Celebrating Nature Photography Day!

For the month of June, the Culture Committee challenged the Intrinsic Team with taking or finding a picture of Nature that inspired thought or creativity! 

What is the Culture Committee?

The Intrinsic Digital Culture Committee is a volunteer committee made up of four team members, led by our very own HR Specialist, Chris Bull. With culture being a core component of the success of Intrinsic Digital, the Culture Committee ensures we are all connected and engaged, even within a fully remote workplace.

Each month, they plan events that promote creative team-bonding experiences. After a few months, Intrinsic brings in new team members who want to volunteer and contribute fresh, fun ideas that invigorate our company culture. Past events have included family-feud style competitions (complete with paid actors), a virtual pictionary, and a group yoga session, among many other events.

The Challenge

The Culture Committee organized a special event called "Share your Nature Photography on Nature Photography Day!" to celebrate the beauty of nature and promote authenticity, which was the core value for this month. 

In preparation for the event, each employee was allocated 30 minutes of free time (Thank you, Matthew, our Fearless Leader!) to explore the outdoors, seek inspiration, and capture captivating moments through photography. If an employee had pictures that sparked inspiration that was taken in the past, we asked that those be presented as well! 

Employees were asked to save their photographs as they would be shared during our event. The Culture Committee was particularly interested in the stories behind each picture and the reasons that compelled individuals to capture them.

This event aims to foster a sense of appreciation for nature, promote creativity, and encourage employees to express their authenticity through the art of photography. It provides an opportunity for individuals to connect with the natural world, reflect on their experiences, and share their perspectives with colleagues.

The Result

Collectively, participants gathered dozens of photos, and we were able to learn more about each other and what inspires each of us!

"One of my favorite ways to get out in nature is to take my sister's dog, Stoic, for a walk on my lunch breaks! It's our ritual to sit by the pond in the neighborhood afterwards and enjoy the breeze!"- Anya

"One of my favorite hobbies is gardening. I find it very calming and I get to spend time outside, tending to the plants. I really thought it looked cool with multiple sungold cherry tomatoes on the vine at different stages of ripening. Lucky for me this year has been a bountiful harvest of tomatoes." -Brian

"Living on a sailboat in Florida, there are sometimes very scary moments, like a huge storm that swept an unmanned vessel into our boat. Thankfully, we escaped unscathed and took some time to enjoy the relief and the beautiful sunset that came after the storm. We were even treated to a show when a pod of dolphins came out to play!" - Charlotte 

"I like that the mangoes were the size of Mookies head!"- Crystal

"It was so nice to end the day early and to step outside to enjoy the nice weather. I took my camera out and had fun framing the trees around me - my mind is usually racing to get to the next thing to do and having the camera forced me to stop, look up, and appreciate nature." -Delia

"This picture represents the beginning of my photography journey and learning how to use a camera. As we get older it’s easy to forget about our hobbies or struggle to find the time to try new things. This is my first step towards making it a priority!" - Jackie

This picture is a reflection of years of dreaming, working hard and finally being where I've always wanted to be. It was a long, hard, journey, but I thank God that I am here. - Juli L.

Our walks at Island Beach State Parks are one of our favorite places to go to! - Julie O

“The cure for anything is salt water - tears, sweat, or the sea.” — Isak Dinesen

"Summers in Seattle are absolutely beautiful! I love where I live!" - Kaitlyn H.

I've never had a green thumb, but I've been practicing, and my flowers have been doing great this year! I love to look at them, they bring some cheer to each day.  I especially liked the water droplets on them from a recent rain! - Kate Trigg

"I decided to share photos of the specific trail because it is a trail I walked many times with my little brother to help him prepare for Navy bootcamp. The time spent here means so much to me now that he is 5 years in " -Kesha

"Walking Bayshore in Tampa makes me so appreciative of where I live, combining the water and city views. I take a long walk most days after work and listen to a good podcast or catch up with a friend. Perfect way to end the day!" - Laurel

"These two ducks live in my neighborhood. They frequent this ‘watering hole’ daily. I can’t help but laugh watching them drink out of the dog bowl as if it was theirs." - Lori

"We have been going on what we call 'run and rolls' since the start of the summer and it has been a wonderful way to get us outdoors and to spend some quality "brain numbing" time together haha. We usually do these runs together, but silently as we use them as a way to wind down after work. But this on this run I did a bit more exploring on my own and on a few occasions even stopping to look at the flowers or watch an animal just being animals in the woods. I didn't realize how much farther I had let Kaleigh get ahead of me by stopping and enjoying the surroundings that I SPRINTED off to reach her in a few minutes and give her the pretty flower I found for her.  I've been taking pictures of flowers on most runs we go on now because of this activity!" - Madelyn

"This picture was taken at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. A few colleagues in the industry stepped away from the busyness of the NAA Apartmentalize conference to spend some down time in nature." - Matthew

"My goal when going out for our nature walk was to find a picture of an animal. When I stumbled upon the squirrel I quickly needed to react to capture this photo as it quickly ran up the giant tree. In sharing my experience with the staff, I couldn't think of the fact it was a squirrel and I quickly said it was a Hamster to which everyone got a good laugh. I really enjoyed the opportunity to do something intentional out in nature that yielded smiles for everyone involved." - Andrew (Platt)

"Growing these is nostalgic for me.  My grandparents would take us camping when I was young and my grandmother could hone in on any berry bushes in the area.  On one particular trip, she found a HUGE blueberry bush and we picked FOREVER!  But she made it fun and of course, she created culinary master pieces from the "fruits" of our labor.  Good times and great memories. "- Regan

"I took the pictures because the rain was pouring down and I did not think I would be able to enjoy the park. But it stopped raining and I captured the beautiful images. It was peaceful at the park." - Rhoda

"I took this photo to document Berlenga Island: Where Nature and history intertwine in this Portuguese gem. Home to a 17th-century fortress, it's a sanctuary for diverse wildlife and a testament to the island's enduring past." - Shelby

"I love being by the water because of how calm it makes me feel. I love how the sand feels and the sounds of the waves. My favorite days are any days that include the beach!" - Stacey

"I loved taking this photo because it shows how many trees and greenery I’m surrounded by even though I live in a busy city. It's a nice reminder to always slow down and appreciate the nature around you." -Weronika

"I took this photo because it was the biggest tree in my neighborhood, as I put my hand on it to ground myself; I felt an instant connection. You don't have to go far to find beautiful things, sometimes they are right in your backyard." -Vincent

As a company, we strive to foster a connected culture making a positive impact despite being spread across several different states. And the Culture Committee is essential in making that happen!