If you happen to be driving through southern Stephens County and see someone camouflaged head to toe walking or riding a totally camouflaged bicycle when there is no open hunting season, you have most likely seen Joe Berry. Armed with his Canon camera rather than a shotgun, he hunts both game and nongame species.
Joe Berry knows what he’s shooting when he hoists that camera to his eye. As a Certified Georgia Master Naturalist, he is knowledgeable about the flora and fauna that surround us.
Joe likes to think of himself as a natural history photographer, photographing everything from black bears to Zebra Swallowtail butterflies. His tools of the trade are his Canon camera, camouflage “everything,” including his Haro mountain bike, Fiskars pruning shears, and snake-proof rubber boots.
He loves to watch the outdoor world wake up in the mornings and be at the right place when the “golden hour” bathes it with the Lord’s perfect lighting.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve been on a beaver pond at the break of dawn when the beautiful Wood Ducks start dropping out of the sky into the water so close that you hear their wings slice through the cool morning air,” says Berry. “I can’t understand how so many can believe that the beauty that I see is the result of a bunch of mutations. I see the work of a master artist. I believe it’s the work of Jesus Christ, the master artist and engineer.”
Joe has placed in several photography competitions and donates images for use to the Elachee Nature Science Center in Oakwood, Georgia. You may have seen some of his pictures used by the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division on their website and FaceBook pages.
The Leon & Rachel Gathany Museum of Natural History at Toccoa Falls College features a slideshow of Joe’s images for visitors to view.
Now, he adds nature writer to his resumé. Now Habersham is delighted to welcome Joe to our team as a featured columnist.
“Joe’s work first captured my attention last year when I did a story on Swallow-tailed Kites that were nesting in the Fairview Community. I found his photographic talent and skill and his knowledge of nature illuminating. I asked if he would share his images and observations with our readers. I’m grateful he agreed,” says Now Habersham publisher Joy Purcell.
Part of the allure of life in Northeast Georgia is its natural beauty: Joe captures it beautifully. He will be sharing his images and keen observations with us here on Now Habersham. We invite you to keep an eye on our website for his monthly column as he offers his unique perspective on the natural beauty and wonders that surround us.
