Close Ups and Close Encounters: A View From Behind The Lens

S.J. Brown’s love of wildlife photography began on a whim with an inexpensive 35mm camera, a few rolls of film, and a passion for nature. Quickly her everyday life and wildlife photography became entwined. Somehow even with a husband, a job, and household responsibilities, photographing found a place in the mix. For over 10 years S. J. Brown has traveled extensively throughout the Eastern United States in pursuit of wildlife encounters. Much to the dismay of her spotter, this often involves trekking through thick brush, muddy trails, rocky seas and secluded locations, but the interactions with wildlife make it all worth it. To her wildlife photography is as much about the experience as it is the images she captures. Her goal for each photo excursion is the same, a close, one-on-one encounter with a wild creature. As a wildlife photographer S. J. Brown takes her cues from her subjects. Their body language lets her know when to step in for a closer shot and when to back away. When she is out in the field, she strives to observe and record not to interfere. The exception to this rule is when people pose a threat to wildlife; then she will take time to relocate a road dwelling critter to its location. Brown has saved snapper turtle from soup and other creatures from the taunts and teases of unwise humans, but she will not interfere with Mother Nature’s food chain unless it involves a domestic animal pursuing a wild creature. With this is mind, she has sent many a cat away from a bird feeder and saved many a squirrel from a curious canine. The resulting photographs and the stories behind them inspire both students and adults that attend the presentations she gives and the Art Exhibits she participates in. Her images have been featured in books, magazines, calendars, and greeting cards. S. J. Browns Book Close Ups & Close Encounters features over 50 of her wildlife photographs as well as the stories behind getting those images. S. J. Brown’s photographs and written words are her way of sharing her experiences. Introducing others, such as her granddaughter, into the field is one of her primary goals and loves and she hopes the time she spends discussing her work with schools, writers, and members of the public gives them an appreciation for the natural world.