Steve Jessmore is a Michigan-based bird photographer and author "The Splendor Next Door" Available October 2026 on stevejessmore.com
Great Lakes Piping Plover- Father plover broods a chick as the sun rises over Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore as featured in National Audobon Magazine in its Summer 2025 issue.
A Red winged blackbird signals his stake on this section of the marsh. They are the first birds back from migration in early March. © Steve Jessmore
A bird with blue and black feathers flying low over a calm body of water, with its reflection visible on the surface, against a soft yellow background.
Featured in Smithsonian Magazine as a top nature Photographer. © Steve Jessmore, 2023
Bee and Lotus, Reeds Lake. © Steve Jessmore
Featured cover on Summer Audubon Awards issue- my 2022 National Audubon contest Fisher Prize winner: Most creative approach to photographing birds- "Feeding Frenzy" Northern Shovelers © Steve Jessmore, 2021
Sandhill Crane look to land in corn fields along the Platte River near Kearney, Nebraska during the spring migration. © Steve Jessmore
Territorial Dispute- An immature Great Blue Heron tries to fend off the agressive Red winged blackbird from a small, environmental area on the Torch River in northern Michigan. © Steve Jessmore
A male Eastern Kingbird tries to get amorous with a female in midair as they make their way across the Torch River. © Steve Jessmore
A male American Goldfinch notices this photographer in his camo while feeding. © Steve Jessmore
A Common Loon comes back to mate after chasing off a rogue loon before sunrise from the Torch River. © Steve Jessmore
2021 National Audubon contest professional division first place "Northern Cardinal" © Steve Jessmore
Shop Steve Jessmore’s Michigan bird lover gift bundle with The Splendor Next Door hardcover book, 2027 calendar, and six Reeds Lake notecards.
Steve Jessmore
Award-Winning Bird Photographer & Conservation Storyteller
Award-winning Michigan bird photographer Steve Jessmore documents authentic bird behavior and the freshwater habitats birds depend on, inspiring people to discover and protect nature close to home.
Image Collections
Prints Now Available
New Releases
Set of six blank Greeting cards, 5” × 7” of some of Jessmore’s favorite avian images he’s made. Each notecard is archivally printed on fine-art Matte paper with Birds Doing Stuff brand and caption on the back, blank inside. This group features one each of: National Audubon winning “Northern Cardinal in Flight”, National Audubon winning “Feeding Frenzy” Northern Shovelers, “Snow Landing” Snowy Owl, Michigan Audubon winner “Feather for its Mate”, Tree Swallow, ”Autumn Splendor” Sandhill Crane, and “Sunrise Brilliance” Wood Duck pair. Cards come with envelopes in a plastic box. Blank inside.
PREORDER: The Splendor Next Door: An Invitation to Discover Birds and Nature Close to Home
Expected to ship October 2026
The first Birds Doing Stuff book from award-winning Michigan photographer Steve Jessmore.
Discover how extraordinary a familiar place can become when you return, slow down, and look closer.
Over five years and more than 250 mornings, Jessmore returned to the same 241-step boardwalk at Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. His photographs reveal birds feeding, finding mates, raising young, and moving through the seasons—all just fifteen minutes from home.
This 168-page hardcover coffee table book features 129 photographs celebrating the birds, wildlife, and changing beauty of an urban lake. Jessmore brings more than three decades of photojournalism experience to these intimate observations, combining a storyteller’s eye with the patience of a bird photographer.
More than a collection of beautiful images, The Splendor Next Door invites you to discover a place near home that matters to you—and encourages an appreciation for the habitats birds and people share.
A meaningful gift for bird lovers, photography enthusiasts, and anyone who finds renewal in nature. Pair it with the Splendor Edition Notecard Set, featuring six favorite photographs from the book.
168 pages with 129 photographs
11.25 × 11.25-inch hardcover
Premium paper with spot varnish on photographs
Foreword by Kathleen Mennillo of Michigan Audubon
Original photography by Steve Jessmore, creator of Birds Doing Stuff and recipient of multiple National Audubon Photography Awards
Whether you're a bird lover, photographer, conservationist, or simply someone who appreciates the outdoors, The Splendor Next Door will inspire you to see familiar places in a whole new way.
Shipping weight in custom shipping box 3 lbs. 13 oz
A male Northern Shoveler stretches his wings and tries to find a spot to reenter the feeding frenzy with the other shovelers. The birds come and go swirling in a circle straining creatures from the water. Muskegon County, MI.
November 2021 © Steve Jessmore
Prints, canvas are unsigned (unless otherwise noted), printed with borders and image size will be slightly smaller than print size.
-Prints are inkjet Giclee prints on smooth matte paper. With a smooth surface and vibrant color rendition, printed on 100% cotton papers that will last a lifetime. For those of you who are environmentally conscious, Inkjet used water based pigment inks which are more sustainable than petroleum-based inks.
-The wrapped canvas offer durable color and museum aesthetic on certified archival, OBA-free canvas made right here in the USA.
-The framed images are printed on Giclee prints on smooth matte paper, framed in a black wood frame, matted, non-glare acrylic and mounting hardware ready to hang. The size shown is the print size. The framed sizes for each offering are as follows:
8x10 print in an 11x14” frame, 11x14” print in an 16x20” frame, and a 16x20” print in a 20X24” frame.
The Metal prints are my favorite. A white base coat is applied to the raw sheet of brushed aluminum, which creates a platform that enhances bright colors and bright whites. Vibrant colors and contrast. Metal Prints are ready for hanging and full stated size.
Other mediums and sizes are available. Please contact me at steve@stevejessmore.com
A Common Loon surfaces and meets up with mate after a predawn territorial confrontation with another loon on the Torch River in northern Michigan. © Steve Jessmore, 2022
Prints, canvas are unsigned (unless otherwise noted), printed with borders and image size will be slightly smaller than print size.
-Prints are inkjet Giclee prints on smooth matte paper. With a smooth surface and vibrant color rendition, printed on 100% cotton papers that will last a lifetime. For those of you who are environmentally conscious, Inkjet used water based pigment inks which are more sustainable than petroleum-based inks.
-The wrapped canvas offer durable color and museum aesthetic on certified archival, OBA-free canvas made right here in the USA.
-The framed images are printed on Giclee prints on smooth matte paper, framed in a black wood frame, matted, non-glare acrylic and mounting hardware ready to hang. The size shown is the print size. The framed sizes for each offering are as follows:
8x10 print in an 11x14” frame, 11x14” print in an 16x20” frame, and a 16x20” print in a 20X24” frame.
The Metal prints are my favorite. A white base coat is applied to the raw sheet of brushed aluminum, which creates a platform that enhances bright colors and bright whites. Vibrant colors and contrast. Metal Prints are ready for hanging and full stated size.
All options include free standard shipping to you in the USA.
Other mediums and sizes are available. Please contact me at steve@stevejessmore.com
NEW FOR 2027! Celebrate a year of Birds Doing Stuff® with this beautifully printed 11" × 8.5" wall calendar featuring 24 of Steve Jessmore's favorite bird behavior photographs. The soft-touch cover showcases "Looking for Space," winner of First Place in the 2026 Michigan Audubon Photography Awards. Each month includes engaging captions that reveal the fascinating stories and behaviors behind the images, inviting you to discover the remarkable lives of birds. All photography by award-winning Michigan bird photographer Steve Jessmore. Perfect for bird lovers, photographers, and anyone who enjoys discovering nature close to home. SHIPS IN AUGUST-EARLY SEPT
Birds and Wildlife
Higher Education
Medical Education & Clinical
Portraiture
Higher Education Published Work
Sense of Community
