Pops Digital
Fiery Atmosphere
The lighthouse at Kewaunee, Wisconsin was awakened to a colorful sky on a calm summer morning.
This image was captured after we moved to Missouri. We were back in the area on a short visit last summer. I was blessed with a decent sky on the one morning I was able to get out there.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Relaxed Demeanor
A friendly burro was happy to greet visitors to Custer State Park in South Dakota. This is one of a dozen or more – in a variety of colors and sizes – that strolled by to say, “Hi!”
When we visit Custer State Park, we have to spend time with the burrows. They roam free through the park and are quite docile and happy to help you dispose of any excess apples and carrots.
You can see a larger, full-screen 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Patas Monkey See
A patas monkey stares through the leaves of a plant in its enclosure at the Topeka Zoo. It really had no interest in me; looking the other way. I made a noise that momentarily brought this annoyed gaze my way.
You can get a better look at those eyes by clicking on the image. 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly
A vibrant, yellow, Two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly works to draw the nectar from a purple thistle, showing off its striking yellow and black wings accented by blue dots on the tail.
I captured this image while photographing a herd of bison on the prairie at Custer State Park in South Dakota. While focused on the buffalo, this flash of color caught my eye and I immediately changed focus. So, in the middle of my strip of large, brown beasts is a few frames of this delicate beauty.
Click on the photo, itself, to see a larger, 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Touch of Teal
A darling wood duck stands gracefully on a moss-covered perch at the edge of a rippling pond. In my mind, the highlight of this image is that little patch of teal on the wings. Such an appealing color.
I grabbed this shot while walking through the zoo in Topeka, KS. This was at one of their small ponds outside; not in any kind of enclosure.
You can get a better look at this duck’s feathering and colors 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Gear Up
This is the “H2” variant of the Lockheed C-130H Hercules tactical airlift aircraft rising above the runway at Rosecrans Memorial Airport during the Speed of Sound Airshow in September of 2024. This is one of many aircraft of the 139th Airlift Wing (139 AW) of the Missouri Air National Guard at Rosecrans.
There is a phenomenon displayed in this image that I don’t believe I’ve photographed before. Notice the white spiral lines behind the propellers. They are tip vortices formed by the propeller. I found this description of what causes these lines on the web: “The pressure in the core of a vortex (such as that shed at the tip of an operating propeller, rotor, wing or extended flap) is reduced well below ambient pressure. The temperature is also lower than ambient because of the lowered pressure. If the temperature is lowered to the dew point, the water vapor will condense and become visible revealing the vortex core.”
I have seen the tip vortices trailing a jet’s wing tips, but I don’t recall seeing them from the propeller blade tips. I’ve learned it’s a fairly common occurrence. I didn’t notice them the day I was taking this photo, so I was surprised to see it when I viewed the photo on my computer screen.
By the way, I should have been using a slower shutter speed when capturing this image. A slower shutter speed would have given the propellers a bit of a blur, indicating movement. When the movement is frozen, as in this image, it seems odd to our brains and belies the incredible speed in which they rotate. I needed the faster shutter speed to better capture jets at this airshow, but should have had the presence of mind so reduce the shutter speed when shooting aircraft with propellers. (I guess I’ll have to keep my amateur status.)
You can get a better view of this image and the and the vortices by clicking on the photo to view a larger, more detailed 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Behind the Bloom
This is the backside of a hibiscus bloom; with buds waiting for their turn in the foreground. This was taken in the early morning, while the dew was still lingering. This is from a hibiscus plant in the back yard of our northwest Missouri home.
I like this close-up capture because it showcases the delicate fold of the petals adorned with dewdrops. The green buds and leaves contrast beautifully with the vivid pink.
You can view a larger version of this image by clicking on the photo. 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Powerful Presence
A solitary bison bull stands majestically in a sunlit meadow at Custer State Park in South Dakota. He is one of the sizable heard of bison that reside in the park.
Although he looks alone, there are many other bison nearby. I just happened to zoom in on this one by himself.
You can get a more detailed look at this big guy 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Mount Rushmore in Gritty Granite
The towering granite presidential faces of Mount Rushmore are an imposing presence. Surrounded by trees, the mountain captures the serenity and grandeur of the landscape. The ruggedness of the stone, enhances the monument’s timeless appeal.
This photo is from our second trip to South Dakota and Mount Rushmore. Surprisingly, on the first trip, I took a number of photos of the monument but only posted two – one of the faces lit up at night and one of monument as viewed through the Doane Robinson Tunnel in Custer State Park.
On this evening, there was quite a but of haze in the air and in my effort to clean up and sharpen the image it made the rough texture and various cracks and veins running through the granite more pronounced. It’s almost distracting, but I kinda like it. Full disclosure: The sky was actually a bland, solid gray. I thought these guys deserved a better background so I digitally replaced the sky with a soft sunset.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo. 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Sunrise Stare
This regal horse paused from his early morning graze to stare at the rising sun.
It was about 6:30 on a Monday morning. We were packing up to leave the lodge we stayed at the previous weekend in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I noticed some horses in a nearby pasture so I grabbed my camera and decided to try and capture a few images in the early morning light before we hit the road. This is one of the images from that brief morning attempt. I don’t know the horse’s name. (He didn’t say.)
You can see a larger, more detailed version of this image if you are viewing it on a larger screen – simply 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.