Bourbon & Pie Digital Media

22/11/2023

TuesdayThoughts The first hour of a hike or the first day of a trip can make you think, "this was a bad idea" because it's out of your comfort zone. But have you considered how LOUD your comfort zone is? I notice this each time I venture out into nature. There's so many demands on your time and attention; so many distractions; and so many "dangers" to look out for...

But then you stop, and listen, and start allowing the peace and the silence to seep in. Your mind gets quiet. Your heart rate and muscles relax. And then, a peace that surpasses all understanding overtakes the noise, distractions, and dangers.

Get outside and explore. Just be present outside. Have an adventure that changes you.

🦌 Both photos are of Elk mothers with their calf, but you can see how well the babies hide. Driving through parts of the Grand Teton National Park, you really need to keep your eyes peeled around the forests. Beautiful animals that are surprisingly there one minute and gone the next.

📍 Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming; September 2023
📷 Canon 6D Mark ii.

18/11/2023

TRENDING: Deer Photography 🦌 and Forest Animals. I looked on Pinterest Trends to research what content people are searching for, and among the Thanksgiving side dishes and Christmas home decorating, they were searching out deer photos and forest animal photos.

WHY is this important to you? Because it can give you insight on how to connect with your audience. As a wildlife photographer, if I want to reach new people, I'll post more of my deer and forest animal content right now and it has a higher chance of being seen on social media. I can use this tactic for other trending searches and create content that fits that trend. For example, post your products with Thanksgiving food and decor to grab people's attention.

HOW can you find this insightful info? Using the Pinterest App, you won't get indepth trends, but a few are available in the Search feature. Use your desktop to search the Pinterest website, and on your business account, next to your analytics tabs is the Trends. Explore that feature and have fun diving into what your audience is searching for and more.

Let me know if you found this useful or have questions about other ways to grow your brand on social media.

📍 Grand Teton National Park; Mule Deer bucks; September 2023

27/10/2023

FACT: Lemurs are difficult to photograph. 📷 Well, these Ring-tailed Lemurs are, at least, because they come too close to the camera out of curiosity. 😅 - At the St Augustine Alligator Farm

Otherwise, it’s difficult because Lemurs are among the most threatened groups of mammals. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
estimates that over 98% of lemurs face extinction in the next 20 years. *info from the Lemur Conservation Foundation.

Today is 🙌 Let’s spread the word about lemur conservation- support zoos and groups that are active in lemur conservation and definitely DON’T get one for a pet. That’s impacting their survival, too.

26/10/2023

Fluffy cows 🦬🥰 The cool thing about Yellowstone National Park is how close you can get to these gorgeous animals, but not too close. 😅 I took this photo with my zoom lense, so you don’t have to get this close to see the details. Although, if you got *this* close, they might be blurry. 😏

23/10/2023

Why do crocodiles and alligator sit with their mouths open sometimes? 🤔 That's a FAQ on almost every crocodilian website, but the truth is...there could be lots of reasons but we can only guess at it.

It could be because they're cooling off or warming up. The tissue in their mouths is thinner than their tough exterior so they might be thermoregulating. Or they could be relaxed, and the jaw muscles release. That's an odd theory because of the laws of gravity, but that's one that I've heard often. They could also be showing off their impressive teeth, communicating to others, "hey, don't bother me. Can't you see I'm resting?"

🐊 Sobek, Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) at the St Augustine Alligator Farm. The second picture, he is in the middle of a yawn.

20/10/2023

Learn from the BAD photos 📷 For every good photo, there's probably several bad ones, am I right? Toss a few in the digital trash, but take a second to learn from them. In the Yellowstone River, I wanted to get cool half-underwater photos with my dome and GoPro camera; here's what I learned and want to share with you:

1) Sunlight: The sunlight can cause a glare to reflect from the inside of the dome to the camera lens. You can see the curved glare on the bottom left of some photos, plus the sunlight from the upper right. If there's water droplets on the dome (which of course is often the case), then the light will reflect off of those and be visible on the photos.

