Minnesota Master Naturalist Janet Nelson captures nature’s details with the skillful precision she honed at crime scenes.
At 12 years old, Janet Nelson’s journey to becoming a police officer began with a practical thought: “A police officer should be able to take pictures.”
Because so few educational opportunities were available at the time, she thought that an 8th-grade photography class would be an ideal skill to help make her a more “saleable candidate.” It did more. The class ignited a lifelong hobby and steered the course of her 35-year law enforcement career.
During her distinguished career as a patrol officer, investigator, and crime scene technician, Nelson’s meticulous eye was essential. From car accidents to arson scenes to burglaries and homicides, Nelson was dispatched to document crime scene details objectively. Those same skills that once helped solve cases now serve her in documenting Minnesota’s delicate ecosystems.
“The photography I do now is similar, yet not,” Nelson says. “Forensic photography is just photography applied in a law enforcement setting, where you have to be precise in a way that avoids obscuring or changing the details in an image. I’ve repurposed those skills in a much calmer and prettier setting, inspiring people to enjoy the world I’m seeing.”
From officer to artist
As a Minnesota Master Naturalist volunteer since 2010, Nelson has contributed hundreds of photographs to iNaturalist and identified thousands of observations posted by others. Her approach to nature photography is both scientific and artistic.
“When I click the shutter, I don’t just photograph the pretty bloom. For iNaturalist, I also document the leaves, the stem, and the area that the plant is in. When you’re trying to make it pretty, too, then you’re focused on lighting that will make it pop off the page. It’s a matter of whether you’re wowing with drama or wowing with the details.”
This mindset has resulted in her work being published in various guides, including the Minnesota Weatherguide Environment Calendar and a University of Minnesota bird book that features four of her photographs.
Investigating nature
One of her most memorable experiences was photographing a dragonfly consuming another dragonfly in her driveway. After documenting the encounter “like taking pictures at a crime scene,” she posted the series on iNaturalist. To her surprise, it was named “Observation of the Day,” an honor among millions of global submissions.
Nelson’s passion for photography extends beyond her own creations to the education of others. She creates interpretive programs from her photographs to present to the public at state parks and community organizations.
She also provides advanced training to fellow Master Naturalists through University of Minnesota Extension programming.Extension partners with organizations that prioritize science-based environmental educationto train interpreters and volunteers who teach their communities about the local natural environment.
Her work with the Boys and Girls Club of Bemidji has introduced children to nature photography and even helped some overcome a fear of insects like bees while teaching them to see the world differently.
“If you want to see the world through the eyes of your child, hand them a camera,” Nelson says. “They take such different pictures because they have quite a different point of view.”
Through her lens, Nelson creates images that educate, inspire and preserve Minnesota’s natural beauty for an audience at home and around the world.
Extension Educator Amy Rager, who has been with the program for all of its 20 years, said Nelson is a shining example of how Minnesota Master Naturalists are allowed to bring their personal passions to the work of volunteering.
“These volunteers amaze me with how they’re able to leverage their unique mix of talents to further environmental education and stewardship of our natural world,” Rager says. “And they get to discover new ways to use their skills, which is great to see.”
Document nature with your cell phone
Nelson shares her top tips for capturing excellent nature photos simply using your cell phone, perfect for sharing on iNaturalist or other participatory science projects.
- Hold your phone with both hands to create a sharp image.
- Avoid tapping the shutter release, as it can cause unwanted motion or blurry images. Try enabling voice command to trip the shutter.
- Take a wider angle photo to show your subject in its surroundings. Multiple angles will give your viewer valuable information about the environment.
- Use your zoom feature (up to 3x) to get up-close details of a subject while keeping a respectful distance to avoid spooking it.
- Dig into the settings for your camera app to see how you can optimize your phone to create the best images using fill flash, spot meter and exposure compensation.
- Your shadow is a useful helper who’s always by your side. Cast shade to reveal detail or control the light and prevent the details of your subject from getting washed out.
Bonus tip:Take it slow and learn as much as possible about what you see from the ground to the sky.
