The Splendor Next Door: Discovering Birds and Nature Close to Home -

Award-winning photographer Steve Jessmore presents the story behind The Splendor Next Door, his new photography book created at Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids. Over five years and more than 250 mornings, Jessmore returned to one 241-step boardwalk, documenting the birds, behaviors and changing seasons of this familiar community place.

A longtime Michigan photographer and multiple National Audubon Photography Award winner, Jessmore now focuses his work on birds, freshwater habitats and conservation. Through photographs and personal stories, he will share how slowing down, paying attention and returning to the same place transformed the way he sees the natural world.

Although the project began at Reeds Lake, its message can belong anywhere: birds and nature surround us, often closer than we realize. Jessmore hopes to inspire others to find a special place of their own, spend time there and discover why nearby nature is worth appreciating—and protecting.