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
WI
The Damsel Be Dazzled
The light danced on the wings of the damselfly while it rested on a leaf.
I saw a few of these damselflies flitting around an area along a trail we often hike. Every time they landed they were facing the sun. (Notice the shadow.) I spent a good deal of time snapping pictures, hoping to catch one sideways to the sun, to see more of the wing.
Well, as it turned out, the hint of sunlight on the ridges of the wings made a rather interesting view as well.
Damselflies are often mistaken for dragonflies. To help you know the difference, here’s some info I found at ReconnectWithNature.org.
Both dragonflies and damselflies are typically found near fresh water and are commonly seen during warm, sunny days. And while they share some physical characteristics, there are four ways you can differentiate between the two, according to Mother Nature Network.
EYES
Dragonflies have much larger eyes than damselflies. A dragonfly’s eyes take up most of the insect’s head, wrapping around to the sides of its head. Damselflies also have large eyes, but they are smaller than a dragonfly’s and there is always a space between their eyes.
BODIES
Damselflies are smaller than dragonflies, with bodies that typically range between 1 1/2 inches and 2 inches, while dragonfly bodies are typically longer than 2 inches, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Dragonflies also have thicker, bulkier bodies, while damselfly bodies are thin like a twig.
WINGS
Both dragonflies and damselflies have two sets of wings, but there are some distinct differences in their wings that can help differentiate between the two. Dragonflies have two sets of similar-sized wings, but the hind wings become more broad at the base, where they attach to the body. Damselfly wings, on the other hand, are more slender and taper toward they base, where they attach to the body.
AT REST
While the wings of dragonflies and damselflies are a key distinction between the two, how they position their wings while not in flight further helps tell them apart. When not in flight, a dragonfly’s wings stick straight out, perpendicular to their body like an airplane’s wings. A damselfly’s wings fold back so they are in line with their body, giving them a more sleek, slender appearance at rest.
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The Victor
This red-tailed hawk was enjoying a lunch of gray squirrel. As you can see, it had already consumed most of it by the time I spotted them.
Thankfully, this hawk wasn’t bothered by me being close enough to capture it’s image. I took a lot of photos from various angles and it mostly ignored me. This was taken while on a hike around the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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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.
Lakeland Desert
The calm water, thin clouds and intense sun reminded me of a lone building stranded in the middle of a desert wasteland.
This sunrise appeared behind the Kewaunee, Wisconsin lighthouse and pier on the western shore of Lake Michigan. This image was captured in May of 2020.
To see more of the detail in this image (like the fisherman on the pier), click 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 (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Chosen One
Some may stumble into notoriety others seem chosen. Though out of it’s element, this sunflower found growing amidst a field of oats, seems to be have been selected from above for some special honor.
This was taken a few weeks ago in the farm field behind our rural Kewaunee home. It’s not a great photo, technically speaking, due to the lack of light present when this early evening rainbow appeared. This was just a quick shot, without much thought. Given a second chance I’m sure I could have improved it. Of course, that exact moment has long past; the opportunity lost forever.
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.
Lake Light Bright
The rising sun seemed to be striving to hold its own against an encroaching cloud bank behind the Kewaunee, Wisconsin lighthouse and pier. Kewaunee is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
This shot was captured in color but I thought it would be more dramatic in monochrome. Even though the sun is providing a stellar performance, the overall image maintains a dark and brooding feel. It wasn’t a great morning for sunrise photos but he sunbeams captured in this frame seem pretty cool to me.
As always, I think the images look best when viewed full-screen. You can do so 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.
A Blessing
A rainbow arches over our rural, northeast Wisconsin home.
I happened to notice this rainbow at the very end of the day…just as the sun was setting. In truth, I was a little late to the party. A few minutes earlier and it would have been a full, arching beauty.
This is a panoramic image that required four images (stitched together) to capture the full view you see here.
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 (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Emotional Distancing
In times of darkness and difficulty, it is only natural that we look to The Light.
This is a very emotionally moving image for me. Without getting too sappy; this image speaks what my heart has been feeling amidst the recent chaos, confusion, and wholesale upheaval of our world.
In these times, I’m not looking to some activist group or the government or some celebrity or even well-intentioned family and friends for clear guidance and direction. I look to the Light of the World, Christ Jesus and His Word to bring understanding, direction and peace to my life.
I got up early to capture the sunrise at Algoma, WI. However, the sun and sky didn’t provide what I was hoping for. Still, I kept shooting. After all, I’d made the effort to get there, maybe something of interest would emerge. I thought it was pretty much a “learning experience” until I viewed this frame on the computer. The color was pretty bland, so I decided to convert it to monochrome and… Well, I think I found a diamond in the rough. It’s not a great “photographic effort” technically, but it moves me. (That’s why we call it, “Art.”)
I think this image is much more powerful when viewed larger. You can see a full-screen 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.
The Color Poppy
The poppy is one of the most vibrant, delicate and interesting blossoms of spring. Sadly, it is a short lived beauty. Our small supply of poppies have been brutalized by the strong winds we’ve had lately. This photo was taken a week ago.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this photo by clicking on it. When you do, a full-screen 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 (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Deposit of Gold
I enjoy this calm, inviting view of a Lake Michigan sunrise from the shores of Kewaunee, Wisconsin. If you look closely you’ll see a long pier, extending from the left side, to a lighthouse on the horizon. Kewaunee is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
This image is a blending of three different photos, exposed at three different levels, to create an image with more dynamic range. There has yet to be a camera created that can capture all the light and contrast and color and detail as well as the human eye can capture it and the brain can process it. The HDR (high dynamic range) process is our effort to compensate for the camera’s shortcomings.
To see more of the detail, click on the photo to view a larger, full-screen 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.
Flowing Focus
After a light spring rain, I photographed the back side of a freshly bloomed poppy. The water droplets were the point of interest to me.
When I opened the image up on my computer for processing, I thought a monochrome version held more promise. The full-color version was nice, but this one seemed to draw me in more.
If you click on this photo, you will get a larger, more detailed look.
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.