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Veteran Rocky Holland Captivates Women’s Literary Club with Nature…

By in Photography

Veteran Rocky Holland Captivates Women’s Literary Club with Nature…
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The Women’s Literary Club had the pleasure of hosting a special program on nature photography, presented by Rocky Holland, a distinguished U.S. Army veteran and celebrated nature photographer, at Hill Memorial Church. Holland, with a passion kindled during his service in Alaska amid the Vietnam War, shared his lifelong journey through the lens, capturing the essence of the wild.

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From Alaska to the Pacific: A Journey Through the Lens

Holland’s presentation transported club members across various terrains, from the rugged Alaskan wilderness to the serene Pacific coast, through a collection of breathtaking wildlife photographs. Over 56 years, Holland has honed his craft, amassing thousands of images that celebrate nature’s raw beauty. His portfolio, showcased at local galleries such as the Westline Inn and his own Eagle-Eye Photography in Kane, spans a wide array of subjects including majestic birds, elusive bobcats, and dramatic landscapes.

A Showcased Legacy at Art in the Wilds

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Holland’s annual participation in the Art in the Wilds show in Kane stands as a testament to his renowned status in the photography community. Here, he exhibits a selection of his work, drawing admirers from near and far. His dedication to capturing the fleeting moments of nature’s wonders has not only contributed to his personal gallery but has also inspired a broad audience through exhibitions and presentations such as the one held at the Women’s Literary Club.

Engaging the Community and Fostering Appreciation

Following the captivating presentation, Club President Mary Lou Detweiler took the opportunity to thank Holland for his enriching contribution and to remind members of upcoming events, including a card day at the Bradford Library and the next program at Togi’s. Holland’s visit not only highlighted the club’s commitment to diverse and engaging programming but also underscored the importance of nature conservation and appreciation through the art of photography.

As Rocky Holland continues to explore and capture the marvels of the natural world, his work serves as a bridge between the wild and those confined to the urban sprawl. His presentations not only showcase the beauty and diversity of wildlife but also remind us of the importance of preserving these natural wonders for future generations to cherish.

Vanguard Unveils Alta Pro 3VRL Tripods: Revolutionary Leveling Sys…

By in Photography

Vanguard Unveils Alta Pro 3VRL Tripods: Revolutionary Leveling Sys…
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Vanguard recently introduced the Alta Pro 3VRL tripod series, a groundbreaking innovation designed to enhance the photography experience. Available in both aluminum and carbon fiber, these tripods offer a unique leveling system and a quick-release platform, setting a new standard in the market. Aimed at professional photographers and videographers, the Alta Pro 3VRL series promises unparalleled stability and flexibility for various camera setups.

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Innovative Design and Functionality

The Alta Pro 3VRL series distinguishes itself with the Alta Pro 3VRL LVL leveling system. This feature incorporates a handle allowing users to swiftly unlock, reposition, and lock the base, ensuring the camera is perfectly leveled on any terrain within seconds. Moreover, the series introduces the Alta Pro 3VRL Platform 30, facilitating rapid changes between different tripod setups without the hassle of removing and reattaching heads. This versatility is further enhanced by the option to purchase additional levels and platforms, catering to the diverse needs of photographers and videographers.

Unmatched Stability and Load Capacity

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Designed with the user’s convenience in mind, the Alta Pro 3VRL tripods boast three-section 30mm legs that are easily adjustable through simple-to-clean leg locks. These locks can be set to angles of 23°, 50°, and 80°, providing stability on various terrains and supporting loads of up to 25kg. Despite its robust design, the carbon fiber variant of the tripod remains lightweight at just 2085g, making it an ideal companion for on-the-go photography sessions. Vanguard’s commitment to enhancing the photographer’s toolkit is evident in the planned addition of an extending central column, addressing the needs of those requiring greater height from their equipment.

