Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a photographer. Here I am “shooting my sister” using the case from my mother’s camera:
When the price of digital cameras came down, I indulged in a Kodak Easyshare… I took a lot of nice photos with that simple and inexpensive camera. Here’s one of my favorites:
When I turned fifty, I indulged my desire to get a digital SLR – the Canon Rebel XT. I’m not sure which is my favorite photo with the Rebel. Maybe I haven’t taken that shot yet (ha ha). But here is the most viewed shot from my Flickr site:
I now own a Canon Rebel T2i, a Sony DSC-RX100, and wow the photos from my Samsung phone are pretty amazing. I edit my photos using Photoshop Elements on my PC and Snapseed on my tablet.
I love winter, which is why my friend Wanda gave me the name WinterWoman. I write this blog because taking pictures and writing about them helps me remember the things I am learning on this journey through nature. If you enjoy it and maybe learn something here, well, that’s a bonus, isn’t it?
Thanks for stopping by.
This is great… a new adventure has begun
I am very impressed with your blog…. I think it’s great for a person to enjoy their work. I would be honored if you would select one of my shots on flickr for your blog. I’ll be checking in from time to time.
I checked out the dragonfly in flight! Looks good on your blog!
Great site Jen! I was not aware of your impressive photography skills. I’ll be back to your site often.
Hi Jen,
I love your photos & your appreciation of nature. I’ve written 14 guidebooks to outdoors recreation in Central & Western NY, trying to get people face to face with their natural surroundings. Have you tried photographing the vegetation near waterfalls? It can be beautiful. “200 Waterfalls in Central & Western NY” would give you lots of options. Check it out (& all my other guides) at http://www.footprintpress.com.
Sue
What beautiful pictures —- I happened on your site by chance and also visted another site on your blog roll “Nature Woman” and happened to check out January 2007 -she has posted a picture of the “As You Like it Inn” –the great great Aunt Abbie she speaks of is my mothers grandmother. My mother is approaching 85, but is very interested in hearing from Pam – if you know her e-mail address we would be interested in trying to establish a connection. Thank you
I love your site and we share a similar passion for nature and photography. I couldn’t find anywhere on you blog a method of contacting you by e-mail and wondered if you would like to swap links with me? I have already, if you don’t mind added your wonderful site to my blogroll at http://www.lesley-smitheringale-fine-art.com but if you object I will most certainly remove it.. Let me know what you think. Kind regards, Lesley
I am from Central NY. My aunt lives in W. NY. Near Jamestown. I love nature, photography, writing and blogging. I am enjoying your blog. Mine is at http://www.everyday-reflections.com.
I live in upstate New York (Albany area) and enjoy gardening and nature. I like to read some bogs when I’m online and I stumbled on to yours a few months ago. Now I find myself stopping back once or twice a week to visit. I enjoy reading your stories and viewing your pictures. P.S. I like the new format.
Hi Jen,
I just wanted to let you know I love your website/blog. I look at it everyday and the pictures are wonderful, as are your descriptions and stories. It really brightens my day, spent indoors unfortunately, and I want to thank you for the glimpes of the beautiful outdoor world that you give us.
Ellen
Dear Jennifer,
Thank you so much for posting this blog! We are working hard here at Dunvegan Nursery to help with the endangered status of our favorite foamflowers! This is something people can help with too, as the lovely Tiarellas can be obtained and planted by anyone who wants to! How refreshing to see this on the web, and your lovely photos as well!
Best wishes,
Sinclair Adam
Ashley and I taook a walk earlier this week, we “bunnied” all the way around the yellow trail, it was earlyevening and we were rewarded by seeing the BIGGEST turtle I have ever seen in my life (I’m not kidding) just hanging out and looking wise and ancient on the trail… we also saw a good many baby rabbits who apparently didn’t know enough to be afraid of visitors and let us walk right up to them, of course we saw frogs and three herons too… just wanted to let you know we get out of the house every now and then!!!
Hi
When I click on your pix on the Chautauqua Parks blog, I am told that the pix, on Flickr, are private. Is that by design? Hope not.
Thank you for a lot of good and pleasing work!
I liked your blog so much that from now I will be a regular reader of your blog Jennifer.
Jennifer,
Your photography belongs in books. I am one of those herp nerds that you speak of. My obsession with nature starts and ends with snakes, but all of your pics were worth a long look. My non-herping wife recently convinced me to start a snake blog. I invite you to check it out http://snakeadventures.blogspot.com and if you like it, can we exchange links? Will you let me know what you think? (pardon my photos as I’m a beginner).
Thanks,
Robby in Highland, Utah
I wish I could say that I’ve always wanted to be a phoyographer,but that isn’t so.
