How to make your photos "amazing"

Last fall, I was going through a bout of insomnia that lasted about 2 months. No matter how late I went to bed, I woke up around sunrise. So instead of trying to go back to sleep, I got up and took my camera to Busse Woods in Schaumburg. I grew up in one of Chicago's worst neighborhoods (Humboldt Park), so for me, visiting Busse Woods is like visiting Shangri-La. I feel so relaxed when I go walking, fly a kite, or ride my recumbent bike there.

Thanks to my insomnia, I learned that Busse Woods is even more beautiful at sunrise. For weeks, I took many of the photos on my nature page. An interesting comment on one of the photos was, "I had no idea Busse Woods looked this amazing!" Now I appreciate a compliment as much as the next person, but the credit really should go to the gorgeous light that bathes the world before most of us wake up. I had the same experience at the Burning Man festival in Nevada. I was up at sunrise every morning and found that it was nearly impossible to take a bad photo when you have that early morning light working for you.

I've been taking pictures for over 15 years, but I never considered myself a nature photographer. Despite this, my nature photos are getting rave reviews from many people. In fact, a bride that I recently photographed told me that she chose me because of my nature photos! I guess the early bird really does get the worm.