I was reading an article yesterday that several giraffe species have ended up on the endangered species list, and all giraffes — like so many other animals these days — are at risk. Of those listed, was the reticulated giraffe. I saw many of these awesome creatures in Kenya a few years back. Here, a reticulated giraffe munches on the thorny branches of an acacia tree. I usually like to celebrate the diversity of our world’s wildlife with my blog posts, but according to a study by the World Wildlife Fund in 2014, more than 52% of all the animals in the world have disappeared in the last 40 years. I don’t think people realize just how dire this situation has become and we all need reminding every now and again. Especially because it’s not just about having nice animals around to look at, but also the fact that our ultimate survival depends on theirs. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/250th of a second
A break from the wildlife postings for a little something different today. As some of you know, in my day job, I’m a creative director and writer for an advertising agency. One of my accounts is the National Park Service. I’ve been working on the account for the last four years. Everything my team and I have done was leading up to today — the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service. Our goal was to redefine what a park can be for current and future generations of Americans. Parks aren’t just places of wild, physical beauty, they’re also places of historical significance, places of remembrance, of recreation and more. Below is just a small sample of the work we did, starting with video and print for the Park Service (you might recognize quite a few of my photos in the PSA), then the Park Foundation, and finally work for today’s Centennial celebration.
An old high school classmate of mine passed away yesterday. We were friendly, if not particularly close back then. When I started my blog seven years ago, however, she quickly became one of my biggest supporters. She was also one of the first people to buy one of my prints. It was this shot of Baxter State Park, which I originally posted back in October of 2010. She was a big fan and collector of New England scenics. This one’s for you Katie. Rest in peace. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 25mm) ISO 400, f/20 at 1/30th of a second
An elephant grazes on shrubs in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Elephants can spend up to 18 hours a day feeding and put down up to 600 pounds of food. They can also drink up to 50 gallons of water a day. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/160th of a second
Maria Island in Tasmania is overflowing with animals. They’re everywhere. And when the day comes to an end, you don’t have to look long to find subjects to photograph in front of the setting sun. This wombat was enjoying a late day snack of, well, the same thing it was eating all day and every day — grass. They really are the lawnmowers of the island and keep the open lawns cropped tight. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 800, f/14 at 1/250th of a second
I thought I’d start 2016 with a look back at my favorite ten images from 2015. My daily posts aren’t always from the current year, but these ten were all captured in 2015. Overall it was a good year, highlighted by the big trip to Tasmania in October. 2015 also took me to the Florida panhandle, the Caribbean islands of Barbados and Trinidad, the front range of Colorado, and the two spectacular national parks in Wyoming.
12. Well, let’s make it a top twelve so I can include a few from earlier in the year and not make it all about the Tasmanian shots I’ve posted lately. This deer was photographed from about six inches away with my fisheye lens back in January.
11. Karen and I took a weekend trip to Barbados back in April. It was great to get underwater to photograph sea turtles. But I also had a lot of fun with the ghost crabs that kept tossing dirt before scurrying back into their holes.
10. Okay, now the top ten, starting with a recent post from Tasmania, boxing forester kangaroos at sunset.
9. Also from Tasmania, a green rosella munching on a purple thistle weed.
8. At number 8, a similar shot to the one I posted on Christmas. A flock of scarlet ibis in flight over a swamp in Trinidad.
7. Another one here from Tasmania — the white wallaby with brown joey.
6. At 6 is my new favorite animal, the eastern quoll.
5. The 5th favorite shot of the year is a tufted coquette hummingbird from Trinidad.
4. This little wombat was photographed in Coles Bay, Tasmania.
3. The 3rd best shot comes from my summer trip to Mount Evans in Colorado.
2. At number 2 is a leatherback hatchling racing toward the ocean at Grande Riviere Beach in Trinidad.
1. And my favorite shot of the year is this young Tasmanian devil emerging from the darkness. Happy New Year everyone.
This is the blotched blue-tongued lizard, also know as the southern blue-tongued lizard or the blotched blue-tongued skink. That incredible blue tongue is used to “taste the air, and scare off potential predators.” The blotched blue-tongued lizard is fairly large (almost a foot and a half long) and can be found in southeastern Australia, including Tasmania. I photographed this one at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary just outside of Hobart. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/320th of a second
There are essentially four commonly recognized species of kangaroo living in Australia. In addition, there are about 50 other species of macropod — kangaroo-like creatures such as wallabies and pademelons. On Tasmania, the only true kangaroo is the eastern grey, or as it is locally called, the forester. This large male was grazing under the setting sun in Narawntapu National Park. Narawntapu was formerly known as the Asbestos Ranges National Park but has since reverted to its aboriginal name. It is a remote park on the northern coast and is one of the last strongholds of foresters in Tasmania. Expansive grasslands full of kangaroos, wombats and wallabies have led to the park’s nickname as the “Serengeti of Tasmania.” Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 86mm) ISO 800, f/22 at 1/800th of a second
I took this one down in Panama City Beach in the panhandle of Florida earlier this year. Just past all the bars and souvenir shops of the “Redneck Riviera” is Saint Andrews State Park, an oasis of saw palmetto and long leaf pine, the perfect habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. I saw lots of animals, but for this shot, I decided to focus on the characteristic landscape and used my fisheye lens to get up close and personal with the palmetto. Nikon D810 with Sigma 15mm fisheye lens, ISO 800, f/8 at 1/320th of a second
Pademelons are a very small marsupial related to both wallabies and kangaroos. Seeing one bouncing through the forest almost looks like a large rabbit. This mother and her joey emerged from the forest at the end of the day to forage on the open lawns of Lamington National Park in Queensland Australia. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm manual focus lens, ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/80th of a second
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
I was reading an article yesterday that several giraffe species have ended up on the endangered species list, and all giraffes — like so many other animals these days — are at risk. Of those listed, was the reticulated giraffe. I saw many of these awesome creatures in Kenya a few years back. Here, a reticulated giraffe munches on the thorny branches of an acacia tree. I usually like to celebrate the diversity of our world’s wildlife with my blog posts, but according to a study by the World Wildlife Fund in 2014, more than 52% of all the animals in the world have disappeared in the last 40 years. I don’t think people realize just how dire this situation has become and we all need reminding every now and again. Especially because it’s not just about having nice animals around to look at, but also the fact that our ultimate survival depends on theirs.
