I have my dad to thank for my love of birds, wildlife and all things beautiful. Since I was a child he’s taken our family on many adventures around the world to hunt for birds with our binoculars. We'd often explore wetlands around our home in Utah to watch the shorebirds, pelicans, eagles and osprey, cranes, terns, meadowlarks, ducks, herons, and, on still winter nights, owls. The birds we have in Utah are equal in magnificence to birds anywhere in the world.

Recently there has been passionate discussion about the futures of our lakes and their surrounding marshes. While land development and growth are important to our state’s growth, it remains our responsibility to ensure this growth is done wisely in order to minimize our impact on native plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife that are sensitive to it.

My hope with these portraits is to invite you to really see a small handful of the hundreds of remarkable, beautiful species of birds that depend on Utah's lakes and the “messy”, marshy lands surrounding them. As we discuss the future of our home, let us keep in mind what we stand to lose –permanently– with each decision.