Market Availability and Pricing

The Vanguard Alta Pro 3VRL series now retails starting from £300/$460, depending on the chosen configuration. This pricing strategy positions the Alta Pro 3VRL series as a competitive option for both amateur and professional photographers seeking high-quality, versatile tripod systems. The series’ debut at The Photography & Video Show has garnered attention, promising to set new benchmarks in photography equipment.

As the photography landscape continues to evolve, Vanguard’s Alta Pro 3VRL series stands out as a testament to the brand’s innovation and commitment to quality. This new range of tripods not only addresses common challenges faced by photographers but also opens up new possibilities for creative expression. With its unique leveling system, quick-release platform, and lightweight yet stable design, the Alta Pro 3VRL series is poised to become a favored tool for photographers and videographers worldwide.

The Year’s Best Movies to Inspire Your Photography

By in Photography

The Year’s Best Movies to Inspire Your Photography
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This week on The PetaPixel Podcast, Chris and Jordan share their favorite movies from the last year that they think will have a positive impact on your photography and filmmaking.

Today’s podcast is brought to you by OM SYSTEM and their award-winning TOUGH TG-7—a camera built to withstand the most extreme conditions. The TOUGH TG-7 is built like a tank. It’s waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, and crushproof. Whether you’re hiking in the mountains, exploring underwater wonders, or simply documenting everyday moments, this camera rises to the occasion.

From now until March 31st, save $50 on your purchase of an OM SYSTEM TOUGH TG-7. To take advantage of this special offer, visit your local OM SYSTEM authorized retailer, or head to explore.omsystem.com/petapixel. Don’t miss out on your chance to capture the extraordinary with the OM SYSTEM TOUGH TG-7.

The duo rarely agree when it comes to movies, but they do have some common ground when discussing best film and best cinematography. If you find inspiration in how other people see the world and tell stories, you’re going to want to hear why Chris and Jordan recommend these films.

We use Riverside to record The PetaPixel Podcast in our online recording studio.

We hope you enjoy the podcast and we look forward to hearing what you think. If you like what you hear, please support us by subscribing, liking, commenting, and reviewing! Every week, the trio go over comments on YouTube and here on PetaPixel, but if you’d like to send a message for them to hear, you can do so through SpeakPipe.

In This Episode

  • 00:00 -Intro: What is your favorite snack at movie theaters?
  • 09:25 – Stop being so elitist about your sensor size
  • 15:00 – Sigma’s 500mm f/5.6 is super popular
  • 17:14 – Canon: no camera is high res enough to make content for Vision Pro
  • 23:06 – Pentax’s film camera will launch this summer
  • 27:05 – The Year’s Best Movies to Inspire Your Photography
  • 30:51 – Jordan’s #5: BlackBerry
  • 32:56 – Chris’s #5: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
  • 35:09 – Jordan’s #4: Killers of the Flower Moon
  • 37:27 – Chris’s #4: Oppenheimer
  • 39:28 – Jordan’s #3: Poor Things
  • 40:44 – Chris’s #3: The Holdovers
  • 43:11 – Jordan’s #2: Maestro
  • 45:53 – Chris’s #2: Anatomy of a Fall
  • 48:40 – Jordan’s #1: Past Lives
  • 52:14 – Chris’s #1: Poor Things
  • 54:50 – The movies with the best cinematography (lightning round)
  • 1:03:45 – About watching movies on planes…
  • 1:05:04 – Jaron’s picks for television entertainment
  • 1:09:29 – Tech support
  • 1:23:31 – Chris with his version of a segue
  • 1:24:04 – Never read the comments

