Southside Egrets April 11, 2019 Once again south suburban Chicago lakes, ponds and sloughs are the home to migrating Great Egrets. In the springtime they […]
White Trout Lily, a Magical Wildflower for Spring March 19, 2019 A wonderful surprise to wake up to this morning. One of my photographs of white trout lily flowers is in […]
Donkeys, Guardians of the Farm March 7, 2019 The donkey, often misunderstood and underappreciated, is instead an intelligent and independent thinking animal. Their stubborn behavior only arises when […]
It Was Raining Sandhill Cranes December 21, 2018 It was raining sandhill cranes. For a short time in mid-November, flocks and flocks of these magnificent birds flew into […]
A Prospering Colony June 10, 2018 John Muir once said “Most people are on the world, not in it”, on a peaceful May afternoon I was truly in […]
Hidden Gold Mine May 21, 2018 Like a typical gold mine, this one is brimming with the brilliant, shiny golden objects. Though these gems are not […]
Pelican Pond April 25, 2018 For approximately one week in early April, Maple Lake in the Cook County Forest Preserve turned into Pelican Pond. Each […]
Bergman Slough Super Moon December 4, 2017 Coyotes howl in the distance as the frost super moon rises over Bergman Slough. Smoke from a prairie fire lingers […]
Starved Rock Canyon Walls November 25, 2017 Deep inside Illinois Canyon, the glowing St. Peter Sandstone cracked walls surround a burnt-out tree. Once a home to birds, […]
American Bird Conservancy Report November 8, 2017 I am especially thankful when I see one of my photographs on a magazine cover. This photograph of a male […]
Eagle Visions September 26, 2017 By looking through an imaginative lens, the allure of unaesthetic images can be freed to create an alternative vision. The […]
Backwards Tuxedo in a Straw Colored Hat September 1, 2017 The bobolink travels over 12,500 miles from southern South America to spend some time at Springbrook Prairie in DuPage County. […]
Bird on a Wire July 28, 2017 A white dove on a wire dreams of places to go and things to see in the wild blue yonder.
Queen Anne’s Lace July 19, 2017 Whether you consider the Queen Anne’s Lace invasive or an elegant delight, its delicate beauty is a sight to behold. […]
Secrets for Gorgeous Flower Photos March 16, 2017 Woodland flowers seem to bring life back to the world after a long, cold, and sometimes drab winter. Their subtle […]
Springtime Robins March 10, 2017 Recently, I was fortunate enough to be asked by Shutterstock Blog to share some tips for photographing my favorite springtime […]
Attracting Hummingbirds and Orioles March 6, 2017 A ruby throated hummingbird hovers over a solitary bright red monarda blossom in our backyard. We planted bee balm (monarda), […]
Do Dogs Get Colds? March 5, 2017 Abe, our Labrador Retriever, is a wonderful soul. Though he loves all of the seasons, winter seems to be his […]
Migratory Birds Are Worth Protecting March 4, 2017 In our backyard, Baltimore orioles have a choice of oranges and grape jelly. Keeping their feeders full is a small […]
Assembly Required March 1, 2017 As the Rolling Stones song goes “You can’t always get what you want but if you try, sometimes well, you […]
Snow Blanket February 4, 2016 Covered in a blanket of snow, the sugar maple trees and dark spring-fed waters of Black Partridge Woods create a […]
Country Lane Cranes September 30, 2015 Its meadows filled with gone to seed ironweed, goldenrod and aster, Country Lane Woods was recently graced with the elegance […]
August’s Colorful Hues September 14, 2015 Typically the colors begin to fade in the sun-drenched month of August. While this is true for most it is […]
Once Lost Now Found March 8, 2015 Previously overlooked, ignored, forgotten or lost? Regardless the reasons, rediscovery of these odds and ends has been a treat. From […]
Layer Mask Tips February 13, 2015 Layer Mask Tips and Techniques After applying a mask to an image, it is often desirable to see the exact […]
Forgotten Flowers December 24, 2013 Summer’s beauty has gone and now these aging wildflowers go barely noticed. The change of seasons has taken its toll, […]
Autumn Color November 12, 2013 Can’t see the forest for the trees, my feeling as I wandered the forest floor. Lost in autumn’s wonderland, trees […]
Lighting in Layers for a White Background September 11, 2013 A white background is a great way to bring attention to the subject of a photograph. There are several methods […]
Ole Number 11 August 27, 2013 Beams withering, joints rusting and paint peeling, the adventures have come to an end. The once proud craft provided numerous […]
Flows June 6, 2013 Like a sculptor with a chisel, nature used glaciers, wind and water to carve the St. Peter Sandstone into rising […]
Springtime Glen May 27, 2013 Waterfall Glen is one of the most ecologically diverse forest preserves in DuPage County. The preserve includes prairies, savannas, woodlands, […]
Birdyard Migrations May 20, 2013 By mid May, migratory birds are well on a northerly path from their winter to summer habitats with the culmination […]
A Mother’s Day Gift from Mother Nature May 14, 2013 Virginia Bluebells Springtime along the dry riverbeds of the Messenger Woods provides a startling explosion of pastel colors. The blue, […]
Focal Length and Socrates March 3, 2013 Image Impact to Changes of Focal Length Several months ago the forest preserve trails were in full bloom. The green […]
Tranquility of Water April 24, 2012 Water often moves with power and force, yet over time it has a relaxing quality that displays a graceful calmness. […]
Hummingbird Migration – 2012 February 27, 2012 In honor of the first sighting of the hummingbird migration, I felt it was time to update the hummingbird gallery. […]
Morning Meeting December 7, 2011 As I traversed the trails of Maple Lake on a cold December morning, the tips of my fingers began to […]
Hope of Springtime December 1, 2011 As winter sets in with its colder days ahead of us, I thought some images of blooming trees with their […]
Hidden November 6, 2011 On a journey to the grocery store a white object in the Kean Avenue prairie caught my eye. Upon looking […]
Autumn’s Metamorphosis November 3, 2011 Autumn’s metamorphosis takes hold along a Cook County stream. As autumn colors take over the forest preserve, a recent rainfall […]
The Position of Light September 8, 2011 The distance of the light source to the subject has a tremendous impact on illuminating your photograph. The relationship (called […]
The Angle of Light September 6, 2011 One of the continuing themes I will blog about is the variety of techniques to control light using strobes/flashes. These […]
Silhouette September 1, 2011 As you can see Abe is silhouetted against a bright orange orb. Abe, a wonderful model, never drops his guard […]