Why It Is Ok (& Often Good) To Take A Break

October 31, 2022

As artists, we experience highs and lows, peaks of creativity and valleys where our inspiration is lacking. This is not surprising as nothing in life can run infinitely at full throttle. It is unrealistic to expect ourselves to feel inspired, creative and productive 365 days a year. And yet so often we can really beat ourselves up during these lows or ‘creative ruts’ as they are often called.

During the last couple years as we have endured a global pandemic and tumultuous times, I have heard many friends and students lament their lack of inspiration and motivation to to pick up their camera and create. This is completely understandable. Personally, I have gone through periods where my photography has been a meditation and positive focus during stressful days but other times, my energy felt depleted and I just didn’t have it in me to get out and shoot or engage in my photography business related activities. I’d have a mile long list of ideas that I’d end up shoving aside because grabbing my coffee and a book, in which to escape, felt more manageable. And sometimes, life was too busy regardless what I felt like doing.

Whether photography is a hobby or a business, we all have busy lives and priorities outside of our photography that place demands on us physically, mentally and emotionally. When those demands pile up and zap our energy, it can take a toll on our creativity. We can’t expect to feel inspired, motivated and creative when we are worn out. This is true whether we are in the midst of a pandemic or not!

In my case, I face the demands of mothering 4 pre teen and teenage children and taking care of the household chores that go along with them. Not to mention taxi driver! Photography as my career means I have many tasks on my plate that do not involve going out to shoot or edit my images. You may have similar demands or perhaps you have another career or take care of younger children or older parents. Health issues and home projects can require a lot of time and create significant stress. The list can go on and on as to things that can zap your physical and mental energy.

I would encourage you to give yourself a break when you aren’t feeling inspired. While it may feel disappointing and frustrating, try to give yourself grace and recognize that this is part of the creative process and trust that your inspiration will come back. Sometimes we need to tend to other parts of life and that really is ok. Giving yourself permission to leave the camera in the bag while you take care of other things can be the best thing you can do for yourself AND your photography. Quite often when I check off the other tasks on my to-do list that are weighing on me or I spend time engaging in some necessary self-care, I find myself feeling lighter and freer to get back to my photography.

Beyond the fact that it is sometimes necessary to give ourselves permission to tend to other aspects of life, breaks are good for us. Practice and consistency are useful and important to achieving excellence in most things in life. But taking breaks and giving ourselves rest time is also important. Liken this to a rest day in your workout routine, taking a weekend off work to spend with family, children running around at recess to give their brains a break during a school day. When we work hard at something, it is not only ok but also important to rest those muscles, whether intellectual, creative, or physical.

If photography is your business, then of course you can’t afford as long of a break, but a small break can leave you feeling more creative, motivated and productive. So if either the creating or business aspects have you feeling bogged down, consider the idea that a break could be the way to greater productivity rather than less.

The 2023 Capture Magic Ladies Retreats are open for registration! 1 spot is left for the Summer Magic in the Tetons Retreat and a couple spots left for the April Magic in Hilton Head Retreat! A waitlist is available for the sold out retreats!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Glacier NP, Hilton Head, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring . New online educational materials are coming soon!

Technical & Creative in Photography

March 25, 2022

It is pretty common to hear photographers chat about the technical vs creative aspects of photography. And sometimes you may hear someone say they are either a ‘technical photographer’ or more of a ‘creative photographer.’ Some say they are quite technical and don’t feel they are especially creative. Others feel they are creative but don’t concern themselves as much with the technical aspects.

I can understand where both sides are coming from and certainly can’t argue with anyone else’s personal approach. From my perspective, I see the technical and creative as forming a strong partnership in photography, as well as in many other arts or endeavors in life.

A little background…before I was a mom, (and a photographer) I was a freelance harpist. I spent several days a week performing for the afternoon tea at the Drake Hotel in Chicago and playing for weddings, cocktail hours and other events. It took a long time to develop my skills and a portfolio of music that allowed me to perform with confidence. I spent hours and hours on my technique and practicing each piece countless times before it was added to my repertoire.

When my twins were born 11 years ago and I had 4 kids age 5 and under, my time to play the harp at home and to gig outside the home became all but nonexistent. This was the point I finally took the step to start learning photography in a serious way.