Stark, haunting images show Kazakhstan’s former nuclear testing ground

By in Photography

Stark, haunting images show Kazakhstan’s former nuclear testing ground
Eddo Hartmann is a finalist in the Professional Competition of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024, exhibition at Somerset House, London, 19 April-6 May 2024 worldphoto.org/ Photographer Name: Eddo Hartmann Image Name: Untitled Year: 2024 Image Description: An infrared image of the remains of an observation tower at Opytnoe Pole. This was the first testing ground at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, which was a large-scale facility used between 1949 and 1962 for atmospheric nuclear tests. Series Name: The Sacrifice Zone Series Description: This series explores a remote area of Kazakhstan known as ?The Polygon?, which was once home to the Soviet Union?s major nuclear testing facilities. Between 1949 and 1989 more than 450 nuclear tests took place here, with little regard for their effect on the local people and environment. The full impact of radiation exposure was hidden for many years by the Soviet authorities and only became clear after the test site was closed in the early 1990s. The location is still heavily contaminated and can only be accessed in protective clothing. The images in this series were made using an infrared camera, which hints at a menace that is equally invisible to the human eye: the radiation resulting from the nuclear explosions. Plants that have absorbed radiation acquire a strange reddish-purple colour, which is how their toxicity ? invisible to the naked eye ? is revealed. Copyright: ? Eddo Hartmann, Netherlands, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

The remains of an observation tower at Opytnoe Pole

Eddo Hartmann, Netherlands, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

THESE photos, all shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards 2024, strike at the heart of human vulnerability and the fragility of nature.

Eddo Hartmann is a finalist in the Landscape category for his series The Sacrifice Zone, referring to a remote part of Kazakhstan that was the major testing ground for the Soviet Union’s nuclear experiments from 1949 to 1989.

Eddo Hartmann is a finalist in the Professional Competition of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024, exhibition at Somerset House, London, 19 April-6 May 2024 worldphoto.org/ Photographer Name: Eddo Hartmann Image Name: Untitled Year: 2024 Image Description: A dosimetrist measures radiation at the Southern ridge of Lake Shagan. Series Name: The Sacrifice Zone Series Description: This series explores a remote area of Kazakhstan known as ?The Polygon?, which was once home to the Soviet Union?s major nuclear testing facilities. Between 1949 and 1989 more than 450 nuclear tests took place here, with little regard for their effect on the local people and environment. The full impact of radiation exposure was hidden for many years by the Soviet authorities and only became clear after the test site was closed in the early 1990s. The location is still heavily contaminated and can only be accessed in protective clothing. The images in this series were made using an infrared camera, which hints at a menace that is equally invisible to the human eye: the radiation resulting from the nuclear explosions. Plants that have absorbed radiation acquire a strange reddish-purple colour, which is how their toxicity ? invisible to the naked eye ? is revealed. Copyright: ? Eddo Hartmann, Netherlands, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Eddo Hartmann

The image above shows a dosimetrist measuring radiation levels at Kazakhstan’s Lake Shagan. This area remains highly contaminated from the 450 or so nuclear tests carried out there. The main picture (top) shows what remains of an observation tower at Opytnoe Pole in Russia, another area used for Soviet nuclear tests.

Hartmann used infrared to capture these landscapes, with the red hues evoking radiation contamination, which can’t be seen by the naked eye. “Local scientists utilise infrared technology to monitor the current conditions of contaminated sites,” he says. “The chlorophyll present in green vegetation reflects a substantial amount of infrared light. The various shades of reflection provide valuable insights into the overall health of the environment in the specified area.”

Photographer Name: Jonas Kak? Image Name: Untitled Year: 2024 Image Description: A girl climbs on an old oil tank near a defunct oil well in the village of Zharr?z. Series Name: Black Gold Series Description: Albania is one of the poorest European countries, with a per capita income of US$4,500. Yet it has a subsoil that is rich in crude oil, with more than 5.3 billion barrels lying beneath the surface. During the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, the country was isolated, leaving it open only to Soviet and Chinese influences. These relationships led to the development of the technological capabilities necessary to begin tapping into Albania?s oil wells, but since the fall of the regime, free market capitalism has taken hold. Now, various corporations, including Bankers Petroleum, a Canadian company recently acquired by China?s Geo-Jade Petroleum, own 95 percent of crude oil extraction in the Patos-Marzina region. This seismic shift in the market has caused significant social and environmental issues, including contaminated lakes, oil leaks, abandoned structures, the poisoning of underground water wells and emissions that affect the surrounding villages. Copyright: ? Jonas Kak?, Germany, Shortlist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Jonas Kakó, Shortlist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony wpa 2024

Elsewhere, a girl climbs onto an old oil tank in the Albanian village of Zharrëz (pictured above). This image, taken by Jonas Kakó, is shortlisted in the Environment category. Pictured below, Wildlife & Nature finalist Jasper Doest captured elephants charging through Livingstone, Zambia.

