Guest Speaker: Patty Kappmeyer, Presenting:
A Personal Photographic Journey through the Lowcountry
My love affair with Hilton Head Island and its natural environment began over 35 years ago when my family moved here. I am happiest when I am knee deep in pluff mud, wandering the marshes or forests seeking out birds. I spend a great amount of time nature journaling while observing birds and other wildlife in their native habitats so that my images tell a story that is unique to the animal and its environment. Through my images I seek to educate, inspire and uplift people to conserve and preserve the fragile ecosystems of Hilton Head Island and the Lowcountry. I have been interested in photography since my childhood when I was introduced to the medium at summer camp. Art has always shaped my sense of composition, color, light and connection to time and place. In fact, my summer job for many years was taking care of the modern art outdoor sculpture collection at Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate in New York.
In my professional life, I am Director of Research for Propact, an incubator founded by Nelson A. Rockefeller, Jr. My projects focus on legacy land preservation and conservation, sustainable farming and ranching initiatives. I have worked with notable organizations such as the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and noted photographer Wyman Meinzer, the official photographer of the State of Texas.
I serve on the Board of Directors of Hilton Head Audubon, and am a member of Rotary Lowcountry Environmental Club and the Carolina Nature Photographers Association. I’ve written numerous articles for the CNPA magazine Camera in the Wild, contributed to REI’s Guide to Bird-Watching for Beginners, and edit and publish Ecobon, the monthly newsletter of Hilton Head Audubon. In 2022, Audubon was awarded a significant grant to tell the story of birds and nature in the Gullah-Geechee culture. I collaborated with students at USC-Beaufort to research and write the brochure unveiled at Historic Mitchelville. My images and story have been featured in Local Life magazine, Voyages Savannah and on Scripps National News.
In my spare time (besides photography), I love to travel with my husband and two dogs in our RV exploring the natural beauty of our country and driving across thousands of miles of blue highways in search of birds and wildlife. I am also a collector of old birding guides and wildlife photography books.
Competition Theme: FLOWER BUDS
We would like to see your best color photos of flower buds. It could be a single bud in close-up, or a bud mixed with other flowers, but there must be at least one flower in bud in the photo. Color images only please.
Competition will be critiqued and judged by: Patty Kappmeyer
DIGITAL COMPETITION: RIBBONS will be awarded.
See Competition Rules for entry information: CLICK HERE
Digital File – You will submit a digital file (.jpg or .jpeg) by
sending an email to competitions.cchhi@gmail.com and
judging will be based on this digital file displayed on a computer screen.
The submission entry/photo process is different for each type i.e.: digital or print.
If you choose to join via Zoom, Click Here.
Meeting ID: 823 5366 9185
Passcode: 250800
