How to take photos of the beautiful northern lights.

I've shared some Northern Lights photos from Norway here on Wandering Educators, and was asked to share my photographic techniques.

I love Instagram. I love finding new people, searching new tags, and getting new glimpses into lives, nature, the world. One such discovery is photographer JoAnn Kraft, who captures nature so beautifully that I feel as if I am right there with her, seeing through her eyes. She's got a talent for macro, for discovering small things, and for seeing what others might not. Here, in words and photos, our Photographer of the Month, JoAnn Kraft...

It was an article about the best surf artists on instagram that led me to our artist of the month, Spencer Reynolds, and his partner, Stacey, who helped facilitate our interview (thanks, Stacey!). 

Magic.

When I look at Elena Feret's work, I fall deeply in love with her art, world, and the magic she creates - and represents. From marvelous creatures to a worldview that takes us deep into the imagination, Elena's extraordinary art inspires, gives joy, and brings an enchantment to our lives. When I first saw her art, I KNEW that she was special and that her talents needed to be shared!

I'm elated to share the extraordinary art of Rachel Alvarez, a native of Salisbury, Maryland. She received her BFA in Painting and Photography from Salisbury University in 2002. Her original work has been exhibited at a number of local galleries, and her prints, notecards, and decals can be found in shops across the United States. Her work is inspired by her 2 children. Each piece in her collection was completed during their nap times and reflects her family’s love for backcountry drives, beach outings, and hikes in the woods.

Let me tell you one of the joys I find in the world – ART. Art matters, and art about place brings incredible happiness. I have long followed our Artist of the Month, Candace Rose Rardon, for just this purpose – moments of joy. Candace is an extraordinary writer, sketch artist, and illustrator with a passion for connecting with the world through art.

I've never seen anything like it - and am so grateful to the internet for the discovery! When first seeing our Artist of the Month, Dan Miller's art, I was stunned. Every time I see something by him in my feed, I am happy, pause, reflect, breathe. He has an unusually calm and detailed way of sharing the natural world with viewers - one for which I am grateful. His medium? Colored pencils!

Paul Jaekel has had an interest in photography for many, many years. For a long while, he only took the usual pictures of clouds and nature with his cell phone. Then, in early 2015, he started fully acting on that growing interest by turning it into an amateur hobby. As a lifelong resident of Southeastern Michigan, he began by driving around to places nearby his home. As he ventured, he found places that he never stopped at before. Later, he traveled to places further out from home - towards Detroit and up into the thumb of Michigan.