Picture Your Life in the Wild

Written By: Janette Locke  |  Posted: Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Have you ever spotted a gorgeous flower swaying in the wind as you take a summer walk, or caught sight of an animal you rarely see as it disappears into the woods? Moments like these desperately call for a camera. This same beauty and desire to keep such sights immortal inspired Jim Backus to take up photography when he was only eighteen years old. He started out slowly with basic equipment for his simple pictures, but as the years slipped by and his interest grew, he began attending workshops and seminars. The more he learned and the more photos he took, the more excited he became about this profession. He loved spending time in the beautiful outdoors, capturing its creatures and plants without harming anything. Such an enjoyable hobby simply could not be just a hobby forever. Jim says,
"Five years ago I decided to turn it into a profession. So, what I tell people is that I turned a hobby into a disease overnight. It's a profession of mine that I love."

Venturing outside and around the world and photographing grizzlies, lions, and other potentially dangerous animals sounds intense. That's one of the reasons Jim Backus enjoys it so much, but he doesn't do it all for the adrenaline rush. Who would pass up such a great opportunity to meet rare animals face to face? One of the rare animals that he loves photographing is called the Spirit Bear. Jim was asked about the difference between a normal Black Bear and the rare Spirit Bear which looks very similar to it. He said,

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