Don Sala photography exhibit opens Jan. 2 at Plum Creek Nature

Photos taken by award-winning photographer Don Sala of Beecher will be on display from Tuesday, Jan. 2, through Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Plum Creek Nature Center.

The free exhibit will feature 16 photos taken in eastern Will County by Sala, who has been a photographer for almost 50 years. Sala's exhibit at Plum Creek will include nature photos and barn shots.

“I like shooting barns in my hometown of Beecher,” Sala said. “These barns are a vision of the past. And each year, time and weather take a toll on the barns. In 10 years, most of these barns will be gone, with just a trace of their memories."

Sala was bitten by the photo bug in high school and he’s been snapping pictures ever since, including a stint in the Army as a military police photographer in the Panama Canal Zone in 1969 and later as a commercial photographer. Sala has won first place awards for some of his photos, which have been exhibited in galleries in Illinois and Indiana. Now that he is retired, he said he enjoys walking outside and searching for interesting objects to photograph.

“I love bright colors and different shapes and angles,” he said of his outdoor photography excursions. “And it’s a little more relaxing. You can walk outside and look for different perspectives.”

And he’s hoping his perspective on photography comes through during the Plum Creek exhibit.

“When you look at the images, I hope it makes you feel like you are standing in my shoes,” he said.

Sala’s photos will be available for sale during the exhibit, and 20 percent of the proceeds will be donated to The Nature Foundation of Will County. The foundation raises funds in support of the Forest Preserve's education, recreation and conservation efforts. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays and noon-4 p.m. Sundays. Plum Creek Nature Center is located 27064 S. Dutton Road, Beecher.

In addition to the photo exhibit, Sala will participate in a “Winter NaturePhotography Hike” from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 27. Participants will get tips from Sala at the nature center then go on a naturalist-led hike in Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve. Attendees should bring their cameras (smartphones through digital SLR). The free program is for ages 16 or older. Register online by Thursday, Jan. 25, or by calling 708-946-2216.

For more information on Forest Preserve District of Will County programs and events, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.