About Christine Dorrestein

Thank you for visiting Framing The Untamed, LLC | Wildlife Images by Christine Dorrestein.  Christine is a wildlife photographer, who enjoys sharing her passion for animals and nature through photography.

Her photography aims to capture powerful, intimate portraits that evoke emotion, mood, intention, and ambiance, that create an environment for intimate storytelling.  While driven to “frame the untamed,” Christine doesn’t just observe wildlife, she witnesses moments and brings the untamed into focus one story at a time.

Christine developed a love for photography at a young age and has used a variety of equipment over 50+ years from Polaroids, disposals, film cameras, and now digital.  She has used Nikon camera bodies and Nikkor lenses exclusively for over 25 years and recently moved from DSLR to Mirrorless camera bodies.

Photography represents two things to Christine:  the vehicle she uses to capture her passion for wildlife and nature, but it also represents her art.  She’s driven to “frame the untamed,” and likes to think that by bringing the outside in, she’s living from the inside out.

Her passion has taken her on photographic journeys around the world and she enjoys documenting wildlife in places she has been.  She especially enjoys shooting wildlife portraits as well as paying close attention to animal behavior.  She shoots not just to have an image, but a photograph filled with expression, intention, interaction, or movement.

She's proud to share that her work has been recognized in local and international competitions as well as in print.  Stay in touch by subscribing to her newsletter, “The Untamed Dispatch,” and follow along on social media pages for the latest news and happenings.  

Awards and Publications

  • 2026 Journal of Wildlife Photography, May Contest, "Flora & Wildlife" - Sago Palm Black Racer selected for top image review in the Advanced category.
  • 2026 Coastal Illustrated, "Winged Things:  Creating a Wildlife Sanctuary at Home," published March 5, 2026.
  • 2026 Wyoming Wildlife Calendar.  Honorable Mention. 1,551 entries and 18 winners (12 calendar photos and 6 Honorable Mentions).
  • 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year - Final Round Judging (top 10% out of 60,000+ entries).
  • 2025 15th Annual Share the View International Nature Photography Competition - Semi-Finalist (4 photos).
  • 2025 7th Annual GNPA-OIWC Photo Contest.  1st place and 3rd place, Tier 1 - Coastal Wildscapes.
  • 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Final Round judging (6,000+ out of 60,000 entries selected).
  • 2024 14th Annual Share The View International Nature Photography Contest – top 250.
  • 2024 Friends of Sapelo Island Coastal Georgia Photography Contest.  Grand Prize Winner.
  • 2017 Runner-Up - “Kiawah Through the Lens” Photo Contest.
  • Kiawah Island Club Spring Legends Magazine, 2017, v. 27, p. 131 and 132.

Member Organizations

Proud member of the following:

  • North American Nature Photography Association
  • Georgia Nature Photographers Association
  • Nature Photographers Network
  • Coastal Photographers Guild
  • Jekyll Island Art Association

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