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By Mimi PollackPhotos courtesy: Roy Toft, Teri Kerns, and Mimi Pollack
June 18, 2024 (Ramona) – Ramona photographer Roy Toft, has always had an affinity for animals. This photographer has had many adventures in his life, photographing wildlife and leading tours around the world, but he calls Ramona home. He lives there with his wife, Stella, and their cat. Now he is giving a gift back to the Ramona community with the release of his new coffee table book, Wild Ramona.
When he was a student at Polytechnic State University, his major was wildlife biology, but a camera, a Canon AE1, given as a graduation gift by his father, changed the course of his life. Photography became his passion and his degree in biology also came in handy.
A fledgling photographer needs to build up a reputation, and after he graduated, Toft came back to San Diego and began to work at the Wild Animal Park. During his college years, he had worked there as a volunteer, so it was a good training ground. Toft managed the bird show which later took him to Hawaii.
During that time, he constantly took pictures and honed his craft. He began to sell these pictures to stock agencies which he continues to this day. His pictures have appeared in National Geographic and Audubon Magazines. He began to make a name for himself.
He also branched out to become an experienced tour guide. He leads photographic expeditions in Africa and Central and South America, including Botswana, Costa Rica, and Chile. With his keen insight to animal behavior and his jovial personality, the expeditions are very popular, and sell out quickly.
However, during the pandemic, his business came to a halt, so he decided to pursue his skills at his 40-acre home in Ramona. For many years, he had set up video trail cameras in his “cool little valley,” so although they were not the best photographs, they kept him aware of the wildlife around his property, such as gray foxes and bobcats.
Thus, began his foray into “camera trapping” which is taking photos with remote cameras triggered by the animals. He was familiar with the technique, having done something similar for a National Geographic project camera, trapping tigers. Toft said that this technique allowed him to capture unique and eye-catching things you don’t normally get a chance to see. When he shared the pictures on social media, there was a very positive response. He realized there was a lot of interest in local wildlife, and others seemed to agree. Thus, he decided that a coffee table book would be a good way to allow people to celebrate the wildlife of Ramona through his stunning photos. For him, it would be a gift to his Ramona community.
It took him a year and a half to put the book together and on May 23rd the self-published 148-page book arrived. Toft remarked that this book contained photographs of animals that everyone knows are there, but are not often seen, such as gray foxes, unusual birds, bobcats, and mountain lions. One of Toft’s favorite photographs is of an elusive mountain lion drinking from a small granite pool with the silhouette of Starvation Mountain in the background.
The book can be purchased at his website or at one of the many book signings being held around the county. Toft has been promoting his book by doing book signings, such as the one he did at the Ramona Ranch Winery on June 15th. This winery was a perfect place for him to have a book signing.
Ramona Ranch Winery has been in Ramona for 19 years. Owner and CEO Teri Kerns, is dedicated to what she proudly calls, “Agrotourism” as she views it as their opportunity to “introduce our guests to farming, teaching them how our wine grapes are grown, why we choose to be certified sustainable, and why these choices result in wine that is better for us, and the environment. We offer VIP tours, educating our guests on the vineyards, winemaking, and sustainable efforts here at the winery, ending with a guided tasting.” Terri and her husband, Micole (photo, right), are actively involved in the community, both personally and professionally. By hosting events, they want to introduce the public to their wines, along with the talented local artists, musicians, and photographers, as well as some animal rescue places, such as Critter Encounters whose presentation complemented the book signing.
Critter Encounters is a wildlife sanctuary that cares for a diverse group of rescued animals and birds. They brought ambassador animals to show everyone, which included a cuddly rescue raccoon named Remy, as well as a barn owl, a great horned owl, and a hawk. It was wonderful to see these creatures up close and learn about them and the work this organization does.Toft has more book signings planned as well as photo tours to Brazil and Costa Rica in 2025 and to Botswana in 2026. The winery has more events coming up, too.
Check out their websites at Toft Photo Safaris and Ramona Ranch Winery.
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