2016 Image Review | shadeTreeImaging

This past year has been eventful for me. It began with scare and a six month recovery from a pulmonary embolism that started the previous autumn, but did not get diagnosed and treated until late December.

I bought a new small RV. The blood clots in my lungs resulted from a clot in my leg, caused by the long drives I’d been taking in the Samurai. The leg space in Sami is so small, it restricted my leg movements and resulted in a small, but significant clot below my left knee. I’d long been dreaming about a camper-van for travel. The health scare pushed me to look at my mortality and question “What am I waiting for?”

I’m a tinkerer and of course I had to add my little (sometimes not so little) tweaks to the van. Such tweaking may never be truly finished.

I took lengthy trips. In March I traveled through Arizona to New Mexico visiting friends and chasing birds and stuff with my camera. Near the end of April and into May I traveled north to see family in Oregon and used the eastern Sierra route for the scenery.

I hosted my good friend Jerry from New Mexico in June and we chased birds and other subjects with our cameras across southern Californian landscapes.

I exploited some of my favorite local hangouts to chase birds.

I attached myself to a worthy project with the San Diego Natural History Museum. My friends at the San Diego Natural History Museum called in July to ask if I’d be interested in helping with a book. They’d been thirteen years chipping away at a project called The San Diego County Mammal Atlas. They needed help organizing the images to accompany the written accounts, so I jumped at the opportunity to be the photo editor on the project.

I found a new style of nature photography. As a result of my involvement with the Mammal Atlas Project, I accompanied the science team into the field to photograph small mammals. It lead me to develop the concept of the Rat Theater.

I made new friends. Perhaps the most satisfying outcome of these past 12 months has been the friends I’ve made, both near and far. For these relationships have been the spice of my life … Thank You All!