2) Shadows: Conversely, as you turn away from the sun, your shadow and the dome's shadow will appear on the bottom. Sometimes it's not too bad, but it can take away from the scene and look unnatural.

3) Dang water droplets or scratches on the dome: Be aware of extra water droplets or light highlighting scratches on the dome. Gently wipe with a soft cloth (usually comes with the dome kit), or angle obvious scratches below the water surface. I've got one on this dome, but at certain angles, I can make disappear. I'm not too worried about it; the kit cost $40 on Amazon, so I can replace it when I really scratch this one up.

(Side Story: 🦈 I used the GoPro dome on a snorkeling trip with adult Lemon Sharks and used the dome to push them away. The skin of sharks is like rough sand paper, so more of those events will likely bring about more scratches on the dome. Ha!)

Photos:
1) See the shadow at the bottom. If you have enough photo, you can crop the shadow out.
2) Dome glare, bottom left. I cropped out the ugly sunlight glare in the upper right.
3) Dome glare, bottom left; sunlight at upper right looks ugly.
4) In Lightroom, I attempted to patch up the upper right ugly sunlight glare and the bottom left dome glare. Now the photo isn't entirely hideous.

Now onto the other rivers in Yellowstone!

19/10/2023

Ravens of Yellowstone 🐦‍⬛ Coming from a state where vultures are everywhere, it was odd to not see a single vulture, but there were plenty of Ravens! I loved photographing them because they seemed to always be posing or doing something cool! These are my favorites: from the West Thumb Hot Springs and Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.
📍 Yellowstone National Park

How do I know these are Ravens, and not Crows?
- Ravens often travel alone or in pairs; Crows are social and can be seen in larger groups.
- Listen: The Raven produces a low croaking sound, whereas Crows have a cawing sound.
- Ravens have bigger, curved beaks with shaggy throat feathers.
> Learn more and find this info on the National Audubon Society's website.

18/10/2023

Peeking below the surface of the Yellowstone River: I used a dome with my GoPro camera and gingerly stepped out into the pebbly river. It was surprisingly warm in September; with this section flowing through West Yellowstone, near the hydrothermal activity. The water was flowing well, and so it was a mystery to me what I would actually see. These are a few of my favorite images from this spot. It was so much fun, that I waded into other rivers and streams around Yellowstone.

Of course I got several bad photos, and with them, I learned a few things about angling a GoPro camera and dome. With those images, I will share tips with you about how you can get better photos using a GoPro and dome.

17/10/2023

New portfolio, new services, and a new print shop. Sometimes you need photos and videos for your social media platforms, and sometimes you need content on the wall of your workspace or in your home.

Creative Marketing Solutions for Social Media.

16/10/2023

Buckle in for a sweet memory: 🐊 One proud achievement of mine was breeding a pair of West African Slender-snouted Crocodiles (Mecistops cataphractus) at the St Augustine Alligator Farm. At the time, their conservation status was Data Deficient, and a lot was unknown. But what we did know was that there wasn't many of these animals in US Zoos and likely not many left in the wild. This pair was brought over from West Africa decades before I was their Zookeeper, through a private individual, adding to his animal collection. Then they were brought to the Zoo, and after many years of trying to figure out what they needed, this genetically important pair of crocodiles still had not produced any offspring.

I researched and tried many different things as well, and one day, the female laid eggs! I excitedly cried over the radio for assistance from other reptile zookeepers to help me transfer eggs into incubators to keep them safe. We also left a few inside the mound nest with the female, to watch the pair's behavior. Several months went by, and then I cried AGAIN after discovering empty eggshells in the pond and two tiny babies resting with the mother crocodile.

Since this glorious moment, they have had many offspring, which are spread across many zoos and aquariums across the US. A success story I will always cherish.

13/10/2023

Harsh conditions can teach us how to adapt and be stronger.

