This image, "Bird in the Bush" was recognized with a "Partners Pick" award in the "Off the Beaten Path" show at Image City Photography Gallery. The gallery partners chose it as one of their favorites of a very strong and diverse exhibit. I am surprised and honored by this and very grateful.

" Angela is an excellent photographer of landscapes and nature, especially of birds. She has a few favorite sites where she photographs all sorts of flora and fauna. This photo of a blue-gray gnatcatcher on an early spring day, is artfully framed and mounted. Angela uses an element of texture in the background for a feeling of timelessness. The light is just to the left and in back of Angela slightly brushing the plumage and creating detail in the tree branches nearest to the bluebird thereby focusing the eye to a power position of the subject, one third in from the left and one third up from the bottom. The wide aperture setting that allows the background to go out of focus also attracts the attention of the viewer to the blue-gray gnatcatcher. The buds on the branches clearly signal early spring and the bird is likely looking for food or materials with which to begin a nest. The diagonal branches on the right of the photo and the new growth assist in drawing the eye back to the bird. This is an excellently planned and executed photo displaying the serenity of spring and the optimism of new life following the harsh winter. In selecting this photo for inclusion in this exhibit, Angela is reminding us that even though we are heading for the cold and frost of winter, spring is never far behind."