The sky was lit up, washed in orange and pink as I raced up the hill of my backyard. It was a summer evening – perfect and feeling like something from a movie with a slight breeze, cicadas buzzing in the trees, and the most beautiful sunset. I got to the fence, balancing carefully on the slats, needing those few extra inches of height for the perfect shot. I had stolen my mom’s big camera off the kitchen counter yet again, wanting to preserve the beauty of the sun setting over the field past my backyard. I’m sure that picture is still tucked away somewhere in my parents’ house, alongside the countless other photo packets containing the results of my camera thievery. Little did I know, however, that this hobby would continue to grow until it became my career.
I continued learning, eventually owning my own cameras, trying out every type of photography, and falling in love with videography too. I’ve shot portraits, theater, corporate events, and sports; but nothing has captured my attention like documentary photography has.
It started with a high school internship at a nature center; I would spend afternoons documenting their property, wildlife, education programming, and the projects being done. As my photographs drew in people for visits or events, showed which areas of the land needed more care as the seasons changed, and inspired more internships at the center, I saw just how much of an impact photography could make. This inspired me to earn my Bachelor of Fine Arts in cinema and photography, with a minor in documentary studies from Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I love being able to tell a story that’s true and has an impact. This is the base of what I’ve been able to do during my time with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
I’ve spent the past few months as a digital media support AmeriCorps service member for the Western Washington Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office. My first priority was capturing as many photos and video footage as possible during the busy summer fieldwork season. I was able to document invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.
Learn more about invasive species control, river species surveys, and hatchery work, help with outreach events and visitor center displays, and much more.
I took photos and videos using the office Sony a6600 and GoPro cameras and learned to use accessories such as an underwater camera housing and a gimbal to stabilize the shots. It was so exciting to use these new tools, and it opened up a world of new shot opportunities and perspectives as I was filming. I’ve never been afraid to get up close and involved when taking pictures, and all of the biologists and technicians that I worked with took my presence in stride. I was able to hike out with them to river access points, get stuck in the mud while checking crab traps, snorkel in mountain lakes, and wade across rivers, all with my camera in tow and my coworkers explaining their projects to me. Thanks to them I was not only able to expand my digital media skills, but also learn so much about conservation efforts in the Pacific Northwest.
One of my favorite things that I’ve been able to do is create videos for the Makah National Fish Hatchery visitor center. They recently replaced their fish weir (river barrier which directs fish from the river into the hatchery), and I was able to produce videos for the visitor center that explain what a fish weir is and why it’s important, along with a time-lapse of the construction. It’s been very rewarding to see work that I’ve done displayed for the public. I also feel very fortunate that some of my photos and videos have made the national Service website and social media pages.
This video is of service member Elena Prest feeding juvenile steelhead at Quilcene National Fish Hatchery. It was my first endeavor with getting underwater footage and I had so much fun getting shots of the young fish. I was also able to provide photographs for articles like this one written by Angel Velasquez. Many of the Service Members that I worked with wrote about their experiences, and my photos came in handy for showing off the work they did.
The two biggest culminations of all the filming were the fieldwork highlights video video and the American Conservation Experience Americorps member feature video of Ethan Chaipatanapong. The feature video of Ethan was very rewarding to create, as I was able to showcase the full experience of being an Americorps Service Member at this office and display how many projects he supported, as well as how impactful the experience was for him personally. The fieldwork video expands on that to show a wider breadth of the work done and the projects I was able to be involved with. Being able to produce videos such as these is why I love documentary work. I love being able to use visual media to connect people and show them the work that’s being done to help our environment and native species.
From being knee deep in a river getting the footage, to spending weeks editing, it has been a wonderful experience being able to create something that I hope will inspire others into the field of conservation. This experience has not only strengthened my passion for my career, but also taught me so many new skills to use when filming. I plan on continuing my career in documentary media; with my love for the outdoors and skill with a camera, I can’t possibly imagine doing anything else.
Editor's Note: Megan's position was through a partnership between the Western Washington Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office and the American Conservation Experience. American Conservation Experience is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities for young adults and emerging professionals of all backgrounds to explore and improve public lands while gaining practical professional experience.
