Category Archives: Take 5

Green Frog

Take 5: Hopping into March

As we enter March, look to the frog for inspiration on how to make the most of this transitional season: get outdoors and make some noise, soak up the sun, and look for seasonal oases around you.

While Massachusetts thaws, woodland hollows and low areas flood, creating temporary isolated pools. The resulting vernal pools fill with melting snow, spring rain, runoff, and rising groundwater, which amphibians live in during critical periods of their life cycle.

Soon, you’ll start to hear an orchestra of active frogs by vernal pools, starting with woods frogs. You can learn how to distinguish different frog calls and find out how to contribute to a community science project by signing up for our Frog Watch USA online program.

In the meantime, enjoy 5 hopping photos captured by photographers from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest .

Grey Tree Frog © Sandra Hayslett
Gray Treefrog © Sandra Hayslett
Wood Frog © Jane Parker
Wood Frog © Jane Parker
© Martha Pfeiffer
Green Frog ©Martha Pfeiffer
Northern Leopard Frog ©Kenneth Hilts
Green Frog © Bernard Creswick
American Bullfrog ©Bernard Creswick
Winter Sunset Landscape

Take 5: Light Up Your Winter

The special light of winter can be elusive, but beautiful. With the snow-heavy season we’ve been having, we’re seeing landscapes of bright whites, overcast skies, winds filled with flurries, sunsets reflecting off ice, and sparkling icicles.

While these conditions make for amazing scenic moments, enjoyed by all that brave the cold, they can also be a real challenge for photographers looking to capture the perfect shot: you need to balance framing, aperture, and shutter speed.

If you’re looking to master the ever-changing and complex needs of winter light photography, try our online Winter Nature Photography series dives into tips, tricks, and pitfalls.

To get you inspired, are five photos of special winter light moments, captured by photographers from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest who have mastered the art of lighting up their winters through photography.

© Paul Mozell
©Heidi Besen
©Pui Ying Ching
©Dana Goedewaagen
©Mark Goulding