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 Digital
Unsightly
This is a softshell turtle I found deep in my unprocessed archives. This turtle (and its sidekick) were among the less appealing creatures I photographed on a visit to the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Missouri about 10 years ago.
These turtles are odd enough to make them interesting. They are also hideous enough to have been hidden in the archives for so long. Of course, you may feel differently. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
If you care to see this strange being in more detail, click on the image to view a larger version of this 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.
Purple Veined Moth Orchid
This is a beautiful example of the Moth Orchid. The photo captures the delicate beauty of the orchids, contrasting with the subtle pattern on the butterfly’s wings.
This is one of the images I captured at the Butterfly Palace in Branson, MO. This was clicked in October of 2023.
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.
Not Inclined to Share
This squirrel struck an unusual pose while snacking on a nut. He had just uncovered this nut from some hiding place in the vicinity. When I approached hi to ask for a nibble, he ran to the tree to eat in front of me.
I saw his squirrel on the grounds of College of the Ozarks at Point Lookout in southwest Missouri. We were in the Branson area and when we are we always try to make a trip to the college. We had and excellent lunch at the Keeter Center this time.
I have another image of a squirrel reclining in an odd way. Take a look at this one: https://popsdigital.com/pops-photos/planking/
You can click on the image to have a larger version of this image 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.
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.
Treetop Convergence
Looking upwards from an Oregon forest floor, the perspective gives this photo a kaleidoscopic feel. The converging lines of the tree trunks create a dramatic vanishing point at the center of the blue sky. This image was captured along the Eagle Creek Trail in the Portland area.
Many of the trees in this area were ravaged by fire a few years before I was there. Many of the tree trunks in this image still bear the blackened scars. I was in the Portland area for a conference in October of 2022.
I took this photo with a fisheye lens and had to take several shots at different exposure levels so I could combine them for an HDR image. Otherwise, the sky would be too bright and the tree trunks would be too dark. I may have over done the HDR since it has a surreal feel.
This is one of those images that really is better viewed larger. You can see for yourself by clicking 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.