🐛 Ask Me Anything: From Lightroom to Lightning Bugs

Hey Reader,

Summer has arrived in full swing, bringing fireflies, thunderstorms, and the delightful chaos of summer break. Instead of settling into my usual slower rhythm, I’ve been bouncing between photo trips, project deadlines, and kiddo adventures. It’s a little wild, but energizing in its own way.

In June, I snuck away to the Smokies to photograph the fireflies, then zipped up to speak at the Nature Photography Weekend at Grandfather Mountain. It was my first time exploring North Carolina's High Country, and what a welcome: misty peaks, stormy skies, and even a rainbow or two for good measure.

I have a few exciting things to share over the next few weeks, but in this newsletter, you’ll find:

A glimpse into the inspiring people I met at Nature Photography Weekend
A fun opportunity to Ask Me Anything this Thursday—yep, literally anything!

Let’s dive in, and as always, thanks for being here.

Cheers to creative sparks, misty mornings, and a few well-earned naps,

THE OBSERVANT LENS
Reflections to deepen our craft and sharpen our vision

The High Country of North Carolina has been on my photography bucket list for years. I couldn’t have asked for a better first visit than the Nature Photography Weekend hosted by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.

One of the perks of attending the event is access to the mountain for sunrise and sunset. With blooms still peaking, fog rolled across the landscape and clouds danced over the ridges as storms moved in and out. I had an absolute blast meeting and working with attendees.

What truly elevated the weekend, though, was the lineup of speakers. There’s a kind of magic that happens when you gather passionate photographers who are not only talented but also generous with their knowledge. Each presenter brought their own spark to the event. Here are just a few highlights:

Kevin Adams went above and beyond sharing his passion for photographing waterfalls (he literally wrote the book North Carolina Waterfalls). I thoroughly enjoyed his storytelling about his images as he shared his techniques for photographing waterfalls during the day—and even at night.

Vinny Colucci is such a fun and welcoming soul. He shared a multitude of advice about gear and techniques as well as his wisdom from years in the field about wildlife and landscape photography.

Georgia Walters is a creative powerhouse and her passion for both nature and photography is contagious. She electrified the crowd discussing her approach to photographing storms and lightning taking us along the journey from the start of weather forecasting all the way to the final image.

Storm on Tybee Island by Georgia Walters

The always humble and ever wonderful Bill Fortney has dedicated so much of his life to photography. Bill has a long history with Grandfather Mountain. Hearing his stories and and the stories others told in his honor made you feel like part of the family. Even better, he unveiled his advice for the four things that every great image must contain showcasing all of his incredible images throughout the years.

As for me, my presentation was called Level Up Your Landscape Photography, and I spoke about how studying the neuroscience of creativity reshaped my approach to photography. Play isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for creative growth.

In the presentation, I walked through a handful of games I've developed to “level up” your landscape photography. Each one is designed to strengthen composition, sharpen perception, or help you discover your photographic voice.

We start at the Noob Level, that early stage when photography feels fresh and exciting, full of quick wins, before digging into the deeper work of learning the domain and the mindset shifts that come with it. I introduced the Rule of Thirds (of Learning): one-third of the time you’ll feel amazing, one-third content, and one-third completely confused. That last part usually means you're standing at the edge of a breakthrough.

Curious, would you be interested in diving deeper into this topic? I’m considering hosting a live webinar to walk through the psychology behind this playful approach, how the games work, and why they help train your creative brain.

Would you attend a live webinar on this playful approach to landscape photography?

✅ Yes, count me in!

🤔 Maybe—tell me more.

🚫 Not my thing, but thanks anyway!

ASK ME ANYTHING ON NPN THIS THURSDAY!
Answers to your burning questions

Got a question for me? Ask away this Thursday!

I'm excited to be the featured guest in Nature Photographers Network’s Ask Me Anything series. If you're not familiar with NPN, it's one of the most supportive online communities for nature photographers—a place where we can learn from each other and grow together. For 24 hours, I’ll be at my keyboard answering as many of your questions as I can—on photography, creativity, Lightroom, teaching, you name it (within reason, of course).

Click below to add a reminder to your calendar and bring your best questions.
I can't wait to chat with you.

Ask Me Anything this Thursday, July 17th!

