Hello there Reader,

August has arrived with muddy boots, salamander-filled memory cards, and a calendar bursting at the seams. I’ve been bouncing between naturalist courses in the Smokies, editing marathons, and planning for 2026, all while soaking in these fleeting summer days with my kids.

In this marker, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my recent amphibians and reptiles field course, and the surprising ways night photography builds patience and presence — plus a quick Lightroom tip to help you reclaim valuable drive space.

Wherever this finds you, melting in the heat or chasing those golden hour skies, I hope you’re finding your own rhythm between work, rest, and creative play.

Cheers,

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

Rootless Yet Grounded: The Unexpected Gift of Transience

This summer, I published one of my most meaningful essays to date in Nature Vision Magazine. It’s called Rootless Yet Grounded, and it explores how photography has become my anchor through the constant shifts of life—moving across states, growing a family, evolving a career.

For most of my adult life, I've never lived in one place for long. We pack and unpack. We start over—again and again. But through it all, the act of picking up my camera has been one of the few things that never needed repacking. It always fits. It always brings me back to the present.

Here’s a small peek from the piece:

Even if you don’t get a chance to read the full article, I hope this idea resonates: sometimes the most grounding thing isn’t a place. It’s a practice. Photography, for me, is that practice. It reminds me who I am, no matter where I land.

If you’re a Nature Vision subscriber, you can read the full article linked below. And if not, I still hope this reflection meets you where you are, in whatever season or rhythm you find yourself, as a gentle reminder to keep noticing the beauty right in front of you.

THE LIGHTROOM COMPASS
​Navigating a better processing & photo organizing experience

Feeling low on disk space lately? Lightroom might be hoarding more than you think.

Every time Lightroom Classic backs up your catalog, it creates an entirely new file. While those backups are compressed in a ZIP file, the space they consume adds up over time, especially if you’ve been using Lightroom for years or let it back up weekly (or even daily).

Lightroom doesn’t delete your catalog backups automatically, so it’s worth checking in now and then to avoid quietly losing that valuable storage space.

I usually keep the most recent few catalog backups, plus one from before any major Lightroom update, and delete the rest. This quick bit of digital housekeeping can free up surprising amounts of space, especially if you’re working on a laptop with limited internal storage.

Thankfully, Adobe quietly rolled out a helpful update last year that makes this process a whole lot easier than before. Now, you can view and manage and delete your old catalog backups directly inside Lightroom Classic. Here’s how to find it:

• Go to Catalog Settings
  • Mac: Lightroom Classic > Catalog Settings
  • Windows: Edit > Catalog Settings

Then click the Backups tab. You’ll see:

• The location where your backups are stored
• A date-sorted list of each backup
• Quick options to Show, Delete, or Remove them
• Asterisks (*) next to any backups stored on external drives that aren’t currently connected

This question originally came up during my recent AMA with Nature Photographers Network (NPN). If you're an NPN subscriber, you can read my full AMA here.

Do you have a solid backup strategy for your photos? Photographers invest so much time and care into their work, from scouting and composing to editing and exporting. But without a solid backup system in place, all of that effort is one crash, spill, or drive failure away from disappearing. If you’ve ever felt unsure whether your photos are truly safe, I’ve got you. I put together a clear, practical guide that walks you through how to back up your images, manage versions, and feel confident your work is protected for the long haul. Read The Complete Photo Backup Guide

​

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

Amphibians, Reptiles, and the Art of Seeing in the Dark

Earlier this month, I spent a couple of nights tiptoeing through the pitch-black woods of the Smokies, guided by the brilliant Dr. John C. Maerz, during an Amphibians and Reptiles field course. With my headlamp angled low, I tried to photograph a salamander without blinding it or myself.

Amphibians and reptiles are secretive by nature, and seeking them out in complete darkness, without even moonlight filtering through the trees, was an entirely new kind of photographic challenge. Fireflies at least have the decency to glow. Herps? They wait for you to slow down, play hide and seek, and shine the spotlight on them.

What struck me most wasn’t just how different the lighting had to be, but how different I had to be. Slower. Quieter. More deliberate in how I moved and where I looked. Faster once I found them. That same attentiveness is what helps me most as a photographer: reading a landscape with patience, spotting subtle patterns, and learning how not to disturb what I’m hoping to witness.

The Great Smoky Mountains are home to over 80 species of reptiles and amphibians, including the highest diversity of salamanders in the world. Many of these creatures are nocturnal or burrowing, making them nearly invisible unless you’re looking with the right kind of curiosity. Spotting a camouflaged slimy salamander or gray treefrog trains your eye in a way that directly benefits macro photography and “slow seeing.”

As I learned more about their adaptations, behaviors, and roles in the ecosystem, I found myself wanting to get each image right, not just technically, but respectfully. Amphibians, in particular, are considered bioindicators because their permeable skin and sensitivity to environmental changes offer early warning signs about the health of a habitat. Photographing them with care felt like part of the responsibility of telling their story.