Photographer Name: Jasper Doest Image Name: Untitled Year: 2024 Image Description: Elephants charge through Livingstone?s narrow streets, their towering figures trumpeting into the night. Altered habitats mean they emerge from the national park at dusk to seek food within Livingstone. A nighttime curfew, urging the community to stay indoors, aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict. Series Name: In the Footsteps of Giants Series Description: The delicate equilibrium between humans and elephants in rural parts of Zambia is being disturbed as both populations vie for limited resources. The expansion of settlements and unsustainable agriculture is encroaching on elephant habitats, jeopardising the well-being of both human livelihoods and the elephant population. The question arises: can humans and elephants coexist? These problems have been escalating in the past decade, and with the expectation of increased droughts due to our warming climate, establishing transfrontier wildlife corridors becomes essential. However, the establishment of these corridors faces challenges posed by settlements, agriculture and infrastructure, which results in daily human-wildlife conflict. As these persistent issues continue it is increasingly evident that the local community plays a vital role in fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants. Developing economically and socially viable models for coexistence within the local community will be crucial for the long-term survival of both elephants and humans. Copyright: ? Jasper Doest, Netherlands, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Jasper Doest, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony wpa 2024

The winner of the competition will be revealed on 18 April, before an exhibition at Somerset House, London, from 19 April to 6 May.

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Photography, quilts on display at Arts Richmond

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Photography, quilts on display at Arts Richmond
Members of the Richmond County Photography Group will have their work on display at Arts Richmond starting March 10. Photos by Betty Gallo McIntyre

ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Photography Group will host an open house on Sunday, March 10 displaying various pieces of their photography at Arts Richmond.

The event will be open for the public to enjoy from 3-5 p.m., and refreshments will be available to all who attend. There will also be photos available for purchase.

Jimmy McDonald started the group around 12 years ago to share his love and knowledge of photography and to encourage others along.

McDonald stepped down last year but requested the group to continue. The group’s members are excited to display their work, as this will be the first exhibit in several years. The community is encouraged to drop by and meet some of the local photographers while enjoying the exhibit.

Alongside the photography exhibit will be numerous quilts on display, some dating back almost 100 years.

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While quilts may be family heirlooms, they can also carry special messages within their patterns.

Years ago, quilting names such as crossroads, log cabin, bow ties, north star, tumbling blocks, and many more all represented a code message within the quilt. This secret message was used to guide and protect people in the Underground Railroad.

There will be handouts available with more information during the exhibit.

Arts Richmond invites the community to drop by and support the local arts.

For more information visit Arts Richmond Facebook page and Richmond County Photography Group Facebook page.

Wenatchee photographer chronicles mental health for University of Montana journalism project

By in Photography

Wenatchee photographer chronicles mental health for University of Montana journalism project
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Every other year, the journalism program at the University of Montana produces Byline Magazine, a project written, edited and photographed entirely by students. One of those students is Ava Rosvold, a 21-year-old graduate of Wenatchee High School. Her photographs illustrate three articles in the most recent Byline.

NCWLIFE spoke with Ava about this year’s magazine, which focuses on the mental health challenges facing the people of Montana. She says she’s always loved photography, but moved toward photojournalism once she began her college career. She’s been published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and other outlets. You can find Ava’s online portfolio at her website or on Instagram.

