Meet Samantha Fischer | Wildlife photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Fischer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I grew up with a father who was an illustrator, writer and musician. There was no escaping the dense air of creativity in my household.
I started my artistic endeavor as a sculptor of terracotta figures. It became and still is a passion of mine, but living in a NYC apartment does not allow for that particular medium.
In 2020, my husband’s colleague was sponsoring jazz concerts in Central Park. I had heard that there was a Barred Owl causing quite the stir in the park, so after the gig, we took a walk to find him.
It wasn’t difficult, as all the Central Park birders and photographers were there. “Barry” as they called the owl, was high up in a tree. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get a clean shot. Some photographers questioned what I had “my camera on?” I had no idea about manual settings- didn’t even pay attention to the options on the dial.
They took my camera from my hands and set the ISO and shutter speed. All of a sudden, I got the shot. My first photograph of an owl in the wild!
It stirred something in me. I couldn’t believe that one could see owls in NYC, let alone capture them with your camera.
That night I vowed that I would teach myself how to shoot manually, which led to buying a better camera body and lens.
Birding became addicting and being able to photograph birds which I had never seen nor heard of, was and is such a thrilling experience. At some point, friends said I should start showing my work. I decided to apply to juried art shows and was accepted to a few of them.
Being able to speak to potential clients about my work, and seeing how excited they are when hearing about the birds I get to see, has led me to continue creating and showcasing my work.
It is a win-win situation for me. I get to spend my free time out in nature, witnessing a world that goes unnoticed to many. I then get to create an artistic composition, not only cataloguing the bird, but also allowing the viewer into a moment of its life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My life has always been involved in art, music, and education. I have been a middle school teacher of literature and history for the past 28 years. I love to teach and love to learn.
When I started photographing birds there was so much to know! First, you have to learn how to use your camera setup. That takes time and a lot of practice. I had to learn how to shoot in different conditions and I really had to learn about my subjects, who are ever-moving targets.
In the beginning it was tough. I remember, one Spring, coming across a “magic tree” in Central Park. There must have been about thirty warblers feasting on insects flitting throughout the branches! I joined a gaggle of birders trying to get a glimpse of at least one tiny colorful bird through my viewfinder. It was impossible! I was not experienced on how warblers behave and so if I caught any bird in my camera, it was just a cloudy blur flying by. It was very frustrating but thankfully I did not give up.
I read online articles about settings and bird behavior. I read about the best times to see birds and the best lighting. I kept practicing- that was key to attaining the goals that I had set.
I am not sure if this sets me apart from most, but I don’t believe in doing much postproduction. I like to capture the image in the field as it adds a challenging aspect to my work. With the advent of AI and software programs that promise perfection, I would rather focus on displaying the truth in my images. That pretty much means, crop and stop.
When my husband and I bird, we tend to spend a lot of time observing them. I am not one to get the shot and move on to my next subject. I feel that has helped me tremendously in understanding my subjects but also gives the bird the time to acclimate to my presence. I am not only there to shoot, but also there to be immersed in their environment and learn from them.
This artistic endeavor has been such a lovely experience. Participating in art shows is great as I love that I get to share these ephemeral moments with others. I have learned that the shots I might be most proud of might not be the shots that others are drawn to. It is interesting to see that I do have fan favorites. These particular images sell out quickly at my shows. I just love that my work hits people viscerally, sometimes leading to laughter or tears.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
It’s amazing how the answer to this question has changed for me over the last five years.
Before I got into this obsession with being in nature and observing our local wildlife, I would send people to the many beautiful museums and art galleries our city houses.
Now, the first thing I want to do when friends visit is to take them over to our local cemetery, Greenwood, to see the amazing architecture, trees, and of course, the visiting and local birds.
We would then go for a walk in our neighborhood, Bay Ridge, on the waterfront to witness all the wintering waterfowl who migrate from far away places like the Arctic to winter in our area.
No visit would be complete to New York City without taking a leisurely stroll in Central Park. I’m sure that a large percentage of people who come to our beautiful park do not think of all the birds that they could find by just looking around them.
We would visit the reservoir in the winter and the Ramble in the spring, stopping at all the places in between.
Another outside wonder is our High Line. You can stop at the Chelsea Market, pick up some snacks, and walk the almost 2 mile elevated platform in the Meatpacking district of our city.
As for museums, most people know the large institutions.
I’d say to go to the New York Historical Society to see the watercolor collection of Audubon.
Plus, they have a great restaurant and café.
The American Folk Art Museum is another treat filled with work made by self-taught artists.
Does all this walking make you hungry?
Lilli and Loo serves up some great Asian cuisine in Chelsea.
Feel like getting a drink at a pub? Stop by Fanelli’s in Soho.
Do you love great Indian food? Rudraks, on the Upper West Side, is so yummy!
Perhaps Mediterranean food is more your style? Yasouvlaki also on the Upper West Side is a favorite!
Of course you can’t go wrong, dropping into one of the local pizzerias and getting a slice.
For nightlife, we always find ourselves listening to live jazz at The Jazz Gallery, Smalls, or Jazz at Lincoln Center.
The New York Philharmonic has some beautiful concerts at Lincoln Center.
BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) is a great place to see theater, movies, concerts, and art.
You truly can’t go wrong with anything you choose!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to send a shoutout to my husband, Jason.
From the beginnings of dipping my toe into birding and photography to practicing and teaching myself how to photograph subjects manually, to selling my art professionally, Jason has been my support system throughout the whole process. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am in this business today, without his support and guidance.

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Image Credits
SDF Photography