Taking on a subject not most take on, Bob Croslin‘s bird portraits are unique because the birds aren't flying freely in the vast blue skies as they should be, but injured in small cages.
“We always had a bucket of bait fish around for the shore birds which meant my assistant and I would always leave smelling like fish guts,” says Croslin.
The haunting dark images may look bold, beautifully sleek and gracefully distinct, but the idea of them being unable to do what they are born to do is heartbreaking.
The Tampa-based photographer teamed up with a local bird rehabilitation center to capture the bird portraits. The birds he snapped were put in this saddening state because their habitats were being encroached by humans with a thirst for over development.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Animal Welfare Photography
- There is an opportunity to capture unique, eye-catching images of animals that shed a light on specific welfare issues and potentially shift behavior.
- Sustainable Development Advocacy
- Advocating for ecologically sustainable development presents an opportunity for industry players to endow in green initiatives and stamp out harmful practices that endanger wildlife.
- Conservation Fundraising
- Organizations looking to run fundraising campaigns can leverage visually compelling photographs, especially those that tell a story of harm or promise, to raise awareness and funding for animal conservation and protection.
Where This Applies
- Wildlife Conservation Organizations
- Organizations that work on wildlife conservation can use compelling imagery and stories of animals to raise awareness on a specific cause or spur engagement of supporters.
- Creative Arts
- Photography and creativity experts have a chance to produce unique and intimate imagery that sheds light on environmental and wildlife issues and how humans impact them.
- Ecotourism Hospitality
- Eco-tourism companies can leverage striking imagery and stories of unique, hurting animals to attract customers, and in tandem develop lucrative partnerships for breeding and rehabilitation programs.
