Larry Selman

View works by this artist
Capturing life and documenting it in an artful way is a concept that has fascinated Larry Selman since he was just a teenager living in Cleveland, Ohio. He is passionate about photographing wildlife, especially birds, in their natural surroundings. His interest in birds was re-kindled by his brother-in-law (an avid birder from Florida) a number of years ago, and since then, Larry, much like his favorite subjects, has migrated thousands of miles to record their fascinating behavior.

"For me, photographing birds is especially challenging, because they remain so little time in one place. They are literally moving subjects. One has to study their surroundings, favorite foods, migratory schedules and quirky habits in order to have a chance to capture anything on film (or digital card).

I enjoy all processes of photography, and I am constantly endeavoring to expand my knowledge, technique and subject matter. Whether it be other wildlife, landscapes, or people, I strive to capture the subjects in their familiar, natural environments at work, at play, or at rest. Mostly, it seems, they are at work."

Larry feels the mystery and intrigue of the natural world is universal to all who inhabit our planet and, as humans, we have the privilege of being able to document and interpret a tiny part of this world. His images convey a true respect he has for all living creatures. Larry agrees with naturalist Ben Gadd regarding what we encounter in the wild:

"Everything is smarter than we think it is - animals, pond scum, everything. Whatever an animal is doing, it's probably the right thing, or it would be dead. Wherever a plant is growing, it's probably the right place, or it would be dead. The earth's present ecosystem represents four billion years of learning everything the hard way. Don't mess with that."