After running monthly articles about a succession of those chosen as Photographer of the Month since February, 2008 at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Allen Rich, editor of North Texas e-News has been chosen April Photographer of the Month himself.
This month twelve images of the Refuge shot by Rich will be featured in a virtual album at friends of http://www.friendsofhagerman.com/Gallery.
“It seems I have always been fascinated by photography," says Rich, "but my avocation became a vocation when I started doing sports photography 25 years ago. That was before the advent of fast digital cameras -- back when you shot four rolls of black and white film, then hurried back to the darkroom to develop the negatives. Nowadays I feel blessed to work for North Texas e-News and devote time almost every day to photography. Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is an amazing regional resource and, for a photographer, every visit is a different adventure...birds, animals, wildflowers, sunsets...this place has it all!"
A resident of rural North Texas, Rich goes almost nowhere without his trusty Nikon D7000 matched up with an f2.8 70x200mm lens. He first became familiar with the Refuge in 1973 as a student at nearby Grayson College and it has been impressive to watch how this favorite of outdoor enthusiasts has developed over the past 40 years.
In addition, Rich says, "The educational opportunities offered by Friends of Hagerman NWR are almost endless.”
Those opportunities include Youth FIRST, Second Saturday, and a number of activities for photographers, including the Nature Photography Club which meets bimonthly. On May 17 professional photographer Trey Neal will conduct a nature photography workshop at the Refuge. Hagerman NWR is located at 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman.
For more information on these programs and the Refuge, see www.friendsofhagerman.com, or call 903 786 2826.