Having a colostomy as a nature photographer isn’t as bad as some people may think. I have always loved being in nature since I was a child. When I was young, I loved to be outdoors, exploring woods behind our house. I always had the desire to capture nature as it was with photos. For years I asked my parents for a camera so I could do just that. Eventually, they caved in on my sixteenth birthday. They got me a very nice camera along with some extra batteries and memory cards. I still feel that same passion for photography that I had when I was young fifty years later. I had a life-altering procedure, but I knew it would not stop me from taking photos in nature. 

When I was seventeen years old, I developed Crohn’s disease. This is a kind of disease that attacks the colon. I had to get a permanent colostomy, also called an end ostomy, a few months after my diagnosis. I had terrible bowel movements, and my doctor advised this was the best option. I still remember the day I woke up from my surgery. I said to my doctor, when can I get back out taking nature photos? He told me after just a few days in their care. I could go back; they just needed to monitor me for a while. 

When I got out of the hospital a few days later, I went straight to the woods to see if I could capture any deer. I also grabbed my homemade ghillie suit as it allows me to be right next to the animals without them knowing. This is how I’ve gotten some of my best shots. When I got out there, I realized the first thing the ostomy procedure was going to prevent me from doing. I could not lay on my stomach anymore as it put too much pressure on the stoma and bag. I quickly came up with a solution to dig out a small hole in the ground to let my bag hang in a way. Once I figured out that this would be a viable solution, I got more excited to get all the photos I could. 

Eventually, I got the honor to travel the world and take nature photos for National Geographic, the magazine subscription. I can not put into words how thrilled I was when I got the call to be offered this opportunity. Due to this job, I have had the chance to get photos of wolves in the wild. I love wolves; they are my favorite animal on this whole earth. It was a fantastic experience getting to see how they thrive in the wild. It was breathtaking. A few years ago, I was in Alaska to capture photos of a pack of wolves I have photographed before. That trip was unforgettable. I found a wolf pup; I assumed he was the runt of the litter. He could not have been more than a few months old. I carried him with me as I tracked his pack. When I found them, I sent him in their direction, and I could tell the pack was extremely happy to have him back. I shed a few tears. 

As a nature photographer with an ostomy, life has been very rewarding, as odd as that may seem. I have had unforgettable memories from this job I was able to get as well. I would not trade these experiences for anything. I’m glad to have had this passion for photography even when I was young and all these years later. I enjoy looking back on the photos I had taken when I was a boy who did not know his life would change the worse and then the better.