2025-26 Maryville College wildlife photography calendars now available for purchase
Aug. 7, 2025
To capture a wild creature, Dr. Drew Crain believes, you have to think like one.
Of course, when he talks about “capturing” them, the Maryville College biology professor means in the photographic sense of the word. More specifically, he means the students in his BIO200: Wildlife Photography course, a biennial class held last spring that has resulted in “Beauty in Our Backyard,” a 17-month calendar of class works that showcases both the wonder of the Great Smoky Mountains and the budding skills of those behind the lens. It’s now available for purchase.
“In this class, students get to truly experience the Smoky Mountains,” Crain said. “They are taught both the art of photography — the camera, effective lighting, and all of the things that go into taking a great picture, and they learn to understand the wildlife they’re photographing.
“It’s about anticipating what the animal is going to do and where they’re going to be, so they can snap the shutter at the right moment. I tell them all the time to think about perspective: Don’t point your camera at a frog on the ground; get down on the frog’s level. I tell them, act like you’re that same species and anticipate what that animal is going to do, so you can get the shot that you want.”
The 17-month calendar — August 2025 through December 2026 —includes holidays, as well as Maryville College-specific dates, such as breaks, important events, semester dates and final exams. Each month features a full-sized photo taken by a student, a small photo of the student photographer and the title and description of the photo.
“It’s funny, because for every photo in every calendar, I remember exactly what was going on,” Crain said. “I can look at photos in past calendars from 10 or 15 years ago, and I can remember everything about it. For this year’s calendar, I remember Abby Diggs ’25 spending 30 minutes to get a perfect hawk shot and Madison Taylor ’25 lying on the ground to get the perfect shot of two toads.”
Crain, who emphasizes wildlife photography in his other fall and spring biology classes, has taught wildlife photography since 2007, working with students in both the classroom and the field to capture the natural beauty of the Southern Appalachian region.
The cost is $5 for those purchased in person, but for $10, those interested in acquiring one can have it shipped to them. Any proceeds will be used to purchase equipment to support future nature photography endeavors.
“The calendar features three of our greatest assets at Maryville College: Our amazing students, the Maryville College Woods and the Great Smoky Mountains,” Crain said.
To purchase a calendar online and have it shipped, please complete this form or contact Paula Marlow, administrative assistant for the Division of Natural Sciences, at 865-981-8164, Sutton 102, or paula.marlow@maryvillecollege.edu.
