Sparky Stensaas is the author of five books on the natural history of the North Woods including Canoe Country Wildlife, North Woods Journal, and Rock Picker's Guide to Lake Superior's North Shore. He is the owner of Stone Ridge Press and co-owner of Kollath-Stensaas Publishing. Wildlife Photography is Sparky's second career. He lives in Carlton County with his wife Bridget.

Sparky says: I consider myself a Naturalist Photographer who enjoys learning about my subjects as much as photographing them. My fascination with the natural world began in junior high school when I saw a strange bird in my New Hope, Minnesota front yard. Turns out it was a Northern Flicker and I became hooked on birds. Photography started soon after. After graduating from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1985 with a Biology/American Indian Studies degree, I worked at a string of naturalist jobs including at Minnesota's ooseberry Falls State Park, Jay Cooke State Park and Hawk Ridge. I was also a ranger with the National Park Service at Grand Portage National Monument and a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Photography became a passion for me after the turn of the century. Since then I have traveled extensively across the U.S. shooting wildlife and national parks with my buddy Ryan Marshik. Ryan is also my partner in the photo book project called North Woods Journal. Our late fall trip to Yellowstone National Park is becoming an annual event. I use Canon products but carry a minimal amount of gear in the field. Since going digital in 2004 the fun factor has increased 110 percent. I love experimenting! In 1998 I formed a publishing company with friend Rick Kollath. Kollath-Stensaas Publishing creates user-friendly, photo-laden field guides for the North Woods. Stone Ridge Press was created in 2004.