Bald Eagles.

Swainson’s Hawk.

I don’t show near enough images like the one below.  I am not talking about the species which is the Red-tailed Hawk.  I love clean and simple images.  They are more powerful than pictures that are confusing to the eye.  Less is more as they say.  I have put a lot of effort into putting myself into a position to make pictures like that.  That word has been spread by many and the majority of wildlife photographers are doing much the same thing.  I occasionally digitally remove out of focus, unrecognizable foreground foliage.  Many photographers today completely alter the entire scene.  As photographers we are becoming negligent in the sense that we no longer tell the whole story.  All perched birds do not sit in front of blank backgrounds.  The type of image you see below is the type made by a photographer who is a dying breed.  It took as much photographic skill to create the image of the Red-tailed hawk as it did to make the picture of the Swainson’s Hawk.  We all need to take some responsiblity for educating others. 

Wisconsin wetland sunrise.

Morgan Falls, Wisconsin.

Big Bend N.P., Texas.

Rocky Mt. Bull Elk.  Yellowstone N.P., Wyoming.

Just about close enough.  Female Common Snapping Turtle.  When I work really close to an animal, I try to make it very quick.  If I see signs of stress I move on.  I always leave an escape route for my subject and usually for me.  This helps even with a turtle. If I am at a location where there are people, and I start to attract a crowd, I move on.

Female House Finch.  Female songbirds and ducks are usually not as colorful as the males are.  It is important to make and share images of females.

One more up close and personal.  An endangered Trumpeter Swan.