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
Pops Photos
Wild Geranium Family Portrait
On a recent woodland hike I found this nice grouping of Wild Geraniums. It reminded me of a family portrait…parents and children…including little buds.
In the interest of full disclosure, I altered the background. There were some small, yellow wildflowers (weeds) growing a few feet away. I snapped off a stem of them and placed it behind my subjects to add a little more color and variety to the image.
As I often remind people, I operate as an artist not a photo journalist. Most images I post are true to the original scene. However, on occasion, I may add or subtract elements to suit my artistic vision. Most times, it’s done digitally. In this case, a little impromptu, on-site, floral arrangement.
You can get a better view by clicking on the photo. That will open a full-screen version 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 for digital purchase and licensing options.
In the Spotlight
The calm of morning is accentuated by the warming hues of a sunrise, poised for effect, over the lighthouse at Kewaunee, WI.
It is difficult to grab the sun in just the right position because it’s always moving…and faster than you think. By the time I get into position and get the camera set, I have to adjust a few more inches to the left…and a few more inches down…and a few more inches…. Well, you get the idea. Try it sometime. It seems to be moving very slowly until you are trying to get a precise placement. Same problem with the moon on similar shots.
The other difficult aspect of this shot is trying to get some detail in the subject in front of the sun. With the overwhelming brightness of the sun, everything else can become a black, silhouette. The morning haze helped mute the brightness a bit. However, to get the level of definition you see in the lighthouse and navigation marker, I blended several shots of varying exposures.
You can view a full-screen version of this image by clicking on it.
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.
Short-billed Dowitcher
The short-billed dowitcher is a medium-sized, stocky, shorebird in the sandpiper family (Scolopacidae). These birds are found in North America, Central America, and northern South America. This one was photographed along the western shore of Lake Michigan.
I captured this handsome character a couple of weeks ago, on an early morning excursion to Algoma, WI. I was there hoping to capture a nice sunrise alongside the lighthouse. The sunrise didn’t turn out to be the beauty I had hoped for. Thankfully, this little guy (or girl) showed up before I headed home and showed a willingness to be photographed. It’s been awhile since I last posted a bird photo.
You can get a better look at the detail in the plumage by clicking on the photo. When you do, a larger version will open in a new browser window.
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.
A Wet Spring
These little beauties seem drunk on spring; a bit disheveled as they lounge, casually soaking up the moisture of an early morning rain.
These very tiny, delicate flowers are known as “Spring Beauty” and “Siberian Squill.” Their formal name is Scilla Siberic. They are the very first of the flowers in our yard to appear in the spring.
Scilla Siberic is native to southwestern Russia, the Caucasus, and Turkey. Despite its name, it is not native to Siberia.
You can view a larger image of these tiny flowers by clicking on the photo.
Branching Out
One of my favorite spring images are the new, delicate leaves that sprout from trees emerging from their winter dormancy.
As I walk through the woods I’m always scanning my surroundings for something that catches my eye. This sprig was captured by the late afternoon sunlight and highlighted by a back-light of filtering through the trees, making the very common uncommonly interesting. (At least to me.) It was just another twig among millions that caught my eye.
You can view more of the detail in 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 for digital purchase and licensing options.
Woodland Whites
The trees are coming to life after a long winter’s nap. They seem to do so with great deal of grace and exuberance!
These are the blooms from a flowering tree we spotted on a springtime walk through the woods. The delicate flowers were fresh and plentiful but, I’m sure, will be short lived.
You can get a better look at these blooms by viewing the larger version. Just 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.
Spring Bloomers
These are one of my wife’s favorite wildflowers. She can’t help but comment on how adorable they are. They are Dutchman’s Breeches. (Dicentra Cucullaria)
These unique wildflowers get their name from the shape of the flowers. They resemble pantaloons hanging upside down and slightly inflated. The yellow adornment at the bottom of the flower resembles a belt on the pantaloons. (I think they look more like old-fashioned bloomers. That’s why I titled this image, Spring Bloomers. That, and because they bloom very early in the spring.)
In our area they begin to show up in early May. The flowers are approximately 3/4 inch in length and white to pinkish in color. The blooms dangle down from thin stalks rising from the lush green plant. According to Wikipedia, Native Americans and early white practitioners considered this plant useful for syphilis, skin conditions and as a blood purifier.
You can view a larger version of this image simply by clicking on the photo.
The Early Stretch
One of the glories of spring is “new growth” – as flowers bud and leaves sprout in the woodlands. This is a twig bursting forth with new life; awakening from its deep, winter slumber.
A lot of my images are captured on hikes through the woods with my wife. When we hike, you can bet my camera is with me. I often stop in mid-stop and begin focusing on something that would seem painfully plain and ordinary to most people. In these moments, something has caught my eye and sparked my imagination. I see some shape or texture or exquisite light that I want to save – if possible. (It’s not always possible.)
Often the greatest challenge in photography is being able to capture, with a camera, what my eye sees. Sure, you can snap a photo of a scene or object, but the camera has a difficult time of capturing the essence and full spectrum of beauty our eyes can perceive. (With, no doubt, some artistic enhancement provided by the filter of our own soul.)
Let’s be honest. This is an image of a simple, ordinary twig. But there is something about the warm glow of late afternoon light that is revealing the texture of the leaves…something about the early stage and directional flow of the leaves. To me, this simple twig has a seductive quality to it. I’m glad I stopped to capture it.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on it. When you do, 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 for digital purchase and licensing options.
Invitation To Spring
One of the most inviting indications of spring’s arrival are the cheerful daffodils. They are early bloomers and a sure sign of more spring beauty to come.
Normally I’m eagerly waiting for an opportunity to capture a few of these lovely flowers in our area of northeast Wisconsin. These, however, were captured a couple of weeks before the bloom in our neighborhood.
On a recent trip to southern California we visited the higher elevations around San Bernardino where they still had small patches of snow and were experiencing their own spring arrival. I snapped this pair blooming near Big Bear Lake.
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.
Valley of Promise
A panoramic view of a peaceful valley nestled among the rugged San Bernardino Mountains; part of the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California.
We were visiting family in San Bernardino. It was my first trip to the West Coast. We took a drive up to Big Bear Lake and stopped at various spots along the way to enjoy the view and snap a few frames.
Thankfully, as you can see, we had a cloud-filled sky so the sunlight wasn’t too harsh for this mid-day image. I like the clouds touching the top of the mountain. From this vantage point, I think you can see a little sliver of the ocean in the distance.
To capture this wide angle vista, I took 11 separate photos (in portrait orientation) and then merged them into one very large image (11,843 x 4916 pixels, 76.7 MB).
To get a real sense of the beauty and see the detail, you have to see it in the much larger size – available 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 for digital purchase and licensing options.