The Menagerie
For many years I photographed an assortment of four-legged subjects. I find photographing animals to be easier than photographing humans - they are who they are without vanity or a hesitancy to be photographed. Most domesticated animals will give you their attention and stay still with the right amount of patience, calm, kind words, and good treats. Wild animals, on the other hand, rarely make eye contact, won't strike a pose for a treat, and will never stop moving. Photographing them involves an enormous amount of patience, flexibility, and timing.
I’ve taken many portraits of family pets, including my own sweet dog Eddie (2005-2020), who was the most patient and willing subject. In fact, whenever I began to set up my photo lights in my home to do an indoor photo session with him, he would sit himself down under the lights long before I was ready, waiting for the shoot to begin (and, I assume, for the really good treats he knew were coming.)
From 2013 to 2015 I volunteered at Antler Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary in Western New Jersey to photograph their rescued and rehabilitated wild mammals and farm animals. Their goal was to reproduce my photos on calendars, greeting cards, and other printed materials which were to be sold to raise funds for the sanctuary. It was a magical experience. Never had I had such close and intimate contact with baby wild animals: skunks, raccoons, opossums, fawns, groundhogs, squirrels, rabbits, as well as goats, chickens, alpacas, and a resident therapy pig. I became giddy with anticipation each time I drove up their long driveway at the beginning of a shoot - I couldn't wait to see who I was to to photograph that day. They never disappointed, even when I was muddy and exhausted after each photo shoot.
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