About

Without the engineering available to us with modern digital photography, I would not have been able to see the details of the natural world that extend beyond what my human eyes are capable of perceiving. With my “naked eye” I have walked about very observantly and have appreciated every detail that was available to what my limited human physiology could process. But there is a clarity that a lens can offer us that our eyes cannot.

So, I thank the industrious efforts of those who have devoted their lives to the technical aspects of these photographic apparatuses which I use to be able to see and understand the natural world around me. Every time I pick up my camera and attach the lens that is appropriate for the subjects with which I want to engage more closely, I give a pause of respect to the science and technology that has enabled the pleasure of my outdoor explorations.

I want to be able to see what is so close that my eyes cannot focus. I want to be able to see what is so far that my eyes see only a blur. And in seeing I begin to appreciate and understand.

From the texture of bird feathers to the complexity of insect eyes, to the symmetrical patterns in a seed pod, to the eyelashes of a rodent, to the astounding intricacy of a bubble in a brook or an icicle, I have traveled like an eight-year old in a candy store with wide eyes and desire at every turn. And this I share with you.

~ Audrey Elizabeth Kali