OWAA OUTDOOR VOICES
Use Your Outdoor Voices
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2024 Excellence in Craft Contest opens November 1st
It’s that time of year again! Leaves are changing color, temperatures are dropping, and OWAA’s Excellence in Craft Contest is opening! Mark your calendars for November 1st to enter your work for the 2024 Excellence in Craft cycle! If it is your first time hearing about OWAA’s Excellence in Craft Awards, we invite you to…
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OWAA’s 2023 conference: Striking balance between professionalism and play
Air escaping particles of fine white sand joins the sounds at The Lodge’s beach. Each step squeaks, a quirk of Alabama beaches from thousands-of-year-old quartz filtered through the Appalachian Mountains. Similar to the sound of wet sandals, noisy steps can’t help but bring a smile to newcomers’ faces, accompanied by squawking sanderlings, the chatter of sunbathers and…
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From loons to berry patches: Embracing the quirks of Minnesota’s outdoors
Recently, I returned home from spending a summer up north, just outside of Ely, Minnesota, on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. As a born and raised “East Coaster,” there was no way to expect what I’d experience in the rural midwest. I’d spent two summers in a small town in Colorado before…
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OWAA names 2023 Excellence In Craft Contest winners
Writer Christine Peterson Leads Way with Six Awards OWAA leadership revealed the winners of our 2023 Excellence In Craft (EIC) Contest and the President’s Choice Awards at our annual conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Christine Peterson received six awards, while James Smedley, Dan Small and Brent Frazee took home five awards each. The EIC Contest…
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Gulf Shores, Alabama rolls out the red carpet for outdoor media in September 2023
The Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama September 9-11, 2023 at The Lodge at Gulf State Park promises a dynamic blend of education, camaraderie, and outdoor exploration. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor media professional or an aspiring storyteller, this event’s schedule offers a multitude of reasons to attend. Pre-Tours: Immersion…
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Enhance your birding experience with the Merlin Bird ID app
Herons. Condors. Falcons. Birds known for their majesty, their abilities and impressive stature. And then there are pigeons. Sky Rats. City Doves. Rats with Wings. Perhaps the bird most in need of a new press agent. It is unusual that this bird, often considered a pesky annoyance, would be the one to spark my interest…
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Three outdoor-focused story ideas in and around Gulf Shores, Alabama
If you’re planning to attend the annual OWAA conference this September in Gulf Shores, Alabama, you could make some money during your visit by setting aside time before and/or after the conference to explore, collect story content and sell the work you produce. Here are some story leads to help you turn your time in…
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Meet OWAA member Jayme Sun Thomas
Jayme Sun Thomas is a wildlife photographer and docent naturalist at Placerita Canyon State Park in Newhall, California. Thomas is working on a Bachelor’s Degree at Academy of Art University in Documentary Wildlife Photography. She photographs wildlife to document and tell the story of wildlife that inhabit the forest at Placerita Canyon State Park and she…
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Birding basics
Birdwatching or birding bestows many benefits. It can decrease stress, sharpen concentration and let you impress your friends when you can identify birds on a whim (that skill comes after A LOT of practice though). Birding gives you the opportunity to explore new places, whether it be your backyard or a whole different country. While…
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Bodie McDowell Scholarship paves the way for one outdoor communicator
Brittney J. Miller is an energy and environmental journalist and Report for AmeriCorps at The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She has a bachelor’s degrees in journalism and biology from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in science journalism from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). Miller received the Bodie McDowell Scholarship from OWAA in the…
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LOWA boots: Comfort and stability for outdoor reporters
When it comes to reporting on outdoor adventures, having the right gear in the field is essential for a successful and enjoyable experience. You can’t write notes without a good working pen or row a canoe without a reliable paddle. Imagine you embark on a six-mile hike in the mountains with a notepad and camera…
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Insights from industry experts: Keynote speakers revealed for the 2023 OWAA conference
Get ready for an unforgettable experience at this year’s highly anticipated conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama! We are thrilled to announce the exceptional lineup of keynote speakers who will be sharing their expertise with us at The Lodge at Gulf State Park from September 9-11. Our staff carefully curated a selection of influential and inspiring…