Falconiformes · Statement
The birds I have photographed all reside at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) in Quechee, VT. They are rescued birds; they have all been injured in some way, often by vehicles, and spend their lives in large wooden and metal raptor enclosures. Without VINS and other rescue and rehabilitation centers like it, these birds could not survive on their own.
As a photographer, I've always been interested in the different intersections that spring up between man-made and natural worlds. So it made sense to use my camera to describe these magnificent creatures caught within an artificial environment that, however necessary and well intentioned, could never hope to replicate the limitless trees and skies they would normally inhabit. What do these plumages and talons and wingspans look like caged and confined? I didn't intend for these photos to be sad, yet there's a sorrow here that's hard to escape. Nevertheless, I also hope that the birds' beauty can be seen.