In April 2023, we visited the Lake Tahoe area. Coming off record snowfall, the houses on Route 89, along the Western Shore, were buried up to the roof tops. But along the Eastern Shore, the amount of snow was more manageable. The weather was overcast, windy and cold, though there were a few breaks in the clouds. Regardless of the weather, we visited Sand Harbor beach. It was a lovely experience; throwing snowballs, climbing rocks and at rare times, nice light.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
Some days you get lucky. My son and I were searching for birds to photograph in the state of Washington, USA. Traveling on a back road in an agricultural area, we found a group of photographers with big lenses. Of course, we had to stop. As it turned out, they were watching and photographing some Short-eared Owls that migrate into the area over winter. This was my first experience seeing Short-eared Owls and I was excited. What a blessing.
By the way, like the Long-eared Owl, it’s not the length of their actual ears that is responsible for their name. It is the length of ear-like tufts on their head.
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If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
I was visiting my family in the Seattle area. One day we got up early and went to a spot with great views of mountains and a valley. The only issue was that we were in the valley and had to hike 2 miles up the mountain in order to get to the overlook.
The Rattlesnake Edge Trail is a trail cut into the side of a steep mountain lying in its angle of repose. The elevation gain over the 2 miles is 1160 feet. I’m not ashamed to say that it was a tough climb for me, but I made it. We got there about 10 minutes before sunrise.
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If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
This week I’m sharing some waterfalls dressed in their autumn colors. One, Yellow Creek Falls, I took a year ago on our trip to Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The others were taken on our recent trip to Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Looking Glass Falls is at roadside but is difficult to photograph because it is tucked away in a little grotto and it’s difficult to find a position that provides a good angle. The other falls are tucked away on short trails that require minimal effort if you can navigate rocks and roots as well as some steep descents to the riverside. We had some nice autumn colors but mostly overcast skies.
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If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
Two weeks ago, we had the privilege of visiting Shenandoah National Park and some of the surrounding Virginia countryside. The autumn color was in the early stages of turning color. Though not at its peak, it was still wonderfully cloaked in its coat of many colors.
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If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
A few weeks ago, a section of our backyard was set aglow in the early morning sun. We have a small wood pile I made hoping it might become a bee hotel. The bees ignored it. It’s now a larder for chipmunks, a hunting ground for wrens, a perch for squirrels to eat dinner and other things. It’s great fun to watch. On this day in August, the logs sprouted multicolored species of fungi and the sun poked its rays through breaks in the trees to set the fungi glowing.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
This is a slow time for me and my photography. So, I thought I’d share some sunrises. As you look at these, please pay attention to the captions. Some of the tell a story about the place and the circumstance.
More to come!
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Tunnel View is an iconic view at Yosemite. I visited it many times. I Often mused that a photo with the sun peeking from behind Half Dome. I planned this shot for 2 years until I was finally able to be there at the right time and it was all that I expected.
Zabriske point is the go-to place for a sunrise at Death Valley. On a typical day, the sun rises over your shoulder, casting an alpenglow over the mountains on the far side of the valley. If you are lucky, there will be a few clouds over the far mountains, and you can watch the sky turn from orange and magenta to gold. On the day we visited, the thick cloud cover from the previous day’s storm was breaking up. We got the beautiful color we had hoped for. But, in addition, we got a marvelous rainbow. It was an unforgettable moment.
Some days you just get lucky. We were having a family vacation to St Simons Island, Georgia, USA. I didn’t really plan to do any photography but took my equipment anyway. While there, I saw that the sun would be rising at a great spot. So, my wife and I got up well before sunrise and before anyone else woke up, went to this spot and it was wonderful.
The Badlands are an interesting place to visit anytime of the day but at sunrise and sunset the colors pop. The dry valleys cut from the highly eroded plateau are beautiful. Most of the valleys are drab and dusty. While scouting for places to shoot, I spotted this unique little valley with its creek and green floor. My research showed that the sun would be rising from a good position. We watched the beautiful sunrise paint the sides of the valley.
This “rainbow” can only be seen at sunrise in February at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. I was on a photography workshop, camping in Yellowstone. It was a wonderful experience to be with a small group of like-minded people enjoying this rare opportunity.
The Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California are a wonderful place to visit. It is a field of immense boulders that sit in front of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s a place with many arches, boulders and trails. It becomes a place of wonder when the sun rises over the White-Inyo mountains to the east and paints the Sierras with it orange-red alpen glow. My spirit feels at home there.
Please visit my website, www.earthwatcher.us to see my collection of landscapes and wildlife.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
If anyone would like a copy of almost any picture in my library, for educational or research use, please contact me and I will happily share a digital copy with you.
Earthwatcher 