Mary Anne Karren

I’m a wildlife photographer exploring how to use my tools as an artist and photographer to benefit birds and their habitat. My current project focuses on the rapidly disappearing Great Salt Lake, largest saline lake in the hemisphere and lynchpin habitat for ten million migrating birds. My work juxtaposes the vibrant bird life of Great Salt Lake with its otherworldly landscapes.

Contact me directly for prints, licensing, and collaboration inquiries.

Salt Lake City, Utah.

Photo courtesy of Ray Hennessy

Filmmaker Austin Smock created this mini-documentary about Great Salt Lake and my work.

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View fullsize Bonaparte’s gull (I think). Or we can go with wee cute one. #gulls #greatsaltlake #birds
View fullsize Swan dreams. #tundraswans #birdsinflight #greatsaltlke
View fullsize Look at this American avocet and tell me if it’s not just the most perfect thing. #americanavocet #shorebirds #greatsaltlake
View fullsize Yesterday I posted a single Eared Grebe in silhouette, looking very solitary in a blaze of setting sun. But I had to work pretty hard to get that single bird alone - there were thousands of others scattered out to the horizon as far as I could see w
View fullsize Eared grebe in the spotlight. Right now, most of the world’s Eared Grebes are at Great Salt Lake, some millions of them. They will migrate out sometime in the next few weeks. #birdsofgreatsaltlake #earedgrebe #birdsilhouette
View fullsize American avocets march in a line between water and sky. #greatsaltlake #birdscapes #bokeh #creativebirdphotography #backlight #shorebirds
View fullsize A few scenes from a fall morning at Great Salt Lake. I like the salmon and purple tones. At this spot it’s mostly water and sky, so what you see depends entirely on the light. #greatsaltlake #birdscapes #shorebirds_habitat #birdphotographer
View fullsize Here’s a shot I’ve always loved. A juvenile black-necked stilt walking into the frame. I have other shots with the whole bird, but this one grabs me. #blackneckedstilt #shorebirds #greatsaltlake
View fullsize Phalaropes and the sun. This was an interesting evening. I was lying on the muddy shore, covered in slime, hoping for some birds to land nearby. A group of folks taking wedding photos arrived, and at about the same time a flock of phalaropes moved
View fullsize Black/necked stilts, infinity. #greatsaltlake #salinelakes #minimal #shorebirds
View fullsize American avocet in the dramatic light on a stormy afternoon. #americanavocet #greatsaltlake #backlightwildlifephotography
View fullsize Black-bellied plover, out of breeding season but still sporting the snazzy suit. #greatsaltlake #plover #shorebird #migration #saltmarsh #duckweed
View fullsize
View fullsize A few things I love about Great Salt Lake: 3. AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS. When you look into their eyes, you can see all the way back to the Cretaceous. They are big heavy birds, and sometimes fly a hundred miles in a day from where they nest or roost
View fullsize A few of my favorite things about Great Salt Lake: 2. AMERICAN AVOCETS. American avocets come to Great Salt Lake in spring to breed - more breed here than everywhere else combined - and they stay through October. A few stragglers may even stay ov
View fullsize A few of my favorite things about Great Salt Lake: 1. PHALAROPES. This August, volunteers with @sagelandcollab and @audubonsociety counted 383,203 Wilson’s and Red-necked phalaropes at Great Salt Lake in a single day. They stop here to tank
View fullsize Hello friends, bird lovers, nature photographers! It’s time for the FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake annual fall fundraiser. This little nonprofit has been pouring heart and soul into saving Great Salt Lake for thirty years using political advocac
View fullsize A mixed flock of Wilson’s and Red-necked phalaropes at Great Salt Lake. This was a few weeks ago. There are still a few hanging around, beefing up for the red-eye to South America. . . . #salinelakes #shorebirds #fallmigration #phalarope
View fullsize The tiny grebe in the middle ground is what made this shot for me. There were three, but a raptor flew overhead and spooked them and two dove under. Right now there are millions of eared grebes at Great Salt Lake - most of the world’s populatio
View fullsize American avocet with a little motion blur. Photogs - do you have an inner photo score sheet? This is one of those shots that I dock a few points on technical merit but give extra credit for heart. . . . . . #greatsaltlake #avocet #birdinflight #mo

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