MONTCLAIR, NJ (January 28, 2026) — The Montclair Public Library is proud to present the photography of Michael Yellin, a local amateur birder and bird photographer. This exhibit will be on view in the library gallery at 50 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042 from February 2, 2026 and completing on February 28, 2026. The art reception will be held in the library gallery on Saturday, February 7 from 3-5 pm.
Yellin, a physician-scientist who for a decade did basic immunology research at Columbia University and worked at the vanguard of clinical cancer immunotherapy research during a 23-year career in biotechnology, became interested in birding and bird photography during the pandemic. He explained how it all started: “I was working from home during the pandemic, sitting in a room facing the backyard, and became enthralled by the different species of birds coming to the bird feeder I had recently put up. During this time, some friends were posting photos of birds on Facebook and the close-up of the colors and the delicate beauty of the birds, a beauty that is so hard to appreciate with the naked eye, overwhelmed me. From there, things sort of crescendoed.”
Yellin, who retired in 2024, joined the Montclair Bird Club and learned about birds and bird photography from several of the club members and from the multitude of publications and videos available on the topic. “It was eye-opening for me to learn that New Jersey is a world-renowned hot-spot for year-round birding and that nearby locations, such as Garret Mountain Reservation and Richard DeKorte Park, which I had never heard of before, are fantastic places to go birding,” said Yellin. Photographs on display will include local birds, as well as birds photographed on excursions to Arizona, California, Colorado, and Delaware. Photos will be available for purchase and proceeds will be donated to the New Jersey Audubon Society.
The Library welcomes inquiries from local artists and arts organizations regarding use of the exhibit space. For further information, please contact the Montclair Public Library (973) 744-0500 ext. 8000.