Artist Statement:
“I was awe-struck the first time I saw an egret fly– the magnificence, the grace, the beauty. I couldn’t stop smiling after being introduced to the Roseate Spoonbill, which quickly became one of my favorite birds and when I was able to capture a pair of Great Blue Herons that were so obviously in love with each other, bearing witness made my heart stop. I was 55 years old. I had never noticed birds before moving to the Lowcountry and I’m 100% sure the reason I moved here was to discover the remarkable world of birds.”
I’ve always been a visual storyteller – and, ever since I can remember, I’ve looked to the power of photography to make a story come to life. I’m truly never more at home than when I have a camera in hand, and nothing brings me more joy than capturing what I call the “trifecta””: when the subject, environment and the conditions all align for me to tell the story through a photo.
I’ve always been a visual storyteller – and, ever since I can remember, I’ve looked to the power of photography to make a story come to life. I’m truly never more at home than when I have a camera in hand, and nothing brings me more joy than capturing what I call the “trifecta””: when the subject, environment and the conditions all align for me to tell the story through a photo.
My journey – and passion – began in the mid-1980s upon moving to New York City as a 25-year-old budding photographer. Appalled by the number of homeless people living in the streets, I decided that I was going to do something about it. Armed with my Pentax camera and a true desire to make a difference, I single-handedly arranged a campaign in conjunction with The Partnership for the Homeless and the New York City Transit Authority – spending the next year taking photos/portraits of hundreds of homeless individuals who were willing to be photographed … and somehow securing free ad space from the Transit Authority. My photos – and the story of homelessness in NYC – were seen on subway platforms and subway cars throughout New York City. Through this first experience of using photos to tell a story, I helped to both raise awareness of the growing homelessness problem in NY, and helped the Partnership for the Homeless raise more than a million dollars that year (and led to me being awarded the NYC Mayors Volunteer Award in 1988.) More than that, though, this first experience showed me — firsthand — the powerful role that compelling photos can play in telling life’s most important stories.
From the stories on the streets of New York City to – now, nearly 30 years later – the stories of extraordinary nature and wildlife in South Carolina’s spectacular Lowcountry, I have once again discovered the joy of combining my passion for photography and storytelling. Since moving to Bluffton in 2015, I have a front row seat to witnessing the beauty, grace, tranquility and sheer grandeur of my subjects — the spectacular bird – that are truly living works of art. And I’m thrilled to use the power of photography to capture the amazing moments in nature that often come from being in the exact right place at the exact right time.
The wonder of watching a magnificent egret fly for the first time. The joy I felt after being introduced to the Roseate Spoonbill (which quickly became one of my favorite birds and most sought-after subjects.) The heart-stopping moment when I was able to capture the love being expressed by a pair of Great Blue Herons – that might have gone unnoticed had I not been there to witness, and photograph, that incredible moment in time. These treasured moments continue to fuel my passion for nature photography every day. And I know I have truly found my calling as I travel with my camera through some of the Lowcountry’s most incredible forests, marshes and nature preserves searching for that next perfect shot – and next incredible story.
I hope you enjoy my images. If you are interested in a specific photograph, please contact me. I’m happy to tell you the story behind any of my photographs as well as talk to you about how it would best look printed, and in what size.
Thank you for sharing my passion for the beauty of nature, wildlife and the incredible landscapes here in South Carolina’s Lowcountry … and for joining me as I share with you my photos, and stories, of the magnificence that exists all around us.
© All rights Reserved. Lucy Rosen