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  • The blog of Wisconsin photographer Tom Lynn

    My passion for photography began 30 years ago. It was handed down from my dad, who had a love of art and a collection of cameras and photography books. Around my sophomore year in college I began to embrace photography as a journey, studying his collection more closely, and absorbing the imagery and techniques that were intriguing as well as inspiring.

    Little has changed for me since first opening those books and learning to appreciate the art of photography. My goal is to make photographs with feeling, to bring out emotion in a subject, whether it is a story of someone’s life on a rough sea off the coast of Alaska or “walking” an audience through a restored prairie in rural Wisconsin. I seek to connect people to the natural world, to honor its true and often untamed beauty.

    For the past 28 years, I've professionally worked as a staff photographer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In doing so, I have been witness to the power of the human spirit, unspeakable sadness and extraordinary splendor across the country. My work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, and National Geographic World Magazine among others. These efforts have resulted in numerous awards, including being part of a team honored with being named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

    More recently, my journey has taken me down a unique and personally quite rewarding path. Aligned with my desire to work with natural landscapes, I have been commissioned by the International Crane Foundation to create a book on their 200-acre prairie in Wisconsin.

Career Move

Saturday, May 19, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized

 

I thought I would update my blog with a decision I have made.

As family, friends, colleagues and clients, I want to take this opportunity to let you know that I have made the decision to leave the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for a new opportunity.  After 30 years in the newspaper business, 28 of them at the Journal Sentinel, I have decided to move on and continue my passion for photography as a freelance photographer.  I have many projects I am interested in working on and will still be doing what I do, only now for Tom Lynn Photography.

As you can imagine, this was a difficult decision for me as I have been very fortunate to be part of an amazing organization for the past 28 years, surrounded by incredible colleagues, and friends.

I would like to share my new contact information with you:

Tom

tomlynnphotography.com

tom@tomlynnphotography.com

414-975-3791

by Tom Lynn

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Earth Day 2012

Monday, April 23, 2012 Posted in Prairie

 

I remember the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970.  It seems like with many things in history, I remember the images.  They were from Time magizine that my parents subscribed to.

Of course there was no way to know then that  some thirty plus years later in July of 2001 I would photograph the founder of Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson, while he was standing in Prairie in Wisconsin.  With a thunderstorm closing in on us during the shoot I was able to finished the shoot just before the sky opened up and it was a race to get out of the rain.  It’s a great memory for me.

Yesterday to mark Earth Day I packed the car with my photo gear and brought my wife Margaret and Mom Sally along and  headed to the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo Wisconsin.  We first stopped at the Aldo Leopold “Shack” and then pulled into ICF.

I’m working on a book for ICF on their restored prairie and on the 22nd of each month do a timeline photo.  With Earth Day on the 22nd this worked out well.  It was  beautiful day enjoy the photos.

Tom

Earth Day

Prairie Timeline

 

 

by Tom Lynn

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Burn

Thursday, March 29, 2012 Posted in Prairie

 

International Crane Foundation staff along with interns and volunteers spent the afternoon doing a prescribed burn on the Stedman Prairie.  A prescribed burn of the prairie will control unwanted weeds and promote healthy native prairie plants.  The burn went off without a hitch.  

Here are a few images from the day.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Tom

 

by Tom Lynn

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Early Spring

Sunday, March 25, 2012 Posted in Prairie

     While walking through the prairie at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin on a rainy spring day I was pleasantly surprised to find a few blooming flowers.  Pasqueflower (Anemone patens), which is considered the first flower of spring was all over “sandy knoll”.  Prairie Smoke (Geuym triflorum) is in it’s early stages as well.  Prairie Buttercup (Ranunculus rhomboideus), I’m waiting on a positive identification on this one, was also in bloom on top of “sandy knoll”.

     Six Sandhill Cranes flew over the prairie and finally landed over the hill from me.  All in all it was a nice day in the prairie especially for March.

Thanks for looking.

Tom

Prairie ButtercupGromme Marsh in spring rain

by Tom Lynn

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Kim VossMarch 26, 2012 - 9:37 AM

Beautiful photos!Sometime this year I hope to visit this place.

Tom LynnMarch 26, 2012 - 3:35 PM

It is well worth the trip Kim.
Thanks for your comment.
Tom

Charly Makray-RiceMarch 26, 2012 - 6:40 PM

Beautiful job. I toured Germania and White River refuges Sunday looking for the two elusive Whooping Cranes which have settled somewhere in the area. Found no cranes but did get around 200 wetland photos. Even marshes are beautiful when they appear vacant. Your photo’s are a pleasant surprise. Thanks for sharing them.

Janey PughMarch 26, 2012 - 6:53 PM

Gosh this made my day!

So fresh and beautiful.

Thank you!

Platte River Nebraska 2012

Monday, March 19, 2012 Posted in Platte River

I’m drawn to it each spring.  The Platte River in central Nebraska.  A prairie river flowing east from the Rocky Mountains to the Missouri River.  It’s not so much the water but the quests that have been stopping by for thousands of years.  Each spring, thousands and thousands of Sandhill Cranes make the Platte River Valley a stop on their annual spring migration.   Many will travel as far as Alaska and Eastern Siberia.  To finish their migration the river provides the perfect spot to rest, and the nearby farmlands offer an abundance of food.  So each spring it’s a lot of fun for me to be in the middle of a huge flock of cranes that can’t be seen anywhere else in the world.

Thanks for looking.

 

Tom

 

Crane Toss

Between the Clouds

Flying in at Sunset

Sunset over the Platte

Days End

Floating In

Whooping Crane

 

Pre-Dawn Flight

 

 

Crane Behavior

Nebraska

by Tom Lynn

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DarcyMarch 20, 2012 - 8:36 AM

Hi Tom, Your photos are making me really miss the Platte. Wonderful shots – and how great that you saw one of the Whooping Cranes!
Thanks for sharing these. Darcy

BetsyMarch 20, 2012 - 11:11 AM

Stunning photos as usual!

“When we hear his call we hear no mere bird. We hear the trumpet in the orchestra of evolution.” Aldo Leopold, Marshland Elegy, 1937

Janey PughMarch 21, 2012 - 8:12 PM

Wonderful images of these fabulous birds. Gosh there is so much atmosphere I feel I am there. Thank you!

KerrynMarch 22, 2012 - 2:15 AM

Really wonderful photos as usual! I am sorry that I am missing that spectacle again this year! Thank you..