EAST GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A Michigan photojournalist with a number of nationwide Audubon awards has turned his cameras towards Reeds Lake.
Steve Jessmore, who works as a contract photographer after a prolonged profession in photojournalism, documented “Birds Doing Stuff” as a part of The Reeds Lake Undertaking by means of the Mates of the East Grand Rapids Library.
A set of pictures, taken from at the very least 100 visits to the East Grand Rapids lake in 2021 and 2022, are set to develop into a part of a everlasting paintings assortment on the Kent District Library East Grand Rapids department that overlooks Reeds Lake.
“I used to be a photojournalist for 30 years, I instructed tales about folks in my group,” Jessmore instructed MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. “I like to inform tales in regards to the animals in my group now. It’s actually enjoyable.”
With a lot of his freelance work cancelled in the course of the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Jessmore determined to go out into nature and start documenting birds. A lot of his freelance work has been for schools and universities.
“Birds turned my COVID mission,” Jessmore stated. “I had by no means shot birds earlier than 2020.”
He purchased a kayak and challenged himself to {photograph} birds doing issues, utilizing a mixture of photojournalism and creative expertise to inform their story.
Posting his hen pictures on Instagram and Fb, he “acquired numerous notes from these shut in of how these pictures introduced pleasure each day to their altered lives,” he wrote in his web site bio.
Jessmore’s work swept each prizes awarded within the skilled division of the 2021 Nationwide Audubon Pictures Awards, profitable first prize and honorable point out. He repeated with one other first place within the 2022 Nationwide Audubon Pictures Awards, profitable the Fisher prize for many artistic strategy to photographing birds. The picture landed on the duvet of the Audubon journal’s awards difficulty.
The 2021 first prize {photograph} featured a northern cardinal flying at snow degree from weed to weed looking for seeds to eat in rural Muskegon County. The 2022 first prize captured huge group of Northern Shoveler geese that landed on a pond to feed on the fish on the Muskegon County wastewater website.
Jessmore is not any stranger to recognition. He collected loads of accolades as a photojournalist with The Saginaw Information from 1976-1999 and The Flint Journal from 1999-2008, together with 5 Michigan Press Photographer Affiliation’s Newspaper Photographer of the 12 months awards.
His hen images caught the eye of the Mates of the East Grand Rapids Library who approached him with the mission documenting Reeds Lake.
Residing about quarter-hour away close to Alto, he started a routine of arriving on the lake for dawn, normally alongside one of many two boardwalks at Waterfront/Gilmore Park, 2205 Reeds Lake Blvd. SE, which he stated are simply accessible to anybody within the Grand Rapids space.
“There’s a lot stunning wildlife right here which you can see for those who simply cease and kind of take note of it and watch,” he stated. “In all probability 90 p.c of the images I’ve taken (for the mission) had been from the boardwalk.”
A number of the moments Jessmore documented embrace a swan that stayed on the lake all through the winter huddled and peeking by means of feathers attempting to remain heat.
He additionally witnessed flocks of tundra swans, native to northern Michigan and the tundra, flying by means of the world and taking off from the lake.
“I had somebody from Audubon inform me that I used to be lucky sufficient to be right here for the 5 minutes a yr that occurs,” he stated.
An image particular to Jessmore is a inexperienced heron mirrored within the water searching for meals.
About 20 ft away, Jessmore stated the hen was unaware he was huddled and camouflaged beneath the railings of the boardwalk with a telephoto lens.
“It’s certainly one of my favourite photos I’ve ever taken,” he stated.
The group can hear Jessmore talk about his work 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, on the East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Heart, 2211 Lake Dr. SE. It’s free and open to the general public.
Doorways open at 6:30 p.m. and group members are inspired to reach early to view a few of Jessmore’s favourite large-scale pictures on show within the PAC foyer together with a presentation of a large edit of pictures. The 2023 Reeds Lake Undertaking calendars may even be obtainable for buy. Click on right here for extra info.
“I’m very grateful for the Mates of the Library for reaching out to me and approaching me with this mission,” he stated. “Hopefully it’s one thing everybody enjoys from the world.”
To see extra of Jessmore’s hen images, take a look at his Instagram, @sjessmo, the place he publishes content material usually.
Photograph offered by Steve Jessmore as a part of The Reeds Lake Undertaking.© Steve Jessmore Pictures
Photograph offered by Steve Jessmore as a part of The Reeds Lake Undertaking. © Steve Jessmore Pictures
Photograph offered by Steve Jessmore as a part of The Reeds Lake Undertaking. © Steve Jessmore Pictures
Click on into the gallery above to see extra photographs, or click on right here for a direct hyperlink to the gallery.
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