| M ade In SRC |
WHERE CANYONS CUT THE PRAIRIE... Local photographers, in their own words, share their favorite Starved Rock Country spots Story by Steve Stout | Photos by photographers mentioned
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f a poll was taken among Midwestern photographers asking them to choose their favorite places to capture memorable images in Illinois, Starved Rock Country would almost certainly be one of the top locations. That guess was made from personal experience. When I first moved to the Illinois Valley in 1974, I had little knowledge of La Salle County. I had never walked the miles of wooded trails at Starved Rock State Park or stood so close to towering waterfalls. But it only took my first hike into the popular park, camera in hand, to understand the unique massive sandstone canyons, which slice the surrounding prairie, were photogenic dream scenes for nature and family photographers. My love for this community began with landscape images I captured throughout Starved Rock and within its magnificent, rustic lodge. However, it didn’t take me long to explore (and appreciate) the other local parks, the shores of the Illinois River, the historic Illinois & Michigan Canal and the many classic buildings in such towns as Ottawa, Peru, Marseilles, Streator and Oglesby. Over the many decades since my arrival, I found the places and community events (I love the annual Burgoo Festival in Utica) here around Starved Rock provide many unique image opportunities and picturesque backgrounds for both amateurs and professionals. On the following pages you’ll meet four Starved Rock Country photographers and images that illustrate both their love of photography and appreciation of their own backyards. These photographs invite all visitors with their cameras to explore the many natural and manmade wonders found here in the heart of the Illinois Valley. The photo possibilities seem endless. Come and capture some of the beauty and community celebrations S R for yourself this summer. C
8 | Summer 2022 • Starved Rock Country
AURORA REED “When it comes to photography, I have recently discovered working with my camera is one of those things which now has a big place in my heart. It has given me a different perspective of the world and to enjoy the little things in life through the lens of my camera. I started to get an interest in photography towards the beginning of COVID when we first went into quarantine and since then, as a junior, I have joined the La Salle-Peru High School yearbook as a staff photographer. I began with using my mother’s cell phone and taking pictures of sunsets, my family, friends and small things that caught my eye until I eventually bought my first camera at a pawn shop in Spring Valley. I now carry it everywhere with me. “One of my favorite spots to photograph is the woods in Oglesby here in Starved Rock Country not far from my home. It’s easily accessible, and I have found exploring nature through photography to be a worthwhile venture for me. My dream these days is I hope to become a professional photographer someday and travel the world to capture all the world’s greatest eye-catching images. I will always be grateful to have started that career here in my home community where the photo possibilities seem endless.”
