Something spectacular happens when you pause to connect with nature. For Chris Taylor, it’s a feeling of joy and magnificent photos of wildlife.
When Chris Taylor isn’t supporting Walden University undergraduate students in the Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services, you can find her taking photographs of wildlife.
The Haskell-Baker Wetlands south of Lawrence, Kan., are many things to many people.
Beginning in the 1500s, the wetlands were home to Kansa Indians. In 1884, they became the site of the Indian Industrial Training School, an infamous boarding school. Today, for many Kansans, the wetlands are scenery along the recently built South Lawrence Trafficway.
Chris Taylor acknowledges the history and trauma surrounding this sacred space, but also thinks of the wetlands as a place of resilience, where life finds a way. A refuge where the environment, people, and animals support each other’s wellness.
“The wetlands are the one space where I can turn off everything and be completely present for what’s happening around me without thinking about anything else that’s going on in the world,” says Taylor.
She grabs her camera and leaves the house in time to be there at dawn. That’s when deer, birds, coyotes, and elusive bobcats are more likely to be active.
“I move very slowly, find a good spot, and stand as still as I can for 15 minutes,” she says.
It’s how Taylor gets some of her best photographs.
“When you’re sitting quietly and something spectacular happens, like a glossy ibis landing right in front of you, that is joy for me.”
Wildlife Photos by Chris Taylor
See stunning shots from the Haskell-Baker Wetlands and Taylor’s backyard birdfeeders.
See more wildlife photos in “How a Veterinary Student Views the World with a Camera Lens.”
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