[Above image: Black Tern chick, Klamath Basin, 1905. William Finely. Irene Finley. Herman Bohemian.]
Images of nature and wildlife are an important component of communication for the purpose of conservation. Although today’s cameras can easily fit in the palm of your hand, the ability to get a great image wasn’t as simple before modern technology and required a great deal of dedication and knowledge. As part of the Year of the Bird celebration, Audubon has shared century-old photographs by William and Irene Finely, a famous duo that inspired others for the preservation of bird refugees. Take a look, and if you are interested in more information, click on the link below to view the Oregon Historical Society’s digital collections.
“These vivid portraits, and his impassioned writing about key Oregon sites, helped persuade President Theodore Roosevelt to designate Three Arch Rocks, Lower Klamath, and Malheur among the first federal bird refuges in the West.” – Audubon
Link: These Century-Old Photos Inspired Some of the West’s First Bird Refuges
Environmental Studies Blog 