Steven Helmer Publications

My wife and I were up early this morning because she had another photoshoot, this one "country" themed. Fortunately, we didn't have far to drive this time around because we met the photographer at the Danville Dam and then Astico Park Bridge, both about a 20-minute drive, and we were able to make it back home before the storms hit. As I've done with previous shoots, I stood out of the way and got some of my own photos, experimenting a bit and taking some in black-and-white. Here are some of the photos. Model: Cynthia Helmer _________________________________________________________________________ Here are some previous photoshoot photos: Behind the Scenes at a Beach Photoshoot Some Pre-Photoshoot Photos Impromptu Beach Photoshoot Photos Some Behind-the-Scenes Photoshoot Photos

The weather has been a bit iffy the past couple days. If it hasn't been horribly hot/humid, it's been raining. So, when I decided to take a chance and go for a walk today, I didn't go as far, just in case I needed to head back to my car in a hurry. It wasn't terribly hot out when I went and I did manage to avoid rain, though there were some ominous clouds in the sky. I also managed to get some photos while I was out. Here are a few of them. _____________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my previous nature photos: Morning Walk Photos (6/4/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (5/6/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos (10/9/2024) Some Random Outdoor Photos

Today is laundry day so, while my clothes are in the wash, I decided to go back through the behind-the-scenes photos from my wife's beach photoshoot on Tuesday. I ended up finding some more that were better than I thought they were the first time around, so I took the time to edit them.  Model: Cynthia Helmer ___________________________________________________________________________ Here are some photos from other photoshoots: Some New Behind-the-Scenes Photoshoot Photos (1/31/2026) Behind the Scenes at the Retzer Nature Center Photoshoot Behind the Scenes at a Farm Photoshoot Ledge Park Photoshoot

I hadn't expected my new camera to arrive until this weekend but was pleasantly surprised when I got home yesterday and learned it had already been delivered. After spending what seemed like an eternity trying to get the camera strap attached (and I'm certain I didn't tie it correctly, though it still works) and then charging the battery I didn't have a whole lot of time to play around with it. So, I decided to go out by the lake on my way into the office and give my new Kodak AZ653 a try. There are a lot of functions on this camera I'm still learning and like most cameras, there are things I love about it (like the ability to adjust the exposure using a dial as I'm taking the photo) and things I don't (the macro mode works but not in the way I'm used to). However, I did get my first photos with it this morning and thought worked pretty well overall, especially since the early morning light made some of the photos tricky to take. Here are some of them: _...

To be clear, I'm not complaining. I would much rather have it be hot and humid outside than cold and damp. However, it does feel a bit as though Wisconsin once again skipped spring this year or at minimum, had a very abbreviated season. In any case, I did get out for a walk today and, unlike yesterday, when the weather was identical, but I saw very few signs of life, I did manage to get some photos. Here is a selection of them. ________________________________________________________________________ Here are some other lunchtime walk photos I've taken: Lunchtime Walk Photos (5/11/2026) Lunchtime Walk Photos 5/16/2018 Lunchtime Walk Photos 8/14/2017 Lunchtime Walk Photos 8/21/2017

It rained yesterday so I didn't get a chance to get out with my camera but made up for it today, even stepping off the trails a few times to see if I could get something unique. My Kodak AZ425 is starting to show signs of wear after years of use and I had a few early issues with the autofocus not wanting to focus on anything I was trying to get a photo of. However, I did manage to get some photos in spite of that (it may be time for me to thoroughly clean the lens and sensor again). I apologize in advance for the multiple robin photos. They were extra cooperative today and I took advantage of it. _______________________________________________________________________ Here are some other nature photos: Family Walk Photos 8/8/2017 Some Canadian Geese Photos Morning Walk Photos 7/26/2017 Lunchtime Walk Photos 4/30/2018