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Who could have dreamed on a cold wintry day in February 1979 that an ordinary guy, would aim his camera at an ordinary bluebird, and the two of them would make photograhy history. But so it has been. Setting up the tripod in his back yard, pointing his camera at a fencepost, Michael L. Smith, settled in for the wait to capture a picture of bird. At precisely the right moment, a male Eastern bluebird flew into the back yard, landed on the fence post, squatted down, fluffed his feathers, and peered directly at the camera.......
On that day the lives of an avid nature lover and a little pouting faced bluebird entwined to bring us the most loved nature photograph in the world.
However, the Mad Bluebird Story, is more than "just a stroke of good luck". It is the outcome of years of perservance by a man who loved nature, traded his weekends for the opportunity to study and photograh his feathered friends --sleeping in duckblinds, crawling his yard with a blanket over his head so as not to give away his presence. The intimate relationships he develops with his subjects and his deep appreciation of the birds’ intelligence are evident in his photographs. He offers revealing glimpses into their lives and behavior, as well as their breathtaking beauty. Working closely with his subjects, he developed a keen understanding of their lives.An expert by determination, Michael Smith was not especially pleased with the quality of the photograph he had taken. Fortunately for us, the "Little Mad Bluebird" was chosen to grace the covers of the National Geographic, and the rest, shall we say, "Is History".
Mr. Smith’s work has appeared in such publications as National Geographic Magazine (Song Of Hope For The Bluebird; Osprey Populations Soar To Old Heights, August 1990). His photograph “The Mad Bluebird”, was the cover of a National Geographic Brochure advertising their book “Wonders of Birds.” His photographs are also widely found in assorted other books, magazines, covers, posters, and calendars. His photograph of “Bluebirds of a Feather”, was used in an advertisement for Hasselblad cameras. He has been featured on NBC TV’s “News Center 4”, ABC TV’s “PM Magazine” and WJZ-TV channel 13 TV’s “Evening Magazine”. Most recently Mr. Smith was featured in the January 4, 2000 issue of the Baltimore Sun Newspaper. The article, written by the Sun’s Lisa Pollak, was picked up by several major newspapers across the country.
Thanks to his little Bluebird Friend, Mr. Smith has been able to retire from his job as an electrician, buy his dream home
in Maryland and devote fulltime to photography. He still individually signs every photo for avid fans of "The Mad Bluebird".
Michael L. Smith
Internationally Known Wildlife Photographer
Michael L. Smith
and His Famous Mad Bluebird
The world's favorite nature photograph
Michael L. Smith
Internationally Known Wildlife Photographer
