Today: Stan Tekiela, outdoors photographer and author.
Reading
Lately, about a dozen scientific studies (Oxford Research of Neuroscience) on raptor vision. Looking into the question: Do diurnal raptors see in ultraviolet light, and just how good is raptor vision during the daylight? Also read a study on why birds don't need to exercise before a long migration. Humans would need to build up muscles to perform a long, sustained physical journey, but for some reason birds don't. These may seem like silly topics for some but these are good questions. Just how can a bird fly 3,000 miles and not physically prepare for the journey by exercising? When I think about these kinds of things it opens up other ways of understanding nature. I have just finished reading "American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West" by Nate Blakeslee. I spent many years filming the wolf highlighted in this book and I know nearly everyone mentioned, so it was interesting and fun.
Following
I limit my time on social media. I do post regularly on Facebook and Twitter. I post new images that I have taken. I try to follow stories about Alaska, travel, birds and animals. I do follow trends in the photography and the filmmaking field. I particularly like Canon Rumors, which is a web page that looks at up-and-coming trends in photography and Canon equipment. I've been a Canon photographer for more than 30 years.
Watching
I've watched "CBS Sunday Morning" for over 20 years. I enjoy "Nature" on PBS. I don't follow any sports of any kind. I am often asked how I am so productive. My answer: "I don't follow/watch any sports."
Listening
I absolutely love NPR and "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!" the NPR news quiz. This show is not only hysterical and witty, but covers the news of the week. It is the only show I will go out of my way to listen to. For music, I am hopelessly stuck in the 1960s and '70s. I listen to SiriusXM radio while on the road. I can listen to music or news — even in the most remote parts of the country. Recently I was in Alaska. I had rented a Sprinter van that didn't have satellite radio. And I was in an area where there were no radio stations. I found that I really missed the amazing variety on satellite radio. It was a little jarring when I got back to society. You realize just how loud our society can be.
Doing
This has been a very busy year. I have written nine new books. Each was a new topic for me. At the same time I've been working on updating three of my older books. I also have been writing my biweekly syndicated newspaper column, one I've had for 27 years.
I just returned from two weeks in Alaska where I was in a remote wilderness photographing brown bears (grizzly), caribou and moose. You can read about one of my close encounters with a mother grizz and her cub in my latest newspaper column. It was a great year for bears.
I found an active beaver den and dam. There were two adults and three young beavers working on the dam. I spent over a week each morning sitting on the ground along the side of the pond filming beavers going about their normal routine. This was one of the highlights of my summer.
