Hi, my name is Matt Malwitz and I’m a wildlife photographer.

This wasn’t the result of a lifelong hobby, rather, a chance encounter. In the latter years of senior high school, nature was the least of my concerns. I was preoccupied with choosing colleges, finding the right major, and ultimately, choosing what I wanted to do with my life. During this time, I began suffering severe anxiety attacks. During a particularly intense episode, a trip to a local nature center was suggested. Here, I had a close encounter with a lone Great Blue Heron. The birds apparent lack of fear and graceful nature were enough to make me return, and return I did. This time with a camera. At this point, I had primarily focused on video production. I had little to no knowledge of still photography, let alone wildlife. This second trip would produce nothing noteworthy, but the seed had been planted. I returned to that exact spot again and again, trying to photograph each and every animal I encountered. Slowly, I began visiting different parks and exploring new natural places, all while honing my skills as a photographer. I’m still working on that last part.