May 19, 2019
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Photo Workshop 002
Working through the Northern Lake County Arts Board I had the privilege of conducting a nature photography workshop with the Silver Bay fourth graders. This year will be the fifth year.
After two afternoons of classroom time spent learning the cameras provided by the Arts Board and techniques on how to take great photos we went to two state parks to try out their new skills and enjoy the outdoors.
Photo Workshop 006
The next field trip was to Grand Portage State Park where Travis and Anna talked to the kids about the Anishinaabe culture before taking them up to the High Falls. The water was rushing creating an awesome mist bow below the falls.
One of the past Minnesota State Park’s Directors said that the most important accomplishments of park staff is to “Protect Special Places” and “Put Smiles on People’s Faces”. Travis and Anna put a lot of smiles on the kids’ faces that day.
Photo Workshop 007
After photographing the falls Travis took the kids to a new pileated woodpecker nest in the park. Both the male and female were putting the final touches on the nest. As the kids watched a crow came a little too close to the nest and the male attacked. The crow wasn’t about to fight back. All thirty kids got to see something that very few adults ever get to see.
Photo Workshop 008
The male landed on an adjacent dead tree to drum letting the kids get right up to it. Everyone was able to take some photos. One student came up to me and said “this is the best field trip I have ever been on”. This week we will end the class with a program of all the student’s best photos for their parents at the school. I just finished sending them to the printer and am amazed at the talent that each student has shown.
