Hello! I’m James Punteney

I'm a wildlife photographer and naturalist based in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, shaped by a lifelong love of nature and a fascination with animals.

On my first trip to Africa, Tanzania specifically, the vast landscapes and sheer abundance of wildlife left me awestruck. Since then, I've been hooked on wildlife photography, and exploring wild places, while engaging with the natural world.

My journey into photography has taken me across Africa, the Americas, and my own home region of the PNW. I've traveled to Uganda, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Madagascar, South Africa, and Namibia, as well as Costa Rica, Baja Mexico, Patagonia, and Chile's Atacama Desert. Each place has shaped how I see and photograph wildlife, reinforcing my belief in ethical photography and a deep respect for the natural world.

To strengthen my knowledge as both a photographer and naturalist, I completed the Field Guide Course with the African Guide Academy in Botswana and earned my FGASA Nature Site Guide (NQF2) certification after passing both the written and in-field assessments. I also completed a month-long African Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Management course with Wildlife ACT in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa. Closer to home, I completed the Oregon Naturalist Course, and I'm currently working toward my CyberTracker wildlife tracking certification.

Sharing what I learn is a core part of who I am. I volunteer as a docent at the Oregon Zoo and previously at Smithsonian's National Zoo and the National Aquarium. I love teaching and helping others grow their curiosity and connection to wildlife..

Whether I'm in the forests of the Pacific Northwest or the savannas of Africa, I'm happiest outside learning, observing, and waiting for those quiet moments when an animal reveals something beautiful and unexpected. Those moments are what I strive to capture and share through my photography.