Ami Shecter and James Figielski expose the beauty of Blairstown’s wildlife

By Cathy Miller

Living along the Paulinskill River in Blairstown since 1996, James Figielski and Ami Shecter are always captivated by what they see practically right outside their door. Early on, they realized that they had a shared aesthetic — a romantic vision of nature and a desire to honor it. Working as a team, camera-to-eye, often shooting (digitally) side by side, they set about capturing (digitally) the beauty of the local wildlife. They launched Paulinskill River Photography in 2013 to share their imagery and love of nature, and soon after began selling their work.        

Over the years, Ami had been drawn to photography, but didn’t get serious until very early one morning when she spotted a bear with three cubs in the yard feeding on a fawn. Mama bear was unconcerned by Jim and Ami’s presence during her meal; when she began nursing her attitude changed, and they felt it best to leave her be. And so it ended –  a chance experience, tinged with frustration at being unable to get the shot because it was too dark for photos.

Never wanting to miss such an opportunity again, Ami acquired her first major lens for her 40th birthday. Jim didn’t catch the bug until 2012 when fox kits showed up in the neighbor’s yard. He decided to get a longer lens for Ami’s camera. “Trying it out, boy was he a ringer,” Ami remarked. He got shots on his first day with the new lens, shots of something that Ami had been working on for seven years (a heron in flight). She continued, “He just had the knack. And it was impossible to be a one camera family ever again!” Jim was producing incredible images, bogging down Ami’s Facebook page (and refusing to get his own), so in 2013 they started Paulinskill River Photography. Since that fateful day and that first long lens, they’ve both acquired Canon’s 100-400mm L(II) lens, finding it to be the best hand-holdable wildlife lens. Since Jim’s is a full-frame camera, on bright days he’ll add an extender (1.4x Mark III) to his lens to gain some extra length.

Working together in the field often leads to some friendly competition. No matter the circumstance, “we are still on the same team.” Ami said, “Jim usually gets the better shots, but it’s fun to go through the pictures and see who got the shot.” She noted, “With the cool stuff we see, and fast and dramatic subjects – like an animal with prey, or babies, or a bird in flight – it really does help to have two photographers, and our shots rarely come out the same. Sometimes neither of us gets the shot.” In any case, they agree it’s much more fun birding together, even if Ami gets schooled every other day!  

The diversity of wildlife in Warren County is extensive, from eagles and owls, to rarities like a roseate spoonbill, glossy ibises, and common terns. Yet, with all the sightings and successes, there are those subjects Ami and Jim are still eager to photograph. Ami commented about needing shots of a bobcat, barn owl, and grouse. “We still haven’t gotten a good shot of any of them! We keep trying! The wonderful friends of Paulinskill River Photography, who message us with sightings of interest, are invaluable. When we get the ‘bat signal,’ we jump!”

Anything else they’d love to photograph? “We recently got a shot of a hooded warbler, which was big for us, but there are still beautiful warblers we’d like to get good pictures of (and see), and we would love to get a picture of animals people claim they’ve seen, but we’ve not seen photographic evidence of, like a mountain lion, fisher cat, pine martin, local river otters (although we’ve seen otters in the Poconos). Of course there are some common subjects we’d like to photograph but just haven’t had the luck – meadowlarks, nighthawks, a good bat shot, a hummingbird nest, and so many more. There’s always something new to see, and it’s what keeps us going.” Each successive encounter is the most exciting, until the next one, although the roseate spoonbill they encountered was “extra special.” This lovely pink bird rarely travels north of Florida, and for the first time ever, a spoonbill was spotted in Warren County. “Spoony” quickly became a local celebrity. 

Jim follows a route to his favorite spots when doing a post office run, while Ami works on the morning’s Facebook post. They try to look around their property at least once or twice a day – a worthy subject never fails to turn up – with “the golden hour on the Paulinskill on a summer night” being a favorite time to bird together. On weekends (when not doing craft fairs) they plan, at the very least, a day trip, local or wide-ranging.

Is there anything at all that will keep Ami and Jim from their daily excursions? Not surprisingly, not much! They and their cameras brave even the most inclement weather. “More so in the snow than the rain, but Jim always goes out in the rain. Rain shots are a gift,” Ami said, “and if we get the ‘bat signal’ from a friend with a sighting, it’s definitely rain or shine. Love putting our coats and boots on over p.j.’s on a snowy morning to look for stuff in our yard and on the driveway. We do a lot of looking up into the trees in our yard.”

