The goal of my animal portraits is to create a connection to our fellow creatures of the earth that will inspire the viewer to see the worth of that individual, thereby creating a desire to protect the species and the eco systems they thrive in.
To achieve an emotional reaction in the viewer I concentrate on the animal’s eyes, like a photographer would in a human portrait. Recognizing a feeling thinking being behind the eyes staring back at you should generate questions in the mind of the viewer about the thoughts, life and worth of that animal.
All the photographs in my portfolio were taken at the Memphis Zoo in Memphis Tennessee, USA. I spend my time at the zoo observing the animals attempting to capture a moment that embodies their personalities and lives. Modern zoos are key to education and conservation of endangered species in the wild.
I’m relatively new to photography, pursuing it seriously for six years. I took up photography as a hobby after retiring from a 40-year career in Information Technology. Photography is a creative antidote to years of technical work. Even though my passion is animals, wildlife, and nature in general I also dabble in other genres such as, macro, still life, abstract, street photography, etc. I believe in Edward Weston’s quote “Anything that excites me for any reason, I will photograph; not searching for unusual subject matter but making the commonplace unusual.” [Official Website]
