Sony A7III
Home Tweet Home
This birdhouse has seen a lot of fledglings in its day. It’s also seen better days. Still, the abundance of days past and weathering have added to its character and charm.
This birdhouse hangs from a tree limb at my in-laws northwest Missouri homestead. Nothing spectacular about this image, but I find it soothing to look at. I love the weathered woodgrain, the grasses and twigs and the strand of wire keeping it together.
You can get a better look at the detail in the woodgrain if you 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Longing to Be Charmed
I’m not an expert, but I believe this is a common black ratsnake. Nearing the end of a hike through the woods, my wife spotted it first and I hurried to grab a photo. I didn’t get much before it quickly retreated into the brush at Bluff Woods Conservation Area in northwestern Missouri.
Black ratsnakes are non-venomous; they kill their prey by constriction. They’re best known for their color combination of a shiny bluish-black body undercoated by a whitish belly. They’re harmless to humans but they can startle you by their stealth and, often, large size.
To get a better, more detailed look at those scales and tongue (mostly a blur) 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Adjusting to the Morning Light
The clouds and the rising sun seem to be collaborating to provide the right balance of color and light. This is an early morning view of Bass Lake, Indiana in September.
I love the way the sunrise is illuminating the low, misty kind of clouds in the upper right half of this scene. Give me a lake with interesting clouds and a rising sun any day.
You can get a better, bigger, more detailed view of this image by clicking on the photo. 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.
Timeworn Topography
A rugged Badlands landscape features a prominent rock formation layered with sedimentary rock. I took this shot while driving through the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. (My wife was actually doing the driving.)
When processing this image, I spent a good deal of time experimenting with replacing the sky. The sky you see is the sky that was present at the time of this photo. I think it looks pretty lackluster and wondered if I could get a more dramatic look. Everything I tried just didn’t seem to fit so I left it au natural.
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.
Eight Point Guard
This whitetail buck was standing guard as his mate grazed in the lush grasses of a clearing at Custer State Park in South Dakota.
You don’t have to look very closely to see the flies on this guy. There were many more that were swarming around these deer. In fact, the little dots of light, like bokeh, in this image are out of focus flies.
I happened along this pair while they were busy enjoying an early evening meal. As soon as I approached, the buck turned and faced me for the moment you see here and then, with a snort, turned and both ran off.
You can get a larger view of the deer and count the flies 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.
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 ([email protected]) 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 ([email protected]) 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 ([email protected]) 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 ([email protected]) 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.