Three alumni of Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), an employee from World of Photography, and a professional portrait photographer of 15 years were joined by a passionate photo enthusiast and a naturalist with a deep understanding of what it takes to get the shot!

Spoiler: It sometimes takes a lot of patience, a tolerance for the intense summer sun, and slowing your pace enough to really see the world around you.

At Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks nature is your prime subject, because you are surrounded by diversity of fungi, plants, bugs, birds, landscapes, and weather conditions. On the day of this 'Friends Only' photo hike, it was a HOT early August day, which meant sweat-soaked (but happy) photographers. 

We were happy to be together, happy to have cameras in our hands, and happy to be out in the park! #naturelovers #photofriends #letshike

Any equipment will do. What's the best camera? I believe it's the one that is in your hands when the moment is right to freeze time! You're capturing (or creating) an impression of the natural world around you.

We set out on a Sunday afternoon, for a walk through prairie grasses filled with butterflies, bugs, and an occasional 'fly by,' by a native bird. We had to watch our step along the way, keeping our eyes out for pop-up fungi, settled in flood-prone dips and divot, in the prairie dirt. 

Through the camera lens we witnessed a hornet immobilizing an unsuspecting cicada, a Bugs Life-inspired mating ritual, and the explorations of a newborn praying mantis, curious and brave. The camera allowed us to slow down enough to really see!

The walk was just a short distance, but with more cameras than hands to hold them it was slow going. The group stayed together, while the sweat dripped down our backs and into our eyes, because we wanted to see what the others were capturing, wanting to learn from one another. 

And learn we did! It was a CCAD reunion, a naturalist-led excursion, and each photographer was just as ready to share as to learn, in the classroom before the hike and out under the summer sun. Become a Friend of Metro Parks and join us next time!

~ Kathleen O'Dowd

Friends of Metro Parks Board Member

(Check out "Accidental Wanderlust" at https://kathleenodowd.com for more nature photography, travel adventures, and many visits to Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.)