Jonathan Hoiles

Wild Bird Photographer

Hello! My name is Jonathan Hoiles and welcome to Tampa Bay Bird Photography!

I am based in Tampa, Florida where I have lived since 2021. I have been a wild bird photographer since 2011, when my interest in bird photography started while I was in the Navy stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Because I was on a Japanese tropical island, my initial interest was in seascapes and travel photography. It was while scouting for seascapes that I began running into a group of Japanese bird photographers. While I would carefully and meticulously set up my sunrise shots over the beach, the bird photographers were running around having a great time getting their bird shots. It looked like so much fun. When I showed an interest in what they were doing, many of the photographers pulled printed portfolios out of their vehicles and proudly show off their best prints. Then, very generously, they would tell me where these birds were located. Over time, I picked up a telephoto lens and would meet them to photograph birds. I always made sure to pick up ice cold green tea and sliced pineapple from the market for us to snack on, which was always appreciated.

After 20 years of military service I retired from the Navy and moved to Tampa, Florida. There I fell in love with the local birdlife and stepped up the pace of my bird photography. I started Tampa Bay Bird Photography to share my love for birds, bird photography, and our beautiful Sunshine State.

One constant in successful bird photography is that no matter where you are located in the world, you must have a good working knowledge of birds, their behavior, and their habitats. Learning about birds, especially those which may be threatened or endangered, has created a desire to learn more about wildlife conservation photography. My intention is to help people connect with and appreciate the natural world, with the belief that greater understanding leads to deeper caring, which hopefully results in decisions that benefit habitat and wildlife conservation.

I am actively engaged with the Tampa Audubon Society where I am the Photo Club Leader and on the Board of Directors. I am also a member of the Florida Ornithological Society and member of the American Birding Association. I show sincere respect to birds and their environment by adhering to Audubon’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and Videography.

Thank you for visiting, and happy birding!

Jonathan