|
In 2002, I was able to take advantage of the opportunity to take an early retirement. In addition to moving my full-time residence to the 30 acres of natural paradise where my home is situated, I also looked forward to devoting time to serious efforts at nature and wildlife photography. The Mississippi River Refuge area from Dubuque, Iowa down to Savanna and Fulton, Illinois and Clinton, Iowa is the home of large numbers of both migrating and resident birds, and the wooded countryside near Galena, Illinois provides habitat for abundant species of both birds and mammals. During the time since I retired, I've had the opportunity to watch and take pictures of much of that wildlife, including bald eagles, various hawks, foxes, deer, owls, herons, pelicans, egrets, ducks, geese, and much more, and I've built up a portfolio that nicely depicts the rich variety of wildlife that lives in the area.
While I enjoy displaying my work a few times a year, entering an occasional contest, and selling some photos, for me, I feel truly fortunate to be able to witness and be surrounded by the wonders of nature. On most mornings, I’m up well before the sun rises without an alarm clock with eager anticipation of being able to go out and do what I enjoy doing. I don’t believe that I will ever stop being fascinated by the ways in which nature can be spectacular, beautiful, graceful, exciting, and magnificent, all at once. Experiencing nature creates a feeling in me that I don’t have the ability to describe with words, but it is my hope that I can, in some small way, give those who see my photos some of that same feeling.
|
