Untitled, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, JUL 2011
Five years ago, I saw the giant sequoia for the first time. Like most people, I was in awe of these giant trees. Their imposing size and their presence in the forest really impressed me. My images Among the Elders and Sequoia Giganteum attempt to capture the scale of these trees. However, I also found that the furrows and ridges of their bark create a sculptural beauty that is striking. Over the ensuing years, I’ve taken images of a few trees whose patterns really struck me. Here is a sample of what I found.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Regards,
Larry
Note: Click on image caption to see image in larger size.
Last Friday was a cold, foggy morning and we had just come out of a long bout of heavy rain. A lot of water was being released from Folsom Lake and the American River, near Folsom was running strong. I decided to spend some time photographing the area of Folsom that surrounds the historic Walker Bridge / Donald W. Alden Memorial Bridge. It was a great time to be out. The river roared as it created whitewater through the gorge. Quite a treat. In the 5 years that I have lived in the area, I never saw significant whitewater or heard the river roar.
The Walker Bridge / Donald W. Alden Memorial Bridge was built in 1893. It was sold 3 times: once to a man in Japan who wanted it for the steel but was never able to get it, once to the State of California who dismantled it and moved it near Walker, CA to span the Klamath River, and finally back to the City of Folsom who reinstalled it on its original abutments. It now serves as a pedestrian footbridge and an access point to the American River Parkway from the City of Folsom.
I hope you enjoy these images.
Note: Click on image to see in larger size. I particularly recommend this for the image of the American Rive Gorge.
Walker Bridge / Donald W Alden Memorial Bridge, Folsom, CARainbow Bridge Arch, Folsom, CA
It’s fun to be in Northern California in the winter. We are part of the Pacific Flyway, so we get many birds, primarily waterfowl, who winter over. But even in my backyard I see Oregon Juncos and a species of Goldfinch that spends its summers in the Sierra foothills. Though my passion is landscapes, photographing this wildlife is fun because watching them go about their business of living is fun.
I’ve been out twice in the last two weeks photographing and enjoying the wildlife. On one trip, I went to 2 of the wildlife refuges that have been built along the flyway. Some years ago, land was set aside as a safe haven for migrating waterfowl. Levees were built and fields flooded so they could live and eat. This helped farmers by keeping the birds off their cropland. A win-win situation, enjoyed by birders, photographers and duck hunters. On the day I visited the refuges, raptors became my focus. They benefit from the migrating waterfowl as well.
This past week, I got to spend an hour watching a River Otter and an Egret. They appeared to be helping each other feed. Otters always seem to be playing even as they feed.
I hope you enjoy these images.
Regards
Larry
Note: Click on image to view at larger size
Juvenile Black Crowned Night HeronRed Shouldered HawkRiver Otter – Perspective 1Snow GeeseRiver Otter and EgretPeregrine Falcon
In October, 2015, Donna and I made a tour of the Great Basin area in Nevada. I recently revisited the images I took during that trip and decided to get them ready to publish. The first image is of a special Joshua Tree forest. It is special because, over the mountains,behind the forest, lies Groom Lake, the fabled Area 51. I wonder what you’d see if you were a bug on one of the trees. The second image is of a rainstorm over the desert. It is raining in the distance as crepuscular rays cast their beams over the desert landscape. The third image is a rainbow over Death Valley. I’ve published a version of this image before but wasn’t happy with it. Now it’s back and will be one of the images featured in my show at ACAI Gallery and Studios beginning December 17. The fourth image is one of Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley. It too will be displayed in my show.
Clouds, Sun and RainWondrous MorningSun Setting Over Mesquite Dunes – Perspective 1
Here is a sample of the birds we saw while in South Africa. There were many interesting, colorful birds. I was especially captivated by the Lilac Breasted Roller,the Purple Crested Turaco and the varieties of sunbirds and kingfishers. There are many more examples on my website (www.earthwatcher.us). I hope you enjoy the images. I encourage you to look at the others that are on my website because I know you will enjoy them also.
Regards
Larry
These images can been seen at a larger size by clicking on the image
One of the many species of birds we saw while in South Africa were hornbills. They are beautiful birds that cast a striking pose even when flying. I hope you enjoy these images I am sharing.
Regards,
Larry
Click on image to view in larger size.
Pair of Yellow Billed HornbillsRed Billed HornbillPair of Southern Ground Hornbills
African Penguin – Perspective 2, Boulder Beach Penguin Sanctuary, Table Mountain National Park, Simon’s Town, South Africa, August 2016
The African Penguin is a species of penguin found in the waters surrounding southern Africa. It is also known as the jackass penguin because of its donkey like bray. Its numbers are declining and it is considered endangered.
South Africa has created a reserve for these penguins on Boulder Beach near Simon’s Town. There is a nice boardwalk down to the beach and an observation platform for viewing. The penguins meander around and come very close to you. They were a lot of fun to watch.
I hope you enjoy these images.
Regards,
Larry
Note: Click on individual images to see in larger size.
African Fish Eagle In Flight – Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016
The African Fish Eagle was the most common large raptor we saw on our trip to South Africa. It is a beautiful bird that is a cousin to our American Bald Eagle. I learned from my friend Kevin that both the African Fish Eagle and the Bald Eagle belong to the family of fish eagles. They are distinguished from the family of booted or true eagles by their legs. True eagles have feathers on their lower legs. I am a novice birder and never realized there were different types of eagles. By the way, our Golden Eagle is a snake eagle; yet another type.
Our most interesting encounter was watching a fish eagle being chased by a Blacksmith Lapwing. I guess the eagle was too close to a nest. It was fun watching it fend off numerous attacks.
I hope you enjoy these images of these magnificent birds,
Regards,
Larry
African Fish Eagle Feeding – Perspective 1, Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016African Fish Eagle Feeding – Perspective 2, Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016African Fish Eagle Fending Lapwing Attack – Perspective 1, Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016African Fish Eagle Fending Lapwing Attack – Perspective 2, Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016African Fish Eagle and Great Egret, Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016
Note: These and other images are available for sale on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting me.
Mama Warthog and Babies, Addo Elephant Park, South Africa, AUG 2016
Everybody gets excited about the big cats, the elephants, the hippos and other big game. But there is a lot more out there and I will be sharing it over the next few weeks. Today, I’ll share my images of the wildebeest, also known as the Gnu, the cape buffalo and the warthog.
The wildebeest and cape buffalo are grazers, eating the grass that grow in the savannahs. The warthog grazes on the grass and digs for roots. Their place in the ecosystem is controlling the plant life so it doesn’t take over and serving as food for the larger prey animals. Though not as exciting as the big cats, they are each beautiful in their own way.
Regards,
Larry
Note: Click on images to view in larger size
Cape Buffalo – Perspective 1, Elephant Plains Game Lodge, Sabi Sands, South Africa
Wildebeest – Perspective 4, Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016
Wildebeest – Perspective 3, Kruger National Park, South Africa, AUG 2016Cape Buffalo – Perspective 2, Addo Elephant Park, South Africa, AUG 2016
These and other images are available for purchase at my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting me at: larry@earthwatcher.us.