Often overlooked because of their small size and nocturnal nature, vernal pool animals have complex lifecycles that involve an aquatic element. From the abstract patterns of salamander egg masses to the golden filigree of a wood frog tadpole, there’s a tiny world of beauty and complexity that
deserves notice and protection.

Documenting vernal pool life cycles is like a spiral. The same events happen every year in roughly the same order, but every year of observation adds complexity, depth and new discoveries about behavior. One year’s work might focus on hatching eggs while another year’s work might concentrate on metamorphosis. It’s a dramatic cycle that takes place on a minute scale.

While spending hours crouched beside the pools, peering through the viewfinder of my underwater camera, I enter a state of flow, where time dissolves and even my sense of scale is fluid. It can feel startling to stand up and once again take on the dimensions and chronological awareness of a Homo sapien.

I’ve been documenting vernal pools since 2012, but my 2020 EMU sabbatical gave me the opportunity to go deeper, witnessing events like tiger salamander migrations and spotted salamander egg-laying that require revisiting field sites on multiple nights throughout the winter and spring. This sabbatical work culminated in a seventy page e-book for the North American Nature Photography Association. In addition to my photography and natural history observations, the book includes several fascinating photographic salamander behavior studies by colleague Dave Huth, and essays on geology and conservation by vernal pools expert, Michael S. Hayslett.

Vernal Pools - Documenting Life in Temporary Ponds is available as a free download. Visit stevendavidjohnson.com