Wildlife Editorial Concepts
Research, writing, photography, illustration, art direction + multi-channel storytelling
A series of self-directed editorial concepts exploring how wildlife observation can become engaging, accurate content for young readers. Created while pursuing editorial opportunities with the National Wildlife Federation, the work combines my original wildlife photography with research, writing, illustration, editorial design, quizzes, video concepts, social content, and digital experiences.
My connection to National Wildlife goes back much further. I still have three binders of National Wildlife magazines I collected growing up.
American Coot
What’s Up With Those Feet?
Editorial Concept | Ages 7–12
Research + Writing + Photography + Art Direction + Editorial Design + Digital Content
The idea
While photographing American coots, I became fascinated by their oversized feet and unusual toes. That observation became the editorial hook: Why does an American coot have such strange-looking feet?
Rather than beginning with a list of facts, I built the story around something a young reader could immediately see and wonder about. From there, the feature introduces how the coot’s lobed toes help it move through both wetland environments and on land.
American Coot by shoreline
American Coot by shoreline
American Coot Swimming
American Coot resting in brush by waters edge
American Coot Swimming
American Coot Swimming
Photography by Jennifer Harrison
Magazine Spread Concept for American Coot
Ruddy Turnstone
Who Turned That Stone?
Editorial Concept | Research + Writing + Photography + Art Direction
I photographed Ruddy Turnstones along Florida beaches before unexpectedly encountering the same species on a Colorado shoreline. That connection sparked a story about migration, habitat, and the behavior that gives the bird its wonderfully descriptive name.
The editorial hook begins with a question: Who turned that stone? From there, young readers discover how turnstones flip stones, shells, seaweed, and other objects while searching for food, and how a bird associated with the coast can also appear far inland during migration.
Florida | June 2025
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
Colorado | Aug 2026
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
Pronghorn
Room to Roam
Editorial Concept | Research + Writing + Photography + Art Direction + Conservation Storytelling
After seeing local coverage of more than 130 wildlife professionals gathering in Colorado Springs to discuss the future of pronghorn, I saw an opportunity to translate a current conservation issue into an engaging story for young readers.
Rather than beginning with habitat fragmentation terminology, the concept starts with the animal: pronghorn are extraordinarily fast, but what happens when the landscape gets in their way?
From that question, the story introduces roads, fencing, development, migration corridors, drought, and wildlife crossings through the experience of an animal young readers first learn to recognize and care about.
Pronghorn
Pronghorn
Pronghorn
Pronghorn
Research + Storytelling
The concept demonstrates the full editorial process: recognizing a timely story, researching the science, identifying the reader-level hook, writing for ages 7–12, selecting and creating visuals, and building an information hierarchy that makes a complex conservation issue approachable.
A lifelong connection to wildlife storytelling. Three binders of National Wildlife magazines I collected growing up.