“If you like surprises, pick a spot in nature and just sit quietly.” Barbara Scoles
After high school and a year of junior college, I was at a loss for what to do with my life. My dad saw me floundering and saved me from becoming a tennis and beach bum because that’s where I was headed. I will be forever grateful to him for teaching me bookkeeping and giving me a job in his business. I was able to use that skill for the rest of my working life. I eventually became a business systems analyst with a high tech company.
As part of my work, I got to travel to Israel, the Philippines, China, Malaysia, Ireland and England. I never went anywhere without a camera. Most of the time in those countries, I was at work. However, whenever there was a chance to stay over a weekend or two, I took advantage of any sightseeing opportunities I could find.
Photography has always been a passion. I got my first real camera when I was in my early 20s. So I started with travel photography. An early trip to Europe on a budget included Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and England. All on Eurail and Britrail for two weeks carrying everything in a backpack. Ah, to be young again!
I just didn’t have the right lens for wildlife. So I settled for travel photos until I could afford a lens for taking photos of wildlife.
When I finally got the equipment I needed, I went from birds, to insects, to small and large mammals and finally, anything that moved. And I still do that! But birds have a special place in my heart….plus, they are everywhere!!
I also added landscapes since I found myself in some beautiful places. Mt Shasta and Mt McLaughlin, are favorites of ours here. The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Alaska are other places we have loved to visit. And anytime I can put wildlife in a landscape photo is a plus!
11 years ago, my husband Harry and I moved to Klamath Falls from the Portland area because we wanted to be closer to family in California and we loved the quieter pace of life. The variety of wildlife here is wonderful for any lover of nature and photography.
Harry is a wonderful partner in my photography, even though he doesn’t use a camera. He uses binoculars to spot subjects and he drives the refuges with me in the backseat. We use our car as a photo blind so as not to scare the critters. Harry is great at warning me when an eagle is about to fly by or a coyote is sneaking around in the tall grass so I can get a photo before it disappears. We are often out from morning to just before sunset and there is no one I would rather share the experiences with and we’ve had some great ones!
Our backyard is one of my favorite places to take photos and has been fantastic for learning more about wildlife behavior in addition to attracting rare birds to our area. We have landscaped with that in mind. A small water feature and some plants that the deer won’t eat…easier said than done. Seed and hummingbird feeders are a great place to start. We had a hawk take a bath in a small dish of water…so don’t forget the water!
Barbara has won various awards over the years for her photos.
She had her first individual gallery showing at the Klamath Art Gallery in April of 2022. She also participated in another show at the gallery in October of 2023.
Barbara has an exhibition on display at the Klamath County Museum in the Modoc Gallery for the months of March and April of 2024.
She has had photos published in scientific journals, various newspapers and websites including the online Smithsonian Magazine.
Her photo of a hooded merganser was used as the featured bird for the Winter Wings Festival one year.
She has also been a volunteer with the Klamath Basin Refuges and the Winter Wings Festival.