Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Hartmann.
Hi Debbie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have enjoyed photography since I was in high school, I was the one who always brought a camera whenever my friends and I were out and about. I took some photography classes in college and loved every minute of learning about the darkroom and the creative side of things. Over the years I spent a lot of time camping, canoeing and just being outside in general and my love for taking photographs of nature and wildlife grew and became my favorite way to spend my time. My full-time job for 36 years has been as a preschool teacher. For 18 of those years I had an additional part-time job working for a portrait photographer. During that phase of my life I was the photoshop/creative gal and learned so much about photoshop and other software that helped me with the creative and tech side of photography. Fast forward to today, being outside in nature is still my favorite way to spend my time. I have learned how to photograph snowflakes, created a calendar with my hummingbird photos, photographed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area during trips for the past 38 years, and traveled to the Outer Hebrides of Scotland twice to attend creative photography and art retreats. I try to keep my photography fun and creative and I am always trying new techniques by taking online classes from photographers I admire. And of course it is always fun when I sell my photographs or greeting cards or anything else I might create!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say that time has been the biggest struggle. Between having a full-time job and often an accompanying part-time job there often isn’t much time or energy left for creative pursuits. But I have carried on and tried my best to fit my artistic life in and make it a priority whenever I can. I have found that when I am short on time or energy I can always read a book about creativity. The creative process is my favorite subject to read about and I find the books very inspiring.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My main photography focus has always been nature and wildlife in Minnesota. A lot of my photos have been taken while paddling in my canoe. I used to visit some local heron rookeries and canoe around with my camera in my lap. I have taken some beautiful photos of blue herons, white egrets, cormorants, eagles and loons this way.
I have visited the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) for the past 38 years and many of my favorite photos have been taken during my camping trips there. I have gone on an annual trip with my friend Renee since college and we haven’t missed a year. I owe many of my photos to Renee because when my camera comes out she automatically just keeps steering our canoe so I can take pictures. I have been very, very lucky to have a friend to repeat this trip with for so many years. When we hit 40 years of visiting the BWCA I plan on writing more about our trips and showing more of my photos from the area. Not only are people in Minnesota interested in the BWCA but people from all around the USA are interested. Anyone who has visited the area knows how special the place is.
My other special projects have been hummingbirds and trumpeter swans. During covid I set my deck up with many hummingbird loving plants and studio lights. I would sit on my small deck with my camera in my lap for hours on end. I ended up with hundreds of hummingbird photos taken during the day and nighttime (yes, they will come if you shine lights on the flowers). I created a calendar of my favorite hummingbird photos, it was super fun selling them! As for the swans, I live in an area with a very special creek that has open water in the winter. I have visited the swans in the winter for more than 15 years taking beautiful winter photos of them and also photos of swans with lead poisoning. The area is a shallow heavily fished area in the summer and the swans accidentally swallow lead sinkers when eating off the bottom of the creek. My photos have helped raise awareness of lead poisoning in animals and to encourage people to use lead-free fishing tackle.
I would say my other photo specialty is snowflake photography. I wanted something to do in Winter to help me enjoy Winter more. Living in Minnesota winter is a big chunk of our year! So in 2020 I decided to teach myself snowflake photography. I read some amazing books on the topic and read everything I could find online. Well it worked and now I enjoy Winter more and even look forward to the snow. Every year I get a little better at photographing snowflakes. I am truly amazed by the beautiful crystals that fall from the sky. I am very proud of all my photography, but if I had to pick a favorite I think I am most proud of my snowflake photos. It’s been a big learning curve with a mix of technology, camera equipment and creativity all rolled into one. I love a good challenge!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I think it’s good to have some people in your field that you look up to and can study and learn from. A photographer that has been my biggest inspiration is Jim Brandenburg. I have loved his photography since the first time I discovered it, which was many years ago. Sadly he died earlier this year, but during his lifetime I studied his nature and wildlife photos whenever I had the chance. He also has a gallery store in Ely, MN near the BWCA and I visit it every time I visit the area. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times and when he was a judge in a photography contest and chose my photo for first place it was the highlight of my artistic life!
Something I did not expect was to find a wonderful creative mentor in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. She is a photographer/painter/writer named Margaret Soraya. I discovered her and her art from a random youtube interview and was drawn to her artistic simplicity, quiet nature and beautiful photographs of the sea. I had never been overseas and suddenly I found myself signing up for one of her artistic retreats and what an adventure that was! I saved all my pennies and attended another retreat this year which was wonderful and inspiring. A trip of a lifetime happened twice and I hope to go back someday. Margaret loves nothing better than helping someone live their best creative lives and I am proud to now call her a friend and my biggest mentor. I have learned a lot from her and my trips.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.heyhartmann.com
- Instagram: @heyhartmann
