The following presentations are designed for photography & nature clubs, conservation organizations, and other educational venues and can be tailored to the needs of the client. They transport viewers to interesting locations and are filled with stunning images, photo tips, and thoughtful commentary regarding wildlife, unique communities, and travel. In-person presentations are not available currently due to COVID & other health concerns. On-line programs can be offered any where in the U.S. and abroad. Charges reasonable depending on the size of the sponsoring group.

To book a program or for details, please contact me: ospreyphot@aol.com or call 410 960-5871 (Cell), click the button below to fill out the registration form.

A Passion for Wildlife Photography, The Stories Behind the Images

This talk is based on my more than 35 plus years’ experience photographing wildlife and covers the requirements, strategies, techniques, and equipment required to capture engaging images of animals in their natural habitat. Included is information on lighting and composition, plus locating, attracting, and approaching wildlife and capturing action. Also covered are comments on safety and ethics. The program is interwoven with some entertaining stories behind some of the images. Photos from my recent urban wildlife projects are included.

Life in the Chesapeake Bay – Tangier Island, a Visual Journey

Just south of the Maryland line, in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, lies Tangier Island, VA. It is actually a series of small islands connected by narrow bridges spanning marshes and tidal creeks. From the mainland, it can only be reached by boat or small plane. On its narrow roads, golf carts and bicycles replace cars as the primary mode of transportation. It is a charming community of shop owners and waterman, with many inhabitants making their living on the water as did their ancestors, oystering and crabbing. Recently, Tangier Island has been the focus of news stories as a possible casualty of climate change and sea level rise as each year flooding on the island becomes more frequent and erosion increases. This presentation is a visual journey, compiled from photos that I have taken over the years. It explores life on Tangier and paints a picture of the island, waterman community, and the wildlife that inhabits its marshes, lagoons, and tidal guts. Includes tips on photographing the waterman community and wildlife.

Assateague National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Assateague Island National Seashore is a 37-mile-long narrow barrier island lying off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. It is one in a chain of barrier islands stretching from Maine to Texas. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) occupies the Virginia end of the island and like other wildlife refuges is focused on managing critical habitats for the benefit of wildlife. Situated on the Atlantic Flyway, Chincoteague NWR is a major resting and refueling spot for thousands of migrating birds. It is an important link in the chain of coastal refuges helping to preserve disappearing coastal wetlands. The seashore’s sand beaches and over-wash areas are critical habitat for nesting birds including Piping Plovers and Least Terns. Besides the beach, the Chincoteague ponies and wild horses of Assateague are a favorite attraction for visitors. This presentation explores the island’s diverse habitats and associated wildlife while providing a basic understanding of barrier island dynamics.

Adventures in Bird Photography

This presentation is based on my more than 35 plus years’ experience photographing wildlife in the U.S. & abroad. Birds are my favorite subject to photograph. They are found everywhere — backyards, forests, barrier islands, wetlands, etc. The program covers the requirements, strategies, techniques, and equipment required to capture engaging images. Included is information on lighting and composition, plus on locating and approaching subjects as well as capturing subject behavior. Also covered is safety and ethics. Living near the Mid-Atlantic barrier islands, a number of national wildlife refuges, and the Chesapeake Bay, I have many images from these locations. The program is interwoven with some entertaining stories behind some of the photos.

Badlands of South Dakota

Located about 1 hour drive from Rapid City, South Dakota and 20 minutes from the town of Wall is Badlands National Park covering 244,000 acres. A loop road passes between colorful formations that resulted from years of weathering and deposition. The Badlands began eroding about 500,000 years ago as the Cheyenne and White Rivers carved their way through the landscape. They created the narrow channels, canyons, and rugged peaks of the Badlands seen today. A layered mix of sandstones, limestones, volcanic ash, shale and other materials are responsible for colorful rock layers. Numerous pull-overs and trails provide scenic views. An interpretive center provides more insights into the geology and wildlife of the area. Sage Creek Rim Road, a well-maintained dirt road, branches off the main loop near Pinnacles Overlook, a favorite hangout for Big Horn Sheep and their new-born. The road provides more impressive views of the canyons and eroded landscape. Along the way are prairie dog towns and grasslands with grazing pronghorn, sheep, mule deer and bison. Other possible photo subjects include coyotes, Burrowing Owls, hawks, Meadow Larks, Upland Sandpipers, Sage Grouse, and other species including elusive badgers.

Flower & Garden Photography

Photographing flowers can be fun but also challenging. Subjects can be found in your own back yard, at formal gardens such as Longwood Gardens near Kenneth Square PA., or at commercial gardens where they propagate a wide range of flowers.  This PowerPoint program includes the following topics with example images and tips from my own experience. The following items are discussed: Potential Subjects, Composition, Lighting, Lenses, Close-up Accessories, Problems & Solutions, Creative Approaches, and Focus Stacking.

Being developed:

Newfoundland – Wild and Beautiful

Recent Review

On behalf of the Westchester Photographic Society, I would like to formally thank you for your presentation to our club, and others, this past Friday evening. Your content more than lived up to the title “Passion of Wildlife Photography” as your dedication and enthusiasm for photographing animals were both apparent and resonated with the audience.

Your images were lovely story telling captures that conveyed some important essence of the animal. This made your images interesting and pleasing. Members commented how “down to earth” you were and how well you knew your subject. We all appreciate how difficult it can be to photographic nature and animals in particular. You can’t control the weather nor the behavior of the animal. You successfully conveyed how you blended ethical considerations with planning, knowledge of the animal, working expertise of your equipment and of course patience can result in both a satisfying experience and even winning images.

People were appreciative of both your knowledge base and your willingness to share helpful tips about situational awareness, attention to lighting and pointers such as proper exposure compensation or black birds, in order to bring out the inherent colors.

I thought your friendly and casual style helped keep the audience engaged from start to finish.

We thank you for your time and entertaining presentation.

Dennis Thornton

dennist@wpsphoto.org