About
At the heart of my life growing up in the northern California coastal ecosystem, I experienced the natural world through sailing, exploring the Pacific coast by boat from the Pacific Northwest to Mexico, and hiking the Northern California coastal headlands and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I deeply appreciated but didn’t know how to communicate my love for the natural world until I began drawing and painting as a teen. Wildlife was always an important part of my life. At university obtaining my degrees in animal behavior and primate ecology, and then as a photographer and scientific illustrator, I became captivated by the details of what I was seeing and studying.
In 1981, conducting my Master’s research on siamang ape (Symphalangus syndactulus, IUCN: Endangered) behavior, communication and ecology in northern Sumatra, I was suddenly immersed in a fascinating new ecosystem that was radically different from anything I had known. The birds, insects, plants, mammals and especially the primates that surrounded me every day as I followed my focal siamang family from dawn until dusk ignited a passion in me for the natural world and for protecting it. I photographed (film) and identified the unique biodiversity that surrounded me in my long days of following the siamang. In addition to my scientific research, I enjoyed developing the skills to meet the challenge of photographing black apes high in the canopy of a dense forest against a bright, tropical sky.
At my core, I am an optimist. I gravitate towards actions that are positive, active and effective, and believe that sharing good news and powerful images will build meaningful conservation results, worldwide.
Learning about and protecting primates is my passion, but I am truly excited to see, get to know, and photograph anything in the natural world, from tiny insects to unique plants to inspiring ecosystems. As I sit with an animal and learn about a new species or an unfamiliar ecosystem, I let myself be part of its environment and try to have insight into its perspective. My goal is to highlight unique moments that capture an animal’s essence, to become connected in a tangible way. I aim to focus my images on the animal’s behavior, personality, habitat, and natural history — through persistence and patience to find captivating perspectives and sometimes humor that pulls an audience into the animal’s world.
I want my images to emotionally connect the viewer and to bring an awareness and desire to protect that species and its ecosystem. More importantly, I am helping young people that live in critical primate habitats to learn to take their own photographs through participating in my conservation program, Photography Inspiring Children in Conservation (PhotographyInspiringConservation.org). PICC is empowering people in habitat critical communities to support local ecosystem conservation, and inspiring children to become conservation leaders within their communities by providing them with skills, knowledge and a passion for conservation through the arts of photography, illustration and storytelling. My program goal is to help them to have a direct impact on the survival of a species by building a special emotional connection and knowledge of conservation actions they can take to build a healthy community where both the wildlife and their community can thrive.
By creating and sharing my images of threatened and endangered species, I am dedicated to bringing a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world to further conservation awareness and solutions, especially in the primate extinction crisis.
Contact me at: kathyweststudios@gmail.com
For details, please see my CV.
- BS Zoology / Animal Behavior, 1978 University of California, Davis
- MS Primate Ecology and Behavior, 1981, University of California, Davis; Field research (Sumatra) on siamang ape (Hylobates syndactylus) ecology, behavior and communication
Memberships
I am a member of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA); International Primatological Society; American Society of Primatologists; Guild of Natural Science Illustrators; and Society for Conservation Biology.
Awards and Recognition
- Recipient of 2019 “Kyes Award for Excellence in Outreach” for significant contributions to primatology outreach, American Society of Primatologists
- Honored Images in 2020, 2021 and 2022, 2024 Top 250, and 2023 Top 100 North American Nature Photography Association
- Semifinalist in 2017 and 2020 Nature’s Best Photography International Awards
- Semifinalist in 2021 Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards, Nature’s Best Photography
- November 2022–Golden State Art’s Artist Spotlight
- March 2023–Anniversary Winner and Featured Photographer for Bevisgear
Unique Set of Experiences and Skills
With my education and long career as an illustrator, photographer and communications specialist for University of California, Davis, and as a freelance conservation photographer and illustrator, I have created images of a broad range of subjects from mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians to insects, plants and fungi.
- Extensive experience photographing a broad range of animal and plant species in North, South and Central America, SE Asia, Africa, and Madagascar
- Developed a nonprofit conservation program, Photography Inspiring Children in Conservation (PICC), 501c3
- Developed and managed Madagascar PICC children’s conservation programs in 2020 – present, building capacity in Malagasy staff and communities, within restrictions due to the worldwide pandemic
- Conducted PICC children’s conservation programs in the Azuero Panama (endangered monkeys) 2022, 2023, and 2024; Rwanda 2024 and Uganda (mountain gorillas) 2022, 2024.
- Developed and led novel and successful education and public outreach communication strategies for University of California, Davis research programs and a national outreach consortium for 13 years
- Over 40 years providing accurate and engaging scientific illustrations for a broad range of research and conservation projects