We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Deirdre Denali Rosenberg. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Deirdre Denali below.

Deirdre Denali , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

From the time I was a very little kiddo up in my parent’s hiking baby backpack, I can remember being enamored by all things alpine. The scents, the colors, the feel of the air and the sounds. All totally unique to these wondrous landscapes above the clouds.

There are many moments from those earliest memories that stand out to me as things that have influenced the trajectory of my life, but one is a real stand-out. Hearing the mighty squeaks of the American Pika, greeting me as I arrived at their talus homes, as the sun was juuust popping over the mountains. I found magic in that. And three decades later, I still do.

I have worked with these little creatures for many years now, capturing their lives with my camera and sharing their stories. The American Pika is an extremely unique animal, with adaptations so incredibly well-suited for alpine environments, that they are considered an indicator species to climate change. Pikas are evolved to live in the harshest places, so as our planet warms and changes, we are seeing their numbers decrease. And this has recently sparked interest in the scientific community. If you can believe it, not very much research has been done on pikas as a whole. And this little niche is where I have found the most meaning in my work as a conservation photographer and storyteller.

In 2021 I released my first ever book. The American Pika: Notes From the Field. This book is a collection of images and observations that I have gathered over many years. When I first began working on it, I didn’t have an incredibly clear direction, but as I plugged away, it became apparent that I was creating this book for the child I was all those decades ago- a little weird, really into animals, beyond curious and ready to learn.

In my book, it was important to me not to spew out hard scientific facts. I wanted to capture the essence of the American Pika -their worlds- and I wanted to share some passion. I was lucky to find my passion for this animal as a kid, because my parents introduced me to them. But for so many kids, they will never be adventuring in that way, with those opportunities to see the alpine. So my mission was to create a book that could create a lot of excitement over a super cool animal a lot of folks may never see in person.

When I released my book, it was met with a reaction that left me so overwhelmed by gratitude. I received so many kind messages from parents, telling me their kids are now obsessed with these animals and very concerned with ensuring their survival. I have booked special field-time workshops, where I can teach kids about American Pikas as we observe them. I don’t know what the future of these animals will be. But I know I have gotten a lot of people invested in their well-being. I know I have also raised some solid funds for their continued research, as a percentage of my sales go directly to Rocky Mountain Wild for their Pika Project efforts.

Releasing my book was a leap of faith that to date, is my most meaningful project. Hands down. I am amazed by every communication I get that someone now loves pikas because of my book. That someone has made a donation on their behalf or that my work has somehow impacted pikas in a positive way. It’s unreal!

Deirdre Denali , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a wildlife conservation photographer and storyteller. For most of my life, I have had a camera in my hands and have had a fairly healthy obsession with the alpine. When I was in my mid-20’s and struggling to fit in with the ins-and-outs of “normal life”… I bailed. I met the man who would become my husband and we decided to start living our dreams at all costs. And for me, that meant I would work relentlessly to create a path for myself as a photographer. I always dreamt about being a Jeff Corwin type, inspiring folks to get super excited about wildlife and amazing places. My method is through my photography!

The main focus of my work is the San Juan Mountains. The biomes they contain, wildlife that calls em’ home and everything in between. It is of the utmost importance to me that my work is done ethically and that in my storytelling, I teach folks how they too can make ethical choices in the outdoors. I aim to make it fun, interesting and exciting to help the planet! Because you know what? In my heart I truly believe it is.

When I’m not working, I can be found on the side of a mountain in a tiny house, comfy with my husband and our dog. We have found our home, our place to belong, in an extremely rural part of the San Juan Mountains, where things are a little slower paced, a little darker at night, and a lot more rugged.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes. I want to get all people- but kids, especially -super stoked about nature. I want to be a voice for the alpine, a steward to these places that shaped me so deeply from my earliest memories. I capture feelings, essences and moments that are too big for words. Too beautiful to write about- at least I think so! These things can come off as unapproachable to folks outside of mountain sports communities, so I also am driven to bridge that gap!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I don’t think I could be doing anything else. I tried to fit in with this world and what is considered “normal” and it didn’t work for me. I felt like a failure often, unable to hold down a 9-5 job and totally out of my element in the hustle and bustle of what so many people live each day. It was unsustainable to me and I struggled deeply with depression. It was imperative to my life that I created, shared stories and lived an alternative lifestyle based on my creative work. It may be a brutal path sometimes, but it is so much more tolerable than living a life without passion or fulfillment. Something I think non-creatives struggle to understand about creatives is the depths of sorrow we can get to if our mission here on earth (creative expression) goes unfulfilled.

Contact Info:

• Website: deirdredenaliphotography.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/deirdredenaliphotography
• Other: patreon.com/deirdredenaliphotography

Image Credits
Deirdre Denali Rosenberg