Midwest Nature Photographers

Welcome!

Welcome to Midwest Nature Photographers (MWNP). We are a regional group of the Nature Photographers Network (NPN), a worldwide internet-based group of nature photographers.

Midwest Nature Photographers welcomes nature photographers from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky (photographers from western Pennsylvania are also welcome to feel at home).

From the lakes of Minnesota to Hocking Hills in Ohio, our interest is in sharing the beauty of a part of the country that is often overlooked. We are blessed with four distinct seasons, abundant wildlife, uncrowded woodlands, lakes and prairies—and the most spectacular fall colors in the country!

Anyone interested in nature photography is welcome to join our discussion and attend events, all of which are free of charge. The forum on this site features members' photos and associated critiques. While anyone may view this material, only registered members may post photos or critiques. NPN members may post an image every 24 hours. Non-NPN members may post an image every 72 hours. MWNP encourages you to join NPN for many other benefits!

Our intent is to offer a variety of services to our members. As you browse this site, be sure to visit our pages for current and past events, member information, useful links, and area photo locations. If you would like to contribute information to any of these pages, please contact your webmaster.

Each season we update the MWNP banner with images reflecting that time of year. Keep an eye on the forum for quarterly calls for images.

Raven

Porkies Falls

Midwest Focus: Brian Vance

Each month we feature the photography of one of our members; we advance to the next member alphabetically.

This month's focus is on Brian Vance from Okemos, Michigan.

My passion for nature photography is a fairly recent development in my life. I was recently driving along pre-dawn roads to shoot migrating songbirds, and I felt like a child waiting for the family to wake up on Christmas morning. It was a wonderful, giddy feeling and I am so grateful to have found something in my adult life that brings me such joy. On top of that, it’s a healthy hobby that keeps me out of doors, out of trouble and in the midst of the spectacular beauty of the natural world.

I’ve enjoyed camping, hiking and canoeing for many years, and always took a decent camera along on trips to national parks and the like, but never took photography seriously until I discovered bird watching and bought my first field guide several years ago. I was finding it difficult to remember what I saw in my binoculars when trying to identify birds in my field guide, and bought an intro level, 75-300mm telephoto lens to help me out.

While I identified more birds, I was frustrated by the poor quality of my images. I wanted to take photos like the ones in bird magazines, and began to learn the science and art of nature photography. Several years and thousands of dollars later, I have broadened my areas of interest to include the full range of nature photography, including landscapes, macro and wildlife beyond birds.

As a photographer I’m drawn to subjects with bright, bold colors. From spring warblers and wildflowers, to autumn leaves and dramatic sunsets, I’m pointing my camera toward dynamic light and vivid colors. I love to record colors with interesting lines and shapes

I’m beginning the process of presenting my work to the public. My first gallery showing will be this December at the East Lansing Public Art Gallery in Michigan, and I recently won the grand prize in the DSLR division of the Hocking Hills Shoot the Hills photo competition in Ohio.

A big thank you to NPN and the MWNP forum for helping me become a better photographer, and special thanks to Toni Lankerd and Chuck Beatty for their efforts in providing this space and allowing the forum members to share their work and stories on the home page.

You can view more of my images here.