Over the years, as photography took over my creative and professional life, I have played the harp on occasion but not regularly like I did when I was freelancing. At Christmas time this past year, I made time to sit down and play. In many ways, my fingers took to the strings like they always have but there are songs that I used to know well that are no longer ‘in my fingers’ at all. Other pieces I can play but not with the same expression and musicality that I once did.

So one night I lay in bed thinking about the parallels between playing the harp, or any other musical instrument, and photography and how the technical aspects are intertwined with the creative. The way that practice, understanding and mastery of technical skills creates a fluidity that makes way for creative expression.

I recall many hours practicing exercises on the harp simply to master finger positioning and agility. I learned music theory and counted out loud, with and without playing notes, and practiced individual lines and measures of pieces over and over again to the point my husband would request I play the full songs when he was around! These many hours of diligent practice and repetition are what allowed me to add expression into the songs that I learned. I could relax and feel the music as I played rather than focusing on the specific notes, rhythm and finger technique.

As an athlete, I see this in sports as well. Perhaps the parallel isn’t quite as obvious in sports as another artistic endeavor. But take basketball for example. One may watch basketball and simply see speed, strength, and technical skill of a player being able to nail that 3 point shot or gently put the ball up for a lay up after deftly moving past several defenders. But the ability to read the court takes creative strategy and quick thinking. The moves you see require repetitive practicing of ball handling skills to avoid looking at the ball, building up strength and agility in both the dominant and non-dominant hand, not to mention the soft touch on the lay up.

When it comes to photography, I also believe a solid mastery of the technicals opens us up to focus on our creative expression. If we are uncertain of what settings we should choose or where a button is on our camera menu, we can get bogged down in figuring this out while the light disappears in front of us. Sometimes a creative vision may not involve a lot of technical knowledge. But if the vision involves capturing the movement of water with a slow shutter speed and you have no idea how to use a neutral density filter, the process could be quite frustrating and unsuccessful. If you want details in the shadows of a high dynamic range scene but you fumble about trying to expose properly for both the shadows and highlights, you could find that the pieces just don’t come together when you get back to your computer.

Practicing and understanding the technical aspects may be more fun for some than others but I believe the time and effort rewards you with expanded creativity. If you are one who avoids the technicals, I would encourage you to reconsider putting the time in to learn them. When the technical becomes second nature, the mind is freed to focus on expression and vision. Being a ‘technical’ photographer does have to mean you aren’t also a ‘creative’ one. It just might open you up to increased creativity and flow.

2022 Word of the Year

January 24, 2022

Do you choose a word of the year? A word that guides you in your photography and/or life in general? I know many photographers who do this. This is something new for me just in the last couple of years.

I have chosen words that I felt applied to the way I wanted to approach both my photography and my life. In 2020, I chose the word “Internal” as my year started off with some challenges where I had to rely on my internal instincts even when they led me to some tough and uncomfortable decisions. 2020 proved to (obviously) be a challenging year and my word continued to guide me through making business decisions in the face of a pandemic as well as looking inwards with my own work.

Following the crazy of 2020, in 2021 I decided on the word ‘present’ as my word for the year. I chose this as my word because I wanted to spend the year embracing each day fully, being fully PRESENT in the moment, whether I was out exploring and photographing or spending time with my kids.

This year, I have chosen the word MINDFUL. More than ever, I feel like it is so important for me to make mindful choices in how I spend my time and where I put my energy. Just like last year, I want to be fully present in the moments I am in nature and home with my family. Quality over quantity when it comes to my imagery, photographing what makes me happy. And as I move forward with the business and education side of my photography, being mindful of choosing the projects and opportunities that bring me the most joy feels critical, especially with my kids’ childhood seeming like it is flashing before my eyes. Sometimes life can feel so busy and chaotic that my mind is distracted away from being fully present. Being mindful of choosing the right projects and not overcommitting myself feels critical to happiness at home and fostering full enjoyment of photography and the people I get to connect with through this art.

Being out in nature, photography is always a mindful activity for me, bringing me fully into the present moment. The longer I engage in this art, the more mindful and thoughtful it becomes as I slow down and let nature speak to me. I look forward to embracing this practice and approach in the coming year.

If you have chosen a word of the year, what is it and why did you choose it? I’d love to hear about it!

