Cathy and Gordon ILLG have been working as full time professional nature photographers since the summer of 2000, which is a totally different direction from Gordon's first career choice as Jedi Knight and Cathy's first choice as Queen. It's also a little amazing considering it was only six years earlier, in 1994, that they finally were able to purchase decent equipment. They would be the first ones to admit that the generosity of other professional photographers is the big reason for their coming so far in such a short time.

Bald eagle flying through a snowstorm, Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Alaska.

It was during their school years at the University of Arizona in Tucson that their love of photography developed--not because of anything at school. It was because they averaged a backpacking trip every other weekend during the school year. They were so enamored with the "sky island" mountain ranges of Southern Arizona they wanted to share the beauty of these places with anyone not fast or clever enough to escape. Their first attempts at landscape photography were that bad. In spite of the quality of their photography though, Gordon would probably still be in school if the silly rubes had kept giving him scholarships and grants. After less than a decade though, they wised up, forced him to pick a major and he graduated with a degree in Wildlife Biology. Of course this was at a time when no one was hiring Wildlife Biologists. Cathy's degree in Public Administration/Recreation was just as helpful in landing her a rewarding career.

Bighorn ram eating avalanche lily, Glacier National Park, Montana.

For almost 10 years, Cathy and Gordon thought they were good photographers because their friends were too polite to tell them the truth. In 1988, by sheer dumb luck, they became charter members of the Urban Wildlife Photo Club in Denver, Colorado. This club was created by Wendy Shattil and Bob Rozinski solely to take photos for a book documenting the variety of creatures living among city folk in Colorado's urban areas. Wendy and Bob could have easily taken all the photos themselves, but they wanted to get as many people involved as they could. And they were the ones who were kind enough to tell Cathy and Gordon that their photos were stinking up the place. Of course, they phrased it much more nicely. They had a way of telling aspiring nature photographers, "You know that would be an even stronger image if something was in focus," in such a way that the photographer felt good about it. Because of these monthly critiques, Cathy and Gordon improved quickly, and their first published wildlife images appeared in the book, Close to Home, Colorado's Urban Wildlife.

Coastal grizzly cub staying close to mom, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.

By the time they acquired decent equipment in 1994, they were well on their way to becoming advanced intermediates. That's when it sunk in--one of the first laws of nature photography. Photographers either have enough money for nice equipment or they have enough money to travel to a photographic hot spot. They do not have enough money for both. So while they envied photographers traveling to the Galapagos and Alaska, Cathy and Gordon focused their attention on the possibilities that existed right in their own backyard. Even in the middle of the city, they found a wide variety of waterfowl and nesting avocets at an urban wetland only a two-minute walk from their townhouse. Red foxes and mule deer were only a short drive away. Almost every day--before work, after work, weekends, holidays--they were out with their cameras, honing their craft.

Thousands of wintering monarch butterflies sunning themselves, Pismo Beach, California.

Less than two years later, they were regular contributors to Ducks Unlimited, including three covers in a year. The local avocets made the back page of the same issue of National Wildlife that a resident red fox made the cover. Possibly the same red fox helped earn them a second place in BBC's Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. And a mule deer buck from the nearby foothills became their first of four images that now decorate the tails of Frontier Airlines' jets. These successes led to their discovery of another law of nature photography. Photographers do not need to go to exotic locations to take great pictures. The corollary to this law is that great nature photographers can photograph common, ordinary subjects and make them look extraordinary.

A slow shutter speed blurs wild horses galloping across the high prairie, Carbon County, Wyoming.

It was these discoveries that gave Cathy and Gordon the idea for their first photography book, Dynamic Wildlife Photography. The book totally ignores what kind of tripod or camera a photographer should use--information that's available in many places--and instead shows how to use that equipment to capture the strongest images, images that are more than just documentary. The public seemed anxious for a book with this type of information, for the book received great reviews from the three people who purchased a copy.

Even before they began their career as nature photographers, Cathy and Gordon spent a summer leading hiking and bicycling tours for a local adventure travel company. It was either that or work regular jobs, and they enjoyed leading those tours so much that they put together a photo tour schedule for the following year. Unbelievably, no one asked for references until they actually had some. They have now been leading photo tours under the name Adventure Photography for almost a decade, and sharing their knowledge of locations, wildlife and photography appears to be their calling. For about six weeks late in every summer, they still hang up their tripods to lead several hiking and cycling tours. These tours are a nice creative break, and it's great to have someone else paying the bills. It also forces them to pry their butts off their computer chairs to get some badly needed exercise.

Blossoms reflected in water drops on a bud, Savegre River Valley, Costa Rica.

Although it's tough to fit the necessary five to six weeks into their busy schedule, Cathy and Gordon both participated in the first two Images for Conservation Pro Tours. Cathy participated as a photographer, and Gordon participated as a little boy--he got to catch lots of snakes, lizards, bugs and mice. He admits that it's tough to go back to being a middle-aged man after that. The contest is a great way for photographers to challenge themselves because it forces them to create great images in many different categories. With a third place and a sixth place under their belts, they are looking forward to the next Pro Tour in 2010. Even without placing in the big money, Cathy feels the contest is definitely worth the time and effort, and that it is directly responsible for their improvement in many photographic genres, especially macro.

Cathy and Gordon both feel one of the most attractive things about nature photography, besides the fact that it forces people to interact with nature, is there is always more to learn. With the advent of digital, this is more true than ever. There are always new skills just waiting to be mastered, and they can't wait to have a go at them.

Colorful sunset at Bandon Beach, Oregon.

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