The Ontario photographer who shoots abandoned churches, schools and mansions

By in Photography

The Ontario photographer who shoots abandoned churches, schools and mansions

His images reveal the things we leave behind

Dave Conlon, an urban explorer from Ontario, follows a strict code of ethics as he photographs deserted sites. (Photography by Dave Conlon)

In 2012, Dave Conlon was in search of a hobby. He was a young father and marketing professional, filling his spare time collecting records, bodybuilding and even riding motorcycles—but each new pastime failed to keep him interested for longer than a year.
One day, a friend told Conlon about a supposedly haunted house in Niagara-on-the-Lake, an hour’s drive east of his family home in Burlington, Ontario. It was a dilapidated brick shack with boarded windows that faced a cemetery. The more he read about it, the more photos he found of the house, all by amateur photographers and urban explorers: people who venture into abandoned or off-limits sites to take photos. He was intrigued. “I wanted to feel the thrill of doing something you’re not supposed to do,” he says.

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The next weekend, Conlon left his house at dawn and drove through Milton and Oakville, sneaking into abandoned homes and taking pictures with a Nikon D50 camera that he already owned but barely knew how to use. His trips kept getting longer: he travelled hours north to Cochrane and Kirkland Lake to snap the insides of bygone-era houses; rode through Quebec, Buffalo and Ohio to roam derelict monasteries and hotels; and even spent four days in Saskatchewan last summer to take pictures of forsaken churches. Now, he’s preparing for his most ambitious trip yet: a visit to northern British Columbia and Canada’s largest ghost town, Anyox, which neighbours the Alaskan border and is accessible only by jet boat or helicopter. He plans to set out this summer. “It just fascinates me how much of our lives we can leave behind,” he says.

Conlon gets a rush trying to avoid being caught sneaking onto private property. In 2019, the Ontario Provincial Police charged him for breaking and entering into an abandoned house in Warkworth, Ontario, after the homeowner saw photos of the house posted on his website, Freaktography.com. When Conlon heard the news, he asked the owner if she would consider dropping the charges if he helped her clean up the property. “She took the deal,” he says, “and we are friends to this day.”

Conlon follows a strict code of ethics while exploring. “If there is anything I fear, it’s karma,” he says. “So I’ve created some hard rules.” He never steals or uses force to break into places, and he always removes photos from his website if the building’s owner asks him to. In 2014, at an abandoned house in Beamsville, Ontario, he and another explorer found $7,000 in cash behind a mattress that they returned to the homeowners. Then, six years later, he found two sets of war medals and Nazi party pins from the Second World War in a deserted basement. Conlon contacted the family, who wanted nothing to do with it—or him—so he gave the medals to a collector friend. “I want to keep exploring Canada, but I want to do it in peace,” he says.

Hotel ballroom (New York, 2024): “This is a 13-storey hotel in a busy part of town. It would be as if no one had checked into the Fairmont Royal York or the King Eddie in Toronto for a few decades, but the city still kept it there. Frankly, I think the room looks better this way than it probably did when it was a ballroom. The graffiti gives it character.”

Toronto mansion (Ontario, 2024): “This vacant mansion is in a wealthy neighbourhood in Toronto, and I heard from other urban explorers that it was about to be demolished. I couldn’t believe it: it was just built in 2005 and has massive bedrooms, an outdoor tennis court and this indoor pool with an overflowing waterfall. I have a one-bedroom condo, so it fascinates me to see how some people think they need that much space.”

School board building (Ontario, 2017): “This place is part of a heritage district and was once a school board headquarters. But over the last few decades, a series of developers has bought the building only to abandon it. One of the sections here is completely trashed and filled with mould and asbestos. But, when I walked through a door, I saw these beautiful archways and a marble staircase that led to an ornate meeting room.”

House frozen in time (Ontario, 2023): “This house is just off a major road in Prince Edward County, but it seems like no one has touched it in over 20 years. The calendar on the wall is from 2001. Apparently, somebody died, and the family left the place in a hurry. I can’t believe nobody has broken in to steal things: there are pictures on the wall, furniture still set, and even dishes in the sink. It is one of the best-preserved abandoned houses I’ve ever seen.”

