Local camera buffs win Volo nature photography honors

Winning shots in Volo Bog's annual nature photography contest capture beauty in the slow ripples of a pond and the flapping wings of an angry hummingbird.

Visitors to the bog picked Ken Olsen's "Autumn in Motion" for their best of show, while judges selected Paul McFadden's "I'm a Lean, Mean Fighting Machine" as their top photo. Olsen, of Palatine, also won best color landscape for his shot, while McFadden, who lives in Algonquin, won in four individual categories for other photos of plants and animals.

All winning photos will be on display from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays until Friday, March 6, at Volo Bog in Ingleside.

We spoke with the two amateur photographers about how they got their top shots and what makes a great nature photograph:

Ken Olsen, Palatine

Profession: Controller and manager of information services for an importer in Buffalo Grove

How he got his shot: While at Matthiessen State Park in Utica, Olsen noticed that trails of leaves and bubbles were making slow circles in the water. He used a long exposure to bring light to an overcast day and to create a special effect.

"It's a long exposure of about 15 or 20 seconds," he says. "By taking a long exposure, it basically caused them to become streaks."

The key to great nature photography: "The most important thing is just getting out and being in nature. The day I shot this was overcast and kind of rainy. Believe me, I was the only one around."

Advice to others: "Practice. Just keep taking pictures."

As the past president of the Arlington Heights Camera Club, Olsen says it helps to get together with other photographers and discuss your work.

Paul McFadden, Algonquin

Profession: Retired from American Airlines

How he got his shot: "It was out near our deck area," McFadden says of the hummingbird."They're very territorial, and she was ruffling up her feathers and getting ready to attack another one that had flown into the area."

The key to great nature photography: McFadden recommends a Telephoto lens. "All of my (winning) photos were really close up," he says. "The best response I get is when I get a close-up of some kind of critter."

Advice to others: McFadden has two important tips.

First, "you just have to be willing to go out there in all kinds of weather to get the good stuff," he says.

He also advises paying careful attention to lighting. "Lighting is everything in a picture," he says.