About Dean Newman

Growing up on a small family farm in Northwest Florida, I’ve been passionate about birds my whole life. After joining the Navy in 1975 and graduating from the Naval School of Photography, I worked many years as a photojournalist and as a camera repairman. That was all back in the days of film and chemical darkrooms. In 1982, I received a commission and serious photography (beyond point and shoot cameras) was replaced by a wife, children and career. Somewhere in that transition I became an active birder accumulating an ABA List of 618 species. During the major owl irruption of the Winter of 2004/2005, a friend suggested I take a camera along to document my sightings. That one remark changed my life. It was during that brief weekend I discovered the obvious. When I bird, I alone get to enjoy each sighting but when I photograph I can share the view with hundreds of people. I’m amazed at how unaware most people are of the wildlife around them; particularly the bird life in their shrubbery. Photography allows me to show them what they’re missing.

Since then I’ve traveled North and South America photographing birds almost exclusively. The greatest epiphany I’ve discovered is that it’s better to accumulate photographic experiences than photographic “stuff”. I’ve been fortunate to be mentored by such bird photographer “greats” as Artie Morris, Linda Robbins and Alan Murphy. My appreciation for their advice, patience and friendship can never be complete.

My wife and I currently reside in Southern Maryland where we are active in our church and community events. We have two children and two grandchildren and are convinced life has never been better for us than it is right now.