6 minute read
Photographing the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at St. Vincent College
by Autumn Stankay, Owner and Photographer of SkySight Photography
I’ve always enjoyed photographing people in more natural locations. I look forward to the changing seasons, photographing bright lime greens with pops of pink in April then switching to foliage with deep red and golds in the fall. I find that the seasons are a rainbow of possibilities. About ten years ago I discovered the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College. I quickly realized that this would be the most amazing location for my outdoor portraiture and decided to begin shooting some clients there. I hold a yearly photography pass to this day and shoot there about once a week from Spring until Fall with my clients.
Since I’ve photographed sessions at the reserve on almost a weekly basis spring through fall, for about a decade - I’ve witnessed the amazing transformation it goes through monthly. And I’ve compared it year to year, documenting those changes with dated photographs. Although I’m not an expert by any means on plants, I do love to witness their growth and changes. It’s a beautiful dance of nature and quite amazing to watch the kaleidoscope of plant life that comes and goes. I plan my photo sessions according to the wildflowers blooming, color changes in the fields, and sunset times. It can sometimes feel like a racing game to catch certain blooms before they fade, especially when dodging stormy days and juggling availability of both myself and client schedules. But year after year, I continue to do so because I just have fallen deeply in love with this reserve.
I talked to Jennifer Eppolito, Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve’s Education Horticulturist, to confirm wildflower names in the photographs of this article. She is extremely knowledgeable on every plant that sprouts there from weeds to flowers. Here are some of the photographs I have taken there in different seasons. You wouldn’t know it, but some of these shots were actually taken in the same areas but look like completely different places when photographed several months apart. In late spring, Golden Alexanders come up all over the fields. They are a great backdrop that create a sea of bright yellow among the vibrant greens. One of my favorite parts of photographing in spring is that the green in the grass and trees has an almost lime tint to it. I usually suggest white, and any shades of blues, and pinks for clothing colors in photo sessions this time of year at the reserve. Weddings are also a popular client that we take here in spring, summer and fall! By July, the fields shift a little more. Some more wildflowers begin to bloom. The Grey-headed Coneflower is a beautiful bright yellow that blooms all over during this month. Queen Anne’s Lace – a weed, non-native, and maybe some Joe-Pye Weed at that time as well. Who ever knew weeds could be so pretty? I suggest to clients that they wear blues and purples in the yellow fields, or neutral colors like white work great in July as well. I also like yellow if they want to do a monochromatic look.
The reserve also has some Pollinator Gardens full of natives. The flowers here are plentiful and have a lot of variety. The bees are in heaven here, feeding consistently and working hard in the apiary nearby. These gardens have Liatris, Sneezeweed, Joe-Pye Weed, Scarlett Bee-Balm, Brown Eyed Susans, Mountain Mint, Asters, Butterfly Weed, Turtlehead, Swamp Milkweed, Gallardia, Flowering Raspberry, Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, and False Blue Indigo.
September tends to be one of my favorite months at the reserve, variety really blossoms in the fields. The sunsets are earlier so photographing small children during golden hour becomes more feasible. Sunsets in early summer are around 9pm so it’s often too late for a family with a toddler to be out for a photo session at 8pm to catch the glow of a sunset! Goldenrod of all sorts is in abundance during this month. Another beautiful yellow flower that is one of my favorites to see is the Maximillian Sunflower. You will also see Woodland Sunflowers, Liatris, Cup Plant, as well as pops of purple from NY Ironweed and New York Asters, as well as pretty white Calico Asters. You will also find thick PA native grasses including Indian Grass, Switchgrass and Big Bluestem fill the fields with lush color. It’s almost like a rainbow just ended there on the reserve and spilled itself out on to the land. In September, I suggest clients darker jewel tones, or colors that are the opposite on the color wheel as yellow! I also find that neutrals still work wonderful in the fields in September, as well as deeper reds like maroon. I always love a love of pink too, for those who want a brighter look. Fall foliage arrives at the reserve right on time like the rest of western Pennsylvania, about the 2nd through 3rd week of October. Although you will not find a large forest of Oak and Maple trees like some forest areas around here, you will still find some trees around the reserve that are bursting with color. The fields will again change their colors one more time before winter arrives. A lot of the plant life is still the same from September - goldenrod and more, but there are so many different species. I also find that the color of Goldenrod shifts a little in tone from Sept to October. You’ll also find Brown-Eyed Susans, and distant trees on the St Vincent College that are bursting with gold in the background. Fall colors work great for clothing in October to really match the scene. Mustard yellow, variations of brown, gold, deep reds, or even navy are my suggestions for fall clothing.
If you haven’t been to the reserve for a visit, make it part of your 2021 bucket list to do so. You can’t pick a wrong season to go. The website has so much information, and their staff are wonderfully helpful. There are many programs for all ages, a learning center and more (check website for changes to program and barn hours for 2021).
Although I covered the plant life in this publication and how it affects my photography, I can’t end without mentioning the animal life at the reserve.
You’ll find bunnies, groundhogs and many other native animals for sure - but you may also be surprised at some rare bird sightings or even a deer crossing your path. Whether you go there to walk the trails with your dog, take part in the educational programs, or just explore the peaceful nature leisurely - I hope you find it as magical as I do.
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