Urban Wildlife Photographer Peter Green
My name is Peter Green, I am an urban wildlife photographer and graphic designer.
While I did not begin my journey with birding and photography until adulthood, I was always interested in art and design. My father is a printer, and I remember being in awe of a CMYK film separation he brought home for me when I was a child. I was mesmerized as he explained how the separate colors—cyan, magenta, yellow, and black—mixed to form all the shades of the spectrum. I’m grateful that my father always encouraged creativity.
In high school I took classes in darkroom photography, and continued my education at Tufts University. I took my first Photoshop class in 1995, in which I started to explore digital editing and developed graphic design skills. I was amazed by the computer's abilities. When I first used a scanner and saw one of my own photos on the computer screen, I was ecstatic. At that time, the world was transitioning from analog to digital photography, and I followed this shift, creating graphics for various internet startup companies. I have built a career as a freelance graphic designer, and I feel fortunate to work in a field that I enjoy.
Birds never really captured my imagination until I moved into a loft in downtown Providence, Rhode Island at age thirty-five. The view from my sixth floor window completely changed my perspective of the city. One day I watched a group of pigeons circling over the Kennedy Plaza bus terminal when a single bird left the flock and flew to a perch up on the tallest building downtown. I wondered why this lone pigeon flew so high, so I zoomed in with binoculars and immediately realized that it wasn’t a pigeon after all—it was another bird tearing a pigeon apart! The predator was a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest animal on the planet, and from that day I was hooked on birdwatching—amazed that I could see such fascinating urban wildlife right outside my window.
Soon after, while rushing home during a snowfall, I was stopped in my tracks by a large raptor on the ground in Burnside Park. It was remarkable to watch this voracious predator consuming its bloody prey like a Discovery Channel nature program right here downtown. But it wasn’t the Peregrine Falcon I was looking for—it was a Red-tailed Hawk. This bird was so successful at finding meals that it continued to hunt pigeons in Burnside Park every day for two weeks. I couldn’t resist going to document the action with my camera. Sunlight reflecting off the snow helped me to capture some of my first sharp and detailed raptor photos.
In 2010, I started the Providence Raptors blog to share my photographs and stories of falcons, hawks, eagles, owls, and other birds of prey. Working from home as a graphic designer, I keep my camera ready at all times so that I can capture the exciting happenings outside my window and on the streets of the downtown area. In 2020 I released a book, Providence Raptors, compiling my most educational blog posts. The book features the best photographs and stories I have documented over the past decade. Local residents have enjoyed reading the book and recognizing various buildings and landmarks around Providence. For a long time, my audience suggested that I print calendars and postcards, but the publication of Providence Raptors helped me realize that my work is photojournalism; it documents the lives of stealthy birds of prey, and enlightens the public about our wild neighbors. I hope my wildlife photographs will be educational, spread awareness of urban raptors, and aid the birds’ survival. I am sometimes asked to give “Providence Raptors” birdwatching tours, but I politely decline. The birds are wild, so I cannot guarantee any sightings. Additionally, to protect them, I do not share the precise locations of their vulnerable nests. However, I do enjoy giving presentations at schools and senior living residences.
When photographing wild animals, it is impossible not to care about them. In my efforts to help the bird population prosper, I have met amazing people, like the Maxsons at Born To Be Wild Nature Center and the educators at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. I am proud to be on the board of directors at the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island, which treats over 5,000 injured or orphaned wild animals every year. One of the best aspects of living in the smallest state of the country is that there is only one local Audubon organization, one wildlife clinic, and one raptor rehabilitation center. This made it easy to connect with the people working at these operations, and it has been wonderful to join such a compassionate community.
When I first became interested in graphic design, I aspired to one day create a logo as famous as those of Nike and Starbucks. As time has passed, I have come to cherish the small, local community I am part of in Rhode Island, along with the connections it has provided. I do not need to be a famous photographer or designer; the most important aspect of my work is shining a spotlight on the local animals—that is why my blog is named “Providence Raptors” and not “Peter Green Photography.”
Someday I hope to buy a house and property where I can manage the land so that birds and other wildlife flourish there. For now, I am enjoying telling the unique stories of the raptors downtown where I currently live. My philosophy is that everyone should appreciate the nature around them and share their individual local stories. If there are raccoons in your yard, you can quietly observe their behaviors, note how clever and resourceful they are, and tell the story. That’s how I feel about the Peregrine Falcons. I’m fortunate to be able to observe where they hunt and eat, where they bathe, where they hide from the rain… and I feel obliged to tell their stories and help them thrive.
Stay gold,
Peter