Meet Patrick Connor Sherrill | Wildlife Photographer & Naturalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Patrick Connor Sherrill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patrick Connor, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“When you immerse yourself in a place and look for all the beautiful things it has to offer, and then you surround yourself in a culture of like-minded individuals, you will astound yourself with everything that you do.” P. Connor Sherrill.

I wrote this quote when I moved to Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2020. This was the first time that I was moving somewhere full time in the pursuit of a career in wildlife photography and conservation. While living in Yellowstone National Park, I was constantly immersed in the beautiful landscapes of the Rocky Mountains. Being immersed in this place, I found I was surrounding myself with new friends and mentors. These individuals helped pave my experiential growth as an advocate for wildlife conservation in the Northwest. As a result of both things, I found the accomplishments made and the steps I took in furthering my efforts to help bring light to the need for wildlife conservation astounded me.

Today, I use this motto as a map for success. This quote is a challenge that I use to help mentor others on their path to success and meaningful conservation action, not just for personal growth.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My background in wildlife conservation and education started with my art. When I was growing up, I liked to take pictures. In the early days, this started with my use of disposable cameras in zoos. My art has since developed to use digital and analog cameras to capture wild moments in a professional manner. To me, wildlife photography is not merely an animal portrait, but rather a story or a time in the life of these spectacular creatures. When I photograph an aspect of wildlife, I want to be able to grasp the essence of a raw moment. As a wildlife photographer, it is my utmost priority to be “a fly on the wall.” I do my absolute best to practice sound wildlife-viewing ethics daily. This means that I will not encroach upon the natural habitat of animals, nor interfere with their natural behavior.

As a naturalist and conservationist, I often wonder how I can make a difference with the use of my photographs. I have found that capturing these images is one way I can promote the need for wildlife conservation in today’s society. In our current technological world, we rely heavily on the Internet and social media to interact with one another. I have found this to be one of the strongest outlets for my work and messages of wildlife conservation awareness. When someone sees one of my images, they see not only an animal interacting with its ecosystem, but also the effects we have on our fragile environment.

When I began this wildlife conservation mission, I was completely overwhelmed. There is a great deal of disinformation and ignorance in our culture. While it was disheartening at first, I found it reinforced my passion for broadening my knowledge and growing as a champion of our natural world.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my friends or family were to visit Colorado, I would take them to Estes Park. We would spend the morning in downtown Estes Park. In downtown Estes Park we would get breakfast at one of the many yummy restaurants. After getting food downtown, I would proceed to taking them into the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. While in the park we would hike to the famous Dream Lake. This spot holds a great meaning to me as it is where I recently got engaged! Finishing off the day we would head back downtown to eat at the popular Mama Rose’s restaurant for dinner.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Taylor Rabe, Michael Sypniewski, Shane Beliveau, Adam Sherrill

Website: https://www.pconnorsherrill.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pconnorsherrill_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connor.sherrill.33/