3 Ways to Celebrate Your Work from 2021

January 15, 2022

It’s 2022 and a brand new year! As you set new goals and look forward to what will hopefully be a great year, it’s a great idea to look back on the past year and celebrate all your successes, growth and the beautiful memories you captured in your images.

There are three things I like to do toward the end of the year to reflect back on the moments and images that I have collected since the last New Year’s Day.

The first thing I like to do is scroll through my Lightroom catalog and look for any favorite images I haven’t edited yet and create a collection of them so that I can be sure to work through them early in the new year! There are always images I don’t get to right away or images that I may have overlooked during the first run through.

As I work on a seascape presentation coming up for me early this year, I went back to some images from earlier in 2021 and discovered a small collection of images I love that I had yet to edit.

The second thing I do is go through my edited images and choose my favorites. Then I make a collection and sometimes create a slideshow. Seeing them together usually adds to my sense of accomplishment and renews my gratitude for all the moments I was lucky enough to spend out in nature.

A collection of some of my favorite horizontal images from 2021!

Or instead, or maybe in addition to annual favorites, maybe gather a collection of images from a particular trip or project that you worked on. For example I could create a collection of my abstract images or backyard images, two of my projects from 2021.

Finally, I choose some of the year’s images to print. Whether I print some large to hang on the wall or smaller to put in a few frames, printing always gives me a newfound appreciation of my work. Seeing some of my images in print is a great way to wrap up the year and give me motivation for the year to come!

Probably my favorite image from 2021 that I’m printing large on metal!

Before you move onto setting goals for 2022, I hope you take the time to reflect on and celebrate all the amazing moments experienced and images captured in 2021!

Embrace and Enjoy the Journey

December 10, 2021

This little blog space has been quiet for some time now. I’ve more or less been silent here for the last year. The silence, though, is not because I haven’t been up to anything or had any thoughts to share. It is probably more because my mind has been overrun by so many thoughts that it has often felt impossible to wade through them, decide what might be worth sharing, and do so in a thoughtful and clear manner. I’d head out on a walk with the dog or with my camera and find myself in a clear and reflective space and come back home to find my brain once again overwhelmed by the noise, both literal and figurative.

That said, through the noise and haze that has felt disruptive in my mind during these months (almost years now) of the pandemic, I have also found a clarity in my vision for my photography and in the direction I want my teaching to go.

The first year of the pandemic, giving me more time at home and slower days, made me reflective on my photography and took me back to the roots of where I began. I spent more time quietly observing my local environment and I am grateful to photography for opening my eyes to beauty I am certain I would not have noticed before immersing myself in this art.

On a visit to my dad down in Hilton Head, I noticed a poem framed on a table in their hallway, one I remember reading as a child. It applies to life, but it felt very applicable to photography as well.

The Station by Robert J. Hastings

Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village halls.

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true, and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering — waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.

“When we reach the station, that will be it!” We cry.

“When I’m 18.”

“When I buy a new 450SL Mercedes-Benz!”

“When I put the last kid through college.”

“When I have paid off the mortgage!”

“When I get a promotion.”

“When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after!”

Sooner or later we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.

“Relish the moment” is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.”

It had been awhile since I had last read that poem, but it is such a good reminder to find joy in all the small things in our everyday. And reading it during the pandemic, when so many of our big moments were cancelled - graduations, weddings, travel, birthday celebrations - felt like serendipitous timing.

It occurred to me at the time and has stuck with me since, that this idea translates so well to landscape and nature photography as well. We can get caught up in what we want to learn, capture, accomplish, or to believe we need certain gear for our photography to improve. As landscape photographers we tend to share a wanderlust for travel to beautiful and awe inspiring places. We long for “epic” views and conditions that make our jaws drop to the floor. We have bucket lists of places we long to go, those lists lengthened as we scroll our instagram feeds. I have heard photographers walk away from a stunning view disappointed as they lament the lack of an ‘epic’ sunset even while I was awed by the beauty.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love to travel to jaw dropping places and watch Mother Nature knock me over me with her magic! Those moments when I am jumping up and down and audibly saying “wow” from one minute to the next are incredible. Some of my very favorite images have come from those moments. I would liken those moments in photography to being a “station” as Robert Hastings calls the milestones and big moments in life.

