Thursday June 6, 6pm
Ospreys are one of the few bird species that are found throughout the world. From forests in Hokkaido to rivers in Oregon and islands off Australia, Ospreys steal the show as nature lovers easily watch them build their massive nests and tend to their young. The fact that the Osprey is one of the few large birds that can hover adds to its mystique, and to watch it plunge into the water, emerging with a fish clutched in its talons, is truly a sight one will remember.
As widespread as Ospreys are, not long ago they were under threat of extinction. During the 1950s and '60s, scientists tied the decline of Osprey populations to the heavy use of DDT and other human pollutants. In the 1980s, Ospreys began a slow recovery due to the efforts of conservationists and through the resilience of the adaptable raptors themselves. Today they are again considered common in most parts of the world, although some populations remain threatened.
In this gorgeously illustrated book, Alan F. Poole, one of America's premier Osprey experts, has written a lyrical exposé of these majestic creatures, describing their daily habits and exploring their relationship with the environment. Ospreys celebrates the species' miraculous recovery from contaminants and hunters, chronicles their spectacular long-distance migrations, and unveils their vital role in bringing life to coastal habitats. Few other birds have such a hold on the human imagination. This book shows us why.
Featuring artworks by
Julie Zickefoose
Kris Rowe
Jacob Steinberg
Craig Gibson
David Jeffrey
Julia Zickefoose
Biography
Julie Zickefoose lives and works quietly on an 80-acre wildlife sanctuary in the back country of Whipple, Ohio. She is a prolific writer and painter and Contributing Editor to Bird Watcher’s Digest. Natural Gardening for Birds,Letters from Eden, The Bluebird Effect, and Baby Birds: An Artist Looks Into the Nest are joined by Saving Jemima: Life and Love With a Hard-Luck Jay, the intimate story of how an orphaned bird can save a soul.
Julie has always worked in watercolor, and continues to discover new surprises and techniques with each piece. Painting four watercolors for Alan Poole's new book was a delight, since illustration is storytelling with paint.
Kris Rowe
Jacob Steinberg
Biography
Jacob Steinberg is an Emmy Award nominated cinematographer. His documentary work has been screened internationally on television and at festivals. An expedition leader, wilderness medic, and mountaineer, he has travelled worldwide, documenting subject matters from wildlife conservation, indigenous culture, and natural history. He is the owner and managing director of CosmoVision Media Group, a full-service production company specializing in high-end documentary film for television and cinema.
Craig Gibson
David Jeffrey
Statement
I am an amateur photographer who focuses primarily on creating images of birds. I began observing birds in the 1970’s, a diversion that ultimately became a passion. After retiring in 2010 from a career in finance, I took up digital photography, concentrating on photographing birds.
I live in South Dartmouth, MA but in winter months spend time on Captiva Island, FL. With newly found time in retirement I upgraded my photographic equipment by purchasing a 600 mm Nikon telephoto lens, a quality tripod and a gimbel (to allow the lens and camera to move in any direction) in order to produce close-up images of birds, especially those in Florida.
I have had no formal training that would prepare me for photographing birds or nature, in general. However, I did read The Art of Bird Photography, by Arthur Morris several years ago. Morris opened my eyes to both artistic and technical possibilities. I feel a deep connection with the birds I photograph. My favorite bird photos are those that have a sharp, portrait-like image with the subject filling the frame and a blurred background. I especially love photographing a mirror-quality reflections in water. I also look for the dramatic action, such as catching food, attracting a mate, building a nest, feeding its young or frightening off a potential rival.
On Captiva Island ospreys are thriving and nests are abundant. I find that photographing their nesting activity can be quite rewarding. This includes photos of ospreys nest-building, protecting it from attacks by other ospreys, copulation, bringing fish for consumption, and raising the young. It is especially interesting when bald eagles enter osprey nesting territory, making for fascinating aerial combat photos.
I have very much enjoyed sharing some of my better images with friends. After a shoot, I often email selected photos to a group of friends and enjoy the communication that they sometimes spark. As such, the photos are a link between me and those people with whom I share this deep interest.
SHOWS:
“Patience-Pause-Click” – Four artist exhibition of wildlife photography, Captiva Civic
Center, Captiva, FL, January-February, 2017
Solo show, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel, FL, March-April, 2018
“Taking Flight” – Four artist exhibition of bird photography and paintings, Marion Art
Center, Marion, MA, September-October, 2018