Diana Linsley

I have always been a traveler; I love a good road trip.  This was instilled in me as a child, riding in the back of the Ford Galaxy station wagon.  My father felt travel was an educational experience. I totally agree. Travel and exploration are widening and humbling experiences.

This has been my observation while photographing Missouri.  Many of the locations in this book were unknown to me at the start of this project. But the journey through the diverse terrain of the state as the seasons changed was an incredible experience.  I totally enjoyed traveling through the backroads and the countryside.

I have been a professional photographer for more than 40 years. I have worked in several environments.  This includes healthcare, public relations, for news and corporate publications and for many years as a photojournalist. I served an internship with The Alton Telegraph.  I retired from The Webster Kirkwood Times in 2020 after more than 20 years.  I have earned awards from the Georgia and Missouri Press Associations’; IFPA (International Free Paper Association) and a TAM award

I feel I have come home in nature photography. Having grown up on a small strawberry farm in southern Illinois, I feel very comfortable in the country. The woodlands have been a major factor in my life. As a child roaming barefoot through the fields, woods and creeks was almost a daily occurrence.  As a seasoned adult not much has changed.  I still spent a lot of time in the woods.  I am drawn to the smells, sounds, colors and textures of the woodlands and rural areas. Only now I do wear shoes.

In the city I find comfort in capturing the area gardens and wildflowers in my own backyard. I have a strong belief in the power of observation.  My goal is to capture the light and feeling of any scene. I am inspired to capture the magic of a moment.

Photojournalist are taught to tell a story.  As a nature photographer I hope to tell the story of the beauty of the world around us. As a traveler I am inspired to focus on and document small pieces of history.  I have been fortunate to have visited all 50 states as well as a few other parts of the world. One of the highlights was to revisit Route 66 as I did in the back of that Ford Galaxy.

I am a member of the St Louis Camera Club, Women in Focus StL, Missouri Nature & Environmental Photographers, The Mid Missouri Fine Arts Society and PhotoFlood  St Louis.

I have work displayed in numerous art galleries throughout  Missouri & Illinois. I also have images for purchase on https://www.linsleyphotostl.com/

Photo by Ursula Ruhl