You've probably seen them: "The BEST times to post to GROW your following." ⏰ Prepare yourself, because I'm about to burst some bubbles: Growth takes time, and the best time to post is the best time for your individual account and audience followers. If everyone posted at the so-called "best" times, the platforms would become saturated and you'd be fighting for people's attention with a million other posts.

Nowadays, the platforms have analytic capabilities for you to see when your audience is more active and post at those times. Schedule the posts directly in the platform or using a third-party scheduler. Or simply post consistently on your own time. Remember the days when you would schedule your day and hurry home for a particular TV show because that was the only time to catch up on the story you're invested in...or the sports game! People will learn when you post, and look for it.

Do you need help figuring out where to find this valuable information? Let me know in the comments or DM me, and I'll help you find it.

12/10/2023

Oh my, what GIANT eyes you have? 🐊 Croctober Fun Fact: Black caimans (Melanosuchus niger) have the largest eye sockets of all the crocodilians, sitting up high on their impressive heads. They are also one of the larger Alligatorids, rivaling the American alligator in size.

These caiman are found in the Amazon river basin in South America. A lot of conservation work and ranching is currently underway to preserve this species. Once hunted almost to extinction for their skins, they are making a comeback and are classified as Conservation Dependent in certain areas of their habitat.

📸 Black Caiman at the St Augustine Alligator Farm

11/10/2023

The Grand Tetons: “Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” - David McCullough Jr.

10/10/2023

"With the right words, you can change the world." - Charlotte the spider from E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" 🕷️

Our words have the power to build someone up and encourage them, or to tear them down. Our words can create or destroy, so we need to use them carefully and thoughtfully.

09/10/2023

Fall is proof that change is beautiful. 🍂 🍄 If you're frustrated with trying to figure out what to write or post, then take a breathe: Happens to everyone! Nothing frustrates me more than sitting at my computer and just staring at the keyboard; mind blank! It's okay to pivot and okay to take a nature break.

🍂 Here's a few tips to help bust through the "leaf litter" (I'm attempting to tie this in with mushroom photos): [Save this for future inspiration]
- Search your comments or the comments of similar accounts for ideas about post content; to help you write the caption, use similar words.
- Don't wait for perfect - just start writing, then go back and clean them up. Find a image that helps tell the story.
- Work on simple posts with short captions first, then you'll feel better and maybe even a little energized to tackle longer posts.

IF you're still having a problem, let me know and either we can get some ideas rolling or we can create the content for you and remove that work from your full plate.

06/10/2023

Coming across predators in Yellowstone NP! Driving through Lamar Valley, sadly we didn't see any wolves or bears, but we did come across this coyote, hunting in the meadow. We pulled off to the side of the road, opened the Jeep roof, and were able to get a better vantage point to see this little predator in action. It was hunting and pouncing on some small critters, then scanning the meadow for more.

It could also care-less about us because we didn't get out of the vehicle. Some animals in "drive-thru safari" type locations are use to the general shape of vehicles and may not have an association of danger with them. It's smarter and safer to stay in the vehicle, for both humans and animals. Remember to drive slowly because you never know when these amazing animals will come peaking out from the tall grass.

📸 Canon 6D MarkII with 100-400mm lens
📍 Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park

05/10/2023

Happy CROCtober! I've been a crocodilian biologist for a looong time! 🐊 It started when I was in college, working for a traveling reptile business, doing a variety of educational shows and birthday parties, and almost 2 decades later, I'm doing crocodilian conservation and education in a variety of ways. I've traveled to Asia, South Africa, Central, and South America to see crocodiles in the wild; am a member of crocodilian advisory groups, and an instructor in the Crocodile Biology and Professional Management course at the St Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (and social media manager, too!).

📸 Pictured here, I'm in Belize with my friend, Dr. Marisa Tellez and her organization, Crocodile Research Coalition; collecting biological data and more. BTW, she's permitted for the research here.

🐊 Want to see more crocodilian photos and learn more about them? You're in luck, because it's CROCtober and we like to celebrate them all month long. Stay tuned, or let me know which one you'd like to learn more about.

