Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Odessa, Minnesota is rich in photo opportunities with endless options from wildflowers, scenic landscapes, numerous bird species and gregarious mammals, such as the river otter. That’s why a couple local photographers are offering a photo-blitzing day, Saturday, June 10th on the refuge. The goal of the event is to share hotspots for wildlife photography, not necessarily how to take a photo, though there will be plenty of tips/tricks shared throughout the day. The event will be hosted by Jim Foster and Rob Rakow, who are well known for their nature and landscape photography. Refuge Manager, Mike Budd, who also enjoys photography will assist with the event and will provide an overview of the refuge’s purpose. This free event will start at 10AM with presentations, followed by lunch, then a guided trip into the refuge to show hotspots and to take a few photos.
Jim Foster, a resident of Ortonville for 40 years, has been doing photography at Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge for 30 years and says “Sunrise is my favorite time to capture wildlife movement and vivid landscape colors. Whether on foot or in a vehicle, during every month of the year, there is always something worth a photo."
Rob Rakow, who has lived in Odessa nearly his entire life, was introduced to the refuge at an early age working with the Youth Conservation Corps program for two summers while in high school. According to Rob, “that experience introduced me to the many opportunities the refuge has to offer. Because of my love for the outdoors and the refuge being right in my backyard, I don’t have to go far to photograph wildlife and nature. I am looking forward to working and sharing ideas with others who want to explore and photograph what the refuge has to offer.”
Visit the refuge on June 10th to learn more about the opportunities at Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge and share your photography knowledge with the group. Mike Budd adds “We’re hoping for some real wall hangers that we can decorate our visitor center with. It would be great to have high quality photos in our buildings that were captured by local photographers. Hopefully this event helps to make that happen.”
Please RSVP for the event by calling Deb Hoffman at Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge at 320-273-2191 or by emailing (deborah_hoffman@fws.gov) no later than June 6th. There is no cost for the event and we’ll provide a light lunch. The refuge headquarters is located at 44843 County Hwy 19, Odessa, MN 56276.