Random Musings on Teaching, Photography, and Conservation

As a high school educator who has spent the better part of a career teaching Advanced Placement Biology courses, I am constantly looking for ways to inspire “buy-in” by my students. I stress the values of grit, perseverance, and resiliency. I spend my non-contact hours dreaming up ways to bait the hook so that my content is too irresistible to ignore. Yet, there are times when I know I am a fraud; a flimflam artist trying to sell an old junker of a car as if it were something shiny and new. Herein lies what I consider to be the art in teaching.

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Harbor Seal - Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia Canada

Photography is a wonderful parallel to my life as a teacher. When I’m not thinking about the next lab or lesson to share with students, I’m dreaming of ways to make compelling images that will engage and entertain the viewer. More than this, I am seeking to inspire my audience to value a world that extends beyond our human wants. I use this medium to display life’s diversity and to illustrate its beauty. Like the teacher who focuses on the extremes of reality to establish a commitment to learning, this photographer uses the same tools as way to inspire conservation and the fear of loss. My hope is that my images force you to look into the eyes of a cute animal in its untouched habitat and wonder… 

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Bobcat - Point Reyes National Seashore, California United States

The amount of detail captured by the photographer, the cameras used, or the time spent to get on location are all irrelevant if the pictures produced fail to inspire the audience. Like the great teachers, the real wildlife artist is a master of exclusion leaving you with more questions than answers.

©2000-2019 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

On the Edge

What and Where?

“On the Edge” was made along the rugged Northwest coast of Vancouver Island in August, 2017. For seven days, the 71' foot Ocean Light 2 sailboat was our "base-camp" for wildlife and landscape photography. Equipped with a zodiac for visits to shallow inlets and the rough rocky coast, we had the flexibility to pursue wildlife and landscape opportunities throughout this unspoiled region of the Pacific. While most of our humpback, otter, and harbor seal images were photographed in calm and protected waters, the Stellar sea lions always seemed to beach themselves along rocky islands where the surf hammered away with an unrelenting intensity. Access to these locations required the zodiac, and photography here was as unpredictable as anything I have ever experienced. At no time did I feel as if the boat were not experiencing the same unrelenting surge of water that the seals endured day in and day out. 

Technically speaking, I relinquished much of my control to the modern electronics in my camera. In an attempt to freeze the water and reduce the inevitable motion blur derived from the unsteady zodiac, I set my camera to auto ISO and a minimum shutter speed of 1/1250 of a second. While I retained control of the aperture by shooting in aperture priority, I let the camera select an ISO that would maximize (actually minimize) the shutter opening based on the parameters I selected for the lens. For photograph pictured, the photo was taken at ISO1400 and f/11 with a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8VC G2 lens and Tamron converter that I was testing on this day. Despite the crazed shooting conditions, the vibration reduction built into the lens and autofocus capabilities of my Nikon D500 camera allowed me to produce a surprising number of decent photographs. 

Why it Works?

Tamy and I saw some pretty amazing animals and landscapes during our seven days at sea, but this day was one of our all time favorite photographic experiences. This type of "cowboy shooting" reminded me of our African safaris that produced an infinite palette of opportunities. The image, "On the Edge," has an interesting balance with the sedate sea lions to the right serving as foil to the active ones on the left. The foreground water and background forested mountains frame the action in a way that draws the viewer into the photograph. The behavior of the animals, rough seas, and frozen waves create a level interest that seem to keep the eyes engaged and searching throughout the image. 

Ecological Notes

Steller sea lions are the sole member of the Genus Eumetopias. Dwarfed by the northern and southern elephant seals as well as the walrus, Steller sea lions are third largest pinniped and biggest of the eared seals. Female sea lions stop growing after their fifth year and weigh between 240 and 350 kg. In contrast, the males grow continuously until they reach sexual maturity, and can weigh as much as 450 to 1120 kg, The extreme dimorphism in male and female mass can be attributed to the intense competition between males for maintaining territorial boundaries, and thus reproductive access to breeding females. 

