Archives
A Sample of Pop’s “Bee” Images

Another Day at Work

Apis Workers' Party

Predator

Some of Your Beeswax

Sedum Bumbler

Look of Defiance

Chicory Bee

Bumbling Bees

Garden Cafe

Buzz By Here - To Infinity and Beyond

Pick Your Poison

Blind Side Attack

On a Mission

Honey Bee on Sedum

Covering the Cosmos

Center of the Cosmos

Three's a Crowd

Popular Spot

On A Pedestal

A Sample of Pop’s “People” Photo Collection

Big Harry Fireworks Display

To Impress the Girl

Different Perspective

Sweet Ride

Perfect Little Piggies B&W

Flipping the Light Fantastic

Festival of Flights

To the Crowd's Delight

Amish Go Round

Wondersome One

The Stars In Her Eyes

Tuesday's Child

Sleeper Hold

Considering the Next Move

Sugar and Spice

Front Porch Portrait

Caged Competitor

Early Adoration

Child In the Ligtht

Stroll Through the Weeds

Attention Grabbing

Eye Contact

On the Line

Eyes of Wonder

Rounding the Curve

Troubadours of Basin Spring Park

Down by the Creek

Sun Day

Catching Some Light

EAA Fireworks

Hear Me Roar

Favorite

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Should Be A Postcard

Algoma, Lighthouse, Lake Michigan, Sunrise

The lighthouse at Algoma, Wisconsin stands in bold silhouette before a summer Lake Michigan sunrise.  A glorious morning to photograph one of my favorite subjects.

This photo was taken in September of 2015 and has managed to go unnoticed on my hard drive…until today.

You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo. When you do, the boat on the right side of the horizon will be easier to see.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.

Badlands Spectrum of Colors

Badlands, Panorama, Landscape

This is one of my favorite views of Badlands National Park. This is a panorama of the Yellow Mounds section of the park.

I love the variety of the landscape – from the stripped, rugged rock formations in the background to the yellowish hued mounds accented with red shoulders, to the green valley with a creek bed coursing through it.

If you look closely, on the hill to the far left, you can see cars of park visitor on the road. To see that and other details in this image, click on the photo for a much larger view.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.

Beginning Climber

Raccoon, Racoon

This little rascal was an early climber.  This is one of several baby raccoons that showed up in the yard of our rural home. We never saw an adult around. They were so young I was worried they were going to starve to death or wander out in the road and get hit.

If they weren’t sleeping under a bush in our yard, they were wandering through the yard; noses buried in the grass looking for bugs and grubs.  Within a few weeks all of them seemed to have moved on.  However, I did see one recently on security camera video at around 2 am, climbing down this very same tree and wandering into the farm field.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.

Beware of Bruno – Prairie Guard Dog

Prairie Dog, Bison, Bufflo

Don’t miss the little guy on the mound.  This prairie dog seemed to take an aggressive stance; preparing to defend his huge, fluffy friend in the background.

Of course, if you advanced on him, he would quickly dart into his hole. This is clearly not my greatest image but I share it because makes me smile.  It was captured on our recent visit to Badlands National Park in South Dakota.  This was actually taken at one of the entrances of the park where several Bison happened to be hanging out near the road – and, at least, one vicious prairie dog. It was late in the day.

You will see a lot more photos from the Badlands in the future.

If you’d like to get a better look at this one…and Bruno…click on the photo and a larger version will open in a new browser tab.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.

The Grand Overview

Mount Jefferson, Pano, View

I was able to capture this spectacular view by being in the right place at the right time. This a view of the Cascade mountain range as the sun was setting (out of view, to the right), looking south from the Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon.  The prominent peak in the middle is Mount Jefferson in Linn County. I was able to do a little hiking and sightseeing while in the Portland area for a conference in early October.

This is a massive file because it is about 9 individual photos all joined together to be able to capture the full panorama. It is hard to get the full benefit of this scene without viewing it on a large scale.  You can see a full-screen version of this image (at least as large as your screen will allow) by clicking on the photo.  When you do, a larger version will open in a new browser tab.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.

Solitude On Bass Lake

Bass Lake, Sunrise, Dock, Calm, LakeThe lake was smooth as silk just before a September sunrise.  This is a popular lake in northwest Indiana.

Covering over 1,300 surface acres, Bass Lake is the third-largest natural lake in Indiana. This view is from the western shore of the lake.

You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.

The Damsel Be Dazzled

Insect, Damselfly, Macro

The light danced on the wings of the damselfly while it rested on a leaf.

I saw a few of these damselflies flitting around an area along a trail we often hike.  Every time they landed they were facing the sun. (Notice the shadow.)  I spent a good deal of time snapping pictures, hoping to catch one sideways to the sun, to see more of the wing.

