About Me

The Story Behind the Viewfinder

My name is Sheri Williams, and welcome to Beyond the Viewfinder.

How did this blog come about? It all started with a trip to Kenya in February 2021. My husband, Dave, was a banker and weekend photographer when a fellow photographer invited us to join him and his daughter on a trip to Kenya. We spent several days trying to decide whether we should go. Finally, we said yes.

That decision changed our lives.

After returning home, Dave quickly retired and began pursuing African wildlife photography full time. I had once been a full-time teacher before leaving the classroom to stay home and raise our children. Now, in my early fifties, I found myself beginning an entirely new chapter—traveling through Africa beside my husband and helping him carry the equipment as his self-appointed “sherpa.”

Since that first journey, we have made several trips to Africa and traveled through eight African countries.thus far. Along the way, I became fascinated not only by the animals we encountered, but also by their behavior and the stories unfolding around us. An elephant protecting her calf, baboons playing beside the road, or a young animal learning how to survive—each moment held something that a single photograph could not always reveal.

There was a story.

That realization inspired me to pick up my Nikon and begin shooting video. Photography captures a moment. Video captures what happens next. And writing allows me to share what it felt like to actually be there.

That is what Beyond the Viewfinder is about: looking past the photograph to discover the movement, emotion, people, wildlife, and stories that surround it.

I invite you to come along.