Residing near the top of the food chain, Steller sea lions prey on many fish species and mollusks throughout the Pacific and Bering Sea. Known to eat northern fur seal, harbor seal, and sea otter pups, the Steller sea lion is not without its own dangers, as they can fall prey to migrant orcas and great white sharks. In the 1970's and 80's the Eastern population of sea lions saw a steep decline. While there are numerous hypotheses for the precipitous fall, their present populations now serve as a conservation success story. This once endangered marine mammal was removed from the endangered species list in 2013 because of a strong recovery that extends from the Aleutians Islands to the North Pacific. 

©2000-2017 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

The Bear Walk

With the proliferation of photography related blogs, YouTube channels and social media boards, one more discussion about best practice is probably just an exercise in redundancy. Yet, the need to do something with my ever increasing library of images now provides the impetus for this next series of blogs. Having already penned 101 Photography Tips, I thought it might be valuable to articulate my intent behind a given image from the past, present or future. By putting words to the process, I hope to contribute a useful tidbit to the reader and provide an opportunity for some reflective practice that may help all of us grow and transition to a new cognitive and artistic place. 

What and Where?

“The Bear Walk” was taken at the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary near Orr, MN. The sanctuary is contiguous with Superior National and Kabetogama State Forests. Black bears visiting the sanctuary roam from Ontario, Canada into Voyageurs National Park and throughout the national forest habitat. Comprised of 360 acres, the VS Wildlife Sanctuary is an extension of the black bears’ natural range and is a great place to photograph spring cubs and late summer adults that are preparing for their long winter nap. While my June visit to the sanctuary was focused on young cubs, I also hoped to make some interesting photographs of adults moving throughout a variety of habitats. In producing this image, I used a Nikon D500 with its 1.5x crop sensor, Nikon 200-400mm f/4 VR lens, and an Induro Stealth 3-series tripod with a heavy duty Induro BH3Ls ball head. With the lens set to 300mm, the D500 produced an effective focal length of 450mm, thus suggesting a bit of intimacy between the subject and the viewer. At this magnification, I was able to maintain a safe working distance from the bear while minimizing my impact on its behavior. In addition, my choice of focal length and aperture of f/5.6 led to the compression of foreground and background foliage that appears to be smooth and tastefully out of focus.

Why the Image Works?

In photographing adult bears, I was searching for a way to convey the power and strength in the bear’s morphology without producing yet another Wikipedia-esque image. To move from documentation to something a bit more compelling, I knew that I had to include environmental elements and a bit of character in the subject. Shooting between episodes of showers, the bear’s dark and wet fur reflected the soft light that was bouncing between the grass and clouds. The moisture helped to define the otherwise amorphous black coat as well and suggest detail in the fur, face, and eyes. While the gaze of the bear might have seemed intentionally directed at me, this was not the case as the image presented was the only photo in which this bear was looking up. The mix of eye-contact and exposed paw walking towards the viewer were the elements of power and strength that I hoped to capture. Finally, the tall grasses blurred by my choice in aperture produced a natural frame for the subject. 

©2000-2017 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission. 

World Rhino Day

As a nature photographer I have had the great fortune to photograph many places that most only experience on TV, books or the web. Of the locations I have visited, none are more special than my travels to Tanzania in 2008 and Kenya in 2010. During each of these visits I felt as if I had stepped into the past... experiencing both the birth of humanity and a glimpse at the mega-fauna that was once the norm rather than the exception.

Today is "World Rhino Day." It is an opportunity to speak out in support of something other than ourselves. This place, East Africa, where humans began their journey as Australopithecus is also one of the last refugium of mammalian history. Home to rhinoceros, elephants, buffalo and the big cats, this place where humanity had its start is also where the last giants are being eradicated by senseless and uncontrolled poaching. Join me by signing the NRDC Petition to put issues like the conservation of the rhinoceros at the front of political and social discourse.

©2000-2016 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

The Aerial Dance

The birds pictured throughout belong to the family Ardeidae. Common near freshwater and marine coastal environments, there are 64 known species.

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Returning with an Offering (Ardea herodia)

The great blue (Ardea herodia) is North America’s largest heron. Breeding in seemingly haphazard tree-top nests, a mated pair will carefully pass each purposefully chosen stick from retriever to nest-builder as a part of a biologically programmed courtship.

