Woman holding binoculars Join today and get outside at one of our 60+ wildlife sanctuaries.
Woman holding binoculars Join today and get outside at one of our 60+ wildlife sanctuaries.
A man crouched in front of a rock with a camera.

In Your Words: Nature Man Mike Nature (a.k.a. Michael Bryant)

June 18, 2024

Nature was the reason I first picked up a camera. Ever since I was a kid, I've loved animals and nature. As I got older, I was inspired to photograph what I saw. This newfound passion encouraged me to explore the outdoors more. I started noticing the different insects and flowers while taking macro photos and exploring more green spaces for landscape and wildlife photos. I tried to figure out what insect, bird, or flower I photographed, which sent me on a research mission, increasing my knowledge of various species.  

It wasn’t until 2018 that I started heavily photographing birds. And because each season there’s something new to discover, it encouraged me to get outdoors more regardless of the weather or temperature. As my interest in birds increased, I started traveling to different states and eventually internationally.  

Red bird with black wings on a stick.
© Michael Bryan

Later in 2018, I created Nature Man Mike to separate my nature photos from my Michael Bryant Photography business pages. I didn't want to flood my business pages with nature photos. And trust me, I take a lot of nature photos! Even though it started as a way to separate my personal from my professional photos, it eventually turned into something greater. By 2022, I started leading bird walks, doing presentations, hosting workshops, and participating in a few magazine interviews. Then, in April 2023, I connected with Mass Audubon.  

Since then, I’ve led bird walks and photography workshops at Boston Nature Center in Mattapan and Magazine Beach Park Nature Center in Cambridge. I love working with Mass Audubon, and I enjoy exploring the sanctuaries as a proud member. All the sanctuaries are great, but my favorite is Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick. It was the first wildlife sanctuary I ever visited, and I just love their trails.  

I appreciate Mass Audubon and what they do for conservation. Protecting habitat for wildlife is much needed. I can’t wait to continue to collaborate with Mass Audubon and spread the love of nature and photography to more members.