<< Kathleen P. Goodwin Donna Haar >>
Philip Loring Greene
color photographs from transparencies
Philip Greene began his photographic career in 1972 when he discovered egrets and herons nesting in his back yard in Marshall. His photography of these graceful wading birds led to a life long study of their habits and habitats. With exhibitions of his photographs initially at the Oakland Museum and California Academy of Science and later at the Mryland Academy of Science, British Museum and Taiwan Provincial Museum among others, Philip became a leading authority on the ecology of egrets and herons. His photographs were used to help create the Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge. He gives numerous slide lectures on the nesting and mating behaviors of these birds.
While continuing his avian photography, Philip has branched out to include floral and landscape subjects from Point Reyes and the Bay Area.
Philip is still working with color slide film; his large format Ilfochrome prints are produced in the darkroom at his gallery.
Philip's Gallery
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Abbotts is a really great place for birds and in particular for White Pelicans. The light and fog of early morning create a dreamy romantic effect.
Limantour is another great place for White and Brown Pelicans. Fall and winter provide great viewing opportunities and the lighting that time of year is gorgeous. Here Drake's Head provides the backdrop.
Just inside the front door of the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park is this little forest of bamboo.It really is these colors but some is an artifact of the sunlight passing through stained glass.
One of the skills of avian photography is to be ready when great lighting combines with motion. For me, I had to learn that birds leaving were as exciting as birds arriving as in the case of this Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea ajaja.
Wow! Talk about a once in a lifetime opportunity. The male Reddish Egret is about to land on his mate's back to deliver a wisp of nesting material. All the while they're chattering about his arrival.
So much of avian photography is luck. And being ready. This Great Blue Heron landed 22 yards from me, as close as my lens would focus. It is part of my set of heron and egret note cards.
The Cattle Egret, is a land based egret new to the West Coast of the U.S. During most of the year it is a plain white with yellow bill but during the mating season it achieves buff nuptial plumes and a blood red bill.
The Green-backed Heron is a solitary hunter unlike most members of the heron family. It also often stands almost stationary while hunting but it has been known to employ lures to catch it's prey.
This is why I love to photograph birds. A very typical group of White Ibis using a time honored group feeding technique. But what an ethereal moment.
I've spent countless hours observing egrets entering their colonies. Watching a 3.5 foot tall bird land, often under windy conditions offers a full range of postures from comical to stunningly gracefull.
These Snowy Egrets are doing something I've only seen once in over 30 years of study. The adult has enticed it's hatchling to follow throughout the colony to get fed but never lands to actually perform the feeding.
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<< Kathleen P. Goodwin Donna Haar >>
