Ever since photographer Steve Gifford was a kid, he has enjoyed being outdoors. His parents were college professors, and summers were spent at their family cottage in Michigan or traveling to see relatives in Arizona, Colorado and Texas. Steve thinks that the priority his parents placed on enjoying the natural beauty of our country shaped his appreciation for public spaces and wildlife. His interest in photography developed as a way to share memories of family adventures.
Memorable moments
One spring, Steve’s goal was to find and photograph the elusive American woodcock during the day. After several weeks of scouting locations, Steve set out in full camo, slowly moving into the woodcock’s regular territory at Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana. Steve was fortunate enough to see the woodcock take a few steps, bobbing up and down. If the bird had not moved, Steve was sure he’d have missed it. Continue reading – http://www.fws.gov/news/blog/index.cfm/2016/1/27/Behind-the-Lens-with-Wildlife-Photographer-Steve-Gifford