Category: Photography

I’ve been getting better….I think. My flare up (crohns colitis) is still going strong but it seems I’ve been having more ok days than bad days so let’s hope I’m on the mend One great thing about have two giant dogs (Great Danes) is that when you’ve got a fever, they are always there to crawl into bed with you and keep you warm till the meds can kick in and break the fever.

The other day my husband took Earl outside to play fetch and I decided to grab the camera (which I really haven’t done much with lately). So, without further ado… here’s Earl doing what he does best:

I have been dreading writing this post. I know there will be tears during this because I’ve shed them reading other friends’ blog posts, photo tributes and posts on facebook. I found out Saturday that an amazing wildlife photographer and friend had passed away suddenly. Klaus Peter was a friend to everyone. Whether you’d only conversed with him through emails and facebook messages, or commented on his flickr photos, or had met him on photo shoots. He was someone that everyone considered a friend. There aren’t enough people in this world like Klaus Peter, and it’s hard to lose him. I think everyone in this world only knows a handful of people like him.

Klaus at Green Cay Wetlands, Delray, Florida

Klaus was known and loved by many people. Including people that had never met him face to face. He’d comment on your flickr photos, he’d help you via email with photoshop, he’d comment on your facebook posts…all without meeting you. Through just your interactions online, you called him a friend. He’d tell you where the best spots were to get photos of whatever ‘lifer’ bird you were looking to photograph to ‘cross off your list’. He’d meet up with anyone that wanted to go shoot for the day. He’d help you with your camera and settings, showing you how to get the best shots. He was a wealth of information and he loved to share what he knew with other people.

Klaus at a Dinner Island WMA meet up.

Klaus had a fantastic sense of humor as well. It was actually my favorite type of humor…the kind where if you didn’t know him, he’d shock you a little. He could tell you a joke with a straight face and wait for you to realize he was kidding. He’d tell you he was out shooting Florida wildlife and came across a polar bear, or a giraffe…and he’d post the image on facebook to prove it. Of course he was extremely talented in photoshop…so the fact that he could tell you a joke with a straight face AND back it up with a photo was pure Klaus!

Klaus was always up for meet ups…and a good time. This photo was one I took of him the last time I saw him. We had a pretty big meet up at Dinner Island Wildlife Management Area. It was a large group so quite a few of us carpooled around the property. Klaus and Alan rode in the back of Dan’s pickup as they followed Scott and I around.

Our big yearly meet ups just won’t be the same without him. I know he’ll be there in spirit.

Scott who considered Klaus a brother wanted to have a memorial photo walk in Klaus’ honor. He decided to have it at Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, Florida. Circle B was one of Klaus’ favorite places to shoot and it’s absolutely fitting that we all go there. If you’re interested in celebrating Klaus’ life and memories with us, you can find more information on the facebook even page HERE or if you’re not on facebook you can find the information in the Florida Outdoors flickr group HERE.

I had to add in Klaus’ flickr page so that you can view his work. Click HERE.