Answer the following question: Facts:   - residence: san francisco    - notable works: '' backbone of life '' spineless : portraits of marine invertebrates , the      - birth date: 1948    - name: susan middleton    - nationality: american    - image: susan middleton.jpeg    - birth place: seattle , washington   Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of susan middleton .
Answer:
susan middleton -lrb- born 1948 -rrb- is an american photographer and author based in san francisco .she is most known for her photographs of rare and endangered animals , plants , and sites .she was chair of the department of photography at the california academy of sciences from 1982 to 1995 , where she currently serves as research associate .middleton has authored several books .her latest book , `` spineless : portraits of marine invertebrates , the backbone of life , '' was published in 2014 to critical acclaim .