KAREN SCHUENEMANN PHOTOGRAPHY
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the number of moments that take our breath away.”
Karen Schuenemann is a nature and wildlife photographer whose work focuses on the “Urban Wilderness” that exists next to the roads, homes and businesses in Southern California and now in Central Florida. As she captures images of birds, animals and nature that coexist in these increasingly urbanized environments, her hope is that her photography will inspire people to truly care and protect the natural world.
Schuenemann’s work has garnered numerous awards and has been exhibited in collections and publications around the world. In 2018 she received a Highly Commended Award from the London Natural History Museum in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest. Audubon recognized her image in 2017 as one of the top five images in their national contest. She has written several published articles on photography.
Karen founded Wilderness At Heart Photography providing personal instructions, classes, lectures and leading workshops to places ranging from Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico, to the Grand Tetons to Africa. She teaches classes at Tuttle Cameras in Long Beach and Samy's Cameras, Los Angeles.
Karen celebrates life with her husband and two dogs in Lakeland Florida!
Photo by Karen Bruechle
Artist's Bio: Karen Schuenemann
RESUME:
2024
Volusia Camera Club Judge, November, 2024
Samy's Wildlife Photo Safari, Los Angeles Zoo October/November
Focal Points Magazine, Sierra Club Cover and Article "Same Place, Different Eyes"
Grand Teton National Park Photo Safari May and September, 2024
Botswana Photo Safari, April, 2024
NANPA Florida Workshop, March, 2024
Bosque Del Apache and White Sands Workshop, January, 2024
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts Members' Show January, 2024
Julia Margaret Cameron Awards 3 Honorable Mentions Barcelona, Spain February, 2024 Exhibit December, 2024
2023
Bosque Del Apache and Inaugural White Sands National Park Workshop, January, 2023
Florida NANPA Workshop April, 2023
Grand Teton National Park Workshop May, 2023
Kenya, 2023
Botswana, 2023
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts One image selected for show 3rd Place, Nature Category
Rancho Research Institute Instructor, October, 2023
Wildlife Class at Samy's Cameras in Southern California
2022
Bosque, January, 2022
Florida with Samy's Cameras, February, 2022
Grand Teton National Park, May, 2022
Kenya, August, 2022
Java Jivers, ZOOM Wildlife and my life, September, 2022
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, "Forever Young Show" 1 image selected
2021
Grand Tetons National Park, May, 2022
Samy's Cameras, Los Angeles Zoo workshop
Tuttle Cameras, The Living Desert workshop
2020
Orange County Photographers, Zoom Presentation, July, 2020
Samy's Cameras, Zoom Wildlife Photography Class, June, 2020
Santa Rosa Photographic Society Zoom Presentation, June 2020
Pasadena Art Center College of Design, Speaker, March, 2020
Article in NANPA Expressions "75/25", February, 2020
Wilderness At Heart Bosque Del Apache Workshop, January, 2020
NANPA Nature Day Judge, 2020
2019
Featured in Smart Blog, "Eighty Five of the Best Wildlife Photographers and their Stunning Nature
Images" April, 2019
Image included in Davos, Switzerland Wildlife Photographer of the Year presentation at the
World Economic Summit, January, 2019
NANPA Faculty for High School Scholarship Program in the Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Salton Sea Workshop Leader with Center for Digital Arts
2018
Juried in The Winter Show, Palos Verdes Art Center
"You Already Have No" Wrote article that was published in NANPA
Published in USA Today
https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/world/2018/10/17/winners-wildlife-photographer-year-2018-competition/1672041002/?fbclid=IwAR2iIlnwjUfsbZSDj6v4AX33iWIAkOZUaTIv-kJWpmfZntwoOEj1dIkiCkg
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, London Natural History Museum, Highly Commended Photo
Bird Behavior Category, 1 of 5 images for this category, selected out of 46,000 images,
Image currently hanging at the London Natural History Museum
www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/gallery/2018/adult.html
2018 North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) Showcase Top 100 Awarded Image
Wildlife Photography Course (2 part), Tuttle Cameras, Long Beach California December, 2018
Wilderness At Heart Photography Workshop to the Tetons, May, 2018 and September, 2018
Guest speaker at Desert Artists in Yucca Valley, California, October, 2018
La Crescenta Sierra Club Speaker, May 7, 2018
South Bay Camera Club presentation on March 26, 2018
Speaker at South Bay Audubon, March 20, 2018
Presentation for Audubon, San Fernando Valley on February 22, 2018
California Center for Digital Arts, Sonny Bono Refuge Workshop, Workshop Leader, February, 2018
Speaker on January 31, 2018 at the Sierra Club in Palos Verdes
South Bay Audubon Contest, 3rd Place, 3 images selected for show, Palos Verdes, South Bay, California
2018 North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) Top 100 Awarded Image out of 3, 225 submitted images
Wilderness At Heart Photography Workshop to Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico, January, 2018
2017
Published in Nature's Best Photography Fall/Winter, 2017
Joined Center of Digital Arts, teaching Birds in Flight Class and leading Salton Sea Sonny Bono Wildlife Refuge workshop, November, 2017 and February, 2018
Teaching Birds in Flight Class, Tuttle Cameras, Long Beach November, 2017
Image Featured in Fullerton Arboretum, Orange County Agricultural and Nikkei Heritage Museum, November 4- December 3, 2017
Lead Wilderness At Heart Photography Teton Wildlife and Nature Photo Safaris, September 17-22, 2017 and September 23-27, 2017
Winning Audubon Image published in Audubon Magazine, Summer 2017
2017 Audubon Photography Awards, Professional Honorable Mention, One of two top awards in Professional Category and 7 top awards in entire contest with over 5500 submissions from 49 states and 8 provinces of Canada.
