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THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

Starting in early 2000, TNC gave me my initial assignments to shoot terrestrial wildlife and vegetation. Since 2000, I have done many shoots for TNC and have immensely enjoyed the photographic challenge. Although it is fairly easy to make Yosemite or Yellowstone standout visually for a potential donor, the subtle grasslands, chaparral and other habitats of San Diego County are a big challenge! To obtain excellent images of endangered animals such as the arroyo toad, gnatcatcher, horned lizard and clapper rail took many field days and help from biologists who work with these animals. For images of vegetation and endangered plants, I relied on the expertise of my good friend and naturalist Tom Oberbauer.  

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  • Mojave Green Rattlesnake, Crotalus scutulatus, Ranbow Basin, Barstow, Mojave Desert, San Bernadino County, CaliforniaMojave Green Rattlesnake
  • Hikers at the Amargosa RiverAmargosa River
  • Hills at the Amargosa River, just south of China Ranch, Inyo County, CaliforniaAmargosa River
  • Tecopa, looking east to the Nopah Mountains, near Shoshone, Inyo County, CaliforniaTecopa
  • Indian Paintbrush, Castilleja sp. in bloom, Mojave National Preserve, San Bernadino County, CaliforniaIndian Paintbrush
  • Tecopa Hot Springs, looking east towards the Nopah Mountains, Amargosa Desert, Inyo County, CaliforniaTecopa Hot Springs
  • Parry's bear grass (Nolina parryi), Kingston Range Wilderness, Amargosa Desert, San Bernadino County, CaliforniaParry's bear grass
  • Bill Christian of TNC talks to Brian Brown - TNC Partner and owner of the China Ranch date farm, Amargosa Desert near Tecopa, Inyo County, CaliforniaChina Ranch date farm
  • Desert Gold (Gerea canescens) blooming at Tecopa Mountain, Amargosa Desert, Inyo County, CaliforniaDesert Gold
  • Harper Dry Lake Solar facility, Barstow, San Bernadino County, CaliforniaHarper Dry Lake Solar facility
  • Desert Tortoise, Gopherus agassizi, young female, Harper Dry Lake, Mojave Desert, near Barstow, San Bernadino County, CaliforniaDesert Tortoise
  • LAKE HENSHAW HILLS. Winter dusting of snow on hills looking north towards Hot Springs Mountain. Winter 2001Lake Henshaw
  • Burrowing Owl. My first ever TNC assignment was to shoot the Ramona Grasslands in San Diego County. One of my best images was taken of this burrowing owl in that early Spring of 2001.owl
  • Arroyo Toad. I photographed the federally endangered arroyo toad in a remote canyon in San Diego County at night. Like many of the more difficult to access endangered animals, I used researchers to help me get the shot. toad
  • Laguna Mountains, eastern plateau and slope looking south/east after winter clearing storm. laguna mtns
  • Researcher in Bull Kelp Forest. This researcher from UC Santa Cruz was shot during my first underwater assignment for TNC in August 2007. Shot in the kelp forest just off Asilomar, Monterey County in California. Bull kelp
  • WILDFLOWERS AT CUYAMACA. 2004 was a wet year in San Diego County, bringing with it one of the most spectacular wild flower displays in the last 50 years. wild flowers
  • MULE DEER AT CUYAMACA LAKE. I scared up an adult mountain lion that was stalking the same group of deer just before I took this image one late afternoon. Spring 2003mule deer
  • Ramona Grasslands. That first TNC assignment in early Spring 2001 was a difficult one. In a dry year, make the grasslands come alive for the viewer! I shot these boulders at a vernal pool preserve one early morning.grassland rocks