1 of 90

Capturing Our Natural World: Learning and Growing as a Photographer

Corey Seeman

University of Michigan

cseeman@umich.edu

Web: https://www.squirreldude.com/

Program Page: https://www.squirreldude.com/photography-programs

Corey’s flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/cseeman

July 2026

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 1

2 of 90

Presentation Overview

Introduction
A Photographer’s Aspirations
A Photographer’s Growth
A Photographer’s Reality
A Photographer’s Regrets
Wrapping up
How to Manage Your Pictures*

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 2

3 of 90

Presentation Overview

If you are fascinated by birds, wildlife, plants and trees, you might love nature photography! For many photographers, nature is a subject that provides countless opportunities to use our cameras for locations both near and far. Even a walk in a local park can reveal plants, trees, birds, squirrels and other elements that make for great photographs. And a vacation may be selected because of the unique and diverse nature found there. In this presentation, I will share my own growth as a nature photographer while showcasing some ways to continually improve your photography.

Key Takeaways

Sharing ideas on how to grow as a photographer.
Learning about locations (especially in Michigan) for nature photography.
Learning about the habits and behaviors of birds and wildlife.
Researching new locations or seeking out different types of wildlife and birds.
Planning trips into nature during all the seasons of the year.
Understanding some basic camera settings that I use when photographing nature.
Describing and sharing these pictures with others.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 3

4 of 90

Presentation Overview - Links

Useful Links

Program Page: https://www.squirreldude.com/photography-programs
Capturing Our Natural World Page:
https://www.squirreldude.com/photography-programs/capturing-our-natural-world
Photography Follow-Up Answers: https://www.squirreldude.com/photography-programs/photography-follow-up-answers (includes some good basic sites and links).

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 4

5 of 90

Introduction

About Corey
Librarian at the University of Michigan (since 2005).
Formerly, an archivist at three institutions (including the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Chicago Historical Society, and Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania).

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 5

6 of 90

Introduction

Passionate photographer as a child.
Done in by the double cost of photography (film and developing).
Rekindled my passion for photography with my first digital camera back in 2007.

My older brother and me, in Matawan, NJ

(c. 1968)

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 6

7 of 90

Introduction

Huge user on flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman
I have participated in Project365 (one photo every day) since June 12, 2008.
Almost never without a camera!
What I did in June 2024 - https://flic.kr/p/2qaApnr

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 7

8 of 90

Introduction

Why do I take pictures?

to document
to remember
to share with everyone
to spread joy!
to capture moments in time
to tell stories

Watching Amélie (2001) – Nino Q. is collecting fragments and trying to piece together a story.
Many photographers are doing just this!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 8

9 of 90

Introduction

I am interested in nature, but my growth has been organic and slow over the years.
In many ways, an accidental nature photographer.
Also photograph many other subjects.
Since adopting my dog Runyon in 2019, we are out almost every weekend with my pup.
Provides respite from everything else.
It creates work – but one I love to do.
Enjoy your time outside.
Why? Why not!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 9

10 of 90

Our Aspirations

You (Photographer)
Your Gear
Your Subjects
Your Elements
Math & Numbers
Telling Stories
Photographing in the Wild

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 10

11 of 90

Aspirations– You (Photographer)

Suffering for your art

Photo by Dustin Johnson on UM Law Quad – Late February 2020 - https://www.instagram.com/djphotovideo/

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 11

12 of 90

Aspirations– You (Photographer)

Huge user on flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman
I have participated in Project365 (one photo every day) since June 12, 2008
Almost never without a camera!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 12

13 of 90

Aspirations– You (Photographer)

SO…on July 20^th, 2026…
On the way back with Runyon, I noticed something on a snag.
I realized it was a Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly! See - https://flic.kr/p/2sq8pkW

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 13

14 of 90

Aspirations– You (Photographer)

SO…on July 20^th, 2026…
I originally took pictures with my phone – they were awful. So I dropped of Runyon and returned. It was still there!
Here are the pictures I kept - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman/tags/eatiswjuly20th
Took 212 pictures with my camera, kept 44 (tossed 168)

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 14

15 of 90

Aspirations – Your Gear

So this is where I give you permission to buy whatever you want!
You want to bring it all, but you need to carry it!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 15

16 of 90

Aspirations – Your Gear

Get your camera(s) ready!

