Michael A. Kelly, a lifetime resident of Mississippi, is a professional photographer who found an interest in wildlife and nature photography while duck hunting some twenty years ago.

On a cold, clear blue, winter day on the Mississippi River, his father was calling in a large flock of mallards. Kelly recalls, " As I watched these magnificent birds glide in and hover over the decoys, I knew then my days of duck hunting were over." Following the harvest of one mallard, his dad asked why he never fired a shot. His only answer was, "I was so caught up in the beauty and grace of the ducks that I forgot to shoot." From this point, Kelly pursued a completely different objective in his adventures afield. The next weekend, he and his older brother went duck hunting, but this time armed only with cameras.

Inspired by his love of the Mississippi River's woods, swamps, and wildlife, Michael began photographing wildlife and nature in 1981. Currently, his work appears in over 1000 publications throughout the United States.

In addition, his photographs have been reproduced in numerous magazines, calendars, books, as well as many forms of media throughout the United States. Some of his publications include North American Whitetail, National Wildlife, Sports Afield, Ducks Unlimited, Southern Living, Mississippi Wildlife Federation, Mississippi Outdoors just to name a few. A native of Greenville Mississippi, this award winning wildlife and nature photographer is self-taught and occasionally exhibits his work in a variety of outdoor shows and galleries throughout the South.

Kelly's dream is to share with others the majesty and beauty he has witnessed in nature. "I've stared into the gaping mouths of snakes, slept two nights with a black widow spider, been swallowed eight feet into an icy swamp and had an alligator slither between my legs, all just to get that perfect image," stated Kelly.