הצטרפ.ה ב:אוק' 10, 2011 פעילות אחרונה: יוני 13, 2023 iNaturalist
I'm here because iNaturalist combines several things I love - photography, biology, hiking and information science. I'm a multidisciplinary creative and information professional finally going back to school to study biology, which will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
Tools like iNaturalist are important because not everyone gets to formally participate in the sciences. When I was younger, I faced exclusion for discrimminatory reasons. I didn't get to study what I wanted to study in school. So I became a self-educated biologist, aka a naturalist, and did all that I could with it as a hobby.
I haven't always been welcome here. In 2013, I attended a BioBlitz in Mount Diablo State Park and was questioned by the founder of iNaturalist as to whether my interest in snakes was genuine. I was spoken to like a child and a list of herpetology books I've read was demanded in a way that made me feel very uncomfortable. I was referred to as, "someone like YOU." For example, "Why would someone like YOU be interested in snakes?" Afterwards, one of my observations was deleted. What could have been a productive and mutually beneficial exchange between tech professionals with an interest in biology was, instead, one of exclusion and derision.
I'm back because I hope iNaturalist has changed. The data being collected here is obviously very valuable, as is the global community being built. I hope that the leadership have come to recognize the value of diversity and the fact that all should be welcome to participate.
My observations combine scientific and colloquial writing, describing the subjects from both perspectives. This was something I chose in order to capture the whole experience and to form a bridge between science and our every day life experiences.
During the time I was posting observations here, I went from a basic point and click digital camera to a DSLR with a good zoom lens for photographing wildlife. My background is in analog photography. I previously used a Minolta, fully manual, and developed negatives and prints myself. My participation in iNaturalist captured my transition to digital photography and the beginning of my interest in shooting wildlife.
I'm happy to be back.