Your Best Shot

Seeing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat with my wife, Wendy, was a longstanding bucket list item. In November 2018, Wendy and I traveled to Uganda and Rwanda to see these amazing animals firsthand. During our final trek, a group of gorillas left the safe confines of Volcanoes National Park and ventured into the adjacent agricultural fields to feast on eucalyptus trees. As we followed the group at a respectful distance, I noticed this silverback standing on a ridge. To my surprise, he stopped—covered in a chilling drizzle of mist—to survey the mountain forests of his natural environment behind him and the planted fields that had once been his natural habitat surrounding him. After contemplating the scene, he descended to his group.

As I stepped outside my house one June day, I saw a baby bird fly into a trash can then begin flying in circles. I went over to help and he was surprisingly calm as I picked him up. The other bird in the photo, presumably his parent, began to call out as I held him. While I was checking to see if the bird was OK, the parent flew over to feed their young. Afterward, I placed the baby bird on a branch and waited with my camera—and sure enough, the parent came back to feed him again. After taking the photo, I waited at a distance to make sure that the baby could fly in a straight line. He flew off with the other bird about 10 minutes later!

I live near Mount Evans in Colorado and travel up the mountain several times a summer to enjoy the scenery and watch wildlife. I occasionally see American pikas, but it’s difficult to get a good view of these small and quick animals, who are threatened by our warming climate. I recently discovered a rocky area that appeared to be a pika village. I sat on a rock and waited for the noisy guys to come out of hiding. One perched on a rock and squeaked to warn his neighbors about a nearby weasel. Until I reviewed the photos at home, I had not realized that I’d captured a pika mid-chirp. That was even more exciting!

I met Foxy during a trip to Puerto Rico when I was looking for dogs to photograph for my pet photography business. Foxy’s owner, Genesis Jaramillo, reached out to me and I immediately gravitated to the young husky mix’s beautiful aura and her story. She was found after Hurricane Maria hit the city of Toa Alta in 2017 when she was only 2 months old; soon after, she was adopted by her foster family. Photographing Foxy inspired me to create a calendar showcasing the lives of rescued satos (street dogs) in Puerto Rico. Proceeds from the calendar benefit animal shelters on the island. These dogs are a great example of what a street dog can become if given the chance for a better life.