By Katy J. Vopal
Waukesha Freeman
Big Bend - Until 1995 Donna Krischan had no experience in photography. This summer her work was featured for the third time on a magazine cover. Krischan, a professional garden and nature photographer, zeroed in on her subject - garden flowers - because they have been a life long passion. But Krischan didn't arrive at her profession without a long wrestle with soul searching and realizing exactly what it was she really loved to do.
"I've always loved flowers, especially wildflowers," Krischan said. "And I've always had gardens. But there came a time when I left my place of employment and I had to figure out what I was going to do." Krischan settled on photography and when she first began her quest for pictures, she took a lot of nature pictures and studied under several nature photographers.
"I thought that's just what I wanted to do - shoot wildlife and scenery. But while I was out trekking for things to take pictures of, I didn't realize my real photographic passion was right under my nose," Krischan said. She realized what she loved the most grew in 1.2 acres of flower gardens right on her own property. "I had something that got me really excited right here," Krischan said.