Flashback 2016: My 10-Year Journey as a Backyard Wildlife Photographer

Looking back at 2016—nearly a decade ago—brings back so many memories of how this photography journey began. In those early days, my technique was anything but glamorous. I spent hours kneeling uncomfortably at the window with my camera lens pressed tightly against the glass to avoid glare in the photo. For a short series of photographs—and for as long as my knees could actually hold out—I would click the shutter and then literally run upstairs to the computer to see if I had captured a ‘keeper!’

Armed with my very first camera, a Fuji HS50 EXR that we originally bought for a vacation, I was entirely self-taught. There was either no post-processing at all or very basic, experimental adjustments. It was a time of pure trial, error, and immense fun.

WW II Wing Man

Scribblings: The mission was highly classified. The goal? Extract top-secret sunflower seeds from deep behind enemy lines. Flying a vintage Corsair through a blazing sky, squadron leader Ace took a heavy hit. Right on cue, Deuce (his daring wingman) flew alongside. He tipped his wings in solidarity and offered an escort to see him safely home.

This toy airplane experiment from Fall 2016 remains an absolute favorite from my archives. I have always loved hunting for vintage objects that intrigue me, so I was absolutely delighted to discover this vintage Corsair model. Ever since watching Baa Baa Black Sheep on television years ago, I’ve been a total fan of those distinctive gull wings.

This image became a wonderful playground for practicing my early Photoshop skills. I cloned parts of the background to completely cover up the green foam keeping the airplane aloft. Today, I don’t use that heavy level of ‘cover-up’ editing. Cloning is used to clean up small details, like messy food, just to keep the final scene looking neat.

The Great Peanut Heist

Scribblings: This charismatic little “tufty” makes a comical “Jack-in-the-Box” entrance, popping straight up out of the jar like a little spring-loaded toy. After checking his surroundings, he makes a full, headfirst Olympic dive right back inside. Only his tail feathers are left to hint at his presence before he emerges a second later triumphantly holding a whole peanut in the shell that is larger than his head!

In this shot, my early love of color is on full exhibition! The gorgeous cobalt jar holds a special personal memory. It was given to me as a Christmas present from one of my second-grade students. (Thank you, Alexandria!) It was originally filled with delicious, sugared walnuts. Look really closely at the setup, can you spot the little details keeping the scene functional? The heavy lid is propped open by the finest toothpick scaffolding my kitchen cabinet had to offer.

I was absolutely delighted to discover that I could string a short series of photographs together into a little movie format. It became the perfect way to give people a real-world look at the scenes unfolding right outside my window. The “video” did a much better job of capturing the fun I was enjoying!

The Lost Marbles

Scribblings: Sassy McFluff had finally found his lost marbles! There they were, locked inside a museum-quality jar. Leaning in close, he flashed his fluffy arse to the waiting paparazzi. He tapped the glass and stared at his long-lost sanity. Honestly, did he even want them back? He remembered being normal once.  It was the worst two minutes of his life.

This scene is simple and memorable. I love the combination of the vintage Kerr canning jar with the playful colors of the old marbles. At this point in my journey, I was learning to use the vibrance adjustment in post-processing to really make those colors “pop.” That technique became a signature element that I continue to this day. One of the most common comments is about the vibrance of AzarÉl photography.

The scene itself was precariously balanced on our narrow deck railing—a literal “balance beam” only inches wide! Looking back, the jar was in total danger of being pushed off the ledge. That would have sent glass smashing into a million pieces and marbles rolling absolutely everywhere. Luckily, Sassy stayed focused on the snacks tucked just out of sight on the back of the zinc lid.

Soup-er Cute

Scribblings: Nothing says ‘rush hour at the woodland diner’ quite like a frantic short-order cook multitasking behind the counter—ladle in hand with a completely unauthorized mid-shift snack firmly clamped in his mouth.

Working on a deck railing “beam” only inches wide definitely had its limitations. To expand the design area, I used a small round slice of log. These were readily available around the property, so I placed one right on our deck railing and covered it with burlap. This simple addition gave me a little more space to balance the vintage props. I’m truly not sure how the squirrel managed to nibble corn without completely knocking the heavy ladle out of the frame!

When one of the “Soup-er Cute” images was displayed at Shupp’s Grove, a sweet husband and wife gave my early confidence a massive boost. They offered a very encouraging price for an entire “all-inclusive package.” This meant they got to take home the canvas with the exact vintage mugs and ladle featured in the frame. If you ever see a vintage object in my work and think, “I’d really like to have that in my home,” please just ask! We’ll work something out. While some special props are non-negotiable favorites, many of my on-set treasures are happy to find a new home with you once I’m officially done shooting with them.

Music On; World Off

Strolling down memory lane from a decade ago made me smile. It’s a beautiful reminder of those early beginnings and a sweet marker of how much I’ve grown as a photographer since then. “Music On; World Off” was taken in April of this year. Just for fun, I have a little challenge for you when looking at the final image: can you spot the three different places where food is hidden in the scene? And if you look extra closely, do you see the clear thumbtack? Let me know in the comments on Facebook!

Then and Now: Reflections from the Glider Rocker

A few things have changed significantly since those early days. I no longer spend hours kneeling uncomfortably at the window with my camera pressed tightly against the glass. Instead, I now comfortably sit in a glider rocker with a hot cup of coffee in my hand. Thanks to Brian, that narrow, deck railing has morphed into a custom three-foot square feeding platform with luxurious space to design a scene.

Yet, the core of what I do remains exactly the same. I still click the shutter and then literally run upstairs to the computer to see if I captured a ‘keeper!’  I still add that beautiful, signature vibrance to my post-processing that started with a simple jar of marbles so long ago. Above all, I remain absolutely true to the raw reality of the moment—the photographs always show what the birds and critters were doing in real time. There is no AI, and there is no cloning of a bird or creature into the scene. It is simply real nature from our backyard…motivated by some secret snacks and a whole lot of patience.