Hibernation Hustle
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PrizeHonorable Mention
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PhotographerMax Dobens, Spain
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Date of Photograph1 August 2024
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StudioMax Dobens Photography
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Website
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Instagram
This early August afternoon at Port Crescent State Park on the shores of Lake Huron in Port Austin, Michigan, I was sitting in my car, beginning to put away my camera, when a flicker of movement caught my eye. To my delight, it turned out to be this small critter busily gathering grass underneath a picnic table, just 20 meters away. Moving slowly and quietly, I lowered the window,positioned my 400mm lens, and began capturing the moment. This is a thirteen-lined ground squirrel, also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, or squinny.
I create images because it makes me happy.
Photography transports me back to simpler times growing up in the peaceful and happy upstate town of Hamilton, NY. As a young boy, the abundance of wildlife and natural landscapes provided endless fascination.
Reflecting on select memories, I’ve come to see how my deep connection to nature has profoundly shaped my path as a visual artist. Today, I’m driven by a desire to share the breathtaking elegance and understated power of the natural world. For me, photography is more than just capturing images—it’s about honoring the artistry of nature itself.
Awards 2025
International Artistic Photography Awards - Winner - Black and White - "Rest Stop" - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Monochrome Photography Awards - Honorable Mention - Wildlife - "Rest Stop" - London, UK
BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers) Print Masters 2025 - Natural World Finalist - "Rest Stop" - Preston, UK
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Artist-in-Residence program for April 2026 - Finalist - Hawai'i, USA
10th CAMPINA 2025 International Exhibition of Photography, Monochrome Acceptance - "Depleted" - Bucharest, Romania
10th CAMPINA 2025 International Exhibition of Photography, Nature Acceptance - "Risk v. Reward" - Bucharest, Romania
10th CAMPINA 2025 International Exhibition of Photography, Nature Acceptance - "Rest Stop" - Bucharest, Romania
Budapest Foto Awards, Honorable Mention, Nature - Wildlife - "Hibernation Hustle" - Los Angeles, CA, USA
PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, Honorable Mention / Nature / Wildlife - "Hibernation Hustle" - Paris, France
PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, Honorable Mention / Nature / Landscape - "Black Sand Beach" - Paris, France
The London International Creative Competition - Official Selection - "Waiting to Drop" - London, UK
The 9th Annual ONYX International Exhibition of Photo - People - "Medina" - Bucharest, Romania
The 9th Annual ONYX International Exhibition of Photo - Travel - "Third Visit to Turnip Rock" - Bucharest, Romania
The 9th Annual ONYX International Exhibition of Photo - Nature - "Iberian Ibex" - Bucharest, Romania