Wild Birds Flying is a project developed by Minneapolis advertising photographer Paul Nelson.

The project was inspired by James Audubon's illustrations. His portrayal of birds in their natural habitat without the distraction of complex backgrounds strikes a balance that is both beautiful and intimate. The detail in his work is captivating, leaving viewers feeling as if they could almost touch the delicate feathers of the birds.

What strikes most people upon first viewing these photographic images is the surreal quality of a bird frozen in flight. It is something we rarely, if ever, see with songbirds causing us to question the medium used to create these images.

The images are captured using a portable high speed camera rig designed by the photographer specifically for this project.

No birds are harmed in any way to create this imagery.The photos are taken at bird bandings when the birds are released or when wild birds are feeding and not captured strictly for the sake of photography.

Look for new work as Paul employs his creative problem solving skills to photograph birds in various states of being.

Recently, Paul was featured on the show "Minnesota Originals" Series airing on Minnesota Public Television. Click here to check it out.

Click here to check out Paul's blog.