Not to discount those iconic views and epic skies, but there is beauty everywhere if our eyes are open to it. I won’t lie and say I don’t still want to explore all the places on my bucket list. I do! But spending more time at home in 2020 had me pausing to take in the simpler beauty of my local surroundings. Embracing those moments has taught me to see more creatively and increased my enjoyment of where I live. My eyes are opened up to new details of beauty all the time.

I pick up my camera to capture the things that move me, that make me pause, and that bring me joy. I often still find it easier to photograph when I travel because the busy-ness of day to day life at home can make it hard. But even if I don’t click the shutter, I see beautiful ‘frames’ of nature in my mind everyday, and I pause a few moments to enjoy them. And that’s a wonderful journey to be on.

Wherever you are in your photography, and wherever you live in this world, I hope you find joy in the beauty around you everyday, and find the time to capture some of it with your camera!

Chasing Magic Coffee Table Book

March 23, 2021

The last year has been a time when our world explorations were cancelled and ‘social distancing’ ruled our physical interactions and connections with others. Disappointing in so many ways, and yet sometimes great things come out of adversity.

It all began with an idea…

Two years ago, Amy Miller, a friend and alum of my workshop, The World Around You, came to me with an idea. She is not only a talented photographer but also a graphic designer with a growing interest in designing books. Amy was dreaming of a coffee table book that would celebrate the work of the female landscape and nature photographer. She envisioned us collaborating and launching the idea into our community of female nature photographers.

It felt like we must have been on the same wavelength because when she approached me, I had been lost in thought about ways to continue to nurture the photography and connection among the women in my community. I was looking for a way that we could celebrate each other’s art, share our knowledge and experiences, and foster connection. There is joy in the solo experience of photography but so much beauty in finding ways to collaborate and share with likeminded artists. Ideas of a collaborative website, blog, magazine, etc. were running through my head on a daily basis, but I hadn’t quite landed on anything yet.

Amy and I had a couple brainstorming sessions about the book and came up with some preliminary ideas and set the idea on the back burner to let our ideas ‘marinate’, if you will, and checked in with each other occasionally.

In the meantime, a friend introduced to me to a platform called ‘Mighty Networks’ and my vision of an online space for a female nature community was created in February 2020 with Women Capture Magic. The vision for this space was to be a place where female nature photographers could come together to share, learn, inspire and connect.

After the pandemic began in March 2020, the world felt heavy, exploration was no longer, and there was a yearning for social connection. Once again, Amy and I were on the same wavelength. Not even a week after I was thinking to myself that this would be a perfect time to launch the book project, I got a message from Amy saying we should revisit our brainstorming and move forward. This time, we finished our session with a very solid vision and we were on our way. The next step involved asking our talented friend, Megan Arndt, to join in the project. Megan was the perfect person to come into this idea in the formative stages, as we collectively narrowed and polished the vision for the themes of the book and how we wanted to approach collecting images, creating the book itself and eventually announcing it. It felt like the perfect time to bring together female artists from all over the world in a collaborative project that celebrates the way we see the world!

Women Capture Magic was the perfect place in which to launch the book. The community is filled with talented and inspiring female photographers who respectfully and kindly support and encourage one another. We could not have been more thrilled by the enthusiastic response from the community and blown away by the amazing images submitted for consideration.

The Chasing Magic coffee table book is collaboration of 136 female photographers with images falling into 10 themes: Vast, In Motion, Intimate, Signs of the Season, Let’s Adventure, Dramatic, Into the Woods, Wild, Seeking Serenity, and After Dark. Each chapter is introduced with the words of one of the artists included in that theme. Each image is showcased on its own page and a selection of images within each theme share a “Behind the Shot” story of the image.

8 x 10 Hardcover book. 180 pages containing the art of 136 photographers around the world!

Amy and Megan were a dream to work with and we learned a tremendous amount about the process of putting a project like this together. The layout was beautifully designed by Amy and the final book exceeds all our expectations!

I am so happy to share a few images of the book and its contents but have to tell you my product imagery does NOT do it justice!

The book is available for sale in the Blurb Bookstore and a quick search of ‘Chasing Magic’ will bring up all 3 available versions of the book: our feature Hardcover Coffee Table book, a Softcover book and a luxury version printed on Pearl Paper.

