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
Spring Maple Sprouts
A cluster of red maple leaves sprout out of the rough bark of the tree’s trunk. Their color gives the impression of fall, but this is new growth in April.
These are leaves that I photographed on a hike through the Bluff Woods Conservation Area, located south of St. Joseph, Missouri.
You can get a better view of the intricate veins of these young leaves by clicking on the photo to see a larger version.
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.
Yellow-legged Honeycreeper
The vibrant Yellow-legged Honeycreeper is a delight to the eyes with it’s striking plumage. This one is a resident of the Butterfly Palace in Branson, Missouri.
I’d been to the Butterfly Palace several times in the past but never noticed the birds. As you can imagine, I’m always looking into the viewfinder at butterflies and rarely would look up. In the butterfly room their lighting is relatively dim (making good photography a challenge). The birds are small and quiet and there’s plenty of foliage for them to be hidden by.
The birds at the Butterfly Palace are tropical species that won’t eat butterflies but are more inclined to eat fruit. In fact, I first saw one at a feeding station with fruit.
The Yellow-legged Honeycreeper, also known as the Cyanerpes Caeruleus, is found in various parts of South America as well as southern Mexico.
To get a better view of this blue beauty, 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.
Prepare for Flames
A serene sunrise casts a warm glow over Lake Michigan, highlighting the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse in the distance. On the sandy beach, two pyramids of firewood are prepared to provide warmth on shore.
This is an HDR image that was taken in May of 2020. As I was processing this, I was tempted to swap out the sky because the original looked like it didn’t belong. (But, of course, it does belong.)
You can view a larger version of this image by clicking on it. When you do, it 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 (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Where Dreams Flow Freely
A serene waterfall cascades gently down the rocks, surrounded by lush greenery and the moss-covered trees of Silver Falls State Park near Portland, Oregon. I like the moss on the trees and the way the sunlight highlights a hint of mist in the air.
It took four images stitched together to create this full view. This is a vertical panorama. I wish I could remember which of the many waterfalls from this park is pictured here. This is an image I had on the hard drive that I’d just not gotten around to – and there’s more from this trip and location. This was captured in early October of 2022.
You can get a larger, more detailed view 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.
Bugleweed In Bloom
These pretty little flowers are actually considered by many to be an invasive weed. This is bugleweed, also known as Ajuga, ground pine, carpet bugle, or just bugle. It is a genus of flowering plants in the Ajugeae tribe of the mint family Lamiaceae.
This is a patch from my in-laws yard in northwest Missouri. Bugleweed is a low-maintenance perennial grown for its colorful foliage and groundcover habit. In the spring, it produces purple/blue flower spikes about 6″ tall. Sometimes it bloom again in the summer and into fall.
To get a better look at these flowers, click on the image.
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.
Baubles of Nature
A vibrant green leaf is adorned with multiple water droplets along its scalloped edges, creating a fresh and dewy appearance. I like the serene feeling the soft background lighting gives this image.
This is an image from one of my slow walks through the woods of northwest Missouri. The colors and simplicity of this image makes it one of my favorites. This was actually taken a few years back. I have plenty of nice shots I just haven’t gotten around to processing.
If you want to get a better view of the detail in that leaf, 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.
X-Wing Landed
A dragonfly with intricate wing patterns took a rest on the forest floor. The outstretched wings showcase the beauty and delicacy of its structure.
I was on a slow walk through northwest Missouri woods when this small dragonfly zipped by me. My eyes followed it’s movement until it landed. Then I crept slowly, taking photos as I approached and got remarkably close before it zipped away.
This was a small specimen – the body only about and inch and a half from head to tail. I was so impressed by the banding over the eyes that I included a larger crop for you to enjoy.
If you click on either photo, a larger version will open in a new browser tab. I encourage you to click on both to get closer…and even closer. Cool stuff!
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.
Tulip Time
Vibrant tulips in shades of white, yellow, red, and orange bloom during Tulip Time in Pella, IA.
This is a photo I found on my hard drive from a springtime visit to Pella a few years ago. If you like photographing flowers, Tulip Time in Pella offers a spectacular display of color and variety. This year, Tulip Time in Pella is May 2nd through the 4th.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this photo by clicking on the image. When you do, it 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.
Lake Awakening
A serene sunrise casts a warm glow over the water, with the sun hovering slightly above the horizon. The Kewaunee, WI lighthouse is silhouetted against the bright sky at the end of the long pier.
This is an image I resurrected from my archives. This scene was captured June 6, 2015. It’s the sky that makes this an appealing image for me. This was taken from the beach.
You can view a larger 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.
Springing to Life
Rising from the dead leaves remaining from autumn, we find the crocus. This is one of the very first signs of spring. I photographed these welcome beauties sprouting in northwest Missouri at the beginning of March 2024.
According to Wikipedia… “Crocuses are low growing plants, whose flower stems remain underground, that bear relatively large white, yellow, orange or purple flowers and then become dormant after flowering. Many are cultivated for their flowers, appearing in autumn, winter, or spring. The flowers close at night and in overcast weather conditions. The crocus has been known throughout recorded history, mainly as the source of saffron. Saffron is obtained from the dried stigma of Crocus sativus, an autumn-blooming species. It is valued as a spice and dyestuff, and is one of the most expensive spices in the world.”
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.