You do not need to spend a lot of money on camera gear*.
You can get great shots with more modest cameras and with phones.
Your understanding of your camera more correlates to better pictures than simply a better product!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 16

17 of 90

Aspirations – Your Gear

Corey’s philosophy of photography

Used Canon DSLRs (6D Mark II, 5DS, 80D, 70D, T3)
Now use Canon Mirrorless EOS R, R5, R6 Mark II, R6 Mark III & R8.
I also use my phone a ton!
You can buy new equipment for events or trips but learn the camera or lens well before it counts. It takes a while to get the feel of new camera equipment.

Honey Run Equestrian (May 8th, 2021 - Ann Arbor)

https://flic.kr/p/2kXvrDt

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 17

18 of 90

Aspirations – Your Gear

Get your camera(s) ready!

Camera body
RF 24-240mm lens
RF 100-400mm lens
2x Converter*
Cat (Fred) not included
Your phone likely has a great camera!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 18

19 of 90

Aspirations – Your Gear

One of the key elements you need is a great camera bag that will fit all your gear.
This is a real product (K9 Sport Sack - https://k9sportsack.com/)

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 19

20 of 90

Aspirations – Your Gear

In addition to the cameras, I always carry the following:

Good camera bag
Extra batteries
Sensor cleaner
Cleaning kits
Hand sanitizer
Water
Extra cloths
Notepad!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 20

21 of 90

Aspirations – Your Subjects

Look at other photographer’s work.
Get books and guides from the library!
Be very careful about ebooks out there – many are AI generated and of questionable value (that is generous).
Learn about where you are going.
Find out when the animals are most active.
Find out when the animals have babies.
Putting links on the program page.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 21

22 of 90

Aspirations – Your Subjects

Get books and guides from the library!
Look at the State Audubon Society and DNR (or equivalent).
States all have a good deal of content.
From Michigan DNR - https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/wildlife & https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/education/michigan-species

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 22

23 of 90

Aspirations – The Elements

There are lots of issues you face when you head out to take pictures.

Too much sun
Too little sun
Too much humidity
Too cold
Too wet
Too busy
Too many tics

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 23

24 of 90

Aspirations – The Elements

Cameras like to operate in the same weather that we like to operate!
When it is hot…

Cameras can overheat (they are often black – drawing heat from the sun).
When it is humid, you might need 10-15 minutes to acclimate from an AC interior to outside.

Pancaking Squirrel – May 31, 2023

https://flic.kr/p/2oEvF9k

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 24

25 of 90

Aspirations – The Elements

Cameras like to operate in the same weather that we like to operate!
When it is cold…

Camera batteries can drain more quickly.

When it is rainy…

Cameras are mostly weather resistant, but a good time not to change lenses and limit time outside.

Squirrel on a Snowy Day

– January 29, 2026

https://flic.kr/p/2rUtLyZ

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 25

26 of 90

Aspirations – The Elements

Cameras like to operate in the same weather that we like to operate!
When it is too sunny…

Good pictures can be hard to get.
Under certain settings (I use Shutter Priority), I lower the image brightness and that makes the pictures a bit less washed out. Common on bright days.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 26

27 of 90

Aspirations – Math & Numbers

Exposure Triangle - Illustration from Todd Vorenkamp - https://tinyurl.com/4y57vskr

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 27

28 of 90

Aspirations – Math & Numbers

Knowing the Exposure Triangle helps you get or avoid:

Depth of Field (Bokeh).
Graininess of the image.
Blurry figures who are moving.
Tricky in sunlight, super tricky at night.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 28

29 of 90

Aspirations – Math & Numbers

How many pictures to take?

Subject	Date(s)	Taken	Kept	% Kept
Austin (TX) Squirrels	7/7/2026	213	86	40.38%
Ypsi (MI) Grosbeaks	May 2026	148	55	37.16%
UM Squirrels	6/3/2026	337	98	29.08%
UM Squirrels	6/11/2026	252	80	31.75%
Ypsi (MI) Orioles	May 2026	410	73	17.80%
Ypsi (MI) Squirrels	June 2026	185	57	30.81%
Austin (TX) Capitol Squirrels	7/10/2026	754	205	27.19%
Rolling Hills Visit	June 20&21, 2026	567	166	29.28%

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 29

30 of 90

Aspirations – Telling Stories

When we take pictures of our natural world, we are seeking to preserve these images of animals, birds, plants, trees, etc. that may not be around forever.
Also it is about telling the story of these animals who we are interacting with.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 30