Chasing Magic Hardcover features an Imagewrap cover with a durable matte finish and premium 100# lustre paper inside. See more of the Classic Hardcover Version Here.

Chasing Magic Softcover features a flexible, glossy cover and premium 100# lustre paper on the inside.

Find the Softcover Version Here

Chasing Magic Luxury features an Imagewrap cover with a durable matte finish and high-end 140# pearl photo paper inside. View the Luxury Version Here.

Special Note: Blurb frequently offers coupon codes for discounts in their bookstore.You can sign up on Blurb so you don’t miss these announcements if you are interested in saving on your purchase. Who doesn’t love a good promo code?!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring and teaches an online landscape photography workshop, The World Around You.

The next run of The World Around You begins April 19th and is open for registration!

8 Tips for Capturing Fall Colors

October 3, 2020

Autumn is here and it is a glorious season! I wanted to share some tips for capturing all things fall. With its crisp air and golden foliage, autumn is the perfect time to get out on the trails or take a drive through nature with your camera. The light and colors of fall offer so many opportunities regardless of weather. Here are some technical and creative tips to consider while you capture the season.

1) Emphasize Color - Obviously the first thing that comes to mind when we think of autumn is color. The autumn colors of yellow, orange and gold shine in sunlight and contrast so beautifully with a vibrant blue sky. When photographing the color, it can be effective to isolate the golden color and fill the frame with the beautiful fall colors. Or mix the golden colors with blue of skies or water to create stunning depth and striking contrast.

The warmth of the orange trees contrast with the cool tones of the mountains and blue sky in Grand Teton National Park.

The mix of yellow, orange and red drew my eye right into this scene.

2) Get out in Golden Hour - The golden hour light adds a beautiful warmth to all scenes but the way it makes autumn colors glow is just magical. Get out early for sunrise or at the end of day for sunset. A benefit is that during this season, the sunrise is getting later in the morning and sunset earlier in the evenings.

The setting sun lights the tips of the Tetons and illuminates the fall foliage in the foreground.

3) Grab a Telephoto Lens - A telephoto lens is a perfect choice for capturing details and intimate landscapes. Longer focal lengths can bring you closer to far away scenes or they can isolate details that get lost in the grander scene. A macro lens is also great for capturing details of closer subjects.

Captured from the parking lot at Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park, a 260mm focal length with my Sigma 150-600 allowed me to isolate this beautiful hillside of fall color.

4) Consider Abstract - Consider using a slow shutter speed and intentional camera movement to create abstract images of the fall trees and foliage. Experiment with various focal lengths and with faster and slower movement for different looks. Use a vertical movement with trees. Try zoom blur for an intriguing look. For zoom blur, try a 1 second shutter speed starting at one focal length and twist through the focal lengths while the shutter is open.

Intentional Camera Movement in a grove of Aspens in Wyoming. A 1 second shutter speed with very slow movement created this painterly effect while maintaining some detail of the scene.

5) Bring A Polarizing Filter - I always keep a polarizing filter in my bag and I love it in the fall. A polarizer will cut glare and enhance the vibrance of the fall colors and blue sky. Be careful with wide angle lenses as the polarizing effect is inconsistent across the frame with wide angles.

6) Embrace a Mix of Seasons - The full glow of autumn is stunning but the clash of the seasons can also create wonderfully compelling images. Whether this is a golden tree glowing amongst a sea of green or an early snow that provides a mix of autumn and winter, embrace the atmosphere.

Immediately following peak fall color one year, a stunning snowfall clung to the trees. I used a 200mm focal length to isolate the details and clashing of winter and fall.

A single tree glows with gold amongst the green

7) Look for Reflections - Reflections are a favorite of mine to look for in all seasons, but especially in the fall. Colorful foliage reflecting in the water of lakes and ponds adds additional color and pop to any autumn scene. Look for reflections on days with minimal wind. Early mornings or late evening are the best time to find calm waters.

Fall colors reflect in the Snake River at Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park Sept 2020.

8) All Weather brings unique opportunities! Sunny days offer beautiful blue skies to contrast with the golden color. The sun brings out the glow of autumn colors. Consider closing down your aperture to create a sunburst through the trees or in the sky.

The sun shines through the East Woods at Morton Arboretum on a perfect autumn day.

Stormy weather creates incredible atmosphere and dark storm clouds create a beautiful contrast with the warmth of red, yellow and orange fall foliage.

