One plant’s misfortune is one photographer’s joy: this is a gall on a goldenrod plant, the result of an insect doing something to annoy and disrupt the plant, which responded by forming a growth around the disruption. When I took this photo, I didn’t know […]
Author: Shelly
Beguiled by Bittersweet
One thing that didn’t end with autumn? Photos of bittersweet. Folks, sprinkle a little snow on the ditches and I just can’t help myself! A little clutch of scarlet berries winks at me when I’m driving along a country road and before I know it, […]
Being “In the Moment”
The leaves of this unexpected spout picked up the last rays of the day’s setting sun and looked like they burst into flame, almost like candles to light the way into a quiet evening. Sometimes, a moment in the woods is so perfect that you […]
A Place to Be Creative
Really, really neat news to share: I’ve been selected for a 2020/2021 residency at Waubonsie State Park through their Artist in Residence program! Folks, I’m so excited! Participating in this residency last year gave me the space and time to focus on a photographic project […]
November’s Bittersweet
Bittersweet is just beautiful in November, especially at sunrise and sunset — its brilliant orange berries almost glow in that delicate light! It also looks nice inside; my mom and I harvested the ditches a few weekends ago, cutting some sprigs of bittersweet for winter […]
What’s the Hurry?
I was running late one morning, but dashing out the door, I was greeted by this … and decided it was maybe ok to be a few more minutes late. Totally worth it. Sorry, boss.
Secret #10: Skip the Mistakes!
This is the last installment in the “10 Secrets for Stunning Nature Photos” video series, and it’s dedicated to some of the most common nature photography errors — and easy ways to avoid them! Seriously, why bother making the mistakes if you don’t have to? […]
There’s Always Something “New”
Have you ever seen a Green Heron? This August I spied one for the first time, and was so excited to capture some photos of another one the following weekend! They’re much smaller than Great Blue Herons and despite their beautiful colors (which look like […]
Add a Person to Your Nature Photos! Secret #9
Nature photos don’t have to include just trees and hills and sky — sometimes you can create a stronger nature photo by adding a person! In this video, you’ll see some examples and hopefully start thinking about your nature photos in a different way. https://www.facebook.com/BurOakPhoto/videos/728826454514107
A Story and Morning Glory
While reminiscing with my mom over stories of their shared childhood adventures, my aunt Beverly recently brought up her memories of summer hours spent hacking down climbing morning glory vines in the family’s cornfield. Maybe a little surprisingly, Beverly remembered morning glory duty fondly and […]