About

I photograph wildlife with patience, respect, and as little interference as possible. I move slowly, pay attention, and let animals get on with their lives. If they let me hang around for a while, I consider that a privilege.

I’m Debbie Campbell, a wildlife and nature photographer based in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Wildlife – especially birds – is my first love, but I’ve noticed lately that I’m noticing a lot more. Landscapes. Water. Light. Shapes. Movement. Little things that make me stop and wonder if there’s a photograph in there somewhere.

There often is.

I’m a believer in turning around, following photographic rabbit holes, and not assuming I already know what I’m looking for when I go to a place. This occasionally results in coming home with absolutely none of the photographs I went out to make. I’m calling that a feature, not a bug.

I like photographs that make me feel something, look twice, or spend more time figuring out what I’m seeing. Sometimes that means a quiet wildlife encounter. Sometimes it means experimenting with intentional camera movement or wandering off in some entirely new direction because something caught my attention.

My work has been recognized by NANPA, Nature Vision magazine, the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, the Larimer County Fair, and others. I also support Nature First, the alliance for responsible nature photography.

When I’m not out with my camera, you’ll find me paddleboarding, hanging out with my two English springer spaniels, or exploring new places with my husband. I’ve lived in Colorado since 1998 but I’m originally from the East Coast – and still feel most at home where there are lots of trees.

Why the Name ‘Hidden Wilds?’

Because interesting things are everywhere, and we’re surprisingly good at walking right past them.

Hidden Wilds started with wildlife – the animals quietly going about their lives around us – but it has come to mean more than that. It’s about slowing down, paying attention, turning around, and noticing what you might otherwise miss.

Sometimes you just have to look a little longer.

Giving Back to the Wild Places That Inspire Me

Hidden Wilds is a DBA of Red Kite Creative, a proud member of 1% For The Planet. Through Red Kite, I support these organizations working to protect wildlife, habitat, and the places that make make my photography possible.

The Northern Colorado Wildlife Center was founded as a nonprofit in Fort Collins in 2016. They worked with over 2,300 wildlife patients and reached more than 15,000 people through education and outreach programs in 2024 alone. I help support their mission to care for local wildlife and at the same time, educate the community about how to live with wildlife responsibly.

Earthjustice is America’s leading nonprofit environmental law firm, using the power of law and partnerships to defend clean air, water, and protected wilderness. Since 1971, Earthjustice has been at the forefront of environmental protection, fighting in court to preserve wild lands, protect endangered species, and drive the shift toward 100% clean energy. By taking on polluters and defending local communities free of charge, Earthjustice achieves powerful, lasting results for all of us.

The Center for Biological Diversity works to protect species and wild places. With a powerful combination of science, law, and advocacy, they defend endangered species and the land, water, and climate they depend on. As a photographer, I especially support their mission to ensure that threatened wildlife, like the grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, continue to be Federally protected.