The bug bit me about 3 years ago just before I became a Grandma.I now have a Rebel xTi and enjoy it .
what beautiful photography ! I am enjoying your blog, like you, I have a passion for nature and for taking pictures ..
I have 2 blogs, one for my beekeeping passion and the other is for anything I like really, mainly family .. Pop in if you like.
Jennifer, I couldn’t find a contact link on either of your sites but I would like to invite you to this site at http://international-nature-niche.ning.com/ which is exclusively for wildlife artists and photographers.
Kind Regards
Lesley Smitheringale
Fascinating site…I am enthralled with the photography and your observations. Just happened to stumble on the site and will be back often to read your updates.
Thanks from Kansas!
Laura Neville
Hello, I’m curious how you got hold of the birds… usually I just look at them. Nice outdoors shots.
Jennifer- this is great! How have we lived our lives without ever crossing paths before?
I don’t know why I didn’t do it before, but today I finally got around to checking out the whole pictoral essay on your three-day hike. It made me want to go – although I don’t know if the old knees would hold out long enough.
I love you very much. How did someone like me end up with such an incredible woman?
Your blog is phenomenal. I ended up here looking for a picture of Dame’s Rocket in winter and ended up on your mustard plant page. I will be reading regularly and checking out your photos. I am a high school environmental science teacher near New York City trying to get my students (and my own children) into the woods as much as possible.
Hi Jennifer,
I’m so glad to see you’re happy and well. Your photos are wonderful!!! Thanksgiving made me think of the things I have to be grateful for, and I’m very grateful to you for our friendship and your being my mentor all those years ago. You helped me break out of a life going nowhere to one where I am happy and successful. Thank you!! I will always treasure you.
Emily
Jennifer – Hi !! I found your site while looking for information and photos of Allegany State Park. I love your pictures. Thank you for sharing them.
My gosh, Jennifer! How can you say “I’ve always wanted to be a photographer?!” Your eye is… FANTASTIC!!!
Hi Jennifer,
I’ve never contacted anyone like this, I’m a bit of a recluse… but I am writing a novel and needed to see a photo of an ironwood tree to refresh my memory and your photo came up when I googled it. I love your blog. I’m also a photog although I haven’t been able to afford a digital camera. I enjoy your blog very much and will come back often. Thanks so much!
Hi Jennifer,
I enjoy reading your blog. I used to be a environmental educator, girl scout, and work at Nature Conservancy/Chesapeake Bay Foundation/Stokes State Forest. Now I make art, maybe you would like it.
keep up the great writing and photography,
greta james
Hello! It was great to watch the Spotted Salamander migration and vernal pool breeding you did at night! Ambystoma maculatum are fascinating creatures to study and follow. I also teach middle school and love to introduce the fascination of nature to students.. We are in the process of building a Nature Trail and habbitat for creatures of the woods directly behind the school. Students learn to appreciate and protect our woodlands and habbitats when they experience the joy and fascination and DISCOVERY of Natures”: treasures themselves. Thank you for having a media and educational blog for students to experience the wonders and Joys of Nature!
Hi Jennifer – What beautiful photos! I was curious about using one of your photos from your flickr site for an upcoming American Rivers publication. The photo I am interested in is the stonefly from this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39609323@N00/528589201
Thanks much!!
Hi Jennifer, It seems like I should know you. I have believe I am more of an advocate than a naturalist, but now use writing to make parks – quality parks. I found you on the web by your post on skunk cabbage!
Hi Jennifer:
Great wildflower photo op warning!!!: Go to Rattlesnake Hill WMA see the native orchids that are in full bloom right now. They just started up last weekend and should be peak by now. They are in the north-western part of the WMA.
Hi.,. I think you are having a lot of affection to nature. I’v too. you know how fast extinction of species is taking place. I’ll be very happy if you help to save them. The most extinct species are of insects. If you take photos of insects which you feel strange or odd or very rare species, so that we would see that no one knows when it become extinct, I’ll be very pleased. These are one of my favourite creature after dinosaurs. Thank you.
Nice Blog do you have any recipe for Jams and Jelly when i make Jams or Jelly it ends up too thin what i’m i doing wrong??
I also take photos is there away to post them??
Hi Robert – answered the jelly/jam questions by email… Regarding photos, I really like Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/help/faq/
I love your photos and like to visit your blog often. I believe we both have the same love of mother nature and her creatures. There is just so much to see and learn. Keeping spreading the word.
i am thrilled that i have found your blogs! they are beautifully photographed, well written, and very informative. thank you!
