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Naturebug Photography, Branson, MO (2026)

07/20/2026

The Old Country Church✨⛪

Weathered glass and the simple elegance.

There is a quiet, breathtaking power in the towering, unadorned cathedral windows of an old country church. They don't block out the world; they invite it in.

Many of you already know that I was born and raised in a rural Southwest Missouri community. Out in the country, you’ll find old churches dotting the landscape—many built in the 1800s, and several of them still holding services today. Growing up, I didn't even know "big" churches existed!

In the 1840s, my ancestors settled in this area. While I’ve never been entirely clear on the exact date the church they attended was built, I know from records they were attending (Mt. Olive) by the mid-1800s. It’s where my 4th great-grandfather was buried in 1878, and all the generations of my family between then and now.

Folks have asked what draws me to these old churches, especially the abandoned ones that have seen better days.

When I look at them, I don't see a building in ruins. I see over a hundred years of families gathered for Sunday services, weddings and funerals. I see time taking its toll, and the small communities that have faded away around them. Much in the same way it has with my own family church.

Perhaps I just want to hold on to those times. Maybe I fear my great-grandchildren will never know the feeling of those close-knit rural areas. Or maybe I just fear that someday, I won’t remember. Likely, all the above.

For now, no old rural church is safe from my journal (aka camera!). 📸✨

Hope you enjoy this 1885 Barry County, MO beauty. Just look at those windows! 👇

Jolly Bethel Church

07/19/2026

✨ Altar of Stars ✨

It has been way over a year since I’ve been out shooting the Milky Way, but yesterday, I finally got the chance. I spent several hours searching for the perfect location and I found it: a beautiful, old 1885 abandoned church in Barry County. Standing in the middle of nowhere, basically sitting in a cornfield, I knew it had clear views from all sides. The Milky Way sky shouldn't be a problem. This was going to be perfect!

I was looking at a two-hour drive, and I was ready.

I pulled in around sunset. There was an odd haze low in the sky, but I figured, no worries, the Milky Way will be right above it. I started setting up my camera for the sunset, and then there it was, slapping me right in the face... a huge outdoor electric power pole light. Literally 10 feet in front of the old church.

This church has bats living in it. The wood siding is gone in areas, completely exposing the studs. So, a moment of calm hit me: There is no way this thing actually works. There can't be live electricity hooked up to this place.

Let’s back up a little for context. Milky Way photos require absolutely zero light. I’m talking dark—so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face. And I had just driven two hours for this shot. ARGHHH! 😤

Sunset hit. It was underwhelming to say the least, but I still grabbed a few dozen shots. I was there for the BIG show!

And then it happened. NOOOOOO...... the light came on. 💡🤦‍♀️

Not only that, but the sliver of moon was way brighter than I expected it to be, and much closer to the Milky Way than I wanted. Geez, bad was getting worse. I haven't been in a Milky Way situation that was any worse than this. Any decent photographer would have packed up their equipment and headed home.

But here’s the thing about me: I don’t give up.

I tried every single angle you could possibly try. And well, here is the best result I could come up with.

Yes, I easily could have shot the church and Photoshoped the Milky Way in later. But that’s just not my style. This picture is the real deal—a single shot. It's overexposed in many places, the core of the Milky Way is hidden behind the only tree I couldn’t work around, and the moon was shining right behind me... but somehow, I still love it.

You know those family trips where it rains the whole time and absolutely nothing works in your favor, yet those are the ones you remember and laugh about for years? I guess that’s what this night was for me.

And I can assure you, there is way more to the story (like getting the absolute fright of my life 👻), but I won’t bore you with that crazy side of it today!

Hope you enjoy the picture anyway. Happy Sunday, friends! ✨

07/18/2026

Ever feel like your mind is running a million miles an hour, or like the weight of the daily grind is settling right into your shoulders? 🌲✨

When life gets loud, the best thing we can do is step outside.
Nature speaks in a language of quiet rhythm. It doesn’t demand your attention, send you notifications, or ask you to be anything other than exactly who you are. When you stand among old trees, listen to a moving stream, or watch the sun dip below a valley, you are reminded of a simpler pace.

