Greetings from IL

I'm a landscape photographer based in southern Illinois, mainly specializing in photos of the Shawnee National Forest.

I know IL is technically part of the Midwest forum, but I am inclined to post here because, with its cypress swamps, waterfalls, rock formations, and hills, southern Illinois has more in common with Missouri and Arkansas than the "Midwestern" states. Also, my goal is to expand into Missouri this year, as I'm only three hours or so from the Elephant Rocks/Taum Sauk area.

I've been lurking here for a while. There's some great work here. It's nice to see photos of this part of the country rather than just the west all the time!

Here's a recent shot from the biggest snow we've had this year. This formation is eponymously called "Stone Face." I posted another shot from the same hike on the MWNP forum.

Hi Taylor,

Thanks for posting an image of Old Stone Face! I am glad to see the old Indian chief is still keeping his composure. I inventoried that sandstone escarpment and the surrounding old growth xeric upland forest back in the late 70s. That profile and the camel figure at Garden of the Gods are certainly two of the most outstanding iconic features for Southern Illinois.

Nice work!

Best,
Don

Welcome to the forum, Taylor. You've got some great stuff in your online galleries. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

Thanks Don. I was thinking of buying your Illinois Wildflowers book just a couple weeks ago. Does it include what time of year certain flowers bloom? There are several shots I have in mind - a field of purple coneflowers, whatever the yellow wildflower that blooms in the Cache Wetlands is - but I don't know what time of year to look for them.

John,

Ditto. Your galleries are of the quality that I am striving toward. I was particularly impressed with your firefly photo. That was an idea I had a couple years ago. I tried (and failed) several times. Of course, I don't think it helped that I was using a D70, not exactly known for its low light capability, and kit lens.

Hi Taylor,

Yes, I have blooming dates in my book. If a certain flower has a blooming range of say from April to May, I'd begin to look for it a couple of weeks into April and that will probably be the peak of bloom for that wildflower.

I am not sure which yellow wildflower you refer to that blooms in mass in the Cache River bottoms but it may be a buttercup. I inventoried that outstanding wetland complex when it was still in private ownership. You may want to check with DNRs Cache River State Natural Area visitor center:
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R5/CACHERVR.HTM

Staff could give you an idea of what's in bloom at certain times.

For your Missouri landscape shooting, you may want to pick up a copy of Missouri's Natural Wonders Guidebook. I hear it can be useful.

Best,
Don

Don,

Way ahead of ya. I have your Natural Wonders book on the desk next to me - great resource. One of the most promising places I found in your book is the Castor River with its pink granite shut-ins. Flowing water is one of my favorite things to photograph. I'll probably start hitting the Missouri locales once it starts getting dry over here, which is often by the end of May, unfortunately.

I also have the much older "Geologic Wonders and Curiosities" book from the MO DNR, which has a ton of interesting places, many I couldn't even find on google. Unfortunately the few photos it has are black and white so I mainly have to go off the descriptions.

Yes, Castor River Shut-in Natural Area is a great place and the salmon-colored granite is one of a kind. I did the acquisition work on that area for the Missouri Dept. of Conservation. Got 1,000 acres secured but not the 160 acres that held the shut-in. I contacted the absentee owners in St. Louis, a mother and three daughters. They weren't interested in selling. A year later, one of the daughters called me and said they were ready to sell. The mom and three daughters went to visit their shut-ins and found nude bathers in the pools! Mom was so upset that she decided it was time to sell. Walla! I spent a lot of temporary labor money that summer paying staff to be in position and stage an event in case they showed-up. It was worth it. Just kidding about that last part of course.

In the book, I write about the old growth forest along the path to the shut-in, well, it is no more. Last May 8th Derecho flattened the huge trees. It will take a couple of generations for it to grow back to a decent stand. Oh well...

I am sure you have seen the effects of this same straightline wind in Southern Illinois.

Best,
Don

Welcome, Taylor, nice shot here. I also checked out your gallery and you have some very nice photos.

Welcome to the forum, Taylor. Great black and white conversion you've posted, and some really nice work in your gallery as well. I look forward to seeing more in the future.