Animal Photography
Project Title
Voices Beneath the Canopy – Close Encounters with the Wild
In Voices Beneath the Canopy, Jonathan Schulman ventures deeper into the rhythms of the wild, capturing candid and expressive portraits of untamed life. This particular series focuses on amphibians and small creatures that thrive in the quiet edges of nature, often overlooked but full of character. At the heart of the collection is the American Toad, depicted here in rare and intimate detail.
American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
The American toad is a common species of toad found throughout Canada and the eastern United States. It is divided into three subspecies: the eastern American toad, the dwarf American toad and the rare Hudson Bay toad. Recent taxonomic treatments place this species in the genus Anaxyrus instead of Bufo. Jonathan encountered this species in a controlled reserve while was exploring broader habitats outside Europe for this project in 2019.
Other Animal
Collections
Other Jonathan's animal collections includes other glimpses of wildlife — squirrels mid-leap, elusive raccoon-like creatures, wildcats in motion, and insects in perfect stillness — all unified by a commitment to authenticity and harmony. Jonathan’s lens does not intrude but collaborates with nature, resulting in photographs that breathe with the subtle energy of the forest floor.
Photo
Style
Jonathan’s photographs reveal the toad not just as a subject, but as a personality. With its rugged, textured skin and wide, reflective eyes, the toad becomes a symbol of resilience and primal elegance. Captured mid-call with its vocal sac inflated, it appears frozen in an instinctive act of life — simple yet powerful. The soft bokeh background and natural lighting emphasize Schulman’s signature style: images that are both technically refined and emotionally resonant.