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Nature Documentary

In early 2009 I decided to pursue my long time dream of producing a nature documentary. Within a week of making this decision I gave myself a crash course in using a camcorder and editing software, and made plans to head to locations where I'd found interesting animals before. Of course, being self funded, and working a day job, I had to be very creative with my time and budget. The theme of this documentary is a lone man on epic quests into the wilderness in search of unique animals.

The first unexpected breakthrough came recently when AMPHIBIAN ARK decided to feature two of my segments on their website. Amphibian Ark is a prominent conservation organization that endeavors to maintain breeding populations of critically endangered amphibians in zoos so they may be reintroduced after extinction, or at least preserved in captivity. In case you didn't know, a plague deadly to amphibians called CHYTRID is marching across the planet and obliterating amphibian species at an alarming rate, and there's no way to stop it.

Although I intended to produce segments about reptiles and amphibians, or Herps as they're called, I had no idea that I'd become involved with Chytrid, or have the chance to document it. Not that I didn't want to, but most Chytrid "hotspots" were beyond my means, and so was the time needed to track down the endangered animals that it's affecting. However, after an otherwise failed filming attempt in the Pacific Northwest, I was taken completely by surprise at the last moment when a rare creature, threatened by Chytrid literally walked in front of me and looked me in the face. That fateful meeting took my documentary in a completely different direction.

After submitting this film simply to see if it will go anywhere, I have 5 more documentaries planned for 2010. Although my photography might be a little thin in the coming year, I'm happy to be returning to my conservation/wildlife roots through film. Please Enjoy...

JUST FILMED:

Reptiles of Glade Islands

Part I. GERMANY
The Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) and Alpine Newt(Ichthyosaura alpestris)

Part II. WASHINGTON
Western Toad (Anaxyrus/Bufo boreas) and Chytrid Fungus, Ecology of Mt. Rainier, and Olympic Rain Forest

Part III. COLORADO
Colllared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris ) and Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus )