Transitioning to a Landscape, Nature and Wildlife Focus

This is my inaugural blog!  My intent is to create a new blog between once per week and once per month.  We’ll see what time allows.  The topics will range from travel narratives, image creation, photography equipment reviews, photographic tips and techniques and post processing.

2019 was a transition year for my photography and art.  My photographic focus is now on landscape, nature and wildlife fine art images and prints.  I am also very active in six photographic associations.

  • The Columbia Camera Club

  • The Professional Photographers of South Carolina (PPSC)

  • The Professional Photographers of America (PPA)

  • The American Society of Photographers (ASP)

  • The Carolina Nature Photographers (CNPA)

  • The North American Nature Photographers Association (NANPA)

I began traveling to interesting and exotic photographic locations in the US and around the world in late 2018. That accelerated in 2019 and will continue in 2020.  My destinations have included the Falklands, South Georgia Island, Antarctica, Kenya, Tanzania, Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Great Smoky Mountains NP.  January and February 2020 will start fast with several trips.

With all these changes, I needed a new website where I could display my fine art images and sell fine art prints.  After a brief search in mid-2019, I selected SquareSpace and one of its templates.  I thought this would be fast and easy, but I found one little issue after another.  A friend, Matt Brodie, and SquareSpace Help have navigated me through this process, and I am now happy with the results.

The real challenges await! First, can I withstand the physical rigors of more exotic adventures?  I think I have another decade in me before I slow down.  Second, can I really sell fine art prints to fund even more exotic adventures?  Nobody thinks this is easy.  Third, does anybody but me care?  Lastly, Is this a micro business or just a fabulous retirement avocation.  Life is really good now!

I also have created a new email, john@johnherrel.com to go with the new website www.johnherrel.com.  The previous emails will continue to work for at least another year.