It grounds us. It strips away the superficial noise and reconnects us to the present moment. In the stillness of the outdoors, our souls find room to breathe, to heal, and to remember what truly matters.

So today, take this as your sign to step away from the screens. Go find a patch of grass, walk a trail, or just sit on the porch and look at the sky. Your mind will thank you, and your soul will feel right at home. 💚

Photography tip: Our eyes love to follow lines. When taking a photo, looking for "leading" lines. The trees in this photo is a "V" shape. The reflection an inverted "V". It draws your eye to the center of the scene. Look for your lines.

07/16/2026

🎶 "Who's going to fill their shoes..." 🎶

If I had to assign a theme song to my historical photography, it would hands-down be this classic George Jones song.

From the very first moment I heard it, it made me think of the incredibly hard road taken by those who walked before us. The strong, brave, and resilient souls who paved the way for the comfortable lives we live today. Our great-grandparents, trailblazing leaders, soldiers—all of them.

When you really stop to think about what it took for them to simply stay alive, it makes you wonder... Do we honestly have it in us to do what they did?

Who's going to fill their shoes?

Every time I look through my lens, I see the proof of their grit:

Old homesteads built to withstand the harshest elements.

Three-story mills erected with nothing but hand tools, grit, and zero engineering degrees.

Country doctors who faced devastating illnesses with nothing more than the scarce contents of a small leather bag.

To call those "hard times" is a massive understatement. It was an era where people prayed with everything they had, and then worked even harder to survive. They never gave up. If one thing failed, they tried something else. In fact, many of the successes born from their trial and error are things we still rely on today.

So yes, I literally hear this song echoing in my head every single time I'm standing alone in the quiet, capturing these fleeting moments of the past. Within these weathered walls are the lingering spirits of those who once filled these spaces—the ones whose shoes we will never truly be able to fill.

📷 What do you think? When you look at these old places, do you feel that same connection to the past?

07/04/2026

🇺🇸 1776–2026: Happy 250th Birthday, America! 🇺🇸

I love celebrating this incredible Semiquincentennial milestone, but let me tell you about another milestone that holds the absolute biggest piece of my heart.

In 1976, I was just 7 years old. I grew up in a small town that celebrated America in a big way—not just every year, but every single day. We deeply honored our veterans. In fact, our town's history ran so deep that well into the early 1900s, Civil War soldiers still gathered there each year. Back in 1900, they even took a group photo, and my great-great-grandfather was standing right there among them.

Our town was famous for hosting the largest 4th of July parade in the area. It was such a staple of American pride that back in the '80s, President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush chose to come ride in it themselves! - That was an event I will never forget!

So, when the Bicentennial came around in 1976, you can bet it was a celebration to remember. 🎉

I was in the 1st grade, attending an old schoolhouse where two grades shared a single classroom, and we were still lucky to even have 15 kids in a room. The excitement for the Bicentennial started early that year. I guess my love for history was evident even back then, because I soaked up every single second of it.

Even now, 50 years later, I remember it like it was yesterday. 1976 was the first year I actually understood the concept of "years," and I suddenly wanted to learn everything. It was the first time I ever heard of Betsy Ross or the Boston Tea Party. I learned that our flag had changed many times, the reasons why, and the true meaning behind the stars and stripes. ⭐🇺🇸

That patriotic love has never left me, and I can say for a fact that 1976 was the exact year it began. Over the years, that childhood spark grew into a lifelong dedication to preserving our history. Today, I am incredibly proud to say I am a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). It is such a profound honor to carry that title that connects my own family's bloodline directly back to the patriots who fought for our freedom.

I'm not sure this patriotic soul of mine has ever had a year as purely enjoyable as 1976. And yet, here we are—50 years later. I feel so incredibly blessed to have such wonderful memories of 1976, and now, the immense privilege of witnessing 2026 as a proud DAR daughter.

Have a safe, wonderful, and Happy 4th of July, everyone! ❤️🤍💙

07/03/2026

Thought I'd post a few common scenes that can be found at most Missouri waterways.

Have a wonderful 250th Birthday Eve!

