Christa Taylor

While photography is not Christa Taylor's career, it certainly is her passion. She began photography over ten years ago and has not only developed her skills but also her focus. Committed to conservation of wildlife and their environment, Christa now specializes in wildlife photography. Capturing wildlife has encouraged her to travel around the world.

In the last two years Ms. Taylor has traveled to several African countries including Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Zambia. While based in Vancouver, British Columbia, she is always ready to find and shoot wildlife. In those instances where wildlife is not available, landscapes are her fallback.

Christa has attended various educational facilities from Focal Point to specialized workshops with Nikonians. Several of her images have been used in books including her most recent “On Safari” (ISBN 062029695X).

When asked what is required to capture amazing wildlife photographs, Christa's response is always persistence, patience, and practice. Of course, there will always be those days where things do not come together; in these instances humor often puts things into perspective. Of course, a few good friends always help:

While in Africa this spring, waiting for a hippopotamus to open its mouth all it took was a good friend to walk away from their camera for a few seconds for Christa to get her shot. Another unforgettable moment was when a temporary guide stopped the jeep to point out a Zebra. Lifting up a Nikon 200-400 VR and shooting off about twenty frames in a couple of seconds without looking through the view finder and then stating ‘got it!'. Nothing could have prepared anyone for the confused expression on the guide's face.

Perhaps the shot was lost (along with any wildlife around us) but the amount of laughter it created was priceless. While some of these memories have not been captured, a lot of photographs with wildlife have been. For instance, the photograph with a Rhinoceros in the grass was taken in Zimbabwe. Christa and a couple other photographers were hidden in tall grass with the Rhinoceros less than ten feet away. In these cases, the safety of the animal and the photographers were always first priority. Okay, the safety of the animals was considered long before anyone stepped out of the jeep. As Moose Peterson always says, “No photograph is worth sacrificing the welfare of the subject" (2006). When you are that close to such an incredible animal and it is still walking towards you, unaware of your presence in the grass, suddenly the no liability waiver you signed at the camp has a whole new level of significance. Of course, I am telling you this all in humor but is factually all true (including the waiver).

For now, Christa is working on her photography skills in the Vancouver area while planning several photography trips in 2007 and 2008.