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Trail Sharp

A weekly newsletter featuring natural science education, tips, and photography for casual enjoyers of the outdoors.

I'm Chad Kettlewell, a professional photographer, ecologist, and outdoor enthusiast aiming to deepen your connection with the outdoors and boost your overall outside impressiveness.

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Close-up image of a toad partially obscured by an out of focus yellow dandelion flower.
Featured Post

Trail Sharp: Frogs, Dandelions, Flower Selfies

Hi Reader It's a busy week! I have a lot of commercial work taking up my time and am also getting ready for a local exhibition in June so it's a short-form edition this week. Snapshot Outdoors: Frogs, wildflower update (peak conditions)Science: DandelionsPhotography: Flower selfies Outdoors We're entering the peak season for amphibian breeding. While the wood frogs are wrapped up, the rest of our frog species are still calling or just getting started. Right now is the best time to see and...

13 days ago • 3 min read
New River Gorge National Park Sunrise at Grandview

Hi Reader It's National Parks week so that is this week's theme. We'll focus on the parks in and near Appalachia. Snapshot Outdoors: Appalachia's National ParksScience: National Park HabitatsPhotography: Make your trip a photo storyErratics: National Park Service App Outdoors There are a total of 6 National Parks within states that make up the Appalachian Region. Three of them are actually within Appalachia: Great Smokey Mountains (TN & NC), New River Gorge (WV), and Mammoth Cave (KY). The...

20 days ago • 4 min read
Common Blue violet

Hi Reader If you enjoy this week's newsletter, please forward it to a couple friends that you think might like it. They can sign up here. Snapshot Outdoors: Ohio DNR: Field Guide CentralScience: Backyard Blooms: Common spring wildflowers you can find at homePhotography: Phone camera basics: standard, wide angle, telephotoErratic: Outdoor live cams Outdoors The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has a top-notch library of field guides for you to download or print off and take with on...

27 days ago • 4 min read
Red-spotted Newt Red Eft Stage

Hi Reader A few of you have sent replies about what you're enjoying from Trail Sharp. Thank you! I need some more testimonials for my sign-up page to let visitors know what readers are saying. If you have thoughts please let me know. I'll only use your first name and last initial so it'll stay anonymous. Thanks! Snapshot Outdoors: Morel Mushroom Foraging Tips, ODNR Week 3 Bloom ReportScience: Morel Life Cycle, Red Spotted Newt Red EftsPhotography: Top Tips for Unique Photos: Conditions and...

about 1 month ago • 5 min read
The basic exposure triangle showing ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

Hi Reader The last two issues have had a theme but this one is a bit more cosmopolitan. I aim to vary content and format to keep things interesting but I'm also open to suggestions. Feel free to hit reply and let me know what you'd like to see more of! Snapshot Outdoors: Where to walk: tricky trail section tip for loose leavesScience: Recent finds: spiny moth-invading fungus; early blue cohoshPhotography: New Blog Post! Photography Basics: The Exposure TriangleErratic: Housekeeping: phone...

about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Virginia bluebells, a spring wildflower with blue and pink blooms

Hi Reader Spring is here! Forty degree swings are becoming the norm but for those of us in the upper Midwest & upper Appalachia, warmer temperatures are finally embellishing muddy trails with some color and wildlife. Spring wildflowers are starting to bloom...I found spring beauties (Claytonia virginica) and Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) already blooming in southeast Ohio this week. It's a great time to get out! Phone Snap: I was surprised to find these Virginia bluebells...

about 2 months ago • 3 min read
long-exposure image of small cascades in a pristine mountain stream in Great Smokey Mountain National Park

Hi Reader I'm excited to bring you the very first edition of Trail Sharp! This week's issue is a longer one. Don't worry, others will be shorter. Use the Snapshot to quickly decide what to read. I recently spent most of the day hiking various trails in Ohio's Hocking Hills region. Late winter rains have brought about higher groundwater tables, leading to a variety of developments including extra soggy trails. If you venture out expect to get your feet wet. On a positive note, even the...

about 2 months ago • 4 min read