INSPIRATION in the ELEMENTS TIPS for PHOTOGRAPHING WINTER LANDSCAPES| P
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DECEMBER 2017JANUARY 2018 INSPIRATION IN THE ELEMENTS TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING WINTER LANDSCAPES| p. 8 Norm Strung Youth Writing Award winners, funding your & documentary AND MORE. DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 | VOL. 78, NO. 6 CONTENTS 12 17 9 p.5 | FIND FRIENDLY FACES AT SHOT p.11 | PACK THE PRONUNCIATION ALSO IN THIS ISSUE By Kris Millgate GUIDE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE p.4 By Phil Bloom p.6 | FUNDING YOUR BOOKSHELF p.14 DOCUMENTARY p.12 | FISH, HIKE AND BIRD-WATCH NEW MEMBERS p.15 By James Swan By Phil Bloom NORM STRUNG YOUTH WRITING AWARDS p.18 p.7 | THE FINAL STEPS TO WIN YOUR p.16 | PORTFOLIO EMMY By James Smedley ASSOCIATION UPDATE p.30 By Lisa Ballard p.28 | FARM BILL CONSERVES p.8 | INSPIRATION IN THE ELEMENTS IMPORTANT LAND By William Hurst By Larry Stone p.10 | READY, SET, HIKE AND WRITE p.29 | LEAD POISONS PEOPLE, AS By Courtney Brockman WELL AS WILDLIFE By Joel Vance ON THE COVER BY WILLIAM HURST | THe sun rises over Lake Superior off the shore at Stoney Point, north of Duluth, Minnesota, on a 20-below-zero morning. Hurst was following fox tracks on the iced-over lake when he noticed the interesting ice formation. He forgot about the fox as the colors of sunrise filled the sky. To see more of Hurst’s images and learn tips for creating imagesyour own winter landscapes, see his story on cold-weather photography on page 8. 2 OUTDOORS UNLIMITED | DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018 Outdoor Writers Association of America Our mission: improve the professional skills FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of our members, set the highest ethical and communications Forging the path forward standards, encourage public enjoyment and conservation OVEMBER MARKS MY ing reviving the Goldenrod Writing of natural resources six-month anniversary at Workshop, which was held in 2010 and mentor the next the helm of the Outdoor at the University of Montana, in a generation of profes- N sional outdoor communicators. Writers Association of America. It’s slightly different format. Essentially, we been a remarkable experience as I’ve are looking at four regional three-day learned about the organization and our workshops that will serve as professional NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS members and familiarized myself with development opportunities for writers 615 Oak St., Ste. 201 our day-to-day finances and the overall and even provide continuing education Missoula, MT 59801 economic health of the organization. units for teachers and professors. I plan 406-728-7434, Fax: 406-728-7445 The great news is that we are finan- to format these workshops like tradi- [email protected], owaa.org cially healthy. However, I see ways we tional writ workshops where partici- can grow financially stronger, while also pants can share work, critique each oth- STAFF bolstering our brand, reaching more er and work with faculty hand-selected Executive Director: Brandon Shuler outdoor communicators and fostering for their expertise and teaching chops. Membership & Conference Services the next generation of writers, photog- These intensive writing workshops will Director: Jessica Seitz rapher, broadcasters and media relations also serve as a recruitment tool and aid Outdoors Unlimited Editor: Kelsey Dayton Copy Editor: Bill Bowers specialists. membership growth. We will explore a number of ave- In addition, we are currently explor- PRESIDENT nues to strengthen our organization’s ing ideas to host or create a smaller Phil Bloom, Indiana financial health that will make our midyear conference that would comple- OFFICERS 91-year-old body look spry and young. ment our annual gathering. 1st Vice President: Paul Queneau, You’ll read about our strategic planning We are discussing ideas for an Montana process in Phil Bloom’s column on the October or early November event that 2nd Vice President: Tim Mead, North next page. would supplement cash flow, while Carolina With our renewal process running remaining true to our mission. Ideas are Secretary: Colleen Miniuk-Sperry, Arizona October through January, and our an- still in their infancy, but this provides Treasurer: Tom Sadler, Virginia nual conference in the summer, the or- an opportunity for your voice to be BOARD MEMBERS ganization weathers cash flow doldrums heard and for the organization to build Bob Ford, Pennsylvania from after conference through mid-Oc- something that the membership is Karen Loke, Texas tober, as we pay conference expenses pining to see. The goal is to create a fall Becky Jones Mahlum, North Dakota and await renewal season. Even though conference that is narrower in scope and Vicki J. Mountz, South Carolina I knew it was coming, I have to admit I more focused on a singular theme than Christine Peterson, Wyoming