When I first started taking nature and landscape pictures, I did not have a full appreciation of Oklahoma’s beautiful landscape. I felt that the best subject matter was in the western United States and that is where I needed to go to succeed as a professional nature photographer. My views changed over time as I explored and found out for myself the photographic opportunities Oklahoma has to offer.
A photographer does not have to travel far at all to capture truly beautiful images; in fact, you can find dynamic images in your own backyard.
I like to utilize my local lake, Meeker Lake to both engage in creative pursuits, but also to capture images I may not be able to get otherwise. When you are close to home, you can get away on a moment’s notice to capture images that reflect rapidly changing weather conditions or unique and vibrant light.
I think of Meeker Lake as my very own Walden Pond, if you will. The lake is as red as Oklahoma dirt, but in the right light, anything is beautiful. The lake is small, only 211 acres, but it has 5 miles of riparian–rich shoreline that is all public. I love the concept of public land – I read a quote somewhere; public land “belongs to nobody, therefore it belongs to everybody. Most Oklahoma lakes have miles and miles of public land that you can explore to your heart’s content – even small local lakes usually have a radius of land around it available for exploration.
I often say one of the best things you can do is to get to know a river. The same is true for your local natural area. Take advantage of public land near you for honing your skills as a photographer. Oftentimes, you can capture awesome photographs of nature at its most glorious at your local lake or park because it is so handy when awesome weather and light are happening.
