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Ken Conger
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Ken Conger
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Ken Conger
A brown bear at Katmai National Park, Alaska.
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Ken Conger
Polar Bears "kissing" in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada.
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Ken Conger
Wildlife photography has led Ken Conger to exotic places like Alaska, Kenya and India where he photographed a convocation of bald eagles.
Ken Conger grew up a military brat with a love for animals — particularly wild ones. He also had a gift for photography — a talent he nurtured at a young age after receiving his grandfather’s old Argus camera as a gift from his dad.
“After viewing that first roll of developed film, I was hooked,” said Conger.
Conger, who lives in Lanexa, with his wife, is a professional wildlife photographer.
While he’s taken photographs his entire life, he didn’t turn professional until 2010. Prior to that, he led a fulfilling career as a park ranger and game warden with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in Virginia and was busy raising a family.
“When I started my career and had a family, photography took a back seat,” said Conger. “I felt my responsibility as a father should come first, so I spent my free time as a scoutmaster, football coach and attending my son’s sporting events.”
Once he retired in 2008, and after his son went off to college in Colorado, Conger turned his focus back to photography.
Since 2010, he’s been busy leading international photo tours to places like Africa, India, Alaska and Southwest America, teaching classes locally and across the United States, taking part in festivals, and taking his own photos.
His work has appeared in many national publications, including Smithsonian Magazine, Britain’s The Times, Popular Photography, Alaska Geographic, National Wildlife Federation and others.
“My true calling has always been wildlife protection,” said Conger.
Conger’s photographs capture the natural beauty of wildlife—from intense stares of a lion to a tender moment between a polar bear and her cub.
While his work puts him in proximity to some of the most dangerous creatures, Conger has only had one close call. Working in a remote part of Alaska, he encountered a brown bear.
“We had a standoff for several minutes,” said Conger. “The bear stood up, postured and charged at me, but I stood my ground waving and yelling back at him. We ended up less than 10 feet apart, but I didn’t get hurt.”
Conger emphasized that he only captures photographs of animals in the wild—he does not photograph zoo, captive or animals in a game farm.
“I have always been interested in wildlife of all forms,” said Conger. “I am the luckiest guy in the world. Never in my life did I ever expect to see, let alone photograph, some of the special endangered species in diverse, remote locations throughout the world.”
Among his favorite places to shoot are Alaska and Africa, but he’s also very fond of India, where in 2019 he photographed one of the world’s rarest big cats—a black panther.
Conger also finds great subjects close to home.
He loves shooting wildlife at Jamestown Island and the Colonial National Parkway, despite his many trips to different countries. If he feels like driving, he’ll head to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge or Shenandoah National Park.
“Photography then and even now is still like magic to me,” he said. “You can capture that special moment in time and can relive it and cherish it always.”
Conger will be conducting a free program called “The Big Year” for the public at the Williamsburg Regional Library December 10 at 7pm. He will showcase photographs from his 2019 international adventures to Kenya, India and Argentina as well as domestic trips to Florida, Oregon, South Carolina and Wyoming. The program provides a view of a wildlife photographer’s world and the challenges taken to capture stunning wildlife images.
Amy enjoys taking pictures of domestic animals—particularly her pets, Lulu, Bama, Bunny and Luna.
