I recently received my latest Outdoor Photographer and one article caught my eye. It's about making people aware of the environment by showing nature's beauty. My feelings exactly!
A couple years back, we bought our first digital SLR. Suddenly, our 300mm zoom lens was long enough to capture the birds at our feeders. I photographed birds throughout the winter and then my husband surprised me on my birthday with a 400mm lens. My success rate skyrocketed after that. Just six months after I began to capture those flying beauties, I took a photo of an airborne Tufted Titmouse that has won two awards so far.
Why am I so fascinated by birds? Our backyard faces a wooded ravine and birds visit our feeders all year long. It is amazing what a variety of birds we see in our tiny backyard. Just today I saw two turkeys when I came home from my errands. For me, there is no way of getting closer with nature than living the cycle of the year by watching birds. Every season brings something new and their antics are mesmerizing.
But I'm straying away from my subject. By showing my photos to the public, I hope I'm making them aware of the importance of providing a natural habitat for them. Most people consider wetlands as useless land that is just waiting to be developed into yet another strip mall. Wetlands also provide important buffers against floods (as was obvious during hurricane Katrina) and are home or stop-over points for thousands of birds during migration. In fact, I've never seen an environment that is fuller of life than a wetland. Last summer, I counted 50 or 60 butterflies and numerous dragonflies in a small area.
People often comment on my photos, "They're beautiful." I hope that by showing them the beauty of birds, they may wish to preserve their habitat.
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