Presenting the year in photographs, selected entries
from the 2005 OutdoorIllinois photo contest describe
the amazing nature of life outdoors.
elcome to the second annual
all-photographic issue of
OutdoorIllinois. This month,
pictures tell the story of our
Prairie State outdoors. Every
photograph has a unique angle because
this year we’ve selected the most
exceptional images from our 2005 photo
contest—images submitted by readers
caught off-guard. The range of focus
included virtually everything that matters
outdoors in Illinois.
But we couldn’t stop there. There
were some photos that OutdoorIllinois
staff found so tempting that they made
their way onto the pages of the maga-zine.
Although not selected as a winning
entry, we enjoyed the humor, beauty or
uniqueness of the images and wanted to
share them with you.
We hope you enjoy this 17-page
visual tour of the best of our Illinois
outdoors. Next month we will return
with our familiar and award-winning
format of feature stories, how-to tips
and informative updates about Depart-ment
of Natural Resources projects,
programs and all of the content read-ers
expect from OutdoorIllinois—
including great photographs.
Drop us a line and let us know what
you think.
cially those digital SLR cameras—for his
recent, increased enjoyment of photographs.
“I concentrate mostly on photographing
birds and hunting; therefore, my most active
time in the field is September through Janu-ary,”
Moore explained. And it’s that time
spent in the field that’s essential to improv-ing
his craft. Equipment, he added, can only
do so much to create a beautiful image. The
nature photographer must spend time amid
his subject before capturing it correctly.
Any advice?
“Just keep doing it,” Moore encouraged
the would-be shutter bugs. “It’s also one of
the best ways to learn about nature.”
Prairie State Seasons
Judges Susan Post and Barry J. Locher
sorted through nearly 800 photographs
to select the winning entries of the
annual OutdoorIllinois photo contest. W
February 2006 2 / OutdoorIllinois February 2006 OutdoorIllinois / 3
Meet the winner
Our 2005 OutdoorIllinois Photo Contest
Best of Show recipient Jeff Moore said
his spotlight image of pelicans in fog along
the Illinois River highlights one of his
favorite regions of the Prairie State. The
resource-rich Illinois River valley has
attracted Moore to its natural history for
more than 20 years. A hunter and photogra-pher,
this Chicago advertising professional
dreams of someday producing a book of
photographs to document the hunting life
along the Illinois.
“There is such a rich heritage,” Moore
said. The hunting clubs and waterfowling
lifestyle anchored along the riverfront and
backwaters represents a history worth doc-umenting.
“And it’s still alive today.”
With a lifelong interest in photography,
Moore credits the digital revolution—espe-like
you—and arranged them, by sea-son,
to showcase the amazing diversity
of life outdoors in Illinois.
The selection process wasn’t easy.
Our judges, State Journal-Register edi-tor
Barry J. Locher and Illinois Natural
History Survey research biologist Susan
Post reviewed hundreds of submissions
from everywhere in Illinois. Clearly,
everyone who participated in the 2005
contest realized the special ability of a
photograph to quietly convey messages
of enduring natural significance. Brilliant
skies. Floating leaves on water. Wildlife
Best of Show
Jeff Moore, Arlington Heights
“Pelicans in Fog.” A raft of pelicans float
against a foggy shoreline at Treadway Lake, a
backwater of the Illinois River in Cass County.
