I came to photography through my love of exploration and the outdoors. I've been backpacking and exploring wilderness areas ever since my parents strapped a pack on my back when I was five, and photography eventually sprang out of my desire to share my experiences in wild places with family and friends. Through the works of photographers such as Galen Rowell, I discovered how photos of personal adventures could transcend simple snapshots. I soon became more serious and focused on producing images that not only tell a story, but also attempt to evoke the emotional connection I felt at the time.
My photographic technique is entirely self-taught, and I'm constantly experimenting and striving to produce more expressive images. My formal education is in biological sciences, a result of my fascination with the natural world: I studied biology and natural history at University of California at Santa Cruz for my B.A., and earned a Ph.D. at Duke University working on behavioral ecology and animal communication, focusing on the use of bird song by yellow warblers (
Dendroica petechia). This strong background in natural history and biology helps me produce images of natural subjects that go beyond mere documentation.
As a professional photographer, my goal is to help editors and designers communicate their message through photographic images, and provide fine art prints for people to enjoy in their home or office. My photographs have been used internationally for advertisements, featured in calendars, and published in magazines such as
Camping Life and
Our State: North Carolina.
To view more of my photos, please visit my website, which features a fully searchable image database:
www.martinbeebee.com
