A photograph can capture the fleeting moments that too often pass by unnoticed or unable to be put into words. This photo essay highlights special moments that some of Arkansas’ top waterfowl and wildlife photographers have captured over the course of their careers, from the anticipation of first light to the thrill of the kill.
Get to know the people behind the lens.
In Their Element
Hunters captured in their natural habitat
Photo by Michael Schellenbach
On the Wing
Photographers catch the beauty of birds in flight
Though native to Florida, Mike Winthroath has called Arkansas home for much of his life. Time spent on his grandparents’ farm fostered a lifelong connection to the outdoors. Winthroath spent many years traveling to rock climb, working as a photography stringer for the Associated Press throughout. He began working as a staff photographer for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in 2009, documenting the agency’s conservation, education and wildlife management efforts.
Photo by Andrew KlattThe Chase
Retrievers outstanding in their field
Growing up in Little Rock, Michael Parker started hunting at his family’s duck club in Scott around 8 years old, where he fell in love with the sport shooting from a brushed-up pontoon boat at the end of an oxbow lake. In college, an internship filming and editing duck hunting content sparked a passion for outdoor storytelling and preserving hunting memories. These days, Parker hunts in the Biscoe area, never without his camera.
Originally from Scott City, Kansas, Matt Zilla grew up around the outdoors and started duck hunting young. The sport quickly turned into a real passion for waterfowl, wildlife and conservation for him. Now, he mostly hunts around Arkansas. He got into photography while working as a hunting guide, where spending every day in the field gave him a deeper appreciation for the landscapes, wildlife and moments that make duck hunting special.
Andrew Klatt is an Arkansas-based outdoor photographer, filmmaker and creative director whose work captures the people, places and traditions that define life outdoors. A native of Hot Springs and graduate of Arkansas State University, he is the founder of Andrew Klatt Media Collective and co-founder of 34 North Creative, producing photography, video and brand storytelling for leading outdoor companies, musicians and destination lodges. Klatt’s imagery is known for blending cinematic landscapes with authentic moments in the field, reflecting a deep appreciation for adventure, conservation and the outdoors.
After the Hunt
Harvest yields colorful compositions
Cason Short grew up following guides through the woods of the commercial hunting operation his grandfather, Bill Byers, founded in Hunter in 1953. Today, he manages and hunts the same ground his grandfather walked 70 years ago. Inspired by his grandfather’s relationship with noted outdoor editor Henry Reynolds, Short developed a passion for photography, represented by images capturing the heritage, wildlife and conservation traditions of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.
