The Library's current exhibit features nature photography through the eyes of a father and son—specifically Ty Tingley and his son Morgan '99.   The photos are primarily of wildlife and were taken during travels to loca­tions around the world. According to Morgan, "Some of these places we have traveled to together, allowing us to shoot the same subjects in different ways, but many we have traveled to separately—providing a global sampling of biodiversity through our collections."

Artist statement: Tyler C. Tingley

I have been involved in photography since 1969.  For a few years I taught 35mm black and white photography and darkroom techniques, as well as filmmaking and the history of cinema, at the Kingswood-Oxford School in Connecticut.  During that period I did freelance journalism, advertising, and portrait photography.  But since 1976 all my photography has been for fun.  Birds are the most difficult images I have tried to capture.  They are really small (usually), they are far away (generally), and they move really fast (always).  They also have unique and highly expressive characteristics that give them personality.  I look for graphic images which explore that personality and also suggest the gracefulness of avian life.

Artist statement: Morgan Tingley

I have been watching, searching for, and learning about birds for as long as I can remember.  This passion has led me to pursue an academic career in ornithology, as well as to travel as much as I can in search of birds.  While I have training (including at PEA) in classical photography, only recently have I been able to invest in the equipment that is largely necessary to capture avian portraits.  I prefer to photograph birds in natural light – without flash or other aids – so as to document the environmental influence on color.  This resultant interaction between color, feathers, the environment, and light is a fascinating inspiration for photography.

Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis). Taken in Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, 2006, by Tyler C. Tingley.