07/02/2026

San Juan Mountains

07/02/2026

Colorado is battling wildfires right now, and they could really use our prayers. 🙏❤️

These pictures are from a few years ago in the San Juan Mountains. One of the large wildfires is currently burning in this exact area. I initially sat down to write a post about the fires and the breathtaking beauty of Colorado, but somewhere along the line, the message shifted into something a little different...

As I have mentioned many times on this page, I keep a "must-see" travel list. I'm not going to lie—it's a long list! Each year, I'm lucky enough to check several things off. But here's the kicker: Several of the places I mark off are because they are no longer there to see.

Fires, collapsed rock formations, tornadoes, old historic buildings being torn down... the reasons vary, but the result is the same. Those places are gone. Read that again. They are no longer there.

It’s a sad truth, but it’s also a powerful reminder. Things happen. Whether due to human hands or the forces of nature, things change, and we can’t stop it. We so often put things off because we assume we will always have time. But that isn't always the case. Of the many items on my list, the lines I have to draw through places I know I will never have the option to visit again... those sting.

One of my absolute favorite places in Colorado is currently facing a wildfire that has grown from a few hundred acres to tens of thousands of acres in just a week, with no end in sight. You bet I'm glad I've been there. I actually have reservations to go back this September/October, but I'm truly not sure what I will find. I'm not sure I'm prepared to see my beloved San Juan Mountains covered in deep scars that will take years to heal.

My heart goes out to the residents who are not only battling the fire and evacuating to safety, but are also experiencing a devastating loss of income in an area that heavily relies on tourism.

So to all of you, my advice is this: Make that list and get to as many of those locations as you can. It doesn’t have to be far away, and it doesn't have to be more than a weekend trip. But make the list, and go.

Cross off those places on your own terms. Don't wait so long that you are forced to cross them off because they are gone.

Prayers to all affected. Peace, my friends! ✌️🌲✨

07/01/2026

✨ The most unusually beautiful spot I have ever seen. ✨

If you ever add a single place to your must-see bucket list, Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park should be right at the top.

The day I took this picture, I had spent the afternoon hiking up to the overlook to get the most incredible, jaw-dropping view of the Spring you can imagine. Afterward, I headed down to take the boardwalk trail for an up-close look.

But it was actually on my way down from the spring that this exact moment happened. I turned around, looked up, and for some reason, this specific view just stopped me dead in my tracks. I knew I had to capture it.

There was something so captivating about the scene. The boardwalk lined with visitors, the heavy steam from the Grand Prismatic Spring rising in the background... it caught my eye because of its sheer simplicity. Here I was, standing at what is arguably the most shockingly colorful place on earth, but you wouldn't even know it from this view. From this angle, it holds its vibrant secret close.

PHOTO TIP: The best time to visit is when the sun is overhead and at it's brightest. It's one of those very rare times that you'll hear me say that.
The color is created from different types of thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria can thrive. These bacteria, known as extremophiles, are responsible for the spring's outer rings of color. The bacteria loves the sun and it brings out the brightest colors.
Take the hike to the overlook for the best views and best pictures. This is a must.

Have you ever been to Yellowstone? What’s a view that stopped you in your tracks? 👇📷

# bucketlist

06/27/2026

🏔️ The Grand Teton Mountains. 📸

For me, there are two places that absolutely cannot be beat for landscape photography: the Grand Teton Mountains and the San Juan Mountains. The best part? These two spots require very little effort to capture something truly spectacular.

Today’s picture comes from an early morning at Schwabacher Landing—which is very likely my favorite place on earth.

This small spot has a way of surprising you with something new every time. The mountains reflect in this water like no other place. Waking up to a morning with heavy fog? It gives it a beautiful, completely different, and moody look. But most of all, when you're there, remember to take a moment, step back, and just enjoy the incredible beauty that surrounds you.

📷 Photo Tips for Schwabacher Landing:
Sunrise: The sun rises behind the mountains, giving you a stunning, dramatic morning backdrop.

Sunset: Golden hour can create some of the most colorful skies you've ever seen, perfect for a late evening mountain backdrop.

Wildlife: An early morning or late evening visit will sometimes treat you to a moose or two. Keep your eyes open for plenty of other animals, too!

Composition: Make sure you take advantage of the natural curve in the water—it creates perfect leading lines to draw the eye right to the peaks.

Naturebug Photography

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