Behind the Lens with Lori Dunn
Everyone needs an outlet, a way to relax and refresh from the stressful world around us.
This is precisely what photography does for me. When I pick up my camera and walk outside, I feel renewed. All the other thoughts and stresses of my day just melt away. Instead, I focus on my surroundings and tune into nature.
My husband, Jim, and I live on a ridge top in the middle of the woods of Juniata County in Pennsylvania. We love wildlife and feeding birds. We never know what kind of animals will roam into our rural backyard. We've seen everything from deer and turkey to black bears.
We also love to garden, both vegetables and flowers. Between that and all the wildlife in our area, I have plenty of photo opportunities, of which I take full advantage.
The scenery of nature is amazing if you stop and look. I see birds and butterflies, insects flitting all around, and beautiful flowers blooming by the trees. Sure, these are things that are around every day, but through my lens, I see them from a different perspective.
When I have my camera, I try to imagine what these things would look like to a very small child. Or, I sometimes think about how a squirrel or chipmunk might look at them as they scurry by. What does nature look like from their angle?
When you get up close to the flowers you admire from a distance, you start to see details that you might have otherwise missed. For instance, you might see a cool-looking spider or a hidden bird nest with babies in it.
You never know what you might find. These are scenes I most love to capture with my camera. Sometimes this requires a certain amount of stealth, but it is a fun challenge for me. When I am able to get a shot of something that most people don't take the time to see, or even think to look for, I get to share that special moment in time with everyone else.
Spending time in nature is very refreshing for me. I hope it has the same effect on people who see my photos.
After all, everyone should hit the refresh button once in a while!