NATURALIST'S NOTEBOOK
Scientific insights to deepen your connection to the natural world

Fireflies aren’t just a magical part of summer nights. They’re also indicator species, meaning their presence (or absence) tells us a lot about ecosystem health. Their glow comes from the luciferase gene, a chemical reaction so efficient it’s inspired medical research, environmental science, and, of course, night photography.

Fireflies are found around the world, from Southeast Asia to South America, but North America is home to more than 170 species, many of which are now in decline due to habitat loss, pesticides, and light pollution. Here in the U.S., fireflies are especially common in the Southeast, Midwest, and parts of the Northeast, where warm, humid evenings and native vegetation provide the perfect conditions for their glow.

All of that flashing? It’s part of an intricate courtship ritual. Each species has its own unique flash pattern to attract a mate. Unfortunately, artificial lights (porch bulbs, lawn lighting, headlamps, even camera lights) disrupt their ability to communicate and find each other.

Here are three simple ways to help fireflies thrive right in your own backyard:

Dim the Lights. Their peak flashing only lasts a few short weeks out of the year so it is particularly helpful to turn off your outdoor lights during that time. Close your curtains or blinds so no visible light shines through your windows. Essentially, lights out.
Go Easy on the Pesticides. The chemicals can be detrimental to fireflies and other beneficial insects. This isn’t to say you can’t use pesticides to treat around your house, but just don’t use them unnecessarily.
Let Part of Your Yard Stay Wild. The ideal environment would be near trees or the tree line with native vegetation. Keep it unmaintained where the soil remains undisturbed. Much of the firefly’s life cycle is spent on or under the ground. The female lays eggs amid moist vegetation, such as moss. The eggs hatch into larvae that eat insects, snails, and slugs. They hibernate underground or beneath tree bark, then emerge for just a few short weeks to flash and mate. This is why keeping leaf litter and letting the area remain natively wild provides the ideal environment for fireflies to thrive and survive from year to year.

Want More on Fireflies?

To delve even deeper into the world of fireflies, I recommend Lynn Frierson Faust’s book, ‘Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs which offers an overabundance of knowledge about these captivating creatures.

If you want to learn how to photograph fireflies and lightning bugs read my article Capturing the Magic: How to Photograph Fireflies and Lightning Bugs.

FOCUS POINTS
To utter, repeat, and shape our mindset

“Play is not a break from learning.
It is endless, delightful, deep, engaging, practical learning.”
— Vince Gowmon

TRAIL FINDS
Curated resources, news, and inspiration for your journey

1.) Save the date: The Lightroom Virtual Summit, hosted by Matt Kloskowski and Dave Cross, returns September 15–19, 2025. Then, Photoshop Virtual Summit 7 follows November 3–7, 2025. Both events bring together top instructors to share their latest techniques.

2.) Richard Bernabe interviews Brooks Jensen about the making of LensWork, developing your photographic voice, creative constraints, and his “Seeing in Sixes” approach to storytelling.

3.) 3 Ways to Improve Your Compositions by David duChemin is a quick but thoughtful video about breaking out of safe, static compositions.

4.) See the 2025 Top Aerial Photographs and Photographers of the Year—a stunning collection of drone and flight-based perspectives from around the world.

5.) Michael Frye will host an Advanced Retouching in Lightroom webinar on August 23rd featuring Lightroom’s newest AI-powered tools. Early bird discount available through July 17th.

6.) In his video, This One Setting Will Instantly Improve Your Composition, Adam Gibbs explores how aspect ratios influence composition in landscape photography and offers practical tips for using crops like 4:3, 5:4, and 65:24 as intentional creative tools.

7.) Matt Payne interviews Margot Raggett on his F-Stop Collaborate and Listen podcast about how her Remembering Wildlife series turned grief over poaching into a $1.5 million conservation effort through photography and creative action.

8.) Practicing Photography Self-Care by Jennifer Renwick is a heartfelt reflection on rediscovering creative joy by slowing down, tuning out the noise, and reconnecting with nature—part one of a two-part series.

9.) Spring in Yosemite: Water, Light, and the Long Arc of Home by Charlotte Gibb is a deeply personal reflection on healing, home, and finding solace in photography during a spring season shaped by illness, renewal, and Yosemite’s enduring beauty.

10.) Photographing Twilight: The Blue Hour and Beyond by Sarah Marino beautifully breaks down the phases of twilight light—from the deep blue hour to the glowy land and Belt of Venus—encouraging nature photographers to embrace the full, fleeting progression of pre-dawn and post-sunset light for greater creative possibilities.