31 of 90

Aspirations – Composition

Rule of Thirds (and Composition)
Red-Tailed Hawk at UM - February 25th, 2026 - https://flic.kr/p/2rYn9qc

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 31

32 of 90

Aspirations – Composition

Rule of Thirds (and Composition)
Red-Tailed Hawk at UM - February 25th, 2026 - https://flic.kr/p/2rYn9J8

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 32

33 of 90

Aspirations– Photographing In the Wild

Spending time in our natural world is extremely important.
In many ways, turing this into a photographic endeavor adds stress, but it adds fun.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 33

34 of 90

Aspirations – North Star

Your aspirations should be the North Star, what you aim for – even though you will never get there.
That is OK.
Like a garden – there is always work to do.
February 5^th, 2026 - https://flic.kr/p/2rVkiEq

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 34

35 of 90

Our Growth

Inspiration – Photographer’s sites and books (use the library)
The arc of growth – I feel that I have gotten continually better.
Progress is slow, but steady.
Worth the investment…
…if you enjoy it.
First squirrel (Project365 2008)

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 35

36 of 90

Our Reality

UM Campus Squirrels
Birds at Rolling Hills
Austin (Texas) Squirrels
Gardens & Natural Areas
Butterflies
Just the Woods

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 36

37 of 90

Our Reality

Intention vs. Retention
What are you hoping to get
What do you actually get
Determining value
Some things give me more pleasure than others.
What are you hoping to find. Often people ask what I am seeing – they are disappointed when I mention squirrels!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 37

38 of 90

Our Reality

Consider the amazing number of random and unconnected acts that bring you, your camera, and all of Mother Nature’s offspring into one location.
Soak in the environment, especially the sounds.
As you walk – listen and look.
Watch for movement and listen for noises.
Watch where you step! Do not walk looking through the eyepiece.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 38

39 of 90

Our Reality

Do your research
Do YOUR research
Use the Library
Find out what the annual lifecycle of animals are (when they are active, when they have babies, etc.)
If you visit a stop often, you will have a better sense of wildlife behavior than if you are an occasional visitor.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 39

40 of 90

Reality – UM Campus Squirrels

In the grand scheme of things, when I retire from the University of Michigan, this is how it will be framed.
Current UM Squirrel Pictures of flickr (as of July 18^th, 2026)….
….approximately 178,500

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 40

41 of 90

Reality – UM Campus Squirrels

As far as I can tell – my first squirrel pictures was October 6^th, 2008.
Not particularly good…. https://flic.kr/p/5ujKBL

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 41

42 of 90

Reality – UM Campus Squirrels

Over the years, I have learned about the different opportunities during the year.
April 7^th, 2020 - https://flic.kr/p/2iN36wc

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 42

43 of 90

Reality – UM Campus Squirrels

Over the years, I have learned about the different opportunities during the year.
April 16^th, 2025 - https://flic.kr/p/2qYeSSp

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 43

44 of 90

Reality – Birds at Rolling Hills

While mammals are always around – sometimes underground – birds often migrate and are occasional visitors.
Indigo Bunting – June 7^th, 2026

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 44

45 of 90

Reality – Birds at Rolling Hills

Birding sources
eBird - https://ebird.org/home (Merlin app)
Michigan Audubon - https://www.michiganaudubon.org/
Birding trails in Michigan - https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/trails-and-sanctuaries-perfect-bird-watching-michigan
Participate in bird walks – great way to learn and see birds you will miss on the way!
Talk with people on your walk – what did you see!
eBird website will share observations from other bird watchers.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 45

46 of 90

Reality – Birds at Rolling Hills

Even everyday birds can make for a great photo.
Red-winged Blackbird at Rolling Hills County Park – July 19^th, 2026*.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 46

47 of 90

Reality – Birds at Rolling Hills

Rolling Hills County Park
You get to visit during all four seasons!
Zooming via cropping (after the fact).
Hungry Bluebird (February 2025)
https://flic.kr/p/2qL9iDW

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 47

48 of 90

Reality – Birds at Rolling Hills

Rolling Hills County Park
Photo with a 2x converter (800mm) – February 10^th, 2024
https://flic.kr/p/2py7tQY

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 48

49 of 90

Reality – Bird Tour in Palm Springs, CA

When you are traveling, participating in organized tours and bird hikes is a great idea.
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve (Morongo Valley, California) - July 31st, 2024
Look at events in the local Audubon Societies.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 49

