Sky
Stalwart Sentinel
A bald eagle sits majestically on a tree branch at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, near Mound City, Missouri. This regal looking bird stands out against the clear blue sky background.
I like the way the details of the bird’s feathering is enhanced by the bright sunlight. The intricate tangle of branches also provide a natural frame for the eagle.
You can get a better view of the details 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Daring To Be Different
Two United States Air Force Thunderbirds F-16C Fighting Falcons jets perform a synchronized aerial maneuver against a backdrop of soft clouds. One of the fliers is upside down, showcasing the Thunderbirds precision and skill.
This image is not up to the quality standards I like to work within. The day of the airshow was mostly overcast with a bit of fog – essentially, low light conditions. Having to keep the shutter speed high (to avoid motion blur) resulted in more digital noise in the image than I would share. In removing the digital noise, it gave the image a bit of an unrealistically smooth character. Not my favorite style but I like the image enough to share. This is not an AI generated image, but I could understand how one might think it could be.
You can get a better view of the image, and the “smooth” character I mentioned, 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Fowl Weather
A large flock of snow geese soars through a clear blue sky above Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, Missouri. The birds’ white feathers contrast sharply against the vibrant backdrop.
I took this image on a visit to the refuge. I went there hoping to photograph the record number of eagles reported there. I got some eagle photos (watch for future posts) but I think I enjoyed photographing the snow geese in flight more. The contrasting black and white against a blue sky was very appealing to my eye.
You can view a larger, full-screen image of this shot 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.
Scenic View from Ha Ha Tonka
A picturesque overlook view from Ha Ha Tonka State Park, near Camdenton, Missouri captures a small sliver of the sprawling Lake of the Ozarks through lush green forests.
The state park system promotes this area as… “…a geologic wonderland featuring sinkholes, caves, a huge natural bridge, sheer bluffs and Missouri’s 12th-largest spring. The ruins of a turn-of-the-century stone castle overlook these wonders and offer impressive views of the Lake of the Ozarks and Ha Ha Tonka Spring.”
It is a cool place to visit and offers plenty of hiking trails and campsites. I’m sure this view will be even more stunning when the leaves of autumn are at their peak. (I believe we missed it by a couple of weeks.)
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Japan 7 – US Army 1
Eight vintage airplanes fly in formation against a clear blue sky. White smoke trails add a dynamic element to the scene.
You’ll notice seven of the aircraft are painted with the symbols of WWII era Japanese aircraft. The last one (farthest right) shows the markings of a U.S. Army plane. Not sure why it made it into this group. This was part of a WWII warbird display at last year’s Sound of Speed airshow held at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, Missouri.
To see the markings better, you can click on the photo and a larger, more detailed version of this image 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.
Missouri River from Indian Cave State Park
The Missouri river meanders through lush greenery under a bright blue sky. The peaceful view is provided by an overlook at Indian Cave State Park in southeast Nebraska.
The Missouri river serves as the border between Nebraska and Missouri. The bluffs you see in the background are in Missouri. I think the sharp curve of the river at this point is interesting. If you look closely, near the center of the image you can see a small fishing boat along the line of rocks. (It’s pretty small.)
You might get a better look by clicking on the photo for a full-screen view.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Invasion of The Thing from Outer Space
This is a fireworks display in Manistique, Michigan on the 3rd of July of 2022. My wife and I were in the U.P. for a little getaway. While there, we took in the fireworks celebration on the eve of Independence Day.
The title might seem a bit “out there” but I look at this photo and just think it looks like some strange creature with tentacles is coming to attack this quiet village.
I find the tone and color combination in this image very appealing. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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.