Frank Matheis (FM) is a writer and photographer. Based in New York’s Hudson Valley, he describes himself as a “dedicated amateur,” embracing the word in its original Latin sense—amare, “to love.” His work is rooted in that principle: he photographs out of a deep and abiding love for the natural world.
FM began photographing nature in January 2024 after receiving a used Canon camera—a moment that marked the beginning of an intense and focused creative pursuit. He now uses a Canon R3 camera with a 100-500 mm telescopic lens and a 2x extender.
One of his most meaningful accolades to date comes from the director of the Connecticut Audubon Society Deer Pond Preserve, who described him as a “passionate environmentalist and nature photographer.” The Preserve hosted his 2026 solo exhibition and lecture, and now holds several of his photographs in its permanent collection.
While birds are a central and defining subject in his work, his broader focus encompasses entire ecosystems.
He is a member of the Connecticut Audubon Society, the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Approach to Photo-Documentation
Working within the ethical framework of the National Audubon Society, FM adheres to a rigorously purist approach to nature photography, placing the welfare of birds above all photographic considerations.
He maintains strict respect for habitat integrity, minimizes disturbance, and avoids inducing stress in wildlife. This includes keeping a responsible distance from nests and avoiding the use of audio playback.
FM works exclusively with available light, avoiding flash in bird photography. Post-processing is deliberately restrained, confined to subtle tonal and compositional refinements that preserve the authenticity of the captured moment. For FM, nature is the primary author of beauty; his role is not to alter it, but to witness it faithfully.
Environmental Mission
Frank Matheis is driven by a clear environmental imperative: Our ecosystems are under accelerating pressure. Pollinator and insect populations are collapsing. North America has lost nearly one-third of its bird population—some three billion individuals—since 1970. Climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, pesticide use, and free-ranging domestic cats continue to erode biodiversity at a global scale.
He echoes forester Peter Wohlleben’s insight that people protect what they love. Through his images, he seeks to foster that connection—inviting viewers not only to see nature, but to value it, and ultimately to help protect it.
Past Achievements
Frank Matheis is an established writer and cultural documentarian. While now retired from music writing/criticism, which he practiced for 30 years, he contributes the arts column In Other Words and the artivism column Eco-Activism to the Inspiration Art Group International. His current focus is the book project, Rooted in Wonder – A Memoir of an Appalachian Naturalist, is a collaborative memoir with renowned naturalist and environmental educator Jenny Richards, exploring themes of ecology, identity, and the human relationship to place.
He is the co-author of the critically acclaimed book Sweet Bitter Blues (University Press of Mississippi, 2020), written with his dear friend, National Heritage Fellow and master blues musician, the late Phil Wiggins. FM is a former contributing writer to Living Blues magazine (Center for the Study of Southern Culture) and Blues Access magazine, and the founding publisher/editor of thecountryblues.com. In the early 2000’s, he was also an award-winning radio documentary producer.