I spy photos by wildlife photographer James N. Brown

 I  was born in Sugarcreek, a small village in northeast Ohio. Growing up  on the edge of a small town at that time, gave me the freedom to explore  my surroundings which meant spending a lot of time outdoors. And in  this setting was where my love and respect of nature was born. 

Being a photographer has always been  one of my dreams.  I enjoyed a photography course in college at The  Ohio State University and afterwards rented darkroom time at the student  union exploring the development of photos I took on campus, of friends  and in the woods. I was able to pursue photography in earnest after  taking early retirement from a 31 year career in industry. Several  months after retiring, my wife Eve gave me a Canon camera and my real  passion for photography began in earnest.

My main stage for my  photography was the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Living in Akron, I was  on the edge of the Park and walk its trails almost daily. Along with my  wife Eve, I also take trips to places and parks in the US and travel  occasionally overseas. This gives me the opportunity to take nature  photos from different parts of the United States and the world.

I find the majority of  subjects for my photos by simply hiking and observing the wildlife when  it presents itself.  However, if I am aware of an active nest, a  particular perch that a hummingbird likes or I find a kill, etc., I will  return to those spots and wait to see what might happen.

The image I create starts  with a digital photograph.  The original image is downloaded from my  camera to the computer where it is usually cropped in PhotoShop.  If  possible, I try not to touch the color of the subject but I do modify  the color of the background to sepia/black and white.  I then fade the  edges of the photo to bring the viewer’s eye into the area of the  subject.  By “muting” the background, the subject takes center stage.