Natural Images Photography is:
Natural Images Photography is a small business that is 25 years old. We offer images for web sites, magazines, and other media. We sell matted and framed photographs at various retail outlets. Our book, "Spring Comes to Washington," has been in 29 retail stores, including several of the Smithsonian's gift shops, and is nearly sold out now. We also offer slide shows of Ecuador, Churchill, MB, Kenya, Tanzania, Florida and other subjects. READ MORE >>>
A little about Bob Mumford:
Bob Mumford began nature photography at an early age, but did not become a professional until mid-life. His first bird photograph was a flying Long-eared Owl, taken with a cheap Kodak 127 camera when he was 9. It resulted in a blurry black and white image. Since that time his equipment has been upgraded a number of times and he now works exclusively with the Nikon 35mm system.
He is a graduate of the University of Rochester, with a degree in History and from the University of Colorado with a Masters degree in Political Science. Interestingly, he has had no formal education in biology, ecology, fine arts or photography. All that he has learned in these fields has been from self-study, field work and experience.
Philosophy:
In Bob's view, the familiar axiom "First do no harm" is as applicable to the field of nature photography as it is in the medical field where it is usually seen. Wildlife and the environment come first and the photographer must be vigilant that he/she is not jeopardizing the safety or well being of the creatures he/she photographs. While there are laws, rules and regulations in place to protect wild places and their inhabitants, the very nature of nature photography is that enforcement comes from within, not externally. There must be a strong ethical value system underlying all field photography work.
Thankfully, careful observation of birds and animals usually reveals when one is impinging on their territory. When a critter is flushed, one knows that it has been frightened. When a photographer sees a large animal behaving in an aggressive way, sending out body language that it is unhappy, it is time to back off. Even in Yellowstone, where animals are so habituated to people that they usually ignore them, a photographer has to maintain a reasonable distance. READ MORE >>>
