Spring Looks

Chicago, 2024

Limited edition fine art print of 6 – I set out in the spring of 2024 to sharpen my skills as a wildlife photographer by photographing wild animals near my home. As often as I could, I would visit Humboldt Park, where several species of duck call home. This park has a reputation for being unsafe, but I found it to be full of life and beauty. Most days, I would arrive early in the morning and have the entire park to myself. Early mornings are the best time to see wildlife. They are very active during this time, and the light is soft. Showing here is a mature male wood duck. He was in a particular part of the lagoon where the wind is still every morning, allowing for beautiful reflections of his body on the water. I lay still with my camera close to the water. He turned at the right moment with the fresh green spring plants as his background. Everything came together perfectly for this shot.  Photo © copyright by Derek Nielsen.