It was when her oldest son graduated, Pam Dorner decided this was the moment to ‘break free’ and find something just for herself. The problem was she didn’t know what that something was. Not long after, her sister-in-law Denise gave her a camera, hoping Pam could learn how to use it so she would have a buddy to photograph with. Pam took a weekend of lessons and that was the moment she realized photography was her new passion. This was only five years ago and she has been successful in various contests overly since. Now is the time to get to know this passionate nature photographer, whose love for nature resonates in every word she speaks.

Pam Dorner lived her first seven years in Asheville, North Carolina, in a house in the mountains. These years brought her lots of happy memories like exploring the trails near the house, going lanugo to the creek looking for crawdads and other critters. After seven years, her family moved to Texas. Luckily for Pam, they lived outside of the city, offering her the endangerment to explore the mesas near home. Nowadays Pam lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Her house has a view of the Rio Grande River and the Sandia Mountains. Plane though she has lived here little over 20 years, she never tires of the view or takes it for granted. Its eyeful still amazes her every day.

Black withstand cub in the Smokey Mountains, North Carolina, Pam Dorner

Inspiration

“My parents loved to travel and unchangingly encouraged me to go outside. As a little girl I had my first contact with a withstand while sitting on my father’s shoulders in the Smoky Mountains. The National Geographic magazines they placid were a unconfined inspiration to me. I spent hours and hours perusing the photos, just irreflective of visiting some of the places in the magazines. I was reminded of that diaper wonderment when out shooting for the first time in the bosque, the tree lined zone on the Rio Grande River. I remember stuff taken unknowingly by the eyeful that night and was so happy – sounds corny but I felt like my soul was lifted. That is the only way I know how to describe it, just well-constructed sense of peace. I knew right then and there that I wanted to pursue photography. It brought me when to my childhood, firing up the love of the natural world and desire to see those places for myself.

As a little girl, my parents gave me a print of a lynx for my bedroom. I used to squint at that trappy portrait of this wild cat and imagine seeing one. That dream came to fruition without coming wideness an incredible lynx portrait by photographer Kevin Pepper. I couldn’t sign up fast unbearable for his workshop in the Yukon and months later I was sitting in the snow squatter to squatter with a trappy lynx. That trip spearheaded many other vita and experiences that in my wildest dreams I would never have imagined I’d have the valiance to do. By the way, I still have that print of the lynx my parents gave me.

Face to squatter with a trappy Lynx, Pam Dorner

Luckily, I don’t have to travel far to be inspired by nature. Since I live so tropical to the river, we are happy to see wildlife like coyotes, sandhill cranes, eagles, geese, roadrunners, owls, bobcats, etc. My husband plane came squatter to squatter with an elk last year, something I’ve never seen near my home in all my years of hiking and running the trails withal the river.

Just a few hours from home is Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Thousands of sandhill cranes and snow geese winter there every year and egrets roost there in the summer. It is such a trappy place and a treasure for New Mexico. I can visit the refuge and see something variegated every time I go. I saw my first tomcat a few years ago. A small cat ran out in front of my car while driving one of the loops. I stopped and got out thinking it was a house cat from a nearby town. The small cat was running up and lanugo the other side of road just ahead. Suddenly, I heard crunching leaves a few feet from me. There stood a mama tomcat and I quickly realized the other was her kitten. She walked well-nigh 10 feet from me. At that point, I was abreast my car between her and the kitten. Then she sat lanugo and the kitten followed suit. It was an incredibly wifely special moment. I took turns photographing her and the kitten until flipside car came virtually the wrench and scared both cats away. I am so grateful for that wits as well as many others at the refuge. Therefore, Bosque del Apache will unchangingly hold a special place in my heart.”

Bosque del Apache, Pam Dorner

Inspiring photographers

“There are many unconfined photographers and I revere expressly those that take pictures that stick in your mind, photographers that make the connection between the viewer and nature. Daniel Kordan is a unconfined example. I love his photos of unusual landscapes and trees of the world. When I think of his work, I picture white glaciers with a red sailboat as seen in many of his images.

Another photographer with inspiring work is Marc Muench. His photos make me want to typesetting flights to wondrous locations all over the world. His knowledge of light, verisimilitude and sonnet comes through in every photo. I love his Braided river images, Bristlecone pine, and well-ventilated photography. He is moreover an wondrous wildlife photographer to boot!

Wayne Suggs is an incredible photographer from New Mexico. He has a distinctive style. When you see one of his images, you know who took it. His images are so sharp and usually so tropical to the subject matter that you finger you can reach out and touch them. He is moreover such a positive role model, urgently protecting the landscape he photographs. His love of teaching is unveiled to anyone who knows him.

Matt Meisenheimer is a relatively young photographer, but so talented. His images have an ethereal finger and showcase his worthiness to find unique compositions in remote areas.

Bear 399 and her four cubs, Pam Dorner

Furthermore, I revere Thomas Mangelsen’s wildlife photography, expressly in regard to the animals of the Tetons, such as the famous Withstand 399. He has followed her journey for 15 years, photographing her in a very respectful way. I had a endangerment to shoot near him when Withstand 399 had four cubs at 26 years old. I revere that he uses his platform and social media presence to help protect these animals and requite them a voice with his photography.”

Signature

“My photography venture started only five years ago and I’m learning every day. I don’t know if I have ripened a signature yet in this relatively short period. I love all subjects, expressly when photography involves the unexpected. For instance, a few years ago on my last day in Katmai, Alaska, I heard there was a sow with cubs at a nearby lake. Because I had a few hours surpassing my flight, I headed to the lake in hopes of photographing withstand cubs. When I arrived, I saw the mother withstand was fishing, while her two cubs played on the beach. I kept a unscratched loftiness so as to not disturb the withstand family. It was exhilarating stuff all vacated in Alaska for a few moments photographing bears. I felt no fear but a healthy respect for the bears and I hope that they sensed this. Same with the tomcat mom with her kitten that I mentioned before.