Well, as it turned out, the hint of sunlight on the ridges of the wings made a rather interesting view as well.

Damselflies are often mistaken for dragonflies.  To help you know the difference, here’s some info I found at ReconnectWithNature.org.

Both dragonflies and damselflies are typically found near fresh water and are commonly seen during warm, sunny days. And while they share some physical characteristics, there are four ways you can differentiate between the two, according to Mother Nature Network.

EYES

Dragonflies have much larger eyes than damselflies. A dragonfly’s eyes take up most of the insect’s head, wrapping around to the sides of its head. Damselflies also have large eyes, but they are smaller than a dragonfly’s and there is always a space between their eyes.

BODIES

Damselflies are smaller than dragonflies, with bodies that typically range between 1 1/2 inches and 2 inches, while dragonfly bodies are typically longer than 2 inches, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Dragonflies also have thicker, bulkier bodies, while damselfly bodies are thin like a twig.

WINGS

Both dragonflies and damselflies have two sets of wings, but there are some distinct differences in their wings that can help differentiate between the two. Dragonflies have two sets of similar-sized wings, but the hind wings become more broad at the base, where they attach to the body. Damselfly wings, on the other hand, are more slender and taper toward they base, where they attach to the body.

AT REST

While the wings of dragonflies and damselflies are a key distinction between the two, how they position their wings while not in flight further helps tell them apart. When not in flight, a dragonfly’s wings stick straight out, perpendicular to their body like an airplane’s wings. A damselfly’s wings fold back so they are in line with their body, giving them a more sleek, slender appearance at rest.

To get the best view and all the colorful details, click on the photo and a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.

A Clear Calling

Sunrise, Kewaunee, Beach, Boardwalk, Lake Michigan
The vibrant color of a summer sunrise along with the wooden pathway to calm waters provide an irresistible invitation to the Lake Michigan shoreline at Selner Park Beach in Kewaunee, Wisconsin.

When I glanced out my window and saw the early morning sky – long before the sunrise – I thought it looked promising for a cool sunrise. I dropped everything to get to the lake shore and was able to capture a great batch of lighthouse sunrise photos. (Watch for future posts.) Just as I was packing up my camera (I was running late for an early morning appointment elsewhere) I decided to throw my wide-angle lens on and see what I could capture. At this distance, the wide-angle makes the lighthouse just a dot on the horizon but it captures a whole lot more of the sky, which was the goal.  Framing up the wooden path in the foreground makes it all the more interesting.

This is the last shot I snapped that morning. This is actually an HDR image. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range.  To try to capture the full dynamic range of this scene I blended four separate shots at different levels of exposures (from light to dark).  Without blending the images/exposures you would end up with either a normal looking sky and everything else in darkness or a normal looking lake and land in the foreground with a colorless, completely white sky.  The camera is not able to adequately handle such a wide dynamic range on its on so a little processing magic is needed to get these results.

This is one you will want to view the larger, full-screen size. To do so, simply click on the photo.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.

Youthful Vigor

Sunflowers, Yellow, Blue Skies
Summertime is sunflower time in our area. We live near a seed farm that always has a few fields of sunflowers planted in our rural neighborhood.  This year, they’ve planted sunflowers in the field that adjoins our home.

I finally got out to grab a few photos of the sunflowers. The variety they plant to produce seeds (as opposed to just bright, cheerful flowers) don’t last long in bloom.  It seems like just a couple of weeks from first bloom to droop.

In this photo, you will notice, the main subject is in peak bloom while the others that surround it are already beginning to droop.  This flower is a “late bloomer.”  It also is not as tall or as big as its nearby rivals but, it is pretty.

You can view a larger version of this image by clicking on the photo. When you do, a near full-screen version will open in another browser tab.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.

Festival of Flights

Fireworks, EAA, Airshow, Aircraft, Aviation, Airplane, Night,
Fireworks are a favorite, and fitting, way to end the evening air show at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture.

This is like a little slice of photographer heaven for me – combining fireworks, aircraft and long exposures.  I almost didn’t get any fireworks shots on this trip because I forgot to bring my tripod with me.  Thankfully, I was able to improvise a suitable camera platform by strapping my monopod to folding lawn chair. It was not a very sturdy/stable set up but, fortunately, there was no wind to speak of.  Of course, I use a remote trigger when shooting long exposures to avoid even the slightest movement of the camera.

The blurring of people in this image was caused by their movement during the time the shutter was open; about 23 seconds.

As always, the best of this image can be experienced by viewing the larger, full-screen version. To do so, simply click on the photo.

All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.

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