A trip to Clearwater, Florida in the spring of 2010 and a chance to photograph Osprey and shore birds was the beginning of a hobby that has turned into an obsession for a Jim Thorpe native.

Mark Strohl, a 1987 Jim Thorpe high school graduate, has no formal training in photography but has befriended some photographers who have taken him under their wings."I have been mentored by a few really good bird/wildlife photographers over the last few years." Strohl said, "Just reading how-to articles and researching gear is not enough, you need to be around knowledgeable people who are willing to teach."Now living in the Lehigh Valley with his wife Andrea, Strohl, 45, takes full advantage of the valley's park system. Andrea comes along on some of the local outings but Strohl said he mainly shoots with Scott Keys, another Allentown based photographer who Strohl describes as a very knowledgeable birder."It wasn't long after I moved to the Lehigh Valley in 2004 that I realized how good the park systems are in the area. Depending on the weather and available subjects, I try to shoot every day. We have a few parks very close to our house so it is easy to get out and shoot often." Strohl said. "I try to shoot as long as the light allows, 2-3 hours depending on the time of year."He doesn't limit his photography to this area. If he hears about a hot spot he will travel. In the last couple of years he's traveled to the 1,000 Islands, New York, New Jersey and Maryland. He picks his spots either because there is a specific bird he wants to photograph or because there is a large variety known to frequent the area.Last year while in Maryland at a spot that promised bald eagles, Strohl was excited to see a bald eagle get a little too close to a Peregrine Falcon's nest. He captured the scene as the falcon set chase and the eagle flew upside-down in a defensive stance.Strohl says what drew him to bird photography is the challenge -- in flight, perfect perch, action, raptors eating things."This is a non-stop learning experience," he said. "I try to implement what I learn where I can."In his spare time, Strohl is working on a website to display his photos. Currently, he prints photos for friends and family.There are obviously still a lot of different birds that Strohl hasn't photographed, but three in particular are on his list."I really want to shoot an American Avocet, Atlantic Puffin, and the Northern Saw-whet Owl." Strohl said. "My favorite birds are owls, I don't see enough of them to get tired of shooting them."In addition to the few birds on his wish list, there are also a couple of destinations Strohl would like to visit someday."My ultimate photography trip would be to Costa Rica for the many hummingbirds there and Santa Clara Ranch in south Texas for the spring migration," Strohl said. "I've seen lots of photos from both places and I really need to get there."