Merry Lea to host spring nature photography workshop April 7

WOLF LAKE, Ind. – What’s the difference between good nature photography and just snapping pictures? “Lighting and composition,” says Dave Miller, program director at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College. “A hundred little things,” says Paul McAfee, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Miller and McAfee, both experienced photographers and dedicated naturalists, will team up to offer a one-day nature photography workshop Saturday, April 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Merry Lea’s Farmstead Barn, south of Wolf Lake, Ind.

This hands-on workshop will include a mix of fieldwork, evaluation of student photos and slide-illustrated lectures. Both digital photographers and film users are welcome. Two instructors and limited enrollment mean that each participant will receive the attention he or she needs to improve.

During fieldwork, participants will have the opportunity to capture the character of a nearby wetland or bring back a close-up of the spring beauties, cutleaf toothwort or other early wildflowers expected to be in bloom on Merry Lea’s 1,150-acre property. Early risers are welcome to come at dawn to take advantage of the diffused lighting or photograph the sunrise.

“I like to have students each take a photograph from the same spot and then compare the results,” says Miller. People still have the choice of where they put their horizon, what lens they use and how they photograph. “All of our photographs are at some level, a reflection of our perceptions. You reveal yourself when you choose something that pleases you,” Miller adds.

McAfee is a former director of Little River Wetlands Project and an avid birder. He enjoys capturing birds in ways that make them the focal point of the picture. Miller, whose doctorate is in entomology, first began snapping photos when a friend got him interested in insect photography. He also enjoys working with reflections and backlighting. In addition to his experience as a photographer, Miller has taught entomology and ornithology and has 20 years of experience with Merry Lea’s flora and fauna.

The cost of this workshop is $40 (student rates available), and the registration deadline is March 30. To register or for more information, call (260) 799-5869 or e-mail jenniferhs@goshen.edu. For directions, see www.goshen.edu/merrylea.

Merry Lea is an 1,150-acre nature preserve owned and operated by Goshen College. It is located in central Noble County, just south of Wolf Lake. Merry Lea’s woodlands, wetlands and prairies provide an ideal setting for the nature photographer. Five miles of hiking trails are open to the public for hiking from dawn to dusk.

Editors: For more information about this release or to arrange an interview, contact Jennifer Schrock by calling (260) 799-5869 or e-mailing jenniferhs@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.