Montreal hangar (Quebec, 2023): “This place is hidden from the main road, which makes it a perfect canvas for graffiti artists to practise their craft. In fact, most art here was not plain graffiti of kids tagging their names, but intricate images with many colours, elaborate signatures and cartoons. This photo captures only a part of the hangar—it’s massive, and the graffiti walls go on and on.”

Abandoned school (New York, 2023): “I check out abandoned schools because nobody usually cleans them out after they close down. This one in New York state still had writing on the chalkboard, desks and globes in the classrooms and ceiling tiles falling onto the floors.”

Ukrainian church (Saskatchewan, 2023): “I did a four-day photography trip to Saskatchewan last May and immediately noticed that there were many abandoned Ukrainian Catholic churches across the province. The stained-glass windows and remaining pews told me this was once beautiful; but as soon as I peeped my head through the doors, I thought, what a waste.”


Abandoned church, 10 years apart (Ontario, 2012 and 2022): “In my 10th year of urban exploring, I returned to some sites to take the exact same photos and see how things had changed. This one shows how people steal things. It’s funny: I enter buildings discreetly and people still notice me. But others will show up with a pickup truck, walk out of the building carrying furniture in broad daylight, and are never caught.”

Get to grips with Vanguard’s new Alta Pro 3VRL tripods at The Photography & Video Show

By in Photography

Get to grips with Vanguard’s new Alta Pro 3VRL tripods at The Photography & Video Show

Vanguard has launched an Alta Pro 3VRL series of tripods, available standalone  in both aluminum and carbon fiber, or in various kits with a video head. 

‘VRL’ stands for ‘Video Removable Level’, and all Alta Pro 3VRL tripods come with the Alta Pro 3VRL LVL levelling system. This features a handle that you can use to unlock, reposition and lock the base in place, allowing you to find your level in seconds on any terrain. 

(Image credit: Vanguard)

They also come with an Alta Pro 3VRL Platform 30 that allows you to change to a completely different tripod setup in seconds, without the need to remove and reattach a head.  For example, you may have a video head attached to the levelling system and a dual axis ball head attached to the platform for landscape shoots. Essentially, this becomes a quick-release system for tripod heads. If you have multiple setups, you can buy extra levels and platforms to suit your needs, and Vanguard says that an extending central column is in the pipeline for any photographer who finds a 1.8m tripod is too short!

(Image credit: Vanguard)

Designed for stability, its three-section 30mm legs are adjustable via easy-to-clean leg locks that can be set to 23°, 50° and 80° angles, and deliver a load capacity of up to 25kg, while the carbon tripod weighs just 2085g.

The Vanguard Alta Pro 3VRL retails from £300/$460 depending on the configuration. See it at The Photography & Video Show from March 16-19, on stand C500.

(Image credit: Vanguard)

The Photography & Video Show 2024 : everything to know

This Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant Portraits

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This Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant Portraits
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This Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant Portraits

Amanda Stronza pulls over to document coyotes, deer, and squirrels killed along highways.

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March 6, 2024


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This Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant Portraits

“Roadrunner,” 2021.
Amanda Stronza

Before Amanda Stronza heads to Botswana or Nepal during the summers for work, she instructs new dog and house sitters about trash days and tricky light switches at her College Station home. She tells them whom to call if a sink goes bust and where to find spare light bulbs. Stronza also makes sure to mention that if her guests stroll around her 1.6-acre yard, they might stumble upon a femur or a vertebra. In fact, if visitors don’t discover some skeletal remains, it would be a little odd.

“I tell them not to worry if they find bones,” says Stronza. If the potential house sitter looks unsettled, which sometimes happens, Stronza explains that her passion is memorializing animals of all sizes that have been killed along Texas roadsides. Occasionally she’ll bring a turtle or squirrel home because it’s more dignified than letting the corpses decompose in the middle of a busy highway as trucks and Harleys barrel past. The yard is a more peaceful place for vultures to swoop in and continue the cycle of life. “Most people are okay with it and say it’s beautiful,” Stronza says of her hobby. “As long as there are no human bones.”