04/10/2023

Photographing these golden beauties are a highlight of Fall! 🕷️ We commonly refer to them as Banana spiders, because people first saw them arriving on shipments of bananas, but they don't actually eat bananas. 🍌 This gorgeous model here is a type of orb weaver.*

They make enormous webs, that can be annoying when they spread it across the boardwalk at my house and I miss seeing them. Blah! I jokingly refer to them as "people catching webs" but they are not out to get us or bite us. They prefer bugs, small lizards, and frogs. Great for keeping the balance in the ecosystem. The large ones are the females, and there's usually a small male or two hanging close by for mating. But they need to be careful and quick before they become a meal for her, too. The egg sacs are awesome and I'll share a photo in my Stories of what they look like, but the babies will wait to hatch out until next year.

🕷️ *FYI: I'm not a spider expert; just a big fan.❤️

03/10/2023

Happy CROCtober! 🐊 Spooky ghost gator, or rather, an albino American alligator. A gene was switched off in embryonic development causing the color pigmentation to be white/pale instead of the usual dark gray, black, or hues of yellow. Albinism occurs in many animals, as well as people, causing them to be extra sensitive to sunlight.

Photo taken at the St Augustine Alligator Farm with Canon Rebel T7.

02/10/2023

I love the smell of freshly brewed coffee and I love the sound of no one talking to me while I drink it. ☕

Hello, friends! If you're chuckling at that statement, (that I found on Pinterest at some point) then thank you for understanding. Ha! I'm Jen, a wildlife photographer/content creator/business woman/wife/ dog-mom to a super sweet Rottie, and more. I love and need coffee to start my day off right, and if that's you as well, cheers! If coffee isn't your *thing*, tell me: how do you start the day off right?

✍️ Leave emojis in the comments and let me guess! (Be kind and not inappropriate- I'll just delete, cuz I don't have time for that.)

29/09/2023

One word I think of here: DREAMY! 😍 A Painted horse grazing on grass in front of the Grand Tetons. This was one of my photo goals for the trip to Wyoming: to photograph a Paint or other beautifully patterned horse with a stunning background and this was a dream come true.

I've always loved paints, so this horse was my first choice and with the Grand Tetons in the background, it was too perfect to pass up. Plus, on this gorgeous sunny day, we definitely had to pull over so I could get this photo! This series is absolutely getting printed and framed to put up in my living room, above the fireplace mantle...the only problem is...I have quite a few other incredible photos from this trip that I want to do the same thing with. I might be switching these out seasonally, ha!

📸 Canon Rebel T7 with 18-135mm wide angle lens.
📍 Grand Tetons National Park, WY

27/09/2023

Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently. - Marie Forleo

Showing up consistently is a daily struggle for me because life gets in the way, or my "lazy mindset" wants to convince me not to show up. There's plenty of reasons and excuses that pop up to tell me why I don't need to exercise today or work on "this" project, but the fact is success comes from consistency.

I'm not going to run a marathon, if I'm not showing up daily to run workouts, strengthen my muscles, or eat right. "I'm" not going to improve my [insert skill here], if I don't practice it consistently. Even taking a small step or two daily in the direction of your dreams will take you towards success.

Share this and spread some encouragement today.

26/09/2023

Here's How I Content Batch for Wildlife in 3 Simple Steps 📸 1) Make your list of ideal wildlife to photograph or video...2) Forget the list back in your car...3) Get the photos and video clips of you searching and pretending to photograph the wildlife because it's hit-or-miss actually finding it.

🤷‍♀️ So, maybe not "simple content batching" the way you expect it, but there are a few things to help you get the most out of your trip:

🦬 Research the animals, the place you're visiting, and search for other photographers who may have seen the wildlife recently. This is where being on a Facebook Group can be useful.
📷 Get a variety of shots: POV of you going to the area; wide shots of the habitat; over head or Bird's-Eye-View with a tripod or drone; Selfie photos or videos of you talking about the wildlife and adventure; etc.
🌲 Be flexible and leave your expectations behind you. Sometimes, you just need to enjoy being outside and try again another day.