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Courtship (Ardea herodia)

Often breeding in multi-species colonies, the great blue tolerates other heron species their colonies. Quite possibly a defensive measure against nest robbers,  survival and reproductive success is a numbers game.  “You can enjoy my neighbor’s eggs, but stay out of my home.”

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Great Egret (Ardea alba)

Often nesting between branches in and around great blue herons is the smaller, but no less beautful, great egret (Ardea alba). Their all white body is adorned with fine dorsal feathers and a green facial cere during the reproductive season.

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The Aerial Ballet (Ardea alba)

All images were photographed from a canoe. The equipment used was a Nikon D3 and Nikon 200-400mm f4.0VR attached to a Gitzo Series 3 tripod wedged between my body and the bow of the canoe.

©2000-2015 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Did You Know (33)?

The only land mammals larger than rhinoceros are the African and Indian elephants. Restricted to Asia and Africa, the five remaining rhinoceros species are among the most critically endangered mammals on the planet. A 2013 population census counted fewer than 30,000 wild individuals. A sub-species of the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) has the dubious distinction of having the fewest living representatives. The remaining 6 northern white rhino’s is heavily protected, some of which have had their horns filed down. As a species, the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) has the largest global population of all rhinos, however their horn continues to be a tempting lure for poachers. While Africa’s combined rhino population consists of nearly 26,000 animals, Asia now has less than 3500. The Sumatran rhinoceros population is believed to be consist of nearly 100 individuals, while the Javan rhino is approaching global extinction with its meager population of 35-45 animals. 

©2000-2015 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Did You Know (23)?

A pregnancy test from the 1960’s might be responsible for the demise of many frog species across the Americas. The African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), carrier of the lethal amphibian fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, was once an integral part of pregnancy testing. Used into the 1970’s, female Xenopus frogs would ovulate when exposed to urine from pregnant woman. Unfortunately, the frog that became commonplace throughout labs in North America, was a reservoir for the chytrid fungal disease caused by B. dendrobatidis. Originally used as a diagnostic tool, the African clawed frog is now an important lab research animal and a part of the global pet trade. Currently an invasive species in Mediterranean climates throughout the world, as well as Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and 11 states in the U.S., controlling the expansion of this once beneficial animal may be the key to the slowing the pace of amphibian extinctions throughout the Americas. 

1. Jones, Nicola. "Pregnancy Test Helped to Bring Frog-killing Fungus to the US." Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group, 17 May 2013. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
2. Willigan, Erin. "Introduced Species Summary Project - Xenopus Laevis." Introduced Species Summary Project - Xenopus Laevis. Columbia.edu, 20 Oct. 2001. Web. 29 Jan. 2015

©2000-2015 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Did You Know (17)?

If you live in Minnesota, you could be forgiven for not knowing that the trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) is protected under the Endangered Species Act. The now ubiquitous icon of inland lakes was nearly extinguished from the lower 48 by 1930. A reintroduction program that began with twenty-one two-year old swans and 50 eggs from Alaska, was all the state needed for the species to be reestablished throughout its former range. The conservation effort that began in 1987 with a modest seeding of swans and protective status from the Endangered Species Act, has allowed the swan population to expand to more than 6000 individuals. While ever present in Minnesota, this giant of waterfowl species remains a rare sighting across most other regions of the United States.  

©2000-2015 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

A Reason for Hope

It’s been a tough couple of months in the photo-blogging world for me. As an artist and writer, I have been thoroughly uninspired. While my travels to Costa Rica and California have contributed many new images to the portfolio and my work with snowy owls made for an exciting winter, I, nonetheless, have slipped into an artist’s funk. My many rants throughout the past twelve months clearly articulate the frustration I often feel. What was once a lonely pursuit, has now become a crowded field. Finding a bit of solitude in nature now seems as rare as the ivory-billed woodpecker. Maybe it’s just an April/May issue, but this season of renewal rarely leads to little more than disappointment.

