I learned about photography from my dad. He took me on hikes with his vest pockets full of camera lenses. Then I’d stand next to him in our basement darkroom as he and chemistry made images appear on paper. I found grace in documenting nature.

When the social isolation from covid set in, I wanted to find deeper meaning and purpose through what was directly infront of me - the small stuff - the things I take for granted or may not even notice, literally and metaphorically.

I started a backyard native garden project where I began noticing even smaller stuff, so I attached a magnifying filter to my lens to see closer. It was here I discovered my purpose in the photography world. My now daily practice is inspired by the life cycles of plants and insects, the quiet awareness of ever-shifting sunlight and wind, and the poetic connection with our symbiotic relationship to wildlife.

My home garden is now a certified wildlife habitat and I call it “The Living Studio” where I observe and document flora and fauna day and night in an artful way. I have documented over 500 species of plants and insects, creating a colorful journey of interdependent portraits and behaviors. Each image invites intimacy only possible through the macro experience, and provides a visual space for self-reflection and quiet conversation with the wildlife we cohabitate with and depend on.

I use the 60mm super-macro and 25mm ultra-macro Laowa lenses, Canon EOS 6D, speed-lite and diffuser, all handheld. Most of my images are lovingly captured in my woodland backyard of Western Maryland and the surrounding wildness areas in the Allegheny Mountains of the Eastern United States.

After graduating from Kenyon College in 1988 with a B.S. in Psychology and Music, I pursued the performing arts in NYC before returning to my hometown of Cumberland, Maryland. In 1995, I received a B.F.A from Frostburg State University in Photography, Printmaking and K-12 Art Education and have taught Visual and Performing Arts in both public and private schools for 25 years while being active in the arts  and wildlife conservation communities.

Since 2022, I’ve been honored with awards, distinctions, and expert short-listings from competitions including The Siena International Creative Photo Awards, International Garden Photographer of the Year, The Wild Lens Magazine, Amateur Photographer Magazine, Close-Up Photographer of the Year,  Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year, National Wildlife Federation Garden for Wildlife, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Portraits courtesy of Steven Fiscus