Dr. Maerz was an extraordinary teacher, his passion for herpetology and ability to make complex research feel accessible had me completely absorbed from the start. One moment of unexpected connection came when he shared that he’d helped advocate for turtle crossing signs along the causeway to Jekyll Island, Georgia. I vividly remember seeing those signs when we lived in Georgia and visiting the Sea Turtle Center on the island. It was a full-circle moment I didn’t expect.

I learned that I arrived with a few lingering, culturally-conditioned fears around snakes. The goal is to find snakes at night. We were looking for them. And yet, despite trying to find them, when I finally did see a copperhead calmly staring back at my as I probably blinded it with my head lamp, I still let out an instinctual "quiet" scream and gripped and squeezed my friend's arm next to me (sorry Jon!).

However, time with these creatures develops comfort. I left the class with a sense of calm and respect for every copperhead we encountered along the trail. Now, I feel more confident wandering on a trail in complete darkness with my camera and a small beam of light, when the forest feels like its own quiet dimension. As photographers, it’s common to find ourselves alone in the dark, starting a pre-dawn hike or descending a trail after sunset. The more I understand about the creatures that share those spaces, the more comfortable I am, and the more aware I become of how to move through those environments with care. If you know any nature-curious teens, Dr. Maerz also helps lead a wonderful program through the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. It supports students in herpetology and can even lead to scholarships to attend their annual conference. You can learn more about it here or encourage a young person to apply if they might benefit.

FOCUS POINTS
​To utter, repeat, and shape our mindset

“Stillness is what creates love. Movement is what creates life.
To be still and still moving — this is everything.”​
— Lizzy Hawker

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

1.) Adrien Klein releases three beautiful new galleries, including two thoughtful takes on Route 66: an abstract gallery, a documentary gallery, plus a third striking set of new nature images spanning coast to desert.

2. My Photos Are AI!? by Albert Dros is a candid and comical video responding to social media skeptics, as he breaks down his process and techniques amid rising AI accusations in photography.

3.) #MyFive by Jeff Larason is an inspiring YouTube series where photographers share five artists who shaped their work. Each video offers a personal window into creative lineage, with thoughtful picks and plenty to explore.

4.) Join David Kingham tomorrow, August 14th, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern as he shares his new 7-step toolkit for taking any photo from RAW to final without leaving Lightroom in this free training. This flexible, modular workflow works for any style, avoids one-click presets, and puts you in full creative control. Includes live Q&A and replay for registrants.

5.) Favorite Place to Photograph by Colleen Miniuk is a heartfelt Dear Bubbles column that reframes the question from where to why—reminding us that our most meaningful photographs often come from wherever we are, fully present and paying attention.

6.) Join Michael E. Gordon and Chuck Kimmerle for a free RAW to AWE webinar on August 21st, 2025 at 9:00 PM Eastern. This free session explores creative, expressive editing techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop, with live demos and Q&A. And see some of Michael's newly released work here.

7.) Lightroom Virtual Summit 2025 runs September 15–19, 2025 and features 45 free classes from 17 top instructors, including Matt Kloskowski, Greg Benz, Rob Sylvan, and more. Watch sessions free for 48 hours with registration.

8.) Mid‑Atlantic Photo Visions 2025 will be held November 1–2, 2025 at George Mason University in Arlington, VA. This annual event features presentations, hands-on workshops, photo competitions, vendor exhibits, and 1-on-1 tutorials with pro photographers.

9.) Enter the International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards by October 7th, 2025 for a chance to be featured in the Top 101 landscape photographs of 2025. $12,500 in prizes, hardcover book publication, and no AI-generated images allowed. Every 5th entry is free through September 30th.

10.) Woodland is NOT Chaotic by Simon Baxter is a thoughtful video walk through the woods with his dog Meg, exploring the difference between chaos and complexity in nature—and how that shapes woodland photography.

11.) F-Stop, Collaborate and Listen's podcast episode Navigating Social Media as a Nature Photographer features a candid conversation between Matt Payne and Eric Bennett on resisting social media burnout, building authentic creative practices, and raising $40K to support laid-off NPS staff through the power of community.

12.) In this insightful video More Megapixels, More Problems?, Ian Worth explains why fewer megapixels may actually benefit most photographers, covering real-world pros, downsides of ultra-high resolution, and why gear specs aren’t everything.

13.) In Mastering the Art of Waterfall & Stream Photography with a Telephoto Lens, Michael Shainblum explores how zooming in reveals glowing light, painterly textures, and hidden beauty in nature’s intimate scenes.

14.) Maven Filters Wave 3 Kickstarter launched August 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM EST, introducing their widest product lineup yet—including a ring light, H Alpha, Dream Soft, and diopters—plus early-bird savings up to 60% in the first few days. Watch the announcement video or check the buyers guide.

nature photography • photo education • lightroom training

Copyright © Chrissy Donadi Photography, All Rights Reserved.
​606 Liberty Avenue, 3rd Floor, #107, Pittsburgh, PA 15222​
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