Writer, photographer, storyteller, Ann Cameron Siegal encourages people to look at nature in a new way. Observation, composition, and timing are keys to her natural-light photography. She often challenges viewers, especially children, to find a favorite scene – whether in their backyard, a local park, or on vacation – and photograph it at dawn, noon, and dusk, to see how changing light affects the setting.

Calling herself “a meandering minimalist,” Ann carries only two lenses for her camera and makes no changes with Photoshop or AI.  Many of her photographs record the Langmuir lines of water, making them a compelling part of the composition.

In the late 1970s, when she moved to her current home in Del Ray, Ann worked as a photographer for the Alexandria Port Packet (which later merged with the Alexandria Gazette Packet).  A journalist friend was doing a story about Granny’s Place – a toy store in Old Town - and Ann was hired to provide the photos.

Ann’s writing life has always embraced community stories. In the early 2000s she began freelance writing/photography for the Washington Post’s “Where We Live” column. For years, she penned in-depth profiles of various D.C.-area neighborhoods, which allowed her to share her love of storytelling.

Around 2012, she started freelancing for the Post’s “Kids Post,” where she was given free rein to choose her topics. She loved it! Her stories, about and for kids from 2nd to 7th grades, focused on nature and science. As a parent of two now-adult children, she’s particularly adept at connecting with kids of all ages.

One of her favorite stories was about a 12-year-old boy who created a fossil-finding robot he displayed at a 2017 Maker Fair. Two weeks later, scientists and universities contacted his father, asking to mentor his son - demonstrating the far reach of that “kids” column.

After Kids Post folded in 2023, Ann changed course, entering her nature photos in local gallery shows. Del Ray Artisans was the first, and she loves being a regular exhibitor there, finding it to be a welcoming community for newcomers and established artists.

Her nature photography continues to find new exposure. She had a solo show at the Mattawoman Creek Art Center in Smallwood State Park, Marbury, MD in 2024. She was also accepted as one of the long-term artists in Occoquan’s Art a La Carte gallery.

Ann will be participating in Del Ray Artisan’s Holiday Market this December, delighting and educating visitors with intriguing stories about wildlife and landscapes in her photographs. Be sure to check it out!

Find her also at https://www.artalacartegallery.com and https://themomentarypause.com