Born in Winnetka, Illinois, Eliot Porter's fascination with nature (and birds in particular) was evident from a very early age. His father, an architect with a keen interest in Greek, Gothic, and Roman architecture and art, encouraged his son's insightful, artistic talents. Using the camera he received as a gift from his father, the young Porter began photographing primarily landscapes during the family's sojourns on islands off the coast of Maine. There he cultivated an enthusiasm and love for naturalist photography. He noted in the introduction of the classic book, Birds of America, "...the most satisfactory outlet for expressing my excitement over birds was the camera, rather than pencil or brush."

Porter began his undergraduate education at Harvard University in 1920. Casting aside his passion for photography, he pursued the more practical major of chemical engineering; he earned his...