I moved to South Florida five years ago from Massachusetts and it didn't take me long to fall in love with the everglades and the wildlife that call it home. I've been taking pictures since I could hold a camera still. I received my first 35mm, a Canon FTb, in 1974 as a high school graduation gift and it opened a whole new world for me. I've always appreciated beautiful landscapes but my true passion is photographing wildlife. When a bird or a fox or a gator lets you into its world for a brief moment because it trusts that you wont harm it. Their expressions and body language changes and that's when the shutter clicks, on a good day. I hope that through my work people can come to appreciate not only the beauty of these animals but also the delicate balance that there is between them our environment and us. These days I mostly shoot with a Canon EOS Rebel G using a Tamron 200-400mm f/5.6 zoom lens. I really don't like having to work with a bulky tripod so I break all of the rules and do most of my work hand held using Kodak 400 film. When working out in the field shooting at moving wildlife you don't have the benefit of time for "setting up" a shot so I've learned to shoot on their terms, fast ! You have to be willing to invest time to study your subject and then be patient and wait for the right moment. Its important to remember that they have to let you in you can't force a good shot. It really helps to love what you're doing ~ sometimes I'll sit with a bird for hours just watching and learning its movements.

I also do quite a bit of shooting in area parks. John Prince Park in Lake Worth, Fl. is a great place to find all sorts of birds, fox, snakes and bob cats. I've seen everything from a Great Horned Owl pair to Great Blue Herons, Osprey and Snowy Egrets ~ just to name a few. On the other side of town there is a pair of nesting Bald Eagles. Last year I was fortunate enough to catch the fledglings before they left the nest. What a sight ! Another place to get some great shots are the area zoos. There is always something interesting going on and if you position your self just right you can avoid the fences.

In recent years I've displayed my work at area wildlife refuges and nature centers.

Thank you Cindy for your story and pictures!