Although I spend a fair amount of time photographing nature, it’s not very often I encounter wildlife, especially birds that are close enough to photograph.
While in Calgary, Canada, I encountered many geese with their young goslings in late spring along the Bow River (above).
Last summer, I ventured into the forests of Oregon. I think I got a little too close to the nest of this guy, as he became quite vocal.
During one of my trips to Seattle, I met this beggar.
No tree is an island, but this one came close, and provided a nice resting spot for these white birds near Hilo, Hawaii.
While in Texas last spring, I was able to witness this beautiful heron at the end of the day.
In the unlikeliest of places, on several visits, I have seen ducks in this side canyon of a major hiking trail in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. The water stays year round, but the largest pool is not that big, and the canyon walls are not tall enough to provide constant shade in the 100 degree temps of summer.
Back when I shot with a large-format view camera, I would certainly agree with Mr. Adams. Now that I use a camera that can shoot hundreds of frames in a day, oddly enough, I still agree.
I spent time in Hawaii this summer, and I’m sure I have twelve photographs that I like from just the first couple days. When I look at all of the images I have captured this year, and try to envision those which I will still cherish years from now, the process of choosing twelve became clearer. My time in nature was limited this year, but I made those moments count. In some situations I had similar lighting or compositions where I couldn’t really define one shot as a clear favorite, but in the end, I think I’m very happy with these 12.
I don’t own a drone, but I love taking photos from airplanes. This photo from over White Sands, New Mexico looks amazing at full size, with all the dunes at the edge looking like bubbling foam.
My ‘backyard’ location of Red Rock Canyon didn’t see me as much as in years past, yet I had plenty of images which made the A list.
Oregon was another place I spent some time last summer. Although the trip was mainly for a family gathering, I had time afterwards to head to the trails in the Columbia River Gorge.
As I mentioned earlier, Hawaii was part of my travels this year, and gave me many great photo opportunities. My time on the lava fields at sunset certainly stands out as one of my favorite experiences, not just for this year, but for a lifetime.
This week’s challenge made me instantly think of music, but not just any group. These three are perhaps the best harmonizers in the history of rock and roll. From left to right are: Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and David Crosby. Better known as Crosby, Stills & Nash.
There is always harmony in nature, but finding an image to convey that feeling took a little time. I came across some reflections which came close, but then remembered this shot. The balance from left to right, then reflected, seemed to be the right one. The location is Mount Hood, Oregon at the appropriately named Mirror Lake.
Lower North Falls flows over massive slab of rock in Silver Falls State Park, Oregon. Photo by Steve Bruno
For this week’s Daily Post Challenge, I have another shot from my trip to Silver Falls State Park in Oregon. I chose this shot for two reasons. The water falls, obviously, due to gravity, but that slab of rock that the water flows across is cut very deeply underneath. There is a tremendous amount of weight that is defying gravity by not collapsing here.
Last year, around Thanksgiving, I was visiting family near Portland, Oregon. I took a day to head out to Silver Falls State Park. As the sun moved across the morning sky, its lower path didn’t clear the trees behind South Falls. About the same time, the breeze kicked up a bit and lifted the mist created from the falls. I had been to this spot before in summertime, but didn’t witness this incredible timing of light and elements on that visit.
I posted a bunch of creepy critters in the Close-Up challenge. If you missed those, you can find them here. That made me search harder for some different creepy images.
Initially. I have this lizard which I came across in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Probably not that creepy until you look at the gash on the top of its head. He was a fairly sizeable creature, but it makes me wonder what thinks of him as dinner.
Lizard with a gash on its head, southeastern Arizona, photo by Steve Bruno
Dark forests can be creepy, and one of the darkest I ever came across was in Hawaii, of all places. I didn’t take any photos there, but this one, with the moss hanging from the branches, is from last year in Oregon.
Sunlight filters through the moss covered forest in central Oregon, photo by Steve Bruno
At Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park in Hawaii, there are many carvings. Most of these are genderless with ugly faces with large teeth, which would imply they were there to scare off intruders. The creator of this one decided it was scarier to have a relatively featureless face and a large penis. That’s creepy!
Carved statue in Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, Hawaii by Steve Bruno
Other symbols, created by a different civilization are equally bizarre. In the Grand Canyon, this panel of pictographs has some creepy characters on it. In addition to the large symbols, there are 5 faces which are nothing more than 3 dots and a line on top (4 lines for number 1). Two eyes and a mouth is my guess, but it’s more like a nose on 4 and 5. There’s also the ghostly white symbol on the far left. I’m not sure how the two deer ended up on this one. This panel is, fortunately, out of reach of anybody today, so this is how it was created over 700 years ago.
Strange panel of pictographs in the Grand Canyon, Arizona by Steve Bruno
By far, the creepiest site I have ever encountered was this pair of grottos in the canyons near Moab, Utah. The dark features around the two grottos suggest a rather alien-like face, and I couldn’t help but have the feeling I was being watched.
Canyon walls near Moab, Utah appear to have eyes. Photo by Steve Bruno
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