was nervous at times as I watched more the annual meeting. Ann Simpson, Virginia money go out than come in. Let me hear your ideas; nothing is Matt Soberg, Minnesota My No. 1 goal as executive director is off the table, be it a conference aimed Danielle Taylor, Pennsylvania to improve the organization’s financial at digital publishing, a film event or a Paul Vang, Montana health. My secondary goal is to grow workshop focused on advocacy work. I COUNSELS our membership. want to know what you think. Attorney: William Jay Powell, Missouri As many of us know from our work These are exciting times, and I think Medical: William W. Forgey, Indiana in the outdoors, an organism’s wellbeing this organization is on the edge of a is predicated on stasis. When discuss- great new year. As we all look forward Copyright December 2017/January 2018 by ing our financial stasis, we must find to the holidays and an exciting 2018, Outdoor Writers Association of America Inc. Repro- duction in whole or in part without permission is avenues that provide cash flow in the I want to thank you all for supporting prohibited. The contents of Outdoors Unlimited do downtimes in August through Octo- OWAA and making us the voice of the not necessarily represent the opinion or endorsement ber, and create an additional surplus outdoors. Let’s get to work. • of OWAA, its staff, officers, directors or members. Outdoors Unlimited (ISSN 0030-7181) is published in March and April as we prepare for bimonthly by Outdoor Writers Association of America major expenses in conference and Excel- — Brandon Shuler Inc., 615 Oak St., Ste. 201, Missoula, MT 59801. lence in Craft contest payouts. is the executive director Periodicals postage paid at Missoula, MT, and addi- After many conversations with our of the Outdoor Writers tional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Outdoors Unlimited, Outdoor Writers board and members, we are explor- Association of America. Association of America Inc., 615 Oak St., Ste. 201, Missoula, MT 59801. OWAA.ORG/OU | OUTDOORS UNLIMITED 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Strategic planning committee to map OWAA’s future It is purposely a smaller team than the EOPLE IN ANY ORGANI- 22-member group that analyzed OWAA’s “ ZATION are always attached perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportu- Pto the obsolete — the things nities and threats last year. The 19 pages that should have worked but did not, the of comments that committee contributed things that once were productive and no should serve as a starting point for the longer are.” next steps. The above quote is from Peter Drucker, Not surprisingly, the analysis produced who wrote 39 books in his distinguished a few contradictions — OWAA does too career as a business management vi- much or not enough of X and needs to sionary. It seems applicable as OWAA’s do more or less of Y. strategic planning committee digs into On one hand, it shows the diversity identifying new strategies that ensure our of opinion that exists within our ranks. Phil Bloom is the former communica- long and short-term success. That’s a strength. tions director for the Indiana Depart- ment of Natural Resources and former OWAA’s current strategic plan was set But it also shows we may not fully outdoors editor at the Fort Wayne in 2014 with a four-year shelf life. It in- know who we are as an organization. Journal Gazette. cluded specific goals, suggested strategies Do we have an identity crisis? I think and measurable benchmarks. It’s on the not, but it’s important to have a rudder OWAA website at http://owaa.org/about/ on this ship. strategic-plan/. “Rounding the corner on our 90th It’s time for an update. year, OWAA is gaining strength and no- “It is mission critical that we address toriety,” Queneau said. “And with a new current and future challenges while focus- executive director just starting earlier this Phil Bloom ing on growing our membership base, our year, this is an ideal time for the organi- OWAA president endowments, and our brand exposure,” zation to build on its formidable founda- [email protected] said Brandon Shuler, OWAA’s executive tion with a new strategic plan.” director. Building a strong plan is just the be- Second vice president Paul Queneau ginning. Putting it into practice is just as chairs the strategic planning ommit- important. tee this year, accompanied by OWAA’s Former General Electric executive Jack executive committee, which includes Welch made that clear in his best-selling Tim Mead, Colleen Miniuk-Sperry and book “Winning” when he wrote: “In real Tom Sadler, as well as the five most recent life, strategy is actually very straightfor- past-presidents — Brett Prettyman, Lisa ward. You pick a general direction and Ballard, Mark Freeman, Bill Graham and implement like hell.” • Mark Taylor. OWAA END-OF-YEAR INFORMATION • In observance of Christmas and New Year’s, the OWAA office will close Dec. 23, 2017 through Jan.