Trees
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.
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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.
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.
Multiple Streams
The South Falls at Silver Falls State Park waterfall cascades over a rocky cliff into a tranquil pool below, surrounded by lush greenery. The sun, filtered through tall trees, did a nice job of illuminating the mist in the air. The state park where you can find this, and a number of other waterfalls, is located outside Portland, Oregon.
The title, Multiple Streams, is a reference to the stream of water flowing off the cliff, the sunlight streaming through the trees and the rocky stream bed in the foreground.
To view a larger, more detailed version of this image, click on the photo. When you do it will open up 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.
Fall Creeping Up
Autumn leaves in shades of red, orange, and green climb a tree trunk with rough, textured bark. This seemed like a nice mix texture and autumn hues which I captured on a hike through the woodlands of Branson, Missouri.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this photo 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.
Forest of Friendship Waterfall
A small, tranquil waterfall flows into a pond filled with lily pads, surrounded by lush greenery and tall grasses. This serene setting was found at the International Forest of Friendship near Atchison, Kansas. It is known as the “Joe Carrigan Memorial Waterfall.”
We enjoyed our recent visit to the International Forest of Friendship. It was a paved path through an area that featured tree species representing different countries and states. A very pleasant, green place. This waterfall and pond was part of the scenery. There were small goldfish in the pond, among the lily pads.
This is a panorama image – two separate photos joined together to give you a wider view. I was using a pretty wide angle lens to begin with, but it wasn’t wide enough to capture the full view you see here.
You can enjoy a larger, more detailed view of this calming scene 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.
Reflecting In Alabama
The tranquil Burnt Corn Creek meanders through Jennings Park in Brewton, Alabama, reflecting the surrounding greenery in the calm waters of this panoramic image.
I recently spent a weekend in Brewton Alabama. This creek runs along the border of Jennings Park – a beautiful attraction the locals can be proud of. It has paved trails, a long, raised boardwalk through a wooded area, an abundance of wild and cultivated flowers and this restful spot along the creek.
This panoramic image was produced by stitching five separate photos together to capture a wider perspective. To really enjoy the scene, I encourage you to click on the photo to view a much 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.
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
South Falls at Silver Falls State Park
Last year I visited the Portland, Oregon area for a conference. While there I got to visit some of the area’s scenic treasures. Silver Falls State Park is a site with ten waterfalls within rainforest-like conditions. This is South Falls – a 177-foot (54 m) cascade. It is one of the most visited of the falls, probably because it is near a main entrance.
If you look closely, you can see a wooden fence about half way up. That is a trail that leads you under the falls. There is a lot of great hiking and beauty in this park. This is a panoramic photo – three individual photos joined together (vertically) to get the full, awesome view.
You can get a better, larger 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.
Black Hills Buck
This was a nice find on our visit to Custer State Park in South Dakota. We were driving on one of the outer-edge roads of the park and spotted this young, white-tailed buck just off the road. We parked and I pursued him with my camera. It took awhile to catch him still for a moment. One of my favorite shots from the trip.
You can get a better view of this guy by clicking on the photo. When you do, a larger, more detailed 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.