Hey Jennifer,
Glad to find your wonderful blog site while looking for False Solomon’s Seal berry recipes! I am a forager and teach a Friendly Foraging class in the early summer for our local Arts and Culture Dept. in Marquette, Michigan. Your photo next to the partrideberry (similar looking in photo, I think on your home page) is Wintergreen. One of my favorites around here. I use the leaves to make an oil that can be used for arthritic joints, and have made a wintergreen berry jam from a Euell Gibbons recipe that is fantastic!
Your Race for the Sun book looks incredible. Is it about the ephemerals, I can’t quite read the whole title? My absolute favorite time for being in the woods, those plants and flowers are amazing and tooooooo short lived. Thanks, eh!
Sue Belanger
Jennifer-
I would like to send you a video clip of a pond in my community to get your impression if it is petroleum film on the water source. It almost instantly binds back together. We have an out of business plant that we believe has contaminated our groundwater and springs and surface waters. If you could email me a response so I can send a short clip I would be grateful.
Thanks-
Tate MacQueen
ps. I enjoyed your photographs. I have a BFA in photography from Georgia and an MFA in photography from the University of Delaware. My professor was Minor White’s apprentice…..
I bring up your blog every other day and always read what you write. Insightful. I am never disappointed. I like winter, too.
Jennifer, your pictures are very nice. You have a good eye. Spring is coming. I live in southwestern Ontario. The recent warm weather has finally gotten rid of the snow around our neck of the woods. I keep a blog, too, although mine is more of a diary. I always detail my (a bit boring to read for most) day to day activities. But I also comment on the birds I see and my often treks and drives into the surrounding countryside. If you are curious, I blog on wordpress under “Southfield Drives’s Blog”. Please continue doing what you are doing. Now that I’m retired (early) I have more time to spend reading and wandering out and about. Thanks.
Dave
Jennifer,
glad i ran across your blog – great work!
are you leading any hikes?
Andy Dufresne
Thanks! Great seeing you today! As far as leading hikes… maybe!
Hi Jennifer,
My name is Doug Watts and I live in Maine. I took the liberty of using a photo you took of a click beetle on its back in 2008 for an essay I wrote in April 2010 about click beetles for the Scientia Pro Publica essay series sponsored by the journal Nature:
http://tispaquin.blogspot.com/2010/04/click-beetles-are-now-up-and-about.html
http://blogs.nature.com/grrlscientist/2010/05/scientia_pro_publica_29.html
The photo is credited to you and is linked to your site. Your photo greatly helped the story.
I hope that this is all right with you.
Thanks.
Doug Watts
Augusta, Maine
That is fine, Doug. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll check out your link later today!
Glad I found you. This is a truly lovely blog. I admire your photography very much, inspirational.
can i subscribe to get emails from u?
do u do that?
found and love your site…..just found my 1st trout lily and trilliums this past week….i am HOOKED!
Hey Jennifer,
I just heard about your “Art in the Wild” project. sounds great!!
Hey, Rusty! Great to hear from you. HOW did you hear about Art in the Wild??
Just visiting Chautauqua county this weekend, origin: Cattaraugus, love the blog! Looking forward to taking my wife out snowshoeing on the Fred Cusimano Trail. Looking at your events on Saturday, wish I didn’t have to work! Maybe I’ll send the better half to soak it in, winter insects, that sounds cool!
Also, just clicked through the book on winter fungi, also very cool! Huge amateur mycologist here, last year was my second fall season, about 8 summers, a tiny bit of spring hunting, and am still on the fence about winter polypores, lichens, and molds. Lol!
Hi Jennifer! Beautiful photos! I have now subscribed to your blog. Thanks for visiting mine! Always happy to meet another educator. Enjoy the winter!
I love your site. The pictures are fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
Hello,
From where do you buy those bird nets shown in Opening Day At Swat June 6th 2009 within the lower picture?
Thank-you,
Stephen.
Only people who are licensed banders can purchase them. One site they get them is avinet.com
We are planning a family reunion near ANF in PA next year and I did a search for photos of the forest to get an idea of what to expect. One of your photos of a mushroom popped up. I have a fascination for mushrooms. I clicked on your photo and that’s how I found your blog. I have been a follower ever since! I love everything nature and I have learned so much from your website. Your photographs are sensational.
Do you allow spectators while you band birds? I would love to witness it if possible. We will be in the area July 7-14, 2013. A lady bander used to come to our house to band birds, but she has moved away. One year she banded 139 orioles in our yard.
Jennifer, your blog is wonderful! And that Garter Snake photograph is just great! Love it.
: )
Thanks! That Garter Snake picture has been seen by many. It was a lucky shot!
Jennifer, what a richness of information and beautiful photographs in your blog!
Hi. Love your blog. How about writing a guest blog from across the pond? City wildlife in NYC meets that in London? (wildsouthlondon.wordpress.com)