Nova Mackentley

Capturing the Wild, Protecting the Future

Nova Mackentley and Chris Neri, owners of Night Flight Images, have always had a passion for wildlife. They photograph the great winged wonders of the world from raptors to butterflies—plus other creatures too—in an effort to not only show the beauty of the natural world but also to inspire others to help protect it. 

In 2005, Mackentley and Neri ended up working together when they were both hired as field technicians to band migrating owls along the shore of Lake Superior at Whitefish Point, Michigan. At that point, Neri was already an established photographer and Mackentley was an aspiring one. And although they both loved the work they did as seasonal biologists, it just did not provide a living wage and they needed to do something to help supplement their incomes. They decided to combine their passion for conservation with their love of photography, and Night Flight Images was created.

After a few years of shows, they started to research the right type of frames for their work.  It was impossible to find something that was both affordable and high quality, so they decided to make their own, using birchbark that could be gathered in the woods near their home. Every part of the frame is made by hand-boards are harvested from their property, and the pair planes and cuts them to make the base. Then, using birch bark from dead and downed trees in the area, they painstakingly adhere the bark to the wood. There are eight pieces of molding for each frame that must be painted and coated, and the double mats for the prints are also hand cut. All their photographs are personally printed at their home on a professional Epson printer, using K3 archival inks that will last for up to 100 years without fading.

On the science side of things,  Mackentley and Neri recently founded the Friends of Whitefish Point—a non-profit organization that focuses on research and environmental education in northern Michigan. They conduct owl banding research in spring, summer and fall and host programs for the public (www.friendsofwp.org). They also work with Project SNOWstorm, an organization that studies the movements of snowy owls, tagging the owls with GPS transmitters in the wintertime. 

It is their first year at Christmas in the Woods, so stop by and visit Night Flight Images at booth #5. They also have a website where you can order prints directly: www.nightflightimages.com.