About Ravens

Ravens, or Wolf-birds as they are sometimes called, evolved with wolves before humans arrived. Playing an essential and supportive role for each other, Ravens fed on the animals the wolves killed and helped direct the wolves attention to prey and also to danger. Ravens are extremely alert. They are meat eaters. They traveled with the wolf packs and lived close.

When humans arrived, the Ravens found a similar beneficial alliance with hunters, and eventually with the great plethora of human food sources. Ravens have learned to congregate around hunting encampments as well as scavenge garbage dumps, road kill and restaurant dumpsters. Their survival has meant adapting and living with other species. Humans have now become their wolves.

This is why some of their interactions with us seem so surprising and magical. They have survived by noticing. They do interact, we are not imagining it.

Paula Bard at HINTERLAND 2009
HINTERLAND, Paula Bard | Photography

SHOW APRIL/MAY


PAULA BARD | PHOTOGRAPHY
Intensiy & Soul
Portaits of Wild Ravens

Ambient Soundscape by Nick Bard & Colin Ward

Paula Bard's show at Hinterland shows her portraits of wild ravens, shot at the Yellowstone National Park over the last several years.

Bard is considering herself not as a documentary photographer or what she calls “specimen photographer”. Rather, these are portraits, they engage the viewer all on their own; these birds have their own story to tell. You are asked to stand quietly in front of them, listen and feel -- They will speak to you.

“When I saw your Raven at the bank my heart almost stopped, he is such a wonderful piece. . . I cannot go to sleep at night without thinking of him, so you could say that your work has affected me very deeply. I don’t usually respond so intensely to photography, there is just something that your work captures that is different to me than other photography. . . the level of intensity and soul of the animal seems to be captured in the moment. What a wonderful gift!” Virginia

Paula Bard at HINTERLAND 2009
Paula Bard at HINTERLAND 2009