Composition for the Amateur

Perspective, the rule of 2/3, color and of course not cutting peoples' heads off in a shot are probably some good basics to bear in mind when putting together decent photos. I've seen where some online photography instruction suggests that photographers not forget to take occasional portrait shots instead of always taking shots...

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My kindle book on Backyard Birding is live on Amazon!

My latest ebook, "The Beginner's Guide to Backyard Birding" is a kindle book and is now available on Amazon. It includes a few of my original photographs, some of which you may not have seen....

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Pulled off some shots even though it was raining

Couldn't help but try to take some pictures, even though it was raini...

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Birds of Prey

It was Mother's Day with Birds of Prey...and the handlers were on the grounds at the Stillman Nature Center, sometimes with the birds in the trees. This little screech owl was perfect in the hollow of a tree, so well-camouflaged it would have been difficult to see him there if you didn't know. A handler shows off the Great...

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It's time to think about gardening

It's time to think about what the garden should look like. The garden centers are full of gorgeous annuals and perenniels, and the other day I filled my imagination with the possibilities. Although it's still cold here, you can see that spring gardening is on peoples' minds.  Some times, but not every year, I get my mother...

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The Coyotes are Near

I was taking the dog out for a walk the other day, and a coyote was nanchalantly trotting across the street, as if he belonged there. I kept exclaiming to myself, "that's a coyote!" Even though it looked like some sort of a dog. It was very aware of its surroundings, chased off some geese, and ended up running across the next...

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Alexander Stillman and the Stillman Nature Center

Virginia bluebells These Virginia Bluebells, not indigenous to Illinois, are a remnant of what was on the McCormick Property at 33 Penny Road, which Alexander Stillman came to own. There was a main house, which has since been torn down, but you can still see evidence of a garden, with the snowdrops and violets, daffodils and...

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The red tailed hawk

It's amazing what can be done with the right lenses. This picture was taken through an enclosu...

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The Mysterious Stillman Nature Center

It all began with my search for the sandhill cranes who were flying overhead in numbers I never recalled seeing before. I was so inspired to follow them that I went home from our family gathering and picked up all my photography equipment, hoping to capture a moment of either birds close up, or birds close by looking for food....

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tulips in March

It has been unseasonably warm here, and as a result, there have been hummingbird sightings already. That is unheard of for this time of year, they do not usually appear until the end of March or early April. As a result, the trees are budding, the magnolias have already dropped their flowers, and spring flowers are blooming like...

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Turkey Vultures

I discovered this weird holiday that is celebrated in Ohio on March 15th, called "Buzzard Day". It compelled me to go to the Cosley Zoo so I could take photographs of it. If you've been wondering where I've been lately, I've been over on Squidoo, and have some lenses published over there. One is - not coincidentally - It's Buzzard...

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