Leaper Photography

An avid photographer, Craig Leaper resides in Oregon. Craig is originally from Pennsylvania and a retired Air Force Photographer. He is also a photo educator having taught photography workshops around the country while in the Air Force. After retiring from the Air Force Craig taught photography for ten years at a career and technology center. He has an extensive background in using both film and digital. Craig has been shooting digital since 1995. During his career as a photographer he has won numerous awards and has been published in various newspapers, publications, and web sites.
 

When photographing wildlife I focus on freezing the briefest of moments. I like to capture motion, the momentary eye contact with an animal or bird, the light in an eye, the transient light at dawn and dusk, and moments that are too fast to be easily seen by the naked eye.  The more I photograph and observe nature and wildlife the more I am convinced both birds and animals have emotions and feelings. I strive to capture these moments by  taking people closer to see better the detail, color and spirit of a wild creature. All these aspects help to illustrate the beauty and might of nature and provide a lasting impression that I hope enthuses and excites the onlooker. When we yearn for an inner peace and our instinct is to search for that which makes us smile and breathe more deeply, then I hope my images will delight the sight and mind of the observer. I am sure that when we live in the concrete jungles of cities and yearn for a better life it is a really an instinct calling us back to the freedom and wonder of nature. My message is:  Let us wonder at nature and do everything we can to hang on to it."