Terry & Cape Cobra

Regarding this picture of me and my all-time most exciting moment in nature, I normally wear a close-crop beard. I had shaved for the first time in ten years for the African trip. I chose this picture because the Cape Cobra was the most aggressive snake I have ever encountered. He tried, repeatedly, to bite me.

If I were to pick a single word to describe my approach to nature photography that word would be “enthusiastic.” I have more exuberance than technical know-how, and a far greater love for the creatures of nature than I have for photography. For me, the adventure peaks when I first see some beautiful natural subject; not when the finished images come out of Photoshop. This is probably related to the fact that I am seriously dyslexic, and for this reason I consider my wife, Kay, a full partner in my photography efforts. This is especially true as the world has gone digital. I could not participate here, or process my images on a computer, without the application of her technical skills. I keep taking photos of wildlife because I am driven to do so. As wild places continue to vanish, and wildlife struggles to survive under the pressures of progress and massive human populations, Kay (a biologist) and I feel alarmed. It is my profound hope each image I share and each presentation I give will cause someone to have a kinder approach and greater concern for all wildlife. We make our home in a fairly remote location above the North Fork of the John Day River in Northeastern Oregon.