Stronza, an anthropologist and professor in ecology and conservation biology at Texas A&M University, has devoted her career to understanding how people relate to wildlife. In Botswana, her research focuses on the ways humans and elephants can peacefully coexist. In Nepal, she studies macaque monkeys and tries to understand how local farmers and Indigenous peoples can coexist with an animal that many farmers view as pests. In the Peruvian, Ecuadorian, and Bolivian Amazon, she works on community-based conservation and ecotourism. Thirteen years ago, she turned her love of photography into a side job by becoming part of the SXSW photography crew, taking pictures of speakers, comedians, musicians, and red carpets. Her images have appeared in Rolling Stone and People. But her real passion is wildlife. “I take pictures of Keanu Reeves, and then dead animals,” Stronza says. Now several of her images and eulogies are part of a new exhibit, “The Toll of Texas Roads on Turtles and Snakes,” which opened this week at the J. Wayne Stark Galleries on the A&M campus. The show is a collaboration with herpetologist Lee Fitzgerald and illustrator Rachel Ivanyi.

Stronza stumbled upon the idea for this unusual work in January 2019, when she was walking her dog, Matilda, around Lady Bird Lake and noticed throngs of bikers and joggers ignoring a lifeless squirrel in the middle of the path. Stronza moved the squirrel away from foot traffic. She placed tree bark and delicate purple flowers around its body, snapped a photo, and shared it on Instagram along with a heartfelt eulogy. The post soon garnered hundreds of likes. For several months, she kept posting memorials, interspersed with her pictures of living elephants and other animals from her travels. Six months later, after someone shared a few of her memorials, her social media started blowing up, adding thousands of new followers each day. “I thought I had been hacked,” she says.

This Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant PortraitsThis Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant Portraits
“Prairie kingsnake,” 2020.Amanda Stronza

Her Instagram account now has more than 50,000 followers. Some send messages to tell her that they also memorialize animals killed along roadsides. Others simply thank her for paying tribute to skunks and roadrunners. Occasionally she’ll get a comment saying her hobby is creepy or asking why she’s not helping living animals (which she does, through her research and by raising money for rescue groups such as Austin Pets Alive!).

To really get a feel for what goes into the creation of Stronza’s memorials, I decide that a little road trip is in order. I get upset when I see a coyote or an owl lying on the side of a road, but I never think of stopping, so I’m a little nervous to get up close and personal with a creature in who knows what stage of rigor mortis. Stronza suggests we meet at the Buc-ee’s in Bastrop, off Texas Highway 71 just southeast of Austin. She pulls up in a dark gray Subaru Forester, and I hop in. A little toy panda is perched on the dashboard, and a few blankets are tossed in the back seat. “This car is a little bit of a hearse,” Stronza says after we hug hello. And with that admission, we head out on the road.

This Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant PortraitsThis Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant Portraits
“Coyote,” 2021.Amanda Stronza

Stronza is not the first person to memorialize road-killed animals (she prefers that term to “roadkill,” which she finds demeaning). She cites Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Mary Oliver and nature writer Barry Lopez as inspirations, specifically Lopez’s book Apologia, which is about a road trip in which he removed dead animals from roadsides. Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist based in Colorado and author of the recent book Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, says that both his and Stronza’s endeavors are “part of a larger national conversation about habitat fragmentation caused by roads, poaching, and deforestation. There is nothing we do to kill more wild animals than drive.”

Goldfarb writes that more than one million large animals, such as deer and elk, are killed by car collisions in America per year, plus as many as 340 million birds. Then there are the myriad frogs, snakes, armadillos, and tiny critters we pass by without even noticing. Goldfarb points out the endangered ocelots that live in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, in South Texas. Only about eighty to a hundred of the cats remain in Texas, and vehicles are a major cause of their deaths. “Amanda’s work matters,” says Goldfarb. “We feel like we see a lot of roadkill, but we’re only seeing a tiny fraction. We’re trapped in our metal-and-glass bubbles racing along at ninety miles per hour.”

