Finding the bluebird of happiness
After hiking up a trail to a mountain overlook, Tom Knutson acted reflexively when confronted with the sight of a brilliantly-colored mountain bluebird perched atop a black-and-white image of a coiled rattlesnake.
He reached for his Nikon Coolpix b500 and clicked the shutter two or three times. The bird remained motionless, drawing attention to itself and the wildlife warning long enough for Knutson to get two good shots before it flew off into the South Dakota morning.
"I was pretty quick," Knutson said.
It was late morning in early spring, clouds were chasing the sun and the temperatures were on the cool side.
At the time, he said, he was a significant distance away from his subject, but that was no obstacle for his trusted digital camera.
"It's got a great zoom lens on it," he said. "It zooms so much you can take a picture of the moon and you get a full frame of the moon."
Knutson's photo is the winner of the Daily Herald's April Photo Finish contest. He'll receive a $50 gift certificate good at PJ's Camera in Glen Ellyn as his prize.
Knutson, who lives in West Chicago, said the photo was one of dozens he took while on vacation with his son Tate, of Oswego, and his two middle school grandsons, Brach and Aiden, during this year's spring break.
"My son had organized a field trip for his two boys and invited me along," he said.
The four headed out to the Black Hills and the Badlands, where the veteran biology teacher found an abundance of wildlife.
"I've got great pictures of bighorn sheep and mountain goats," Knutson said. Those photos were taken near Mount Rushmore.
"We saw bison and antelope at Custer State Park," he said. "I look for as many animals as I can."
The winning photo was taken along the Notch Trail, a 1.5-mile loop that stretches across a Badlands canyon and takes hikers up a log ladder to a lofty perch overlooking the White River Valley.
Knutson said the ladder is about 50 feet long and hikers are required to climb up it and back down on the return trip.
"It wasn't too bad. It was at an angle. You have to watch your step on the way down," he said.
Knutson retired from his post as biology department chairman at Glenbard North High School after 30 years in public education and currently teaches a laboratory class for biology majors at Benedictine University in Lisle.
He's long been both an avid outdoorsman and photographer.
"I bought my first camera for myself when I was in second grade," he said. "I started backpacking years ago. I would carry 20 pounds of Nikons and lenses in the mountains. Digital photography changed all that."
Of his winning shot, he said, "I got really lucky with this one, that's for sure."
The group also got lucky when it came to animal encounters on their spring trip.
"No rattlesnakes this time," Knutson said. "It was probably too cool for them."
About our contest
If you'd like to submit a photo, email it in .jpg format with at least 300 dpi resolution to dupagecontest@dailyherald.com. Be sure to include your name, address and a phone number, plus a description of where you took the photo and why you like it. The monthly winner will receive a $50 gift certificate from PJ's Camera, Pickwick Place Plaza, 662 Roosevelt Road, Glen Ellyn.