https://www.audubon.org/magazine/summer-2017/the-2017-audubon-photography-awards-winners
Orange County Fair, First Place, Birds Category, July, 2017
"PADA LOFT SHOW" The Loft, San Pedro, California July 6-August 3, 2017
Sierra Club Speaker, "Ten Tips to Improve Your Bird Photography" July 10, 2017
Authorized Permittee of the National Park Service Commercial Use Authorization granted by Grand Teton National Park, May, 2017
Wilderness At Heart Photography Launched Boutique Workshops to Grand Teton National Park, Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico, Nevada Wild Horses and Africa
Lead Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico workshop, January 15-19, 2017
2016
“100 Years of National Parks: The West “ G2 Gallery, Venice, California October-November, 2016 Juried Image, Sold opening night
Guest Speaker, "Bird Photography", South Bay Camera Club October, 2016
TAG Children's Weeklong Photography Camp, Instructor, August, 2016
“Celebrating PVAC Artists” Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, California August, 2016 Juried image awarded Earl Veits Award for Photographic Art
“Best of Nature Show” San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, California April-August, 2016 Juried image in Museum exhibit
Guest Speaker, "Urban Wilderness" Redondo Beach Arts Group May, 2016
Faculty Coordinator, Palm Springs Photo Festival, April 24-April 29, 2016
North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) Top 250 Photos for 2016
2015
Educator, Creative Photo Academy at Paul’s Photo, Torrance, California- Bird Photography Classes and Walks 2015-August, 2017
Educator, Tuttle’s Camera, Long Beach, California - Bird Photography Classes, 2015-Present
Workshop Leader, Creative Photo Academy at Paul’s Photo, Torrance, California Leading workshops in Bosque Del Apache, Africa January, 2015-August, 2017
Lead Bosque Del Apache Workshop December 1-5, 2015
2015 British Natural History Museum Photographer of the Year Finalist 2 images
Orange County Fair 2 Juried images July, 2015
“Untitled: San Pedro” Southbay Contemporary and The Loft 2 Images July, 2015
“Art Fusion” Phantom Gallery, Hawthorne, CA 1 Juried image July, 2015
2015 National Park Contest Honorable Mention, Wildlife Category
North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) Top 250 Photos for 2015
2014
“Optic Nerve “ Summer Studio Arts Academy, Lomita, CA 3 images
2014 British Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Final Round 2 images
Orange County Fair Honorable Mention “Circle of Life”
International Bird Rescue Blog Photographer in Focus, August, 2014
Shadow and Light Magazine Featured Photographer, October, 2014
“The PADA Show” The Loft, San Pedro, California 4 images December, 2014
2013
“California Open Show” The Loft, San Pedro, CA 2 juried images
“Both Sides of the Lens” Manhattan Beach Creative Arts Center, Manhattan Beach, California 2 juried images
California Fine Art Exhibition State Fair Award of Merit and Image Sale
2012
Los Angeles County Fair BEST OF SHOW “Coot Reflection”, First Place and Third Place two images
“Wilderness At Heart” El Dorado Regional Nature Center December, 2012, 7 Images sold in solo show
2011
North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) Tier 11 Showcase Winner “Dolphin Jumping” Top 100 images
Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year Semi Finalist 3 Images
“Five Elements” Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, California 3 juried images
2010
“Nature’s Best” Picture of the Week 9/16/10-9/22/10 “The Narrows”
2010 Juried All Media Exhibition Palos Verdes Art Center 2 juried images
“The Journey” Welcome Café, Redondo Beach, CA Solo Show
Windland Rice Competition Semi Finalist 8 images
Kelpfest Image Selected for Banners Raising Awareness of Kelp in Oceans
2009
Birds in Focus Audubon Magazine Top 100 Images
El Dorado Park Photo Day Co-creator of day long photography event 7/19/09
Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year Semi Finalist 7 images
North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) “Expressions” Top 250 Images
2008
“Become the Voice of the Voiceless” Armenia 2 Juried images
BBC 2008 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Quarter Finalist
“Birds of the Southern California Wetlands” El Dorado Nature Center and Bolsa Chica Nature Center Juried Show
2006
“American Photo Magazine” Photography at the Summit article by Editor, David Schonauer Featuring image “Moose Necking” in publication
Easy Reader Contest South Bay, California Honorable Mention “A Day to Kite"