As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the woods and was fortunate enough to witness all kinds of amazing things in nature. One day while exploring a wooded fencerow along the edge of a corn field, I watched a Gray Squirrel emerge from the field carrying a corn cob in its mouth. It then scampered up the tree right next to me, found a nice perch on a branch, and started munching on the corn, holding the cob at both ends, just like we would do. I thought to myself, I will never see that again. I really wish I had a camera right now. That was the moment I decided to start photographing wildlife.

Later in life, I fell in love with watching birds and learning about their biology and all the fascinating things they do throughout their lives, and they have since become the subject of most of my study and photography.

When photographing wildlife, my goal is to capture the unique and natural behavior that each animal has to offer. I try to become a part of the landscape and allow the animals to live their lives as if I weren’t there. This approach of quiet observation, without pressuring the animal, usually leads to rewarding experiences and satisfying photographs.

Jeremy Teague

Calvert City, KY

(Photo Above: Me standing at the base of the Illinois State Champion Cherrybark Oak tree at the Cache River State Natural Area in southern Illinois.)