My breathing slowed and a peaceful feeling washed over me as I turned off the busy highway and pointed my car toward the countryside. It was early morning and I was headed toward Milford to do an interview for HGJ. As I followed the winding road that led me even deeper into the woods, I rolled down my window and was greeted by a chorus of birdsong. Upon arriving at my destination, I parked my car and got out. Winter’s last snow still blanketed the ground, while tiny forest animals scurried about. I felt as though I had just stepped into a storybook page of an enchanted forest, and perhaps I had.
Nestled deep into this wooded wonderland is the office and backdrop of Michigan’s own professional wildlife photographers and international children’s book authors, Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick. Their books Stranger in the Woods,Lost in the Woods, and First Snow in the Woods, have sold over 2 million copies combined and have won numerous national and international awards. With their companion board books, plush toys and movies, Carl and Jean have accomplished what most self-published authors can only dream of: world-wide success. And it would be hard to find two people more surprised and humbled by their own achievements. What started as a mutual love for wildlife photography has turned into an entrepreneurial phenomenon.
Upon meeting Carl and Jean, I immediately felt at ease, almost like a member of the family. Their rapport with each other was endearing and respectful as we sat down and talked about their lives together. Spending time with them, it became quite clear that they are most passionate about three things: photography, wildlife and education.
For both, a love of nature began at an early age. Carl grew up on an island in Northern Michigan and Jean on a farm in a small town in eastern Michigan. They heartily agree, “The out-of-doors was our playground.”
They met nearly 40 years ago in 1972, doing what they loved most: working with children, Carl as a camp director for the Youth Conservation Corp and Jean as a middle school art teacher. Needless to say, they hit it off. Carl had always loved photography and was taking classes to improve his skills. After taking his abilities to a higher level, he eagerly taught Jean everything he knew. Jean, in turn, taught Carl about shot composition. They both recall, “It was a nice balance, a beautiful thing, really.” They spent hours together crawling around on hands and knees, shooting dewy spider webs and insects, looking for the perfect composition. Eventually, they began photographing birds, then moved on to much bigger wildlife. And the rest, as they say, is history. They spent the next 14 years photographing a white-tail deer family in Michigan’s own Kensington Metropark. These extraordinary photos were published in an issue of Audubon Magazine.
During this time, they also travelled to art fairs across the country, sometimes 20 shows a year, selling their photos to their growing number of fans. Their images have appeared in hundreds of national and international publications. In 1997 they published their first book Images of the Wild, a collection of many of their favorite photos from across North America.
Combining their passion for kids and nature, they self-published their first children’s book, Stranger in the Woods, in the fall of 1999. This delightful book uses the couple's photographs to tell the story of resident birds and deer reacting to a snowman that appears in the winter woods. The book went on to win many awards, and eventually earned the top spot on the New York Times best-sellers list.
Buoyed by the success of their first book, they published Lost in the Woods in 2004 and First Snow in the Woods three years later. Both books garnered numerous awards and also spent time on the New York Times best-sellers list. All three books are infused with beautiful wildlife photography along with “gentle lessons of nature.” For example, in “Lost in the Woods” a newborn fawn is left alone in the forest by its mother for the first few weeks of its life. The mom knows that her scent will attract predators, so she leaves her baby for its own protection only to return when she knows it’s safe. The lesson here is that the fawn is not lost or abandoned, so if you find one in the wild, it is best not to try to rescue it. These “gentle lessons of nature” are the driving force behind Carl and Jean’s work. They feel that, “Children are the best messengers. They can learn early about wildlife.” |
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These nature lessons inspired Carl and Jean to have curriculum guides created to help teachers reach more children in the classroom setting. “What better way,” asks Jean, “to get kids to fall in love with nature? Because they are going to have to protect it in the future. To have the teachers use the books in the classrooms….I mean, oh my god, we never imagined that.”
Helping children has always been at the forefront of their mission. They work with many local charities to give back to the children. From donations to hospitals and head-start programs to charities like the Rainbow Connection, an organization that grants wishes for sick children, their involvement is inspiring to say the least. In talking with Carl and Jean on this topic, their heartfelt compassion really shines through. They are aware that the books and plush toy snowmen they give to these children could be the only gifts they receive for Christmas.
With the tremendous success of their “In the Woods” series, they are oftentimes amazed by the popularity of their books. “We never dreamed of a best selling book ever,” Jean says. “We printed 20,000 copies of our first book and thought we would have 15,000 books in the garage for the rest of our lives. When we started, we didn’t even have enough money to ship the books to the stores. We had to hand-deliver them,” Carl said.
Both admit that being self-published authors and running a successful business is not always easy. They rely on a small group of dedicated employees and family members to help their business keep humming along. The day I went to visit them, on a Sunday no less, people were there lending a helping hand. “Our employees are like family,” Carl and Jean said. “We are very committed to them.”
Looking back over their expansive careers, Carl and Jean have photographed thousands of images all across North America. It is heartening to know that they find Michigan the most beautiful and diverse of all places. “What is so inspiring about Michigan is that it has so many seasons and special places. We don’t have to go anywhere else to make our living; Michigan has it all. We love it!” They have literally made their living from their own back yard. Most of their images have come from their own little 8-acre woods. In fact, during my visit, a curious family of deer stopped by, just outside their office window, to say hello. It reminded me of the importance of their work and the positive impact it has on the wildlife in our state. It seems to me that with people like Carl and Jean on our team, Michigan just may be well on its way to becoming the picture-perfect example of a successful renewal.
For more information about Carl Sams and Jean Stoick or to purchase their books, movies, wildlife prints, or other products, please visit www.carlsams.com. Their 4th movie, First Snow in the Woods is due to be released later this summer.
Linda Hasley is a staff writer for HGJ. You can contact her @ lhasley123@aol.com. |