May is the last full month of the school year. It is testing time, and student frustration is at its peak. My AP students mill about like zombies, often distant and detached. Wearing the stress like baggy clothes on a gaunt frame, the anxiety is palpable. Spring activities extract my young scientists from the lab, deprive them of learning opportunities and add more angst to a population whose being is defined by an ever present angst. Meanwhile, large numbers of students are preparing to leave the certainty of their high school life for an unstructured summer or post-secondary unknown. This is an interesting time to be the fly on the wall.

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Dr. Adrian Pinto working with student researchers in Costa Rica

So this morning when students began to populate my room an hour prior to the start of the academic day, I was pleasantly surprised by a bit of discourse. A crowd gathered to make up exams, complete labs and study in the solitude of a familiar space. As I typed away on a lesson for the day, the conversation began... “When does consciousness begin in a fetus?” she asked. I took the bait like the Socratic teacher I pretend to be, and volleyed back, “When do you think?”

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Michael Sevilla discussing the biology of tropical bats, Costa Rica

The discussion meandered about as others joined in or tuned-out in favor of their intended task. We discussed the essence of being and the intent of life, but this was not the burning question. She held it tight like something precious and finally offered her real thought with a bit of trepidation... “Is there any hope for humanity?” This one hits me like a ton bricks, as it is the one question that haunts me every day. It is the question that inspired my career and my avocation. I’m too honest to offer a comforting response, paused, and revealed the fear I have about our collective existence. “I’m not sure,” I say. “We are biological beings, programmed by our DNA to manipulate the environment and proliferate.” As I now write this, I realize that I did not paint a very pretty picture of humanity... so much for protecting the innocent. Yet, in my limited years on this planet that has witnessed 4.6 billion of them, I have watched the human population double, environments shrink and indigenous populations disappear. I care about these things, things that I could choose to ignore or define as irrelevant. 

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Children reaching out, David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Kenya

Yet, I believe there is a reason for hope. I have students who dream of a sustainable planet with a sustainable population. While some might claim them to be naive, nothing could be farther from the truth. There is a great awareness about our global predicament that includes anthropogenic climate change, diminishing resources and overpopulation. My generation feared a nuclear holocaust, they fear an ecological one. But unlike this GenXer who felt like the Boomers already did it and there’s nothing left to do, the Millennials are empowered by their social media and the ability to speak out. While courts equate money with speech, the influence of the big donor can be marginalized by many small voices sharing environmental realities throughout a web that is more democratic (with a small d), than is the traditional media of the big spenders. A few well organized Millennials working the web have the power to diminish the loud voice of denial that emanate from a wealthy few. As long as there are people who care to see and speak the truth, there will always by hope for humanity.

©2000-2014 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Getting “The Shot” when You’re Far from Home

If you’re a semi-pro or amateur who relies on disposable income to feed the wildlife and landscape photography habit, then you’re probably a lot like me. Every year I try to take two to three photography excursions. These travels vary from the more “pedestrian” road-trip to an international adventure. Regardless of the destination, I always hope to maximize the photo experience while being budget conscious. Twenty years of nature-travel photography has taught me one very valuable lesson, forgo the comfort of four-star accommodations and put your money towards a world-class naturalist/guide. 

Every dollar I commit to quality guide services translates into increased photographic opportunities, and real conservation of the places I love to visit. While in Costa Rica this past July, I had the great pleasure to work with my friend and naturalist Michael Sevilla. Having first met Michael in 2011 where he helped me to produce the picture that won the Nature Conservancy’s 6th Annual Photo Contest, I knew that I would hire him again during my next trip to his country. Working with a local guide who knows the terrain and the wildlife is like hedging your bets. When your guide becomes your friend and is willing to share the passion of his home and feeds off the excitement of his guests, then you know that you’re going to have fun and walk away with brilliant memories. 

Michael Sevilla Scouting for Birds and Bats - Costa Rica

Canon 50D + Canon 40mm f2.8

I consider myself fortunate to have worked with many naturalists and guides, and am thankful for the diverse opportunities they have made possible. To those hoping to make the most of their wildlife travel experiences, I suggest that you do your research and find a guide who is willing to listen and knows photography. The dollars you spend on a world class naturalist will pay dividends in the form of quality images that you can bring home.

©2000-2014 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.