Tuliptree Blossom with Guest
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
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
B&W
Unrequited Love
This was a quirky combination. Start with new sprouts on this very young tree. Add it’s location; growing next to the one remaining strand of old barbed-wire fence. Top it off with some unusual light.
It was enough to make me stop, stare and snap. I thought it would work best as a high-contrast, monochrome image.
This is another image gathered while tromping through the woodlands not far from out home.
Click the photo to see a larger version.
Kewaunee Lighthouse in B&W
The simplicity of this photo is what appeals to me most. It’s not a dramatic, eye-popping image. It’s a simple, normal view of the lighthouse at Kewaunee, WI…taken early one morning from the beach.
Click the image to view a larger version.
Cloudy Disposition
The distinctive, two-part pier of the Algoma, WI lighthouse stretches into Lake Michigan and a moody morning sky.
Those who have followed my photography will realize this is taken from a different location than I usually shoot the pier and lighthouse. Usually I’m somewhere on the southern side. From a southern angle, the pier looks like one solid protrusion. From this angle, you can see there’s a gap in the pier.
To get a better look at this image, click on it and it will open a new window with a larger view.
Waiting for Winter
Winter tends to come early and stay late in these parts, but I don’t think this polar bear would mind. This was taken before the onset of cold and snow – back in early September. This bear was a resident of the Indianapolis Zoo.
To see a larger version of this photo, click on it.
Highlights by the River
This is a photo I took down by the river near my home. Its some of that tall fuzzy-topped grass that grows along the banks. This was taken in the early morning light – around 8:00.
In addition to the quality black and white processing adds, the lighting makes this image happen. The sun was behind and slightly above this scene. The bright areas that look like lights are created by the sun illuminating stalks of this same type of grass on the other bank, across the river. And, of course, I tweaked the image a bit – darkening the edges for dramatic effect.
This is not my typical type of image. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment. And, if this photo appeals to you, feel free to share it with friends.
To see a larger version, just click on the photo.
High Contrast
This is a study in contrasts. The contrast of black and white tones and the contrast of the small fishing boat at the harbor and the large ship off shore.
It’s not often I see a large ship this close. There were strong winds coming from shore on this morning. I believe they might have been keeping closer to shore where the seas would be a bit calmer than farther out.
To be honest, I wasn’t overly impressed with this photo…wasn’t sure if I would post it. The rich tones in the upper sky convinced me it was worth sharing. Feel free to offer your own opinion by leaving a comment.
To see a larger version of this image, simply click on it.
Opening Scene
I was hunting for a sunrise on a Saturday morning in September. Never actually saw the sun.
Those light streaks along the horizon were a muted orange color…so, I knew the sun was out there somewhere, but it didn’t show it’s face for this shoot. The great cloud bank redeemed the morning and gave me several interesting images. A good example is the panorama I posted as Panorama Perspective.
This was taken at the beach in Kewaunee, WI on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
Click the image to see a larger version.
With All His Heart
This is my friend Bill. On Saturdays, when I can, I stop by to visit with him at a local senior care facility. Yesterday, for the first time in all my visits, I brought my camera along.
When I asked if I could take his picture, his eyes lit up, he smoothed his hair a bit, removed his glasses and asked for his horn. (It’s kept in a case on the nightstand next to his bed.)
Bill loves his family, he loves Jesus and he loves playing music. I believe he’s mostly self-taught. Because of his condition, he doesn’t play with the same proficiency he once did, but, as you can see, he plays with heartfelt passion.
While playing, his expression looks pained, but in reality, it’s the look of concentration – on breath control, notes, tone, technique… And, more than anything, you see the portrait of a man intent on persevering; a man playing with all his heart.
He gave a mini-concert that brought compliments and encouragement from the passing care-givers. (God bless them.)
Larger images of these photos can be seen by clicking on them.
Keeper of the Lighthouse
This view of the Algoma, WI lighthouse was taken early in the morning. I believe the bird is a cormorant.
This was taken a good distance from the subject. To make the cormorant the focus of the shot required a pretty aggressive crop. There’s quite a bit of digital noise in the image. I decided I liked it and did nothing to diminish it.
The Beeline
Beeline (noun) 1. direct, straight course. 2. To move swiftly in a direct, straight course.
One of my “quests” this summer was to capture a bee in flight. They’re small, quick and errattic. Hard to catch in focus. So far, none of my efforts have come close to what I would deem, “successful.”
The image above is the best I’ve managed…so far…and it was by accident. (That happens more than I might like to admit.)
I was taking photos around a flower bed beside our house. While I was changing camera settings, I accidentally pressed the shutter button. A that exact moment, a bee happened to be zipping into the frame…and voilá.
If I were trying for it, I wouldn’t try in black and white, but looking at this, I really like the intensity it creates. The bee – with his straight antennae, trailing legs and blurred wings – looks like he is on a do-or-die mission and will not be denied.
To see a larger version of this image, just click on it.
To see more bee photos, check out the Bugs & Spiders gallery.