The stormy clouds create a dramatic atmosphere behind the Tetons as they contrast with the warmth of the golden trees and grasses in the foreground.

Overcast weather may hinder grand landscape opportunities but is an excellent opportunity to seek out waterfalls, rivers or streams for long exposure photography. The lack of bright sun eliminates dappled highlights and the soft lighting allows you to push vibrance of the fall colors in post processing. I always have a polarizer and a 6 stop ND filter with me when I shoot waterfalls and rushing water. I shared about one of my favorite tools, the X4 CPL by Breakthrough Photography, in this blog post.

A slow shutter speed captured the soft flow of the waterfall and a polarizer cuts the glare on the foreground leaves.

Hope these tips help you take advantage of the beauty of autumn. It is a wonderful time of year to get out and photograph all the days have to offer!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape and fine art photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring and teaches an online landscape photography workshop, The World Around You.

Notes from Quarantine

May 28, 2020

I have been absent from this space over the last few weeks. It felt as if the content I had planned for these past weeks just didn’t feel right under the circumstance and perhaps that isn’t the case, but things just feel so different right now. And as I set aside those topics, my landscape photography workshop, ‘The World Around You’ began and all my time was pulled into class and keeping my home running during this crazy time.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my photography, and photography in general over the course of this Shelter at Home. Reflecting on its importance in my life and in the world overall. And mostly with regards to nature photography in particular as it doesn’t document the pandemic in the same way as people photography. In that way it feels less important and yet as we see the way the world has changed with empty streets, empty stores, and people spaced out with masks, the nature is a steady presence and in my mind, feels almost more beautiful than ever before.

On a walk the other day I found myself reflecting on the ways my photography has changed and not changed, during the last two months. If you look at my Instagram these days, you’ll find more small wildlife and intimate nature scenes sprinkled among the landscapes that have historically dominated my feed. And certainly this is a change. I do have some birds and macro in my (huge) Lightroom catalog that I scroll past as I go digging for landscapes to edit or grab an image as an example for my blog or in teaching. Many are even given 3 stars in my system to designate images worth editing but rarely have they been edited and shared. They get passed over for the landscapes and nightscapes that I love and spend time teaching to others. In my time at home, which is the majority of my days, I spend time editing the collection of images that I have captured during my travels and retreats. In fact, I will much more often spend time editing those images than exploring my local landscape.

In the past, I would often find myself noticing moments in nature outside my window or on a walk and framing them in my mind. Less often would I actually grab the camera and capture what I was seeing. And some of it was because the beauty felt ‘inferior’ to the grander beauty I had already sitting unedited on my external hard drives. Certainly there is truth to that and the response to my local images on social media is much less than my travels. But that is ok as I do not create images for the response of others. But today, and in the last several months, I AM picking up the camera and capturing what my eye is drawn to.

A truth I realized is that whether the simpler beauty that I see in my everyday surroundings is less impressive than the views of my dream travels or not, observing and capturing that beauty brings me joy and gratitude for our natural world. So often I find I am wishing myself out of the flat Midwest instead of appreciating what is right in front of me. And while I will be so grateful to explore the world again and turn my camera to the mountains and ocean, I hope to continue to finding joy in capturing what is out my front door.

My approach to my photography certainly has not changed. Whether I am out in the mountains or walking along the pond beyond my yard, camera in hand, it is the experience of being in nature that brings me the greatest reward. The creative process and the quiet moments center and calm me. It slows me down and brings me gratitude. The resulting images are a wonderful bonus.

And wherever I am, I go out and observe without expectations. Open mind and open heart to be moved by both the simple and extraordinary moments that Mother Nature offers me.

My “Beauty in My Backyard” project is still going strong with my Sigma 150-600. You can read about the evolution of this project on Sigma’s blog here. I have expanded the project to include some macro with my Nikon 105mm macro lens and my Velvet 56. And as we ease the restrictions, I’m getting out to some local spots around me.

I’d love to hear about how this pandemic has influenced your images or how you think about your photography. Comment below or send me a message. Connecting with others in this passion is my second favorite thing about photography. Second only to the enjoyment of the creative process.

Looking forward to getting back to some sense of normalcy and adding more tips & inspiration in this space in the coming weeks! Stay well!