Dana M. Handy

By Ginger Mynatt

The lavender face of a green Luna moth and the stripes on the abdomen of a Cecropia moth represent moments preserved in memory for photographer Dana Handy. “I want to look at a photo and have it transport me instantly to the moment I snapped the picture, so I can relive it over and over. I don’t like bugs, but suddenly, behind the macro lens, I’m not afraid of them. Photographing the fur on a spider and capturing things I don’t often see with the naked eye is thrilling.”

But there is more. The galleries on Handy’s Website exhibit an eclectic collection of photos from babies to bugs, landscapes to city skylines, and from birds on water to foreign faces in foreign countries. “I showcase the beauty of God’s creation,” she said.

A few years ago, Handy’s love of nature drew her to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, where she found a wealth of subjects and challenges. “I love hiking, being outdoors in nature,” she said, and she found those activities and more at the Refuge on Lake Texoma. In short order, she became one of the site’s most active photographers and then reached out to introduce others to the beauty that abounds in the woods and water.

“In the spring of 2009, Dana was one of the leaders for the first Refuge Photo Safari, and she continues to share the wonderful landscapes, wildlife shots, and amazing close-ups taken there,” said Sue Malnory of the Friends of Hagerman. For her work, the Refuge recently named Handy the Hagerman Photographer of the Month.

“I think a photographer has done a good job when a photo catches your attention, makes you pause and give it a second look,” Handy said. So the Texoma Living! editors gave her work that second look, and in addition to being an honoree in this third annual Art Issue, Handy was chosen to photograph all the other artists singled out for recognition by the Texoma Living! panel of judges. Dana Handy lives and works in Sherman. Besides her nature and travel photos, she shoots weddings, school portraits, and other events.