When I schedule a Content Batch time, and it doesn’t work out, at least I can get "behind-the-scenes" content and do the best with what I got.

25/09/2023

Hot springs + Foggy mornings make for some magical moments! ✨ I love the way fog settles on trees, and when dewdrops hang on spiderwebs. But the Raven hopping the hot spring stream and it’s reflection- 😍😂🤣

📍West Thumb hot springs, Yellowstone NP

📸Canon Rebel T7 with 18-135mm lense.

📷

24/09/2023

America’s National Mammal: the Bison 🦬

📍Yellowstone National Park; Lamar Valley

🦬 Yellowstone NP is the only place in the US where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. It’s a sad story why they were hunted down from the millions, but times are changing and numbers are rising.

📸 Story Time: Bison have been one of my favorite animals for a long time, and making a trip out to Yellowstone has been on our adventure Bucket List. We packed up our Jeep and Teardrop camper, and made the several day road trip out to Wyoming. We spent over a week in Wyoming, exploring Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, revisiting the bison hotspots many times at sunrise and sunset. We often pulled off the road and opened the Jeep’s top to get more and more bison photos and videos. ❤️❤️❤️ My heart was full getting to be so close to the bison and experiencing the famous bison jams, as they wandered across the roads.

🦬 One of my goals was to come home with an amazing photo of a bison I could print, frame, and put above our fireplace mantle: I came home with quite a few to fit the bill and the first picture will be perfect for this Fall season! 🍂

22/09/2023

Baby Red Dog with another loving bison kid. Awe! My heart! ❤️

We were driving through Lamar Valley at sunset, and I couldn't get enough of the bison. I asked John to stop and pullover multiple times along this road, and now have 1000s of photos and videos to go through. But what I love is capturing the photo and seeing the whole picture and little details when I come home to edit it. Can't wait to show you more!

Photo taken on Canon DSLR 6D Mark II with 100-400mm lens.

21/09/2023

An adorable "Red Dog", aka Baby bison. They are this color when they're born and over a couple of months will turn the characteristic bison brown color. There's a good chance I'm going to print and frame this one! 😍

We were driving through Lamar Valley at sunset, and I couldn't get enough of the bison. I asked John to stop and pullover multiple times along this road, and now have 1000s of photos and videos to go through. But what I love is capturing the photo and seeing the whole picture and little details when I come home to edit it. Can't wait to show you more!

Photo taken on Canon DSLR 6D Mark II with 100-400mm lens.

19/09/2023

September Sunrise at the Grand Tetons.⛰️ 🍂

It was brisk and chilled, but we crawled out of our Teardrop camper before the sun peaked over the mountains in Dubois, WY. Drove an hour to the National Park, and discovered a lot of other photographers and sunrise fans. This was the place to be! The way the light hits the peak of the Tetons, and the reflection in the river is breathtaking! I’m happy I was in that moment and captured it.

📸 GoPro 11 Black
📍 Grand Tetons National Park


📷 🍁🍂🍃 🍁

18/09/2023

Be-LEAF in yourself.

Use this strategy to help you plan your Fall/Halloween Content:

🍂 Research what is TRENDING in your niche: Use social search engines like TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube. You can also see what your competitors or "ideal audiences" are posting about right now.
🍂 Keep it SIMPLE: Start creating your content with your most popular products or services, and don't overthink the production in the beginning. If you have time for 2-3 pieces of content, do those first and then move on.
🍂 TEST it out: Post about it in your Stories and use engagement stickers to gauge the excitement from your audience, or utilize the A/B Experiment posting on Facebook (find that feature in your Meta Business Suite).

16/09/2023

The view from my “office” the past couple of weeks was pretty epic. 🤩🙌 Now to go through 1000s of photos and videos, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

📍Yellowstone & Grand Tetons National Parks.

