When David and I bought our first DSLR's, I had no idea how much our new hobby would change my perception of the world. It's hard to admit, but the simple fact is that until I had this amazing tool that helped me see the world differently, I was pretty apathetic to things like climate change, trophy hunting, environmentally safe products, and so much more. While I’m far from perfect in making sure my footprint on this beautiful planet we live on is as small as possible, I have made significant strides in trying to be a responsible citizen of this earth.

In honor of Earth Day, and as a reminder of why these continued changes are important, a little look back on some of my favorite wildlife and landscape images from the last year.

Changes, however small they can be, are hard. But even a small change that reduces your environmental footprint will have an impact, for the good, in the long run.