For the month of April, 2025, I committed to creating and sharing at least one image every day. This page contains all of the images that I shared across social media, along with some additional notes on how they were created and what I was thinking and/or feeling at the time. It is, in essence, my photographic journal for that period.
Day 1: The first day of the challenge coincided with election day so I was working at the polls in the morning and was pretty tired by the time I actually picked my camera and went outside. I decided to stick to my own yard and found some pinecones and bits of lichen and moss at the base of a tree that intrigued me. Considering how overcast it was, I was actually pretty happy with the results of my first day out.
Day 2: We had some snow and sleet overnight and I just stepped out on the back stoop to take this image of ice in a rhododendron bush. I like the contrast between the color and texture of the ice crystals and the branches.
Day 3: I’m not real happy with this, and I had to crop it significantly, but it is sort of weird and interesting with the different types of life forms included. Not even really sure what they all are. One thing I’m realizing is that these are tending to be rushed rather than well thought out images. That can work too, but I want to try and take more time with them.
Day 4: I chose two images for this day and asked, are you lichen the rock, or are you rockin’ the alien? I as using my 12mm extension tube for these. I definitely still need more practice to get a better feel with those. The focusing and exposure are quite different than without them.
Day 5: I wanted to get these posted quick before we leave for the protest in Oshkosh this afternoon. One thing I realized is that I’ve been mostly looking down for these images so far, and wanted to mix it up a little. Here are some seed pods still clinging to the trees.
Day 6: I decided to throw in a bit of whimsy. This frog whirligig has been in our front yard for many years and it is showing its age, but it still has some charm. I had been trying for some abstract images of trees, but just was not feeling them.
Day 7: I was hoping to get a little farther than my own yard today, but there was a fresh dusting of snow that won’t last long so I decided to take advantage of an element that isn’t always there, which is one of the more important rules of photography. I’ve also decided to try something a little different in that I’ve got an original image plus a couple of zoomed in versions to highlight a couple of details I found interesting.
Day 8: I really wanted to get out of my own yard, and also to choose some subjects that were a little different from the abstract closeups I’ve been doing so far. We needed to make a quick run to the local Post Office so I grabbed my camera on the way out and spent a few minutes taking pictures of waterfowl on the lake. We don’t see a lot of loons in our area, so this one was a nice surprise!
Day 9: I made a side quest to a cemetery and a local lake while I was out running errands. I managed to get an image of a Robin and a leaf in the water at Shadow Lake. Not spectacular, but I did get out of the yard and changed up my subject matter a little.
Day 10: I’m a third of the way through the month and still having fun with it! Today I was hoping to get some wildlife photos of birds or squirrels in the back yard, but the best I could do was one of the neighbor’s chickens who was curious about what I was up to. I also took a few of the rhododendron getting ready to bud out – kinda has that “early spring” feel.
Day 11: This morning I headed out to the Crystal River in Parfreyville hoping for some images of moving water and maybe a bird or two. The birds stayed pretty far away, but I got an interesting picture of trees reflected in the river, and a very gnarly tree. Once again I was reminded of the importance of taking my time and making sure I have the right gear. Getting more in touch with the area is a big plus too. I will be back to do some more with this spot, in particular there is a rock in the rapids that I want to try and emphasize its stillness under the rushing water.
Day 12: Back in my own yard for day 12 of my April challenge. I was playing around a little with an artificial light source for the one of the cozy den in a tree stump. The shadows and textures of the eaves caught my eye as I was looking around for some birds to photograph. I had been hoping for some wildlife today, but that didn’t happen. Still, I was pleased with the fact that I was able to try some new things even without leaving my yard.
Day 13: I decided to check out a local park I had never been to. The three images I shared here are not my favorites of the bunch, but something about the shelter sitting up on top of the hill all by itself gives a sense of how lonely and isolated a place can feel when it was intended for people and there are none around. Maybe that’s just me, though. Some of the other images may get posted elsewhere, but for now I am reasonably happy with these as part of the challenge.
Day 14: Early today I was unsure what I wanted to do. When we were out running some errands I decided to up the stakes a bit and challenge myself to get some images of the sky and clouds. On top of that, I decided to forego editing beyond some cropping. These are basically right out of the camera. I wanted the clouds to be the main subject, but the very early buds on the trees help to add some texture to the foreground.
Day 15: At the halfway point of my challenge! I was actually not sure I even wanted to leave the yard today. I was feeling a bit burned out. I made a couple of stops today, and settled on these images I created at Tom Thumb Mini Golf near Waupaca. I highly recommend checking it out if you are in the area during mini golf season. I’ve also included one image from a quick stop at Hartman Creek State Park. I’ll be going back there in the next few days to explore that stump and the surrounding area more thoroughly. I also really want to return to my first stop which is a small park on Highway Q where Katie and I used to go on Daddy-Daughter days. So many good memories even though the park has changed significantly!
