Photo Essay: Backyard Wonders

As photographers, sometimes we feel we need to venture far from home in order to capture some of the beauty of our world. We want to share what we see, but feel it cannot be found closeby.

I have discovered, just from relaxing in our own backyard, that there is more to capture than I had orginally thought. It all started when I was reviewing the camera controls and checking the settings of some photographs I had taken the day before.

I heard a loud "cackling" overhead and saw the large bird I had never seen before. I grabebd the camera and slowly started inching towards it trying not to make my presence known to him. A little research later revealed it was a Pileated Woodpecker.

It became apparent that whenever I would go to the backyard, my camera was part of the required gear as I would take this short safari through my newfound wonderland.

The simple task of opening my eyes exposed a multitude of wildlife that I apparently had taken for granted. Butterflies, birds, reptiles, flowers and trees suddenly began to Bless my yard - and my photo collection.

Photography has many meanings to many people. Several defintions have crossed our paths from the mechanical workings of the camera to the personal effects an image can instill upon the viewer.

I like to think of photography as an interpretatation of what we can see with our eyes and the creation of what is not evident at first glance. Consider it an extension of the senses and the ability to place those emotions into a work of art that causes the viewer to reach beyond their thoughts.