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Panoramic view of Three Bridges Park and Hank Aaron State Trail

Life and Landscape: A Photographic Tour of Three Bridges Park

August 18, 2022  |  Topics: Places

Edited by Eddee Daniel

Wildflowers and wildlife, especially pollinators for said flowers, took center stage for this year’s third annual Nature Photography Lesson in Three Bridges Park. And the sky provided a spectacular backdrop! The group was eager, so the “lesson” involved mostly a shooting spree. I shared a few basic principles—choosing a subject mindfully, varying your point of view, watching for changes in lighting as you face into or away from the sun, and including “the human element”—and then we were off to the races.

You can judge for yourself how well they did. I invited the participants to submit a selection of their images for this blog and, for a change, many of them did. Here are our photos, in alphabetical order.

Bob Berrie

A bee approaching a bee balm blossom.
A bee approaching a bee balm blossom.
A bee on a bee balm blossom!
A bee on a bee balm blossom!

Theresa Berrie

Trail and Viaduct.
Dirt Trail and Viaduct.
Bee Seeking Flower.
Bee Seeking Flower.
Human Seeking Bee.
Human Seeking Bee.

Eddee Daniel

In the shade of a tree arching over the trail, Land Steward Jeff Veglahn describes the ecology in the park.
In the shade of a tree arching over the trail, Land Steward Jeff Veglahn describes the ecology in the park.
Meditation on our place in the natural world within an urban environment.
Meditation on our place in the natural world within an urban environment.
The tour group on the boardwalk overlooking a wetland pond.
The tour group on the boardwalk overlooking a wetland pond.
The plastic fabric was placed on this hill to control, and kill, purple crown vetch that became too wide spread for chemical control. The smothering fabric will remain until next spring when spot herbicide treatments will be used on emerging invasive seedlings for a full growing season. After that native seed will be spread.
The plastic fabric was placed on this hill to control, and kill, purple crown vetch that became too wide spread for chemical control. The smothering fabric will remain until next spring when spot herbicide treatments will be used on emerging invasive seedlings for a full growing season. After that native seed will be spread.
 
Mother and Son and Menomonee River.
Mother and Son and Menomonee River.

Joy Lewis

The featured photo at the top of the page, a panoramic view of the park and the Hank Aaron State Trail, which runs through it, is by Joy.

Hoary Vervain.
Hoary Vervain.
Bluet Damselfly.
Bluet Damselfly.
Tour guide Eddee Daniel on hilltop overlooking the Hank Aaron State Trail.
Tour guide Eddee Daniel on hilltop overlooking the Hank Aaron State Trail.
Wildflowers and Viaduct.
Wildflowers and Viaduct.

Dee Nordgren

On the Boardwalk.
On the Boardwalk.
Cloud Formation.
Cloud Formation.
Hillside Grasses and Wildflowers.
Hillside Grasses and Wildflowers.

Angela Vickio

Green Frog.
Green Frog.
Great Black Wasp on Virginia Mountain Mint.
Great Black Wasp on Virginia Mountain Mint.
Female Brilliant Jumping Spider (we think).
Female Brilliant Jumping Spider (we think).
The Valley Passage Tunnel and Chad Brady Mural from the Valley Passage Bridge.
The Valley Passage Tunnel and Chad Brady Mural from the Valley Passage Bridge.
Green Heron.
Green Heron.

I’d like to thank my two co-leaders: Jeff Veglahn, Urban Ecology Center Land Steward, and Angela Vickio, Trail Manager of the Hank Aaron State Trail, which runs through Three Bridges Park. The event was sponsored by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, which organizes field trips throughout Wisconsin.

Related stories:

Shooting Three Bridges Park with the Natural Resources Foundation

A photography lesson in Three Bridges Park

A guided tour of wildflowers in Three Bridges Park

Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks and a former board member of Friends of the Hank Aaron State Trail (FOHAST). Unattributed photos are by Eddee. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, the Urban Ecology Center and FOHAST are all partner organizations of A Wealth of Nature.