A Year of Useless Creatures

Well, it's 2011! I've been updating this blog for almost a year now, and it's pretty incredible to look back and see just how much I've photographed over the past twelve months alone. I feel that my photography has improved, and I've certainly strengthened my artistic statement and outlook for the series. To make things even better, this blog was featured on AnnArbor.com, as one of five notable Ann Arbor-area blogs!

In this entry, I'll take a moment to revisit my favorite photographs of 2010 -- starting with January and ending with December.

January Pigeon, 1/17/2010


First January Deer, 2/27/2010


November Skunk, March, 3/11/2010


April Gull, 4/10/2010


Japanese Cormorant, 5/18/2010


Vertebra Slug, 6/5/2010


July Carp, 7/31/2010


August Coyote, 8/7/2010


September Swainson's Thrush, 9/11/2010


Poached Deer, 10/24/2010


October Junco, 11/1/2010


December Crow, 12/25/2010

I'm determined to set some goals for the new year. In 2010, not only did I photograph extensively for Useless Creatures, but I also started a few taxidermy-photography offshoots. These smaller, separate projects are something I'd like to further develop this year. Another topic I want to revisit is the poaching of wildlife -- so when the snow melts for good, I plan on returning to the Brighton Recreation Area and taking more portraits of the poached deer. A third goal is to shoot more film, and not just for Useless Creatures. Lastly, I aim to start doing more research, to discover what the "other side" thinks of these animals, as well as research regarding the decomposition process, scavenging animals, et cetera. Ideally, I'd love to have this project turned into a book -- it's an ambitious goal, and a whole lot of thought, planning, and especially research must be conducted first!

Here's to 2011 -- may it be filled with photography and adventure!