50 of 90

Reality – Bird Tour in Palm Springs, CA

Noticed a Hooded Oriole in a nest under a palm leaf.
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve (Morongo Valley, California) - July 31st, 2024
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman/tags/bigmorongo2024
Photo - https://flic.kr/p/2qgjrWT

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 50

51 of 90

Reality – Austin (TX) Squirrels

I had known that the University of Texas had great squirrels.
Fox Squirrels in Downtown Austin, Texas (Brush Square) - July 6th, 2026 - https://flic.kr/p/2snCMov

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 51

52 of 90

Reality – Austin (TX) Squirrels

The best squirrels were at the State Capitol. Picture from July 10^th, 2026 - https://flic.kr/p/2sorchW

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 52

53 of 90

Reality – Austin (TX) Squirrels

The best squirrels were at the State Capitol. Picture from July 8^th, 2026
Not loaded yet!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 53

54 of 90

Reality – Tiergarten (Berlin)

Tiergarten is the city’s largest park, starting right at the Brandanburg Gate/Tor.
Originally, a royal hunting grounds.
I went through the park three times in the morning and twice in the afternoon.
Hoping for squirrels…

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 54

55 of 90

Reality – Tiergarten (Berlin)

Hoping for squirrels…only saw a few.
Eurasian Red Squirrels https://flic.kr/p/2rhCMzr

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 55

56 of 90

Reality – Tiergarten (Berlin)

Beautiful pictures of other wildlife, including this grey heron.
https://flic.kr/p/2ryE15t

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 56

57 of 90

Reality – Prater (Vienna)

The Prater is a large park in Vienna (Wien) that was near where I was staying.
Got up every morning to walk through the park before my sessions (thank you 5am Sunrise).
Did much better with squirrels!

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 57

58 of 90

Reality – Prater (Vienna)

Eurasian Red Squirrels in Vienna
All pictures -https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCsjw5
Favorite Picture (May 19, 2025)! https://flic.kr/p/2r9CPve

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 58

59 of 90

Chicago – Nature Preserve

Visit in 2022 - Catherine Chevalier Woods is a beautiful nature preserve on the Des Plaines River in Chicago.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman/tags/catherinechevalierwoodsjuly2022

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 59

60 of 90

Chicago – Nature Preserve

Catherine Chevalier Woods
Chipmunk - July 7, 2022 - https://flic.kr/p/2nxSMp8

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 60

61 of 90

Chicago – Nature Preserve

Catherine Chevalier Woods
Deer(?) with furry antlers (in Spring and Summer).
July 10, 2022 - https://flic.kr/p/2nyk6Ly

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 61

62 of 90

Orlando – Orlando Wetlands Park

This is one of my favorite places in Florida. Halfway between Orlando and the Atlantic Ocean.
Roseate Spoonbill October 20th & 21st, 2017
https://flic.kr/p/YyX5dU

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 62

63 of 90

Orlando – Orlando Wetlands Park

This is one of my favorite places in Florida. Halfway between Orlando and the Atlantic Ocean.
Alligator - July 8th, 2023
https://flic.kr/p/2oSJRhc

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 63

64 of 90

Reality – Gardens

Some apps to use.
Seek – App from iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app
Picture This - https://www.picturethisai.com/

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 64

65 of 90

Reality – Gardens

Taking Pictures of Flowers
A bright sunny day might be too much – an overcast day can yield better pictures.
I love focusing on one flower and using the others as a blurred background. This is bokeh.
https://photographylife.com/what-is-bokeh
I also like photographing from above.
Contrasting colors are nice – but not vital.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 65

66 of 90

Reality – Gardens

Crosswinds Marsh (Sumpter Township)
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmNyyrvS

https://flic.kr/p/2hxtXPQ

https://flic.kr/p/2jqcdJE

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 66

67 of 90

Reality – Gardens

Peony Gardens, Nichols Arboretum (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) - May 31st, 2018
https://flic.kr/p/KAkhWY

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 67

68 of 90

Reality - Gardens

Mushrooms are a fantastic subject.

