Supernatural - Image #1700
Nikon F3, 300mm, 1/60 sec

   Before daybreak on an October morning, Dick and his partner slipped into a blind along a frequented pond to photograph wood ducks and other waterfowl. Hours went by and wood ducks were all around. As Dick was concentrated on a passing wood duck, his partner whispered intensely to him, “On the right!”.
As Dick slowly moved his lens to the right he saw a Mandarin wood duck come into focus. He was still shooting at 1/30 of a second and the duck was passing quickly. The light in the pond is very difficult to work with as shafts of the morning sun penetrated the trees and created hot spots of light. His instinct told him to click the F3 shutter speed to 1/60 of a second if he were to have a chance at stopping the action. He panned with the bird and captured the image that he appropriately named “Supernatural”. All the color in this image is from the reflection of Big Leaf and Vine maples that line the shore of the pond.

Tension at the Top – Image #1309
Nikon F3, 400mm, 1/250 sec

   The gathering of brown bear in Katmai National Park is an exhilarating experience during the salmon migration. The sow (bear faced away from the camera) in this image was an impressive fish catcher. She had a spot on the falls that she was particular to that provided her an excellent chance at catching the jumping salmon. Each time she caught a fish she would consume part of it on the falls and then take the rest to her three cubs waiting on shore. During one of her deliveries, a boar decided to step in and take her fishing hole. Dick captured the moment of her return and the confrontation that ensued.

Before Attack – Image #2501
Nikon F4, 300mm, 1/250 sec

   Dick was commissioned to go to Montana with the objective of photographing cougar.  As he was working with this male tom in the snow, the cat began to change his behavior and become more aggressive.  Suddenly, the cat charged Dick and jumped over the top of his lens and bit him in the head.  Dick was taken to the hospital and had several stitches put in.  This image depicts what a cougar looks like right before it attacks.

The story of the cougar attack landed Dick on prime time evening news with Tom Brokaw to tell his story.

The Covenant – Image #1704
Nikon F3, 500mm, 1/125 sec

   In his pursuit of photographing eagles, Dick found a nest that he could photograph from a cliff in southeast Alaska. From the cliff, he was able to get high enough to see into the nest. He traveled to this location for two and half years and was unable to photograph, either due to the weather or the eagle pair was not active on the nest. Finally, during his fifth trip, in the 10 minutes or so of light breaking through the clouds, the pair showed up on the nest and brought a fish to feed their fledgling. This image is an example of Dick’s perseverance and patience in getting a great image.

Freedom’s Boundary – Image #1705
Nikon F4, 400mm, 1/125 sec

Close Encounter – Image #1318
Nikon F3, 300mm, 1/250 sec

   Dick has spent countless hours in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. To see a black bear is one thing, to get close enough to photograph is quite another. Dick spotted the bears eating feverously on berries and other plants in the high country. Dick got down wind of the bear without the bears knowledge. Every 10-20 yards the bear would pop up to smell the air and then would disappear again in the dense ground cover. The bear finally stood up within 15 yards of Dick and he captured the shot. However, having his picture taken did not stop this 300+lb bear from finding a potential meal. Remaining motionless, Dick watched the huge bear walk within feet of him. Once upwind of Dick, the bear moved on.

Washington’s Secret – Image #3507
Nikon F4, 300mm, 1/250 sec

   Dick learned the art of wildlife photography as elk being his predominant subject.  To this day, they are one of his favorite subjects to photograph.  Dick traveled to one of his favorite elk areas in Washington State in search of a big bull to bugle up.  As he turned the corner on a logging road, he could not believe what was standing about 40 yards up the road – a wolf!  The wolf sauntered off the road and into the alders along the edge.  As he approached in the car, the wolf popped out about ten yards ahead of him.  This went on for about a mile or so until the dense alders broke out into an opening of small fir trees.  At this point the wolf allowed Dick to get out of the car and start photographing him.  The wolf seemed to be more curious of Dick than afraid.  They spent over an hour together before the wolf decided the photo shoot was over.

Bull Elephant – Image #5017
Nikon F5, 180mm, 1/250

  For years, Dick had plans to travel to Africa. In 2003, he was blessed with the opportunity to go to Kenya and visit the Masi Mara during the annual wildebeest migration. The guide took Dick to a spot frequented by large groups of elephant. It was a lush, marshy area that had over 40 elephants in it. The guide maneuvered his way along the elevated edge of the marsh. With his hand on the stick shift, the driver turned the truck off to allow Dick to get some photographs of a very large bull approaching within 30 yards through the tall grass. The bull seemed content that the truck was elevated between 4-6 ft above the marsh level and was not in the marsh. Dick was able to use a range lenses from 50mm-180mm. Suddenly, the bull changed his mind and he decided the vehicle needed to be moved. The bull surged out of the lush grass and stepped right up to the same level the vehicle was on. So the alert guide hits the gas and bounced Dick away from the quickly approaching bull. This image is just as the bull is coming up out of the marsh.