Fran Bayless – fast-running nature photographer
It started with linen maps. As a fourth grader at Onaway School in Shaker Heights, Fran Bayless vividly remembers her teacher beginning each geography lesson by pulling a map down in front of the blackboard, and asking her students where they "wanted to go."
"One day it was Antarctica," says Fran. "I was fascinated." The
lesson was the catalyst for what would later blossom into Fran's passion for
travel and wild-life photography.
As a youngster, she enjoyed drawing and painting. But when she expressed an interest in attending art school, her parents and teachers suggested she pursue a more traditional route. After graduating from Laurel School, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Mary Washington College, part of the University of Virginia. Two days after graduation, she married her husband, Tom and started a family. She taught kindergarten at Laurel and was the Director of Executive Development at the May Company. "When our daughters, Margaret and Nancy, had completed college, graduate school and law school, I thought it was the perfect time to follow my long-awaited dream of attending art school."
Avid world travelers, it was during their second trip to Antarctica that
Tom gave Fran a point and shoot camera. "The strip of film, everything
about it, fascinated me," says Fran. Returning home, she enrolled as
a part-time photography student at The Cleveland Institute of Art, at a time
when non-traditional students were a minority. "Everyone was extremely
supportive of my new adventure."
Fran quickly found her niche. "I fell in love with photographing nature – especially wild animals," she relates. As Fran and Tom backpacked across the world with her camera in hand, she built a breathtaking portfolio that includes intimate shots of polar bears (Arctic regions); grizzly bears (Aleutian Islands, near Alaska); lions (Botswana, Africa) and cheetahs (Africa).
Perhaps her favorite images are of those she's taken of Emperor and King Penguins from frequent three-to-four-week trips to Antarctica. "We'd camp out on the ice in 20-below-zero weather. Since there is 24-hour day light, we slept during the day and shot at night when the light has a beautiful golden glow."
"Penguins are fearless and curious flightless birds," notes Fran. "They adopt you into their lives because they don't have regular contact with humans. For that reason, I was able to capture wonderful and natural images." Leica Camera, Inc. USA chose one of Fran's penguin photographs for their 2000 Holiday Season card.
Has she ever been in danger? "A male hippopotamus chased me while
I was out for a walk after dinner in Botswana, Africa. I never much liked
hippos to begin with and he obviously wasn't too happy to see me either! Luckily
I out-ran him, but he was so close I could feel his breath."
When Fran isn't running from wild animals, she is an active member
of the Rotary Club of Cleveland and will serve as the Rotary International
District 6630 Governor for the 2008-09 year. She is the second woman to serve
in this capacity since the beginning of District 6630. The district consists
of 55 clubs and approx 2,400 members.
Fran and Tom are looking forward to their move to South Franklin Circle in the fall of 2009. In addition to bringing their two cats, Frankie and Winston, Fran is planning to adopt a female English bulldog. "I'm naming her Daisy," smiles Fran.
"South Franklin Circle's location is ideal," says Fran. "You can't beat its close proximity to the Village of Chagrin Falls. Plus, many of our friends have signed up, so we'll continue to be neighbors!"
You can view Fran's work at www.worldnaturephotos.net.
