Being introduced to black-and-white photography during a Reavis High School printing class in Burbank set Don Sala on a path to becoming a photographer for nearly 50 years.

“Don Sala Art Exhibition” from Jan. 2-Feb. 28 at Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Plum Creek Nature Center in Beecher features photos of local barns and nature.

“I’ve been shooting these barns probably for the last five years,” said Sala, who has lived in Beecher for approximately 20 years.

“On a fluke I went out there shooting some and talking to some of the farmers. I figured these barns aren’t going to be around much longer. Some of them are really starting to deteriorate from weather.

“Some of the photos are in color. Some are in black and white. Some are infrared. I’ve also done a lot with nature. I did photographs with milkweed, birds’ nests and things like that.”

The award-winning photographer, who previously lived in Olympia Fields, Chicago and Burbank, has quite the portfolio.

“I just really got interested in cameras and actually using a camera to take photographs. Then I wanted to print those. I started working and saved some money so I could go to college. I went to Ray-Vogue School in Chicago. From there I just started moving right along,” Sala said.

He has snapped shots of military personnel promotions, vehicle accidents and special aerial assignments.

“My stuff is pretty bright. It’s bright colors. The reason that I gravitate toward that was I was drafted in 1969 and went in the Army. I was a military police photographer. I went to Panama when everything was grey and dreary and all white,” he said.

“Everywhere I went to in Panama everything was bright colors. It was like a kaleidoscope. It was amazing. That left a big impression on me being out there for two years with blue skies, green grass and terra cotta roofs. Wow.”

His commercial photography included working for Vogue Wright Studios in Chicago, where he was an assistant photographer for Ron Richardson, Devon Reno and Adam Elsenbach, who shot covers for Sears, Alden’s, Montgomery Wards and other catalogs.

Sala later had his own Chicago-based business, Don Sala Photography, with clients including Kroch’s and Brentano’s bookstore, Turtle Wax and World Book Encyclopedia.

“Photography is my voice. I can really show people something,” Sala said.

“Pictures are my words. It’s been an interesting experience just finding different objects and different things out of the ordinary — taking time to really look at them and trying to do an interesting composition and photograph them.”

In addition to his exhibit, Sala participates in a “Winter Nature Photography Hike” at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 27. He provides tips at the nature center before a naturalist-led hike of 1-1.5 miles in Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve.

The free program, which requires registration by Jan. 25, is open to people ages 16 and older, who should bring their cameras, from smartphone through digital single-lens reflex.

“A lot of people just like taking pictures,” Sala said.

“Look at the different possible angles and maybe lighting. If you look a little bit closer or maybe take a couple different pictures you surprise yourself with what you can actually find or photograph.”

Photos are available for sale during Sala’s exhibit, with 20 percent of the proceeds donated to the Nature Foundation of Will County to support education, recreation and conservation efforts.

Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.