In early November, photography enthusiasts had a unique opportunity to participate in a special workshop at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo in collaboration with the Florida Museum of Natural History. Education and outreach staff at both the zoo and the museum teamed up, along with Santa Fe College photographer Matt Stamey and Florida Museum photographers Kristen Grace and Jeff Gage, to deliver a lecture and hands-on photography workshop with behind-the-scenes access to a variety of animal enclosures with the assistance of knowledgeable zookeepers.
This fee-based workshop attracted a wide range of ages and abilities – the workshop was designed to facilitate all levels, including smartphone photographers, with proceeds funding conservation and education programs at each organization, respectively. Participants enjoyed hearing tips and tricks offered by the three professional photographers and two hours of guided exploration with access to small-group engagement with the photographers during non-regular zoo hours.
The highlight for most of the participants was going behind-the-scenes and having the opportunity to have close encounters with a selection of animals, especially the Galapagos Tortoises. The goal of the workshop was to bring awareness to the important work AZA accredited zoos provide, and how using visual storytelling can bring awareness to natural history, nature and conservation.
Florida Museum photos by Kristen Grace and Jeff Gage
About the Instructors
Jeff Gage, Florida Museum of Natural History photographer, loves to capture the beauty, diversity, and rawness of the natural world and hopes his images will raise awareness about conservation, biodiversity, and inspire others to spend time in nature.
His images have appeared in exhibits at the Florida Museum and have been published in scientific journals, magazines, newspapers and textbooks worldwide.
Kristen Grace, Florida Museum staff photographer, is a photojournalist with an eye for documenting nature. She believes every image has a story to tell, especially when used in the scope of education and conservation.
Her images have appeared in exhibits at the Florida Museum and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and have been published in scientific journals, magazines and newspapers across the globe. Her work has also been featured on websites such as the National Science Foundation, LiveScience and National Geographic.
Matt Stamey, college photographer at Santa Fe College, specializes in documenting the people, programs and places that define campus life — including the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo. For nearly a decade, he has captured the unique relationship between the zookeepers and the animals in their care, creating a visual history of both the students’ journeys and the zoo’s residents.
His photography has been recognized by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations and featured in publications by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. Through his work, Matt aims to tell the ongoing story of education, conservation and community at the college.