Fullersburg Woods – October & November
A fantastic day for hiking was enjoyed by the 10 members who participated in this outing. Because fall colors were a little late this year, the outing was extended informally through November.
View images here.
Schulenberg Prairie – September
Eleven photographers enjoyed capturing images of the Schulenberg Prairie on a cool, crisp 56-degree September 25 morning. Karen Johnson, a regular volunteer at Schulenberg shared deep knowledge of the prairie plants and insects while guiding the group along prairie trails. Everyone was provided with a plant guide that included names, photos, and descriptions of many fall prairie plants.
You can read what to expect at Schulenberg and other prairies in the area on Cindy Crosby’s blog Tuesdays in the Tallgrass.
View processed images at Schulenberg Fall Photos.
Birdhaven/Pilcher Park, Joliet – August
There were quite a few hummingbirds in the morning. Migration in September will bring more and maybe not local hummingbirds. The flowers around the area were beautiful but the conservatory A/C broke and quite a few of the plants were destroyed. They are replanting and upgrading scenery such as a new waterfall. The koi are getting larger and the succulents/cacti are available for viewing.
There was more opportunity in the forest and creek. Birders were finding blue and green herons and egrets. It was a bit humid for some members causing them to vacate early. Only six out of twelve members who signed up showed up for the outing.
View images from the Pilcher Park outing.
The Gove in Glenview – July
The Grove outing turned out to be the perfect photo outing with NO RAIN! Only a bit overcast which resulted in very light shadows.
Some members shot images through the building windows to catch a glimpse of the interior, however, the buildings will not reopen until the Fall.
- 13 members signed up
- 9 showed
- 5 enjoyed lunch at Ely’s Pancake house.
Ely’s had an excellent selection of items to choose from with fresh high quality food.
View images from The Grove outing.
Chicago Botanic Garden – June
Twelve members signed up, with eight members and one guest participating. Everyone who came chose to go to their favorite spots on that beautiful Sunny day in the low 70’s!
There were plenty of flowers to choose from, unfortunately some areas were not accessible or closed. The CBG, as others, are fighting the current drought. Some of the flowers and other plantings were showing the results of that problem.
The cafeteria was open on a limited basis (surprise!). They announced that entry to the CBG and buildings will be back to pre-pandemic after June 21.
View Flowers at CBG from the outing.
Spring Flowers – May
Eight members signed up with seven enthusiastic members present for the outing at the Morton Arboretum for spring flowers on May 7, 2021. Blue bells were spotty between the visitor station and P12 however, there were plenty of other flowers and interesting foliage patterns found on the path. White Trillium, Spotted Geranium, Wild Phlox, and Blue Bells, etc. to name a few were available. The lack of rain and colder than normal soil temperatures were the main reasons for this delayed growth. Quite evident was the dry to the bone “Wood Duck” pond on that trail.
View Spring Flowers from the outing.
Make Better Photos, Techniques, Tricks and More – April
Here is a list of excellent tutorials you can read to get started on this month’s challenge:
Nature:
- https://visualwilderness.com/composition-creativity/creative-nature-photography
- https://digital-photography-school.com/5-nature-photography-editing-tips-to-create-stunning-images-in-seconds/
- https://www.outdoorphotographer.com/tips-techniques/nature-landscapes/
Everything else:
- https://www.photoblog.com/learn/20-photography-hacks-will-get-amazing-results/
- https://www.fotographee.com/21-creative-photography-tips-tricks/
- https://digital-photography-school.com/adding-randomness-to-your-photos/
- https://1stwebdesigner.com/eight-photography-effects/
Simple explanation and how to video to get bokeh in your photos:
View Photo Techniques, Tricks & More images from the challenge.
Macro & Still Life – March
Need ideas for Macro shots? Try this link: https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/photography/macro-photography-ideas
For still life:
https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/photography/still-life-photography-ideas-and-tips
https://karltayloreducation.com/creative-still-life-photography/
View Macro & Still Life images from the challenge.
Expanding Your Creativity – February
If you truly want to improve your photography and push yourself, then you need to be using your camera, often! Accepting the challenge of using your camera every day or every other day, will help make photography a commitment and even a habit for you.
The following is a list of challenges for you to explore and share your thoughts of the subject in a photograph with others:
Front Door
Building
Old
Anything Fun
After Dark
Monochromatic
In The Kitchen
Something That Makes You Sad
Frozen
I Feel…
Where You Shop
Up In The Air
Corner Of Your Home
Below
My Favorite View
Example: Take “Building” from the list, it doesn’t have to be an actual building but rather a process, or other objects!
Example: Something boring – arrange mundane objects in a grouping to make an interesting photo
Example: Polka dots – close up shot of holes in a colander!
Example: Dawn – capture a reflection of the sun on a pool of water.
View Expanding Your Creativity images from the challenge.