A Gifted Wildlife Photographer
Sydney Haney uses a talent in photography to help wildlife research
Sydney Haney with her camera
A simple favor changed Sydney Haney’s life. At Elkton Middle School she was allowed to borrow a camera from teacher Dave McCartney; the result was the discovery of two passions: photography and wildlife.
“I fell in love with photography,” said Haney, a senior majoring in wildlife conservation.
“I explored wildlife and nature through the lens. Having those pictures helped me learn more about the species that were around me and their ecosystems. At the same time, having a greater interest has made me seek out places to take pictures.”
Sydney Haney works in the field to with her camera to gather images.
Haney has helped Associate Professor Kevin Hamed identify a salamander, which was important in a research project.
“We found a salamander that lacked red coloration during our field techniques course in 2023 and it appeared to have also been observed in our 2022 class,” Hamed said. “Using Sydney’s photographs, we were able to match the spot patterns and determine it is the same individual.”
A close up view of a salamander
The students’ observations were submitted to a scientific journal.
After graduation, Haney hopes to keep working with both of her loves: wildlife and photography.
Sunrise over Rockingham County at the Virginia-West Virginia state line.
