The Evolution of an Artist: Moses Sparks Brings His World-Class Wildlife Adventure Stories to the Wrightwood Arts Center - Tri-Community NewsPlus

When we last caught up with local photographer Moses Sparks, he was navigating a dramatic pivot. After spending more than four decades as a high-profile fashion and celebrity portrait photographer in Los Angeles, the challenges of the pandemic led him to trade studio lights for telephoto lenses. What began as a shift during quarantine quickly transformed into an international pursuit. As restrictions lifted, Sparks was immediately recruited for assignments across the globe, bringing his honed artistic eye to some of the planet's most remote ecosystems. Yet, despite his jet-setting schedule, from the savannas of South Africa to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Sparks remains deeply rooted in our mountain community of Wrightwood. During his recent Wildlife Photography presentation at the Wrightwood Arts Center, an intimate crowd of about 15 community members gathered to experience this journey firsthand. The audience listened eagerly as Sparks shared the incredible behind-the-scenes stories paired with each beautiful photograph he had captured. Along with his artistic insights, he sprinkled in fascinating, lighthearted wildlife anecdotes he's picked up in the field—humorously noting to the crowd that 'if a giraffe could take a sip of hot coffee, it would be cold before it reached its stomach.' While technical execution came naturally after 45 years behind a lens, mastering wildlife photography required stepping into a completely new discipline. 'It was a pretty abrupt turnaround from fashion and portraits,' Sparks shared. 'The photography was like second nature, but I invested a lot of time in learning about the subject side of animals, taking zoology and animal behavior classes. I had to learn how they behave, and how close you can get without spooking them.' That deep behavioral knowledge has paid off in extraordinary ways. In South Africa, Sparks and a small team spent 18 straight hours tucked inside an underground hide at the edge of a watering hole, taking shifts throughout the night. At 3:00 a.m., his colleague shook him awake to witness a rare moment: four massive bull white rhinos gathering together in the dark. Mom and baby sharing a moment together. Photo credit: Moses Sparks For Sparks, however, getting a sharp, rare shot isn't the final goal. His artistic style has increasingly shifted toward environmental storytelling and conservation advocacy. 'Looking back, the biggest growth is probably trying more and more to express something about the environment that the animals live in, not just the animals themselves,' Sparks explained. 'All the terrible environmental things happen to the planet are because of us. Anything that raises awareness on some level of what the animals are dealing with injects more conservation into my pictures.' Travel has only reinforced that sense of urgency. 'Our world is changing,' Sparks noted. 'If you travel as I do, you see it with your own eyes. Locals tell you about the changes and how it impacts their whole environment.' Interestingly, long-time friends have pointed out that Sparks hasn't entirely left his Hollywood roots behind. There is a distinct portrait-like quality to his wildlife subjects, a trait that gives his images striking emotional depth. 'A friend said to me, 'I think you still photograph the animals like you did celebrities,'' Sparks chuckled. 'The difference between a good photo and a great photo is a fraction of a second. Something in their eyes, a little bit of lightning in a bottle. Some animals are very charismatic, and some aren't. It's waiting, watching, and trying to capture when something does happen, when the animal hears something, catches a whiff, and turns just right, hopefully into the light.' The great escape Photo credit: Moses Sparks Beyond his global expeditions, Sparks is passionate about sharing his expertise locally. He regularly hosts Photography Fundamentals workshops right here at the Wrightwood Arts Center, a mentoring role he admits he didn't expect to fall in love with. 'I really like it and enjoy it—to be honest, I didn't think I would,' Sparks admitted. 'It's really interactive. I prepare a curriculum and then open it up for questions. What I found is that even after 45 years, someone will ask a question about something I used to know, and I have to think a minute on it!' When asked about the biggest misconception beginner photographers have, Sparks didn't hesitate. 'One misconception people have is that if they had a better camera, they'd get better pictures. That's only true if you know how to use it. Instead, if you invest in educating yourself about photography, it will cost a fraction of buying a new camera or lens. Learn about photography first, then get the better equipment.' Photo credit: Moses Sparks In addition to his local workshops, Sparks serves as an instructor at Sammy's Camera in Pasadena. Drawing on his extensive international travel, he recently led a specialized class in July for travelers planning their very first safari, with plans to offer more safari prep courses in the future. Local art lovers can also look forward to January 2027, when Sparks will host a solo gallery exhibition focused on tree photography at the Wrightwood Arts Center. Looking ahead, Sparks shows no signs of slowing down. He is currently finalizing details for an expedition to the Isle of Borneo in Malaysia to capture orangutans, old-world monkeys, and rare endemic birds, followed by a trip to Madagascar to photograph lemurs in one of the most remote corners of the Earth. For anyone in the Tri-Community inspired to pick up a camera and follow a similar path, Sparks offers grounded, heartfelt advice born from a lifetime behind the lens. 'If you are someone who wants to get into photography, don't do it as a business, do it for the love of photography and animals. You'll enjoy it so much more. Don't do it for the money, because it is really hard. I love what I do, and I'm super fortunate, but it took me 40 years to get here.' You can follow Moses Sparks' behind-the-scenes adventures and read the stories behind his photographs on Facebook, or view his portfolio online at mosessparkswildlifephotography.com. Moses Sparks in his element! Photo credit: Moses Sparks