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| Ambystoma jeffersonianum © Samuel James |
You've seen his stunning photographs on this blog before, but who is he? Sam is an incredibly talented professional photographer who has become a wonderful friend to the preserve and those of us who live and work here. Sam and his family found their way into the Ohio Brush Creek Valley in 2019. We quickly made their acquaintance and the rest is history!
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| Frontinella pyramitela © Samuel James |
Sam has a deep love for learning and has spent the past few years literally absorbing any and all knowledge about the preserve and the Eastern Forest and all of its inhabitants: plant, animal and other. I have yet to meet another human being with such a thirst to know about the natural world. It is continually a pleasure to explore aspects of natural history with Sam.
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| Pyractomena angulata and Photinus carolinus © Samuel James |
I think this is just one reason why Sam's photographs are so captivating. Sam's ability to immerse himself in whatever subject matter he is making photos of comes through like a shining beacon. Then, of course, there are some photos that for whatever the reason, are just ridiculously excellent. There is one such photo of Sam's that is being featured in an exhibit opening this Friday at Cincinnati Museum Center. It is part of a series of mind-blowing, long exposure shots of fireflies. If I didn't personally know Sam, I would have had a hard time being convinced that the photo was the real deal. You'll really have to see it for yourself.
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| Cladonia cervicornis © Samuel James |
The aforementioned exhibit, A Year on the Edge, is getting a reboot by focusing on the nocturnal happenings on the Edge of Appalachia Preserve System. The stars of this exhibit are Sam's immersive photos of a vernal pool and it's inhabitants, nocturnal and bizarre-looking caterpillars, a superhero version of a spider and the dizzying array of firefly species found on the preserve. These amazing photos are complemented with a diverse display of nocturnal animals from CMC collections that are found on the Edge. The exhibit opens this Friday, February 5, 2021. Click here for information on visiting CMC.
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| Terrapene carolina © Samuel James |
Sam has given a tremendous amount to the preserve and to all of us who have had the pleasure of viewing his art and spending time with him. Please take a moment to see more of Sam's work at his website, http://www.samueljamesstudio.com/.
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| Cercis canadensis © Samuel James |
Posted by: Robyn Wright-Strauss
