Join BirdNote tomorrow, November 30th!
Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!
On Wednesday, March 27th at 12pm PT/3pm ET, BirdNote hosted a captivating conversation featuring an esteemed panel of photographers who shared their experiences, breathtaking captures, and insights into how stunning imagery can inspire action for birds. And, the winners of BirdNote's 19th Birthday Photo Contest were announced!
Hear from a panel of talented professional photographers — Melissa Groo, Tim Laman and Day Scott, along with moderator Walter Kitundu — who share their valuable perspectives on how photography can drive positive change for birds and the environment. Whether you're an avid bird photographer, a conservation enthusiast, or simply curious about the transformative potential of visual storytelling, you'll enjoy this inspiring conversation. At the end of the event, the winners of BirdNote's 19th Birthday Photo Contest are announced.
You can help support BirdNote's storytelling and future events like these by giving a gift to BirdNote. Your support will help BirdNote continue producing stories that inspire people to take action for birds and our shared world. We appreciate any amount you choose to give.
About our Moderator
Walter Kitundu is a Tanzanian-American multidisciplinary artist, educator and bird photographer. His eclectic art practice includes sculpture, sound installations, and large scale public art works that address place, history, nature, and community. Walter also builds extraordinary musical instruments and mechanical devices when he isn’t obsessively documenting the natural world as a bird photographer. He is the director of Kitundu Studio, which focuses on the development and installation of public art works. Walter received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2008.
About our Panelists
Melissa Groo is a wildlife photographer, writer and conservationist with a passion for educating people about the marvels of the natural world. She believes that photography can be both fine art and a powerful vehicle for storytelling, and considers herself a “wildlife biographer” as much as a wildlife photographer. Since 2016, she's written a bimonthly column on wildlife photography for Outdoor Photographer magazine, and has contributed to numerous other publications. Along with bird expert Kenn Kaufman, she created National Audubon Society's Guide to Ethical Bird Photography. She currently serves on the Ethics Committee for the International League of Conservation Photography, the North American Nature Photography Association, and Environmental Photographer of the Year. She has written on the issue of ethics in wildlife photography for National Geographic as well as a number of other publications. Melissa's work has appeared on the covers of Audubon, Smithsonian, Natural History, Living Bird, and Outdoor Photographer magazines and in publications ranging from National Geographic to National Wildlife to Natural History.
Tim Laman is a field biologist, wildlife photojournalist, and filmmaker. Since getting his Ph.D. from Harvard for pioneering research in Borneo’s rainforest canopy, his cameras have been his tools for telling the stories of rare and endangered wildlife, and revealing some of earth’s wildest places. He has photographed on all seven continents, and regularly travels to some of the most remote corners of the earth to explore and document poorly known species. Working in extreme environments from the rain forest canopy in Borneo to the coral reefs of Papua, and from mountain peaks in New Guinea to the seas of Antarctica, Tim spends many months a year on expeditions to study and photograph the biodiversity of earth’s richest realms. He is most well known for his long-term work on birds-of-paradise and orangutans. Tim has published 23 feature stories in National Geographic magazine, as well as worked on films for National Geographic Channel, BBC, and Netflix. Tim’s work has garnered numerous awards. He is a fellow of the Explorer’s Club and of the International League of Conservation Photographers, and is a Associate of the Ornithology Department at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology, as well as the co-founder of the Birds-of-Paradise Project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Day Scott is a disabled wildlife conservationist, photographer and educator who embarked on an extraordinary journey after a vehicle collision with a pronghorn herd three years ago left her with a traumatic brain injury. As a disabled scientist, she advocates for inclusiveness and equity in academia and conservation research, particularly for those with disabilities and her passion for conservation and education remains undaunted. Day’s boundless enthusiasm for research and wildlife photography has a global impact, with her work featured on platforms like Animal Planet and Discovery. Particularly noteworthy is her two-year stint as a judge for the Australia Zoo's Crikey! Magazine Photography Competition, collaborating closely with the Irwin family. Day’s contributions in research, advocacy, and conservation serve as an inspirational call for others to unite in the noble cause of conservation advocacy. Day has been featured on BirdNote Daily, including "Day Scott on Recovering with Help from Birds" and "Observe First, Photograph Second".