Alone with the bears, Katmai, Alaska, Pam Dorner

For me, ‘experiencing the moment’ is the most important. I try to express some of that reverence for the natural world in my photography. I am still looking for what makes a photo ‘Pam’s’ but haven’t found that signature yet. I would be happy if the love and respect I finger for nature became my signature.”

Preparation

“My preparation for a photo trip depends. When I go to a location on my own, I will google location logistics upfront and have a good understanding of wildlife sightings and habitat. When I go with a professional, I trust that person to get me where I need to go for an wondrous shot. If you set the expectations too high, it can be disappointing and ruin the trip. I want to be pleasantly surprised. I do prepare gear wise, think well-nigh what lenses to bring, and of undertow have a redundancy camera on hand.”

Bobcat mom, Pam Dorner

Ambition

“I am driven by moments. I want to protract to have magical encounters whether it be with a Grizzly in the wild or a trappy sunset on the river. Nature photographers spend myriad hours outside usually seeing nothing and then all of a sudden, there is movement and you make a connection whether it be a bird, withstand or bobcat… it doesn’t matter…. it is magical. I want to share those experiences with others that for whatever reason might not be worldly-wise to get to those places themselves.

That personal connection with nature is what fills my soul. I hope, through sharing that love, that others will finger the same wonderment for the natural world, and the desire to protect it! Wildlife and landscape are valuable resources, and should be treated as such to protect them for next generations. Squint at the rhino population–we have decimated them. I photographed a young Grizzly in the Tetons last year. Weeks later, someone decided this trappy Grizzly, on the endangered species list was surplus, and tragically shot and killed. There should be no such thing as a surplus Grizzly bear!

No such thing as a surplus Grizzly bear!, Pam Dorner

We need to learn to coexist with the wildlife that we share the world with. Like for instance coyotes. Some people in my zone don’t like coyotes but they are an important keystone species playing a hair-trigger role in keeping our natural areas healthy. I’m proud of my state for ending coyote killing contests. Science shows that this type of predation management doesn’t work abreast the fact that it is cruel. Much of this disdain for coyotes is rooted in fear and misinformation. Understanding why animals act the way they do helps to lessen that fear. With my photography, I hope to underpass the loftiness between wildlife and the viewer.

My internal mantra for photography is do no harm. As a photographer, I believe we have an obligation to the subjects we are shooting, whether it be an animal, flower or petroglyph. We need to protect these special areas and creatures for future generations.”

Coyote in Yosemite, Pam Dorner

Photography contest

“I think it is important to participate in photography contests. First of all, when you have an wondrous experience, you naturally want to share. Secondly, there are so many talented photographers out there, it’s challenging to get your work seen. With so many on social media vying for attention, plane if someone follows your work, that person may not see your image posted considering of an algorithm. That makes it nonflexible for a small fish in a big swimming to get that story or photo out there.

Photo competitions like NPOTY can underpass that gap and requite you a platform to share a special moment in time. Also, I think it’s harder for sexuality nature photographers to be taken seriously in such a male dominated field. There has been headway in that zone with wondrous photographers like Christina Mittermeier and Melissa Groo, but tough for someone like myself, who has been doing photography for a relatively short time. A races photo is judged based on that moment in time. Did it connect, did it move someone? Not who shot the image.

Bobcat kitten, Pam Dorner

I am definitely planning to participate in the NPOTY 2022 edition. I am a procrastinator, putting off everything until the last minute. I once entered a competition in New Mexico where I shot my entry on the last day of the competition.

To photographers who are thinking well-nigh participating I would say just go for it! Don’t get intimidated by the number of participants, believe in your work. Keep in mind that it is fine if a jury doesn’t connect with your image, in the end someone will.”

Social Media

“For me the benefits of stuff zippy on Social Media like IG and FB is a combination of getting my name out there as well as connecting with other photographers. I expressly love IG rationalization its well-nigh the photo. FB is increasingly well-nigh keeping up with friends and sharing experiences. Share what you love.”

Sandhill crane refection, Pam Dorner

Covid-19 effects

“It may sound odd but I was unquestionably really productive during the pandemic. It forced me to slow lanugo and learn key fundamentals and processing techniques as well as it unliable me to see the trappy zone where I live in a new light. One of the groups I follow, Muench Workshops, had weekly assignments during the pandemic. They have a group of extremely talented pros and they would show examples of variegated photography techniques and rencontre viewers to create or share similar images. Topics like black/white, upper key, using shadows and then their pros would critique your images to help you improve. It’s so nonflexible sometimes to get constructive feedback. I really enjoyed these assignments, they gave me a sense of purpose during such a nonflexible time, they helped me think differently well-nigh sonnet plus it was so much fun to interreact with a group of like-minded individuals. One of my images from those assignments, a photo of a sandhill crane reflection, went on to win first place in the wildlife category of a major New Mexico publication. It was a photo I didn’t plane know I had until I slowed lanugo and looked when at older work and realized the value of that moment in time.”

At the end of the interview, I asked Pam Dorner the question: “if you could ask flipside nature photographer one question, who would that be and which question would you ask?”

It didn’t take Pam much time to answer: “Ansel Adams if he were still alive. He is a famous landscape photographer and environmentalist, known for his woebegone and white images of the American West. I would want to know what his thoughts are on today’s digital technology and worthiness of post processing. I would moreover like to know what he looked for when composing images.”

View on the Rio Grande River, Pam Dorner