Oct 7, 2015

Making Amends "2015 Windland Smith Rice Awards - Grand Prize Winner"

I'm excited and honored to announce that I am the Grand Prize Winner of the 2015 Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards. It is an honour to be chosen alongside so many exceptionally talented photographers and wildlife advocates. Selected from 20,000 images from photographers in 54 countries, the finalists in each category will be published in the 2015 20th Anniversary Awards Special Edition.
 
The exhibition opens October 24, 2015 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. Enjoy a 20-year retrospective of nature's finest moments in the "Best of the Best" photography exhibition. Including more than 100 large-format prints and the stories behind the shots, the 20th anniversary exhibition will take you on a thrilling journey from the wild to the walls of the Smithsonian

 
This is even more special to me considering that this time last year I was in the hospital on life-support fighting for my life - for the third time. During my recovery it sometimes felt that my life would never get back to normal and I was frustrated with myself and my inability to get back out doing what I love. It's amazing how much can change in a short time. Within a few months I had recovered enough to get back to my favorite places, enjoying the peace I feel when I'm surrounded by nature and start travelling again. This year has been filled with many wonderful moments and this award is something that I never imagined I would achieve. Life is very good right now!

 
I know my friend & mentor Gary Burdette would be proud and I wish he was here to share this tremendous honour. He was an integral part of my photography and was always there to offer advice, encouragement and share his knowledge. Every time I pick up my camera...he is in my thoughts.
 
 

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