They do not move
You can get very close
Amazing variety
Can be dangerous…or delicious!
Check out links here: https://www.squirreldude.com/photography-programs/into-the-wild-michigan

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 68

69 of 90

Reality – Butterflies

Butterflies are among my favorite summer visitors.
Project365 Butteryfly Pictures - https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB8Sjq

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 69

70 of 90

Reality – Butterflies

Eastern Tiger Swallowtails on July 27th, 2024 at Rolling Hills - https://flic.kr/p/2qbfo8h

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 70

71 of 90

Reality – Butterflies

Black Swallowtails at Rolling Hills County Park (Ypsilanti, Michigan) - July 12th, 2025 - https://flic.kr/p/2rkvYHJ

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 71

72 of 90

Reality – Butterflies

Monarch Butterfly at Waterfront Park - Louisville, Kentucky - June 28th, 2025
https://flic.kr/p/2riNgyM

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 72

73 of 90

Visit Parks & Gardens – Rolling Hills

Rolling Hills County Park
You get to visit during all four seasons!
While the park is the same, different seasons present them as a completely unique experience.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (July 2024) - https://flic.kr/p/2qbfo8h

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 73

74 of 90

Reality – Just the Woods

This is the picture that is the slide background.
Mary McCann Park (Saline, Michigan) – February 19, 2023 https://flic.kr/p/2oiuGt5

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 74

75 of 90

Reality – Just the Woods

The woods and something else!
Runyon's Visit to Maybury State Park (Northville, Michigan) October 3, 2020
https://flic.kr/p/2jP4Y2m

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 75

76 of 90

Reality – Recognition (Some)

Participating in contests is a mixed bag.
I have entered a number – I have received some recognition:
https://www.squirreldude.com/photography/photography-awards
Squirrels in the Hardy Mums at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan on September 18th, 2015 - https://flic.kr/p/yMCDUz

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 76

77 of 90

Reality – Recognition (Some)

“Do not get married to the results.”
A photo you love might not resonate with users.
Who would like a peanut? - Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA (University of Michigan) - April 5th, 2019
https://flic.kr/p/2frsaUH

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 77

78 of 90

Regrets

Perfection is the enemy of the good
Could be an issue the first time you make a recipe or do anything.
Maybe your wingman is a pain – I never regret taking Runyon along.
Professional photographers only show their good stuff! Remember that.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 78

79 of 90

Regrets

Practice Makes Better!

It hardly ever makes “perfect.”
That is OK. Pictures are all different.
You will catch something different – and that is fun.
Picture from Rolling Hills County Park September 7^th, 2025. I was hoping for butterflies – but got these.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 79

80 of 90

Regrets – Don’t Have One!

Be Careful
Watch where you walk!
Your selfie isn’t worth it.
DO NOT PET THE BISON!
(Domino Farms 2024 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman/54122713076/)

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 80

81 of 90

Wrapping Up

BACK UP YOUR PICTURES!
I will pull pictures off my camera every few days.
I back everything up weekly.
Thanks in part to Data Centers – external hard drives are all way more expensive ☹

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 81

82 of 90

Questions & Thank You

Corey Seeman

University of Michigan

Email: cseeman@umich.edu

Web: https://www.squirreldude.com

Program Page: https://www.squirreldude.com/photography-programs

Corey’s flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/cseeman

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 82

83 of 90

How to manage your pictures

Google Photos enable albums – easy way to find items.
Google Photos is more focused on AI and facial identity.
On your phone, the similar pictures are bunched together.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 83

84 of 90

How to manage your pictures

How to weed and save
Short term value and interest (grocery lists, parking spots, stupid pictures)
Long term value and interest (things that are more important to be shared, family, vacations, etc.)

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 84

85 of 90

How to manage your pictures

How to make it easier to find pictures?
Natural way photographs are organized is by date taken.
How do you want to show and share?
Weed junk.
Move stuff you like into albums.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 85

86 of 90

How to manage your pictures

Deleting pictures, here and there (phone and cloud)
Since you do not want to pay to store bad pictures, delete ones that are redundant or out of focus.
Google and iPhones have utilities to help clear out photos that are blurry.
Removing them from the cloud might leave them on your phone. You can do that with a separate step.

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 86

87 of 90

How to manage your pictures

Description does not help that much with findability like it does on places like flickr.
The focus is on AI – what it can pull from a photo is more important than the description.
https://photos.google.com/search/thank%20you (My photos – search of “Thank You”

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 87

88 of 90

How to manage your pictures

https://photos.google.com/search/squirrels (My google photos – search of squirrels

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 88

89 of 90

How to manage your pictures

If you want to move some to flickr – here are my steps:

Take photos – phone, camera, or scan (older print ones).
Download pics and merge them (use date and time).
Review and Toss bad and redundant shots.
Rename all the files (you can do in bulk by selecting all and changing the name of the first file).

Capturing Our Natural World

Seeman

July 2026

Page 89