Parham Pourhamad does a couple of things that most of us don't when we take a walk in the woods.
The first thing that Pourhamad does is listen as intently as he looks.
"I'm listening for birds making noise in the trees, any kind of rustling in the leaves on the ground," Pourhamad said.
It is all in preparation for the second thing Pourhamad does that the rest of us don't: take amazing, award-winning wildlife photography.
Just this past year, Pourhamad has won awards from the Audobon Society and the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
"I always felt like I could do this if I really tried," Pourhamad said. "But, yeah, it's been surprising having all this happen this year."
Local
Pourhamad began taking pictures as a 10-year-old during the pandemic, looking for something he could do outside the house. He borrowed his mother's camera and headed into the parks and open spaces near his house.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
"When I was around 11, I started realizing I was kind of decent at this," he said.
Birds of prey, coyotes and foxes are Pourhamad's favorite subjects for his photos. He has spent the past few years following a family of foxes living at San Jose's Los Lagos Golf Course.
In fact, almost all of Pourhamad's photos, ones that get attention from around the world, have been taken just a short drive from his house.
"The Bay Area is where I can do my best work because I know all the wildlife that's here," Pourhamad said.
You can explore more of Pourhamad's photography on his Instagram page: @wildphotop.
