Linda Wilinski is an award winning, published wildlife photographer focused on the conservation of Florida's freshwater springs. She is a certified Florida Master Naturalist and Spring Ambassador who attended Crealde School of Art.
Leu Gardens in Winter Park, FL exhibited her art in the Summer of 2018 as well as historic Mount Dora in 2019 and 2022.
Cedar Key Arts Center received an incredible attendance with her two Florida exhibits in 2020 and 2023. Linda reached the audience through her lectures, telling important stories behind the pictures to encourage listeners to become stewards of natural Florida.
She completed a yearlong photo series for Oakland Nature Preserve and has since become a board member of Rainbow River Conservation, member of Ichetucknee Alliance and Communications Advisory member of the Florida Springs Council.
She has won first place through Florida State Park photo contest and Clyde Butcher picked one of her photographs as the winner of a local wildlife photography contest. Several articles have also been printed in local newspapers. She was recently selected as the winner in two categories through IUCN - otter specialist group for World Otter Day 2024. Some of her otter photographs were previously published in IUCN’s “Otters” book. Wilinski also works with the International Otter Survival Fund as well as Florida Otter Spotters where her work is frequently featured through social media.
Wilinski has held successful speaking events at organizations such as Florida Trail Association, Native Plant Societies, Girl Scouts, Citrus County library systems as well as Sierra Club and podcasts. Giving lectures is one of her favorite ways to spread awareness.
"......For as long as I can remember nature was part of my life”.
I was about five years old when I came home with snails crawling all over my jacket one day, proudly showing my parents how many I "saved". A deep sense of compassion for any living organism has followed me throughout the years and hasn't left my side nor have I outgrown the child like fascination with the outdoors. Watching fire flies on a summer night will always remain the most magical thing on earth to me.
A red-eared slider was one of my most valuable possessions when I was a little. I read book after book because I simply couldn't quench my thirst learning about turtles. I drew pictures of them, studied them and tried to share the little I knew with everyone I came across. My biggest wish was for people see these amazing reptiles through my eyes. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to share a home with them now on Florida’s spring-fed rivers.
Although my friends and family call me "The Photographer" I have never gotten used to this title as it focuses more on the person behind the camera rather than what's in front of it. The natural places and wildlife are the real stars, I'm simply just a tool to tell the stories behind the images.
My passion for photography came from my mother. As a family of five, we went on vacations in a small sized RV all through Europe. Although Norway and Sweden were our annual summer destinations, there was always "just one more picture" my mom needed to take of the majestic mountains cradling the deep blue sea, the reindeer grazing on the side of the road, us kids playing in the clear stream or of my dad catching fish. My parents taught me how to embrace wilderness. Away from tourist attractions but up close with humbling solitude. Days were spent exploring our surroundings, ending with nights filled with stargazing while the air was filled with the smell of campfire.
To this day there's no place like the outdoors that makes me feel whole. It brings me peace.
But it’s not all “rainbows and butterflies”. I wish it was. Mother Nature is hurting and she needs any help she can get. It is not with an easy heart to watch the degradation of our natural world. Our wild spaces are slowly disappearing, with them, all of its animals. At times I feel as if there’s not enough time in the day to advocate for the ones that have no voice. If there was one thing, I could change it would be to awaken empathy in our world. We have incredible amount of science to proof why our planet is at a tipping point. The time is now to make conscious decisions to take care of Mother Nature, to do our best to conserve what is left and to give our children a healthy future.
All images are taken with the utmost respect for wildlife. As a conservation photographer I set the wellbeing of the animals as priority and encourage others to do the same. I have missed many photo opportunities since my goal is not “ the perfect shot”. The true art of conservation photography is not to disturb the natural behavior of the wild creatures.
This site was created to inspire others to seek the outdoors, to soak up all its beauty, to rejoice in its calming energy and most importantly,
awaken a sense of responsibility to protect it. Whether we see these beautiful places or spend our lives underneath fluorescent light...these wild places exist, and they need us to speak for them.
