge of varied wildlife habits, traits, character and personalities goes a long way in making sure you don’t get mauled, clawed, bitten, chewed or digested. Knowing when you can take that one step closer or when to take that one step back is essential if you want to have a long term career in photography or at least as a wildlife photographer. Not all the wild animals I photograph are ready to attack, kill or devour. Many are actually fun and are often comical especially when I am in full camouflage, they hear the camera’s shutter click and are trying to figure out why that bush is moving and making funny sounds and yes, I can assure you that wild animals do make strange expressions with their faces when confronted with the unknown.

As an author and photographer, I have had the good fortune to have my articles and photographic work published in many international magazines such as National Geographic USA, Brazil and France and also in National Geographic Travel and their Children’s educational magazines. Outdoor Photographer, Yankee, Vermont Life and Preferred Lifestyle Magazine are several others which have published my work.

I am a photographer, an author and photographic workshop instructor. I am an outdoor person at my best when I am challenged. Mother Nature, wild, fierce, unpredictable, constantly changing, challenging, relentless. She is my adrenaline"