Location Description

TNT Farm, Pike County Illinois

Nestled between the Illinois River to the east and the Mississippi River to the west, TNT Farm is a great place to hike, farm, photograph, and enjoy wildlife in the great outdoors.
It is situated in historic Pike County, IL an area created by an act of the Legislature in 1821 and today over seventeen thousand residents call it home.

The town of Pittsfield just 10 miles to the North, is the county seat and hub of this rural farming community. The photogenic courthouse on the city square was the proving ground for young attorney Abraham Lincoln and his colleagues of the court. Several homes in and around Pittsfield date back to the Civil War and the county is full of old barns, log cabins, outbuildings and outhouses.

TNT farm is located in a remote Amish community with nearly 300 acres of hills, timber, waterways and tillable land just waiting to be explored. It is situated in a valley that is home to numerous natural springs, streams and one of the county’s major creeks divides the farm in half meandering through the property from north to south. During the spring and summer months the fields are flourishing with soy beans, wheat, corn, clover and wildflowers. This bountiful spread provides breakfast, lunch and dinner for the numerous deer, turkeys and other wildlife residents.

Miles of hiking and four wheel drive trails wind through the hills along with periodic blinds and tree stands for viewing wildlife. Six Mile Creek is home to several beavers who rebuild their dams with each spring rain. Additionally, the eagle and red-tail hawk population is rapidly increasing and providing birdwatchers and photographers with periodic breathtaking experiences.

TNT Farm and Pike County have earned it the title “Deer Capital of Illinois” due to the overwhelming population of white tail deer. It has been said that the deer outnumber humans by 2 to 1 and the abundant farmland nutrition provides an excellent diet for large Bucks and Does.

Given this location and history, Pike County provides photographers with a wide array of subjects to photograph 365 days of the year. From historical landmarks, Amish communities, Indian burial grounds and farming landscapes to wildlife and scenic sunsets, the rivers and hills of Pike County are waiting for the creative photographer’s touch.

Lodging Options

Overnight accommodations are available at theses local facilities. All of these establishments are approximately 10 to 13 miles from TNT Farm where the Great Outdoor Photographic Adventure will be held.

Green Acres Motel
625 West Washington Street
Pittsfield, Illinois
217-285-2166

Motel Pike
West Washington Street
Pittsfield, Illinois
217- 285-2129

Monroe Street Suites
221 South Monroe Street
Pittsfield, Illinois 62363
217-285-6129
www.monroestreetsuites.com

Pine Lakes Cottages
Pittsfield, Illinois
Call for information
217-285-6719

Cox Farms Guest House
One mile west of Pittsfield on Rt 106
Call for information
217-285-4678

Featured Photographer: Don Gale

Don Gale is an accomplished professional photographer, with demonstrated expertise in the specialty areas of commercial, industrial, portraiture and outdoor photography. First introduced to photography through a local Boy's Club group at age 15, he's been personally and professionally committed to the art form since that time.
Today Don is an award-winning photographer who has earned national recognition for his work. Driven by a lifelong love of nature and the outdoors Don, an avid hiker with a passion for the back country of California's breathtaking Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, has developed the Wilderness Series, a photographic line of prints depicting some of the most beautiful natural settings and wildlife in the country.
Don conducts in-studio as well as on-site photographic workshops at some of the most beautiful locations in the world. All the basic techniques are covered: metering, composition, digital and film choice, strobe lighting, reflector-fill, close-ups, gear, time-exposures, polarization and warming filters, and split-field neutral-density grads.
For over ten years Don has conducted his workshops, seminars and classes on an ongoing basis. The success of his workshops has attracted sponsors such as: Tamron, Fuji, Lee Filters, Samy's Camera, Bogen, Chimera and Lumiquest. Additionally he is a faculty member teaching at Tri-Community Photography Center, a guest lecturer, the subject of featured interviews and has produced two instructional videos. The second video, "Photographing San Francisco and California's Central Coast" was released in the spring of 2003 by Don Gale Productions in conjunction with Tamron, and was a Telly Awards Winner for best "How To" instructional video as well as the Axiem Award Winner for "Best Editing".

Course Overview

1. Preparing Yourself & Your Camera for Action - Don
2. Wildlife Photography – Don
3. Landscape & Portrait Photography – Don
4. Window Dressing Your Photos: Matting 101 - Bob
5. The Magic of Photoshop – Syndy
6. Finding/Stalking & Photographing Wildlife – Bob
7. Macro Photography in Nature - Don

What Should I Pack?

As you prepare for your upcoming photography adventure, it’s always challenging to decide what to bring and what to leave at home. Here are some suggestions to help you pack.

What we carry in our camera bag:

o Two camera bodies
o Lenses -- cover 28 to 300 mm range, f 2.8 is best
o Macro lens (close up)
o 1.4X or 1.7X teleconverter
o Flash, flash bracket and flash extender
o Raingear for camera (plastic bag, rain jacket, etc.)
o Two (minimum) 1GB Memory Cards
o Cable Release
o Extra quick release mounts for your tripod
o Spare batteries
o Filters: Neutral density, Polarizing, 81B Warming
o Plastic bag containing a microfiber lens cloths
o Ziplock bag with toilet paper and tissues
o Film canister containing basic first aid supplies (antihistamine, asprin, motrin, pepto-bismol tablets, band-aids, medical tape, needle, waterproof matches)
o Collapsible reflector/diffuser
o Microcassette recorder/notebook for notes (location, date/time, names)
o Swiss Army knife
o Mini Mag Light/Penlight
o Rubber bands, Tape, Pen, Black Sharpie, Silver Sharpie, Index Cards
o Extra lens caps, Filter holders, Step Rings and Lens Hoods
o Plastic bags/Shower cap
o Water bottle/Gatorade
o Power bar/snacks
o Nut Driver (for tripod) & Jewelers Screwdrivers
o Sunscreen
o Bug repellent (sample size bottles)
o LOUD whistle that works when wet
o Photo ID (Driver’s License, State ID, Press Pass, etc.)
o Photographers Bill of Rights

Other helpful items to bring along:

o Camera Support (tripod, monopod, bean bag, etc)
o Chargers and Power cables for all equipment
o Blank CD/DVD’s or other storage device to back up photo’s
o Photo Backpack/Photo Vest
o Cellular phone
o GPS unit
o Light weight P&S digital camera
o 2-Way Radio’s (set to channel 4.4)
o Light weight rain gear
o Hiking boots or walking shoes
o Light weight field clothes (long pants strongly suggested)
o Laptop computer
o Binoculars
o A GREAT ATTITUDE OF ADVENTURE

Event Host & Coordinator

Synthia Miller is a highly committed professional photographer with more than twenty years of experience in her field. Her talent as a photographer began when she moved to Chicago in 1979 and has subsequently taken her around the world with stops throughout North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

As with most budding photographers, her favorite subject was children and to this day, her passion still lies in this venue. Her on-the-job training, augmented by a wide variety of specialized photo courses and a degree in Business Administration has enabled her to successfully manage and operate her own photography studio. When not in the studio, Synthia enjoys spending time outdoors photographing nature scenes and wildlife at her farm in Pike County, Illinois.