Trumpet Serenade. Photo by Barbara Gill
By Emma Castleberry
Wildlife photographer Barbara Gill was named first-place winner in Conserving Carolina’s seventh annual Habitat at Home Photo Contest. The annual contest invites participants to submit photographs of native plants, wildlife or habitat improvement projects at homes, schools, workplaces and other community spaces in our region. Gill’s winning image, Trumpet Serenade, captures one of the hummingbirds that regularly visits the backyard she and her husband have enjoyed since moving to North Carolina two years ago.
“We have about five regular visitors, and they especially enjoy the vines and Lucifer on our back fence,” she says. “The day I captured this image, I was sitting in the backyard after a heavy rainstorm. The light was beautiful, the flowers were fresh with raindrops and the timing was perfect.”
Gill entered the contest because she wanted to demonstrate how much wildlife can thrive when homeowners intentionally create habitat with native plants and food sources.
“I submitted this image because it represents the incredible wildlife that can be supported right in our own backyards,” Gill says. “By creating wildlife-friendly spaces with native plants and food sources, we can provide important habitat for species like hummingbirds. I wanted to share a positive example of the beauty that can flourish when we make room for nature at home.”
Photography has been part of Gill’s life since childhood, when her father introduced her to film photography and darkroom work. She later spent years photographing her children’s sporting events before discovering a new passion for wildlife photography during the COVID-19 pandemic after a Barred Owl nested in her backyard.
“I set up a tripod to observe and photograph the family,” she says. “After about a week of watching, I finally spotted a tiny owlet peeking out from the nest. That moment was unforgettable, and I was hooked. Since then, wildlife photography has become my greatest passion.”
Gill wrote to The Laurel of Asheville from Alaska, where she was photographing brown bears, but she hopes her winning photograph reminds people that meaningful wildlife encounters don’t require a trip to a remote wilderness.
“Extraordinary wildlife experiences can happen close to home,” Gill says. “My photography is about patience, observation and appreciation for the natural world. Whether it’s a Barred Owl raising its young in a backyard or a hummingbird visiting a garden, there is wonder all around us if we take the time to look. I hope my photographs encourage others to connect with nature and help protect the habitats that make these moments possible.”
Learn more at BarbaraGillPhotography.com and ConservingCarolina.com.