13/09/2023

“By the prickling of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” -W. Shakespeare... and maybe my thumbs need a break from typing on my phone.

11/09/2023

Autumns UP! 🍂 If you're trying to sell your merch or a service this season, then this is your sign to get started with your Fall/Halloween content.

📸 To help you get started, here's a few autumn elements to use:

🎃 Pumpkins, real or faux, come in a variety of colors and sizes. Combine these with fall leaves and spooky critters, depending on your merch or brand elements.

🤎 Great Fall colors include creamy whites, grays and black, a variety of brown shades, rusty yellows and oranges, and deep reds. The Fall Palette reflects what is happening in nature, but also conveys cozy, warm vibes.

🕷️ Halloween content doesn't have to be scary, but spooky vibes are top-of-mind for people right now. They're looking for spooky experiences, home decor ideas, recipes, and more.

07/09/2023

Don't be afraid to start over. 🍂 You're not starting from scratch; you're starting from experience.

Even though the sun is setting today, it will rise again tomorrow. And you might not be where you want to be today, but if you learn something from it, then you'll have more experience for tomorrow when the sun rises again.

My pastor, Tim Timberlake, always says that and every time is just the right time that I needed to hear it, again. When I've been working through a project, and I think about starting over, I hate starting over but at least I'm starting again with experience of what works and what doesn't. The journey is never wasted.

04/09/2023

Bet your autumn dollar! 🍂 🍃 NOW is the time get your Fall / Halloween marketing rolling.

🎃 Create your autumn and spooky content with your merchandise or services. Have fun with it! ***If you need a pro product photographer, book them sooner rather than later because many are booking up QUICK!

🎃 Set up your A/B experiment posts on Facebook or boost your popular posts. Putting a little $Ad Spend$ behind posts that are already doing well with your audience will go a long way to gaining new views on your content.

🎃 People are looking for Fall and Halloween content in August and September, like spooky experiences, autumn home decor, and more. Showing your merchandise and services in a fun seasonal way will help your content show up on their searches and social media feeds.

01/09/2023

Vultures get a bad rap from eating rotting meat, but without them, this place would STINK. Nature's clean-up crew is vital to the health of ecosystems around the world, and these animals are just awesome. I have worked with them in zoos for many years, and they are smart, clever birds. Plus, I like the way they look. 🫶 ❤️

International Vulture Awareness Day is Saturday Sept 2nd.

Photos: Cape Vulture, Hooded Vultures, and Gunther the White-headed Vulture at the St Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park ; Turkey Vulture in Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

30/08/2023

Pro Tip: Keep pie from drying out by eating it in one sitting. 🥧

🍎 Apple Butter Pie with Meringue.

⛈️ Every time we have a Hurricane roll through, I enjoy baking some comfort food. If the power goes out, then it’s a good time for pie.

29/08/2023

The best way out is always through. -Robert Frost- The path won't always be paved or flat, but your strength and endurance is built on the tough routes. Memories and stories are best found on the paths that are flooded, rocky, and downright difficult.

What was the most difficult trail you've been on in the last year? I can't wait to hear all about it!

28/08/2023

Spooky vibes 🧡 I have a soft spot for Vultures and I love the way the camera captured this moment with the sunrise behind it and if you zoom in, you can see through it's nostrils! Cool.

📸 Turkey Vulture at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. .stateparks
FYI: International Vulture Awareness Day is September 2, 2023 (usually the first Saturday of September every year).

25/08/2023

White Ibis at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park. 📸 I love a good reflection photo, don't you?

The Ibis in the tree is a mixture of adults and subadults, and will molt into their adult white plummage soon. These wading birds roost in the trees and prefer areas above alligators. Alligators would keep predators away like raccoons and opossums, who would otherwise destroy the entire wading bird nest. The raccoons and opossums would be prey to the alligators, as would the occasional fledgling bird that would fall from the nest. That would keep the alligator waiting under the tree for more food, and thus keep away potential predators.