They also travel to some favorite locations outside the area. “We go up to Hawley, PA often, where Jim’s family has a house. We have a route along the Lackawaxen River and the Delaware River where we go eagle watching. Once or twice a year in the winter, we go to the Jersey shore to see the winter birds, such as harlequin ducks, snowy owls, and lots of other stuff we don’t get to see up north.”

Ami and Jim primarily photograph in public areas around Blairstown explaining, “Since we concentrate on local wildlife, we have built relationships with local non-profits and businesses that have helped us expand the business aspect of our work. Many of the great photos we’ve gotten could not have been possible without The Ridge and Valley Conservancy and their stewardship and management of preserves in our area. The Blairstown Museum provides us with support, community building events and venues, bringing us and the people of Blairstown together. The Foodshed Alliance, a local food share, has also been a great support to us, as has the Greater Blairstown Business Association. Without the relationships we have with these local groups, our work would not have the exposure it does, and we try to make these relationships mutually beneficial. We also appreciate all the local businesses that generously display our work so we can bring it to the public.”

It’s Jim and Ami’s hope that Paulinskill River Photography will help people appreciate this captivating area of New Jersey they refer to as their “naturehood.” They love sharing the wondrous subjects they photograph. “That’s why we do it,” Ami explained. “People seem really proud when they see the shots of eagles, proud of their town. They start wondering what’s made that hole in the tree, or what kind of duck that is.” The two photographers focus on being entertaining AND educational, and are thrilled to hear from those who follow their daily postings on Facebook. “When people meet us,” Ami said, “they tell us their cool nature stories, and what they’ve seen, It’s really awesome.”

Jim’s unique bond with birds and wildlife shines through in his work. While he always keeps a safe and respectful distance, there is a special quality of intimacy with his subjects. Ami’s post-processing technique brings out the best in Jim’s shots, tweaking the variables just enough so the essence stays intact without altering the natural beauty. “Not photo-editing in digital photography,” said Ami, “is like not having a darkroom in the days of film.” With an affinity for fine art, they prefer a graphic and artistic design – a clean, crisp, modern look – for their print work, reproduced on canvas, matted prints, and calendars.

Ami and Jim create high-end photography that people can display in their homes, saying “it’s always a thrill when someone says ‘this looks like a painting’.” Their work is more fine art, and less a conservationist’s/environmentalist’s/animal rights activist’s statement. They hope folks “take joy in looking at their photos, knowing the stories behind the work and the animals pictured. We want them to have a personal connection to the subject.” 

Bucking a trend in nature photography to characterize the plight of the planet and its animals as hopeless, Paulinskill River Photography’s work is more about hope, than a heavy-heart. “Hope, lots of it, but nature is hard, and there are heavy-heart moments all the time. Our very small radius, which always has it’s share of tragedy, from roadkill, to cygnets taken by snapping turtles, seems to be thriving.”

Jim and Ami turned introspective. “We view humans as part of the environment, not separate, and feel that people and animals can be together in the space of nature. This is not a popular opinion. There is a definite push towards humans being viewed as evil, and any interaction between humans and animals as being bad. We practice common sense, respectful and ethical birding in the field, and hope people follow our lead by example. We will not feel defensive when we interact with wildlife, and we don’t believe people should feel that they are harming or destroying nature just by being in the woods.”

Along with some motorcycle meanderings and a limitless photographic drive, Jim and Ami both find time to run their own businesses. Jim and his brother own Beemer Boneyard (beemerboneyard.com), selling used and new BMW motorcycle parts. Ami owns Earring Girl (earringgirl.com), selling handmade earrings crafted by independent artisans.

In Blairstown, Paulinskill River Photography exhibits at the Gourmet Gallery, with more works in the Post Time Pub, Sam Rose Salon, and The Blairstown Museum. You can meet Ami and Jim at the Blairstown Farmers’ Market between 9:30 AM and 1:00 PM on Saturday, July 6 (plus July 27, August 31, September 28, and October 26). They’ll be participating in Historic Blairstown Day on August 11, along with many other craft shows and events throughout the area. 

To view a broad selection of photography by James Figielski and Ami Shecter, go to www.paulinskillriverphotography.com. For interactions, shared experiences, frequent postings and daily photographs, their heart and soul is on FB – www.facebook.com/paulinskillriverphotography.