"Dawn's Early Flight" photograph by Robert Fine...Pictured are Sandhill cranes coasting into the early morning fog at Nygren wetlands in Rockton, IL. Scroll down for more of Bob's photographs...
Growing up in Zambia gave Rockford, IL resident, Bob Fine, now a gifted photographer, a great appreciation for nature. Bob’s well-trained eye focuses on everything from the ground to the sky. As a kid he even fearlessly collected snakes for a local zoo.
“Zambia was an amazing place,” he recalls. “My parents were missionaries there and we lived about four miles from the Congo border. We enjoyed a great climate, at a high elevation, where there were hot temperatures but no humidity. During winter months it ranged anywhere from 60 to 80 degrees outside, and summer was the rainy season where it would pour for maybe 15 minutes and then be sunny again. Basically, we could be outside every day.”
He put that to good use regularly cycling over to an abandoned, open pit copper mine where he collected rocks, minerals and crystals. Cycling also gave him great exposure to wildlife where he recalls encountering a fast-moving lizard whose head was at his bike pedal level. He had no idea what species it was and has since been unable to find documentation of it anywhere.
Once while cutting into an old banana tree to reach its “cotton candy” center, out ran the most gorgeous 8-inch centipede with brilliant blue metallic coloration. Again, it was an insect he was unable to find described anywhere in nature-related literature. And, of course there were the snakes. He once encountered a two-foot -long iridescent purple snake with big green eyes and a pure white belly. Although it was deadly poisonous, he never forgot seeing it.
College and graduate studies brought him back to the United States where he has since settled here in the Midwest.
“I love this part of the country where you can see the sunrise and sunset,” Bob reflects. “I like discovering things other people rush past. It’s important to slow down and see what’s around you. From the local wetlands and the Mississippi river to the surrounding prairies, this is where you can really find wildlife at its finest.”
And he does. From migratory birds and insects to snowy white owls in the winter time, he knows from experience how to find them--snapping them in flight or in their natural habitat.
“Doing photography has taught me so much about nature along with the research needed to learn even more,” he says.
He has exhibited his images at various art shows and galleries in northern Illinois, including Rockford’s ArtScene and Gallery 5 (now closed) in Rockford. His photos have also appeared in various magazines, textbooks, and advertisements. Bob uses a Nikon Z 6 II. His work is printed on acid-free, archival paper and sometimes even on canvas. The end result is quite naturally, pure artistry.
You can contact Bob through his email: bgtfine@comcast.net
"Huntress"
"Angel Dance"...Great Egret landing at the Mississippi River.
"Lupine Splendor"
"Color of Summer"
"White Gerbera Daisy" from an unusual vantage point!