Press Release

About Emerging II Artists
Michael Caroff began photographing wildlife in September of 2004.  Strcuk by the physical prowess and ecological vulnerability of these creatures, Mike set out to capture their intensity with his camera.  When he is not shooting in the field Mike is the senior designer for a kitchen design firm. He lives in Venice with his wife, Ruth San Pietro.

After graduating with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, Marc Levine moved to Los Angeles where he found success in the world of reality television.  Some years later, seeking relief from the pressures of career and ready to pursue his passions, Marc ventured to Africa on a 49-day excursion across eight countries.  He returned to Africa a second time as a tour leader based out of Kenya.  His travels through the continent also include South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Kristen Westlake became involved with photography as a direct result of her intimate connection to her subject matter.  Growing up in rural Wisconsin, Kristen spent her childhood days immersed in the natural world and as an adult she recognizes how fundamental it is to humans and to her as an individual artist.  Out in the field, Kristen waits patiently for just the right shot, in which she connects with an animal in perfect communion, in the instant of a clicking shutter.