Curious Critters by Sigma Pro photographer and writer David FitzSimmons is a new children’s picture book featuring macro photographs. The author says the book came about as a result of his experimentation with animal macro photography techniques and his desire to teach children to appreciate nature and photography. “Though ‘Curious Critters’ is geared toward children, adults will be equally as fascinated with David’s incredibly tight photography,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “David has done a fantastic job with this book – the photography and technique is outstanding, and he’s melded the visuals with fun, entertaining stories and educational information. As a company that strives to empower photographers of all ages and abilities, we couldn’t be more proud of David’s work on ‘Curious Critters.’” Scheduled for a November 7 release, Curious Critters is priced at $19.95.

Sigma Press Release

New, award-winning picture book uses macro photography to teach kids about nature, inspire new generation of photographers

Sigma Pro David FitzSimmons shares close-up images of wildlife in “Curious Critters”

BELLVILLE, OHIO, Oct. 24 – Photographer David FitzSimmons is teaching kids to appreciate macro photography – and nature – one tiny creature at a time.

In his new, award-winning children’s picture book called “Curious Critters,” which will be released Nov. 7, FitzSimmons, one of four Sigma Pro shooters in North America, uses a white backdrop and an array of Sigma cameras and lenses to showcase a variety of North American animals’ colors, textures, and shapes with precision and clarity. The book was recently honored with a silver medal in the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards competition.

As a longtime nature photographer and conservationist, FitzSimmons said “Curious Critters” came about as a result of his experimentation with animal macro photography techniques and his desire to teach children to appreciate nature and photography.

“I want children to see wildlife in a different light – I want them to examine these animals closely and analyze their unique shapes and colors,” said FitzSimmons. “The super sharp quality of the Sigma cameras and lenses allow me to capture intricate details that would otherwise go unnoticed.”

Learn more about the photo equipment and techniques, and the vision behind the “Curious Critters” book, in this blog interview and video with FitzSimmons.

“Curious Critters” features a red flat bark beetle, an Eastern spiny softshell turtle, a spotted salamander, a goldfish, a big brown bat, a jumping spider, a Chinese mantis, and other intriguing animals. Alongside each photo is an educational vignette told from each critter’s perspective. The book also includes a silhouette game, which challenges readers to recall animal shapes, and an extensive glossary defining curious words, such as “trill,” “echolocation,” and “larva.”

“Though ‘Curious Critters’ is geared toward children, adults will be equally as fascinated with David’s incredibly tight photography,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “David has done a fantastic job with this book – the photography and technique is outstanding, and he’s melded the visuals with fun, entertaining stories and educational information. As a company that strives to empower photographers of all ages and abilities, we couldn’t be more proud of David’s work on ‘Curious Critters.’”

All of the photographs in the book were captured with Sigma lenses, and all except two were shot by using a range of Sigma’s super-sharp macro lenses. The equipment used for the images in “Curious Critters” includes: Sigma SD14 camera, Sigma DP2 compact camera, Sigma 50mm F2.8 EX DG Macro lens, Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG Macro lens, Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG HSM Macro lens, Sigma 180mm F3.5 IF EX DG HSM APO Macro lens, Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 EX DC Macro zoom lens, and the Sigma AML-1 Close-Up lens.

FitzSimmons will join Sigma Corporation of America at PhotoPlus Expo at the Javits Center in New York City from Oct. 27 to 29. He will be part of a lineup of Sigma Pro presenters at the Sigma booth, #652, and he will discuss the topics of “Curious Critters … A New Way of Seeing Animal Portraiture” and “America the Beautiful … Best Lenses for Beautiful Landscapes.” Visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/events for more details about Sigma’s scheduled events.

“Curious Critters” (Hardcover; ISBN: 978-1936607-69-3) can be purchased for $19.95 online at http://www.curious-critters.com/ and through both online and brick-and-mortar bookstores and retailers.

To learn more about David FitzSimmons, visit his photography website at http://www.fitzsimmonsphotography.com/. For information about Sigma’s cameras, lenses and accessories, visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com.

About David FitzSimmons
David FitzSimmons is a writer, photographer, and university professor. His work has appeared in Popular Photography, Shutterbug, and other magazines, as well as various books and calendars. As a Sigma Pro photographer, David leads workshops and seminars across North America, and, as an associate professor of English at Ashland University, he teaches writing and literature. David, his wife, and their two daughters enjoy finding Curious Critters all around their rural Ohio home. See more of David’s work at http://www.fitzsimmonsphotography.com/.

About Sigma Corporation
For 50 years, Sigma Corporation’s expertise and innovation has driven the company’s core philosophy of “knowledge, plus experience, plus imagination,” with an emphasis on producing high-quality, high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. This family-owned organization is the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world, producing more than 40 lenses that are compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax. Sigma Corporation also produces digital SLR cameras and high-definition digital compact cameras. The company is headquartered in Japan, with offices strategically located throughout Europe, Asia and North America. For information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com.

Your Comments