Stephanie Shotz Photography

04/03/2026

06/06/2024

I had so much fun watching this little Snowy Egret primping and pruning away in its spectacular breeding plumage a couple months ago during a quick visit to see my folks in South Carolina. I’m so excited to be returning again next week and can’t wait to see the result of all that beautification. I hear the rookery has turned into quite a full kindergarten of fluffy headed cuties and I’m so ready for it!

06/06/2024

I had so much fun watching this little Snowy Egret pruning away in its spectacular breeding plumage a couple months back. I’m heading south next week and can’t wait to visit this spot again. I have high hopes of seeing the results of all of his beautifying and primping. I hear the rookery has become a busy little kindergarten with tiny fuzzy headed cuties everywhere! 🤍

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05/28/2024

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to@be happiest” -Ernest Hemingway

05/24/2024

As common as the Great White Egret is today, it’s hard to believe they were almost driven to extinction by the fashion industry of the late 1800’s. These birds sport to most striking plumes, especially on display during mating season. Thankfully, early conservationists were able affect an incredible come back for the Great Egret. They were able to end the slaughter by creating protections for the colonies and as a result, this stunning bird is the symbol of the National Audubon Society. Personally speaking, I’d much prefer to watch them than to wear them. 🤍

05/17/2024

There’s nothing quite so enchanting than the sight of soggy-mossyness along a mountain stream after a long, hard rain. I was introduced to this beautiful creek by my new friend last week. I had had it in my mind that I had to catch whatever might be left of the azalea bloom in WNC after the downpours we’d had in the days before - a tall order for sure. The urgency to fulfill that goal became quite a bit less-so after discovering this emerald beauty. All of my senses were instantly engaged, almost overwhelmed even by the earthy, woody smells of nature, decomposing generations of earthly matter beneath my feet, the soft, wet spongy feel of moss all around me, vision saturated in all the greens, almost too vibrant for this world, the sounds - a symphony of birds singing the sweetest sounds of spring, the crisp, awakening chill of mountain spring water against my skin, the roaring spill over the edge of a waterfall, rushing through the creek with a knowing urgency to feed life here and beyond. A lesson in being present for sure. Bloom? What bloom 😉💚

05/04/2024

A few weeks ago I made a very last-minute spontaneous jump at the chance to join up with and with in the Charleston South Carolina area. Those two have quite the skills for putting together an amazing itinerary. I’d visited this spot a year ago - about a week too late. I’ve had this shot in my mind ever since with the hope of returning at just the right time to make this composition right. This year, with the guidance and voodoo magic of Tommy and Alistair, we hit the spot head on at the peak of the Azalea bloom. My time with those two never disappoints. 🩷

05/02/2024

04/19/2024

It’s fair to say I’ve been a bit of a bird brain as of late. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Meet my little Green Heron friend, though I can’t really see why he’s called a green. Looks spectacularly blueish-purplish to me!
💙💜💚

04/18/2024

These two didn’t see eye to eye on things, especially on the topic of the days menu.