I am a 23 year-old nature photographer and writer based here in Bozeman, Montana. Conservation is at the forefront of my goals behind a camera. I specialize in documenting the habits of birds and wildlife throughout various ecosystems in the west as well as how changes to these environments are affecting them. I am currently working on a film project in the Bridger Mountains about Great Gray Owls and the risks they face with continuous logging underway. Many years spent exploring nature have yielded some incredible moments and images that I hope will someday help me gain recognition in the realm of nature photography and filmmaking. Bozeman has acted as the perfect base for the beginning of my career in the field.
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Kyle Dudgeon
Great Gray Owl:
If you are fortunate enough to come across a great gray owl, you are left with an impression that no other creature in my experience can recreate. This large, female owl looked up just at the right time, as light rain fell throughout the forest on that day in June.
Comet NEOWISE:
I took this image atop a ridge in Hyalite Canyon near Bozeman, during the peak viewing of Comet NEOWISE. As the weeks passed, the comet did too, onto another place in the universe, leaving nothing but our images to remind us of the incredible views offered during that month.
Northern pygmy-owl
One of the smallest owl species in the world calls the forests of Montana home. That is the northern pygmy-owl, a bird no larger than a coffee mug. After spending a morning photographing this individual, I was fortunate to watch it catch a vole beneath before going on its way.
Peregrine falcon:
High above Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, a peregrine falcon rests after consuming an afternoon meal. For the thousands of people who travel to this exact valley each year, I wonder how many of them unknowingly pass on opportunities to observe species like this, away from the crowds and excitement.
Wolf:
One of Yellowstone's resident gray wolves looks back into my camera on a memorable morning in July. I was so fortunate to lock eyes with this beautiful specimen as she crossed the road right before my vehicle, and turned back briefly before disappearing out of sight.
Bison:
August yields some of the best opportunities for photographing bison, as it means the rut is underway. This large male was in pursuit of various females in the area, and just before approaching a little too close for my comfort, I managed a series of head-on images.