About the Photographer

Hi, I'm Doug Minshell — a nature and wildlife photographer based in San Diego, CA. I grew up in a rural part of San Diego County, where I fell in love with the outdoors early. From the time I was seven or eight, I remember bushwhacking through the hills and valleys near my home, regularly crossing paths with rabbits, squirrels, foxes, coyotes, and — once, memorably — a mountain lion. Those years taught me how the animals around me actually lived and behaved, and that knowledge has stuck with me ever since. It's where I first learned patience, and how to move around wildlife in a way that earns a good photograph instead of just scaring something off. My love of photography started around age 18, when I got my first real camera: a Pentax K1000. I took it everywhere and photographed just about everything, though motocross and off-road races were an early favorite of mine — for a while, I even wanted to shoot for Sports Illustrated. Life got in the way for a stretch of years, the way it does, but I eventually found my way back to a camera, and back to what I actually loved most: combining photography with a lifelong love of nature. I've been at it ever since. I'm not really in this for the accolades. I won't pretend I don't enjoy hearing that someone likes a photo, and I've picked up a few awards at local competitions along the way — but that's not really the point. I do this to show the beauty that's all around us, especially the wild places I'm lucky enough to visit from time to time. I hope my photos give you a little of the same sense of wonder that nature gives me.