When 17-year-old Parham Pourahmad first picked up a camera to photograph South Bay wildlife, he didn’t expect to become fascinated by predators. But the thrill of witnessing nature’s rawest moments, an animal chasing or hunting another, quickly drew him in.
“Just knowing this is the most important moment in these animals’ lives and being able to capture it, that’s really special to me,” Parham said.
His dedication soon paid off. Parham began winning international awards for his striking images, including a dramatic shot of a Cooper’s hawk devouring a ground squirrel. Yet, one animal kept calling to him: the coyote.
At first, photographing coyotes was a rare and lucky encounter. “I didn’t really have the skills or the knowledge to find them consistently,” he admitted. Determined to change that, Parham immersed himself in studying the animal’s behavior and habitat. Along the way, he developed a deep respect for coyotes and the challenges they face living so close to humans.
Parham realized his photos could do more than win awards—they could educate the public about the wildlife just outside their doors. So, he teamed up with classmate Arnav Singhal to take their mission further.
Together, they began mapping every coyote sighting they could find in the South Bay, identifying territories belonging to individual animals or mating pairs…