Wildlife photographer and author Marie Read is renowned for her exquisite bird photographs that combine beauty with impactful storytelling. Widely published during her 30-year career, her images have been featured nationally and internationally in magazines, books, calendars, websites, educational exhibits, and product packaging.
Marie's articles and photo essays have appeared in such publications as Living Bird, Bird Watching, Nature's Best, and Wild Planet. Her images have won awards in Share The View International Nature Photography Contest (Grand Prize 2017), Nature's Best contests, North American Nature Photography Association Showcase, Audubon Photography Awards, and Festival de L'Oiseau. She has authored or co-authored several books about birds and their behavior, including Into the Nest: Intimate Views of the Courting, Parenting, and Family Lives of Familiar Birds.
Marie lives with her husband in the Finger Lakes Region of central New York, where she has cultivated her own property for many years to create a haven for the local birds.

Foreword by Tim Gallagher
Chapter 1: Getting Started in Bird Photography
Chapter 2: Equipment Essentials
Chapter 3: Focusing and Image Sharpness
Chapter 4: Getting Close
Chapter 5: Seeing the Light
Chapter 6: Exposure
Chapter 7: Composition Basics
Chapter 8: Capturing Bird Behavior
Chapter 9: Beauty Close to Home
Chapter 10: On the Wing
Chapter 11: The Big Picture
Chapter 12: Weather, Water, and Mood
Chapter 13: Shooting Outside the Box
Chapter 14: Basic Image Editing
Chapter 15: Bird Photography Hotspots
Chapter 16: What's Next?