In Bastrop, Stronza drives steadily, not speedily, east along Texas Highway 21. I feel conflicted about the fact that I’m hoping to find an animal that’s been hit, and we do pass a few that are either in too dangerous of a location on the busy road or too far gone to handle. We spot an owl in the median, and Stronza says that seeing a bird’s feathers ruffle in the wind as cars drive by breaks her heart. Most people feel for cats, dogs, or deer along the road, but snakes, armadillos, and skunks don’t elicit the same response. Some passersby will even swerve on purpose to run over a snake. Stronza talks about the “hierarchy of grief” and her hopes that the new exhibit at A&M might help people view a rat snake with as much respect as they do a beloved cat or dog. “In America especially, we have an aversion to death, and we’re not good at talking about it,” she says. “We don’t see these animals as worthy of our grief.”

As fate would have it, we spot a black cat lying in the median along Highway 21. Stronza finds a safe place to pull over. We hop out, and she grabs a lavender-colored blanket from the back. Walking into the middle of a busy Texas highway to retrieve a deceased cat is not one of my bucket list items, but I dutifully follow behind Stronza. She gently picks up the animal, whispers a few words of comfort, and dashes back to the Forester. She places the cat in the back, and we drive a few feet to a safe side road, where she puts the body on the grass and gathers leaves to place over it. Stronza says about 80 percent of her memorials are left near roadsides. She only brings them home if they’re in good condition and she finds them close by. While she’s leaf hunting, a man in a pickup stops and asks if we need help. I smile and say we’re just fine, and he pulls away with a confused look on his face, likely because I’m standing out in the wind and cold next to a dead cat.

This Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant PortraitsThis Texas Photographer Turns Dead Animals Into Poignant Portraits
“Skunk,” 2023.Amanda Stronza

Once she explains what she’s up to, Stronza says, most onlookers who stop to see what she’s doing find it “beautiful” or comforting. A state trooper once pulled over, and instead of scolding her, he thanked her. When she was memorializing a wild hog on the side of the road, two women with “big Texas hair” slowed to a crawl and rolled down the car window. Stronza braced herself for an admonition. Once she explained herself, though, the women said they were moved. Stronza always has a microchip scanner in the car, so she can make sure an animal didn’t belong to someone. So far, she hasn’t had to go knock on a stranger’s door to deliver bad news.

When she finishes taking photos and saying kind words to the cat, we drive a little farther east and stop for a raccoon. Stronza, unsurprisingly, loves raccoons. We find a safe spot for her to place the animal. Cars and trucks speed along the highway, their tires creating a cacophony of sound as she crouches down to arrange leaves over the raccoon’s fur. “This is what I hear,” she says of the road noise. “I hear how violent it is, how it must feel to be a raccoon.”

Since telling most Texans to quit driving cars is out of the question, Stronza and Goldfarb both suggest that driving more conscientiously would be a good place to start. In 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which includes $350 million for wildlife-vehicle collision reduction grants. Wildlife crossings, designed to give animals safe passage over or under roads, are one way to decrease deaths. In San Antonio, the 150-foot Robert L. B. Tobin Land Bridge is used by deer, rabbits, and possums, while concrete culverts provide safe passage for ocelots in South Texas.

Stronza lives and teaches in College Station during the week and stays at her place in Austin on the weekends, so she frequently drives along Highway 21. I ask her how often she stops to photograph dead animals. She tells me she pulls over at least twice each time she makes the drive, but she has to limit herself. “I can’t stop for every animal I see, but it’s hard for me to not turn around,” Stronza says as we drive back toward Bastrop. “I like bearing witness to these animals, because so many of us don’t look at all.”

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