Day 16: Today I just stayed close to home and experimented with the extension tubes to get some macro images. The one of the black walnut was just a throw away shot at the time, but I was surprised how much I actually liked it. The other is the buds on the rhododendron. I ended up doing a simple square crop and no touch up in post processing. A couple of lessons here about making sure you have the right gear for the images you plan to get, and also to not be afraid to take those unexpected shots you don’t really think will work. Sometimes they surprise you!
Day 17: We had a couple of errands in the Stevens Point area so I decided to try something different. The first two images are of the Plover water tower as reflected in the window of the Toyota dealership, and as seen from inside looking through that same window. The third one is the water tower at the Del Monte canning plant. You can just make out a gull in the upper right corner. Another example of the value of having my camera with me even when I am not really expecting much in the way of photographic opportunities.
Day 18: I went out in the yard after the rain this morning to see what magic might have been revealed. Returned to some of my favorite subjects to get these three. They are all a little different but still fit within my favorite genre to shoot, closeups of small details. These are all different subjects but they carry the theme of beauty we might otherwise overlook. That is an important part of what I want to do with my photography.
Day 19: This is very different in that I chose to use the Save Our Democracy Rally in Waupaca as my photo outing today. These are just a few of the images I got from there. My plan is to share the others on various social media platforms over the next couple of days, just not as part of the challenge. These I felt gave a good indication of the number of people and the energy they brought to the rally.
Day 20: I was very tired this morning and really did not want to go out. However, this marks the 2/3 point of the challenge and I was not going to let the ball drop here. I also knew that the rest of the week looks a bit suspect in terms of weather, so it was important to take advantage of the sunshine. I went back to the little part on Hwy Q to get some pictures of the playground equipment. Some images I had in mind didn’t work out, but as always if I take some time, even just a few minutes, to look around there will be subjects worth exploring.
Day 21: Hard to believe I have managed to keep this up for 3 straight weeks! Today I headed back out to Hartman Creek to revisit some subjects I had scouted last week. This time I had the right gear and was able to get a few images before it started to sprinkle again. I could spend hours taking pictures of lichen and moss on benches, rocks, posts, tree stumps, pretty much anything! These are a mixture of planned and unplanned images which I hope illustrate that having an idea in mind is good, but sometimes you have to take what the day gives you!
Day 22: Happy Earth Day! Today I went out to Serenity Park near our local Senior Center to get some images of the moving water. The light wasn’t great – too light for long exposures, and not enough sun for interesting sparkles on the water. Still, I did get a striking image of a bubble! If you zoom in you can see the trees and the platform I’m standing on.
Day 23: Today I headed back to Hartman Creek with a plan, to do some “leading line” images of one of the trails, along with some more water-themed photos. And then it rained so I had to adapt. The one image of the trail leading into the woods was taken before the rain started – I always struggle with this type of leading line photo. The other is of the Hellestad House through the rain-spattered windshield. So even when the weather does not cooperate, which happens a lot in the area in April, it is possible to get some interesting photographs if I stay flexible.
Day 24: Today I had to stay close to home to wait for the plumber. It gave me a chance to go out in the yard to check for some signs of spring. I found them on the rhododendron which is just starting to show color, the lilac leafing out, and some ground ivy starting to bloom!
Day 25: I had been out earlier in the day to run an errand and get some lunch and hoping for a break in the rain. That break didn’t happen, but when I got home I was able to get these looking out the back door from inside the garage. The one of the drop on a branch I had to go outside for, but the rain slowed enough to get it.
Day 26: Today I stayed in the yard because we have a lunch date, and I also wanted to spend some more time working with the extension tubes to create macro images. I’m not as happy with these, but I am starting to get more comfortable in terms of focusing and exposure. I will continue to practice with the extension tubes and I’m sure I will get better with both the mechanics and with subject selection.
Day 27: So many things to photograph out at Hartman Creek today! It is both a place of tranquility and a playground for me. My goal was to get some images of objects submerged in the still water, and then these three tiny pinecones called to me and I had to answer. I feel like I could spend several hours there every day for a year and never run out of things to photograph.
Day 28: The weather forecast is a bit sketchy today so I just stayed in the yard. My intention was to do some closeups of tree bark to get the subtle textures and colors that can form really interesting patterns. The light wasn’t good for that today but it is something I will definitely try again, either with better natural light, or by adding some fill from my LED. Overall I’m pretty happy with the images I got anyway, and even happier with the things I am learning and my progress through this challenge.
Day 29: Ironically, the relatively nice weather today prompted a change of plans which meant I didn’t get out with my camera until mid afternoon. These were a little bit rushed and the light was harsh, but I got some pictures and learned some things in the process.
Day 30: When I went out the door today I really didn’t have a plan. I had seen some deer in the yard, but didn’t expect them to cooperate. They did. I also got a descent pic of a robin, and the throw away one under the deck turned out better than expected. The oak leaves on the tree with the new growth just starting also caught my eye. Sort of a mixed bag to close out the challenge.
