Although photography would come later, my love affair with nature started at an early age. The first memory I can recall is of nearly stumbling over a garter snake in the garden behind my house. From that time on, I spent much of my childhood in the outdoors, exploring the woods, ponds, streams, and meadows near my house. When I wasn’t outside, I usually was inside reading about fascinating wildlife or poring over an amazing photo from an exotic locale – activities I still do daily. I grew to realize that all of life is amazing, from the most common insect to the tallest tree. As I grew up I had a chance to see some of the great natural beauty of the United States – both its places and creatures. My love for wildlife carried over into my education where I studied biology and ecology at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Nature is so diverse, there is always much more out there than we can see on our own. I have seen some incredible things and have an urge to share the stories and beauty as others have done for me. It wasn’t until I discovered photography that I found the right medium. Hopefully I can share some of these sights with you. My greatest hope is that my photographs can evoke some of the same wonder and respect for the beauty and variety of our natural world that I have felt since first seeing those remarkable critters in my backyard and running amongst the trees and streams of my neighborhood. As long as we maintain it, nature is there for all of us to enjoy and cherish!
Robert Rommel