I often fancy myself a student of nature, and from time to time I take the time to photograph it, often in manic, repetitive fashion. I also revel in the sometimes jarring and breath-taking moments of nature near the urban. Some favorite places are the North Park Nature Center at Pulaski and Foster in Chicago, Herrick Lake on Butterfield Road in Wheaton, Winfield Mounds on Winfield Road in Winfield, and any lick of nature I can get as cars whiz by.
In the last few years, in the course of my travels for work &etc, I've continued this avocation. So I decided to collect my favorite nature photos together. Here's the complete set on Flickr and here it is as a coffee table book on Qoop. Here are some of my faves w/ notes:
I live in Chicago, where Jens Jensen used to be a superintendent of the park district. One of the greatest deciders of how we should approach nature used to be a city official designing ways we can encounter nature. I am so lucky. This is Humboldt Park, which he made.
I've documented the devastating affects of storms over the last few years. This is in Indian Boundary Park in Chicago.
This is a trail near the airport in Pittsburgh. Just a few steps from the road and you're different.
If you go back to a place often enough, Ansel Adams shows up. Herrick Lake ftw.
There are quiet battles everywhere. Winfield Mounds for the umpteenth time.
When you have no idea what you're doing, sometimes you can make cool mistakes. Clanging birds overhead, turned fast at Lincoln Marsh in Wheaton.
Sometimes birds are vain. This one sat for me + the kids at Lincoln Marsh.
The process of manicuring fascinates me. This is behind a karate school in Carol Stream, IL.
Even buying Indiana fireworks can be a nature photo op. Krazy Kaplans, of course.
Yum.
Thanks for scrolling!