As a young person growing up in Central Illinois, I was fortunate to have easy access to nature. My backyard was a floodplain forest, and my front yard an open field. It was a great backdrop for playing and exploring. I also had amazing parents, who ventured cross country on family vacations when that was far easier said than done. More recently, I discovered the amazing possibilities created by digital camera technology. Put it all together, and you have a new life’s passion: exploring, discovering, appreciating, capturing and sharing our beautiful world. In the hope that others will be able to share the feeling I had when these moments in special places with amazing creatures occurred.