Bird Portraits--a photography exhibition at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes

Although birds exhibit no facial expressions, we have a way of attributing states of mind and characteristics to them; we see them as wise, angry, ferocious, comical.

These black-and-white images are attempts at “portraits;” they’re not nature pictures in the usual sense, they are not intended to help with field identification—there are other photographers doing great work in that area. Rather I hope they will help the viewers relate in a personal and esthetic way to my “subjects.”

In turn, I hope that personal connection will encourage people to think about the importance of conserving these fascinating and beautiful animals, and that those thoughts will lead to more thinking about the critical environmental struggle to save not only the birds, but the planet as we know and love it.