November 25, 2014
I thought I would share my Smithsonian acceptance speech for my family and friends who missed the great event. This image of the exhibit was taken at the end of the awards gala as we were leaving the exhibit.
How cool is this. I am in the Smithsonian in DC, and even better, my image is in the Smithsonian. Thank you Nature’s Best for this great honor and for this grand evening of celebration. Thank you to my family and friends for showing up and sharing this moment with me. Most of all, thank you to my wife, Jan, who when our boys were very tiny and the money was very tight, convinced me to give up my weekly paycheck as the photographer for the local daily newspaper in order to pursue my dream of becoming a nature/wildlife photographer. Fast forward 21 years later, and I am standing here receiving this award; a sweet acknowledgement of our very good decision. Finally, this photo REALLY would not have been possible without Jan…she is the human standing in this piece of heaven on earth in Yosemite National Park.
