A collection of articles describing the adventures of capturing a specific shot and the creation story of some of my favorite images.

Reddish Egret at Sunrise

Are you a photographer/bird watcher too?

 

A Reddish Egret foraging for food at sunrise in Freeport, Texas. I watched it running, jumping, and spinning trying to catch its prey. This is one of my favorite birds that I didn’t know existed until just a few years ago.

I’ve never really been interested in knowing much about birds until I began photographing them. Then, I felt it was important that I be able to identify the subject of my photos. Well, I’ve discovered I really like bird watching! No, I’m not a birder but I aspire to be one!

Camera Settings

  • Exposure: 1/640 sec at f/5.0
  • Focal length: 195 mm
  • Focal length 35 mm: 391 mm
  • Exposure compensation: -3/10 EV
  • ISO Speed: 320
  • Exposure program: Aperture priority
  • Metering Mode: Center-weighted average
  • Camera: Olympus E-M1 Mark II
  • Lens: Leica DG 100-400 f4.0-6.5
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How About a Little Privacy!

This Northern Cardinal really enjoyed his bath–even while being watched.

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Popping Up in Rows!

 

Lucky me! I finally got to take some photos of a large field of sunflowers. Thanks to several friends who pointed out the location of this field outside of College Station TX. We arrived during a break in the rain and I got a few shots of God light streaming through the clouds. It was hard to choose which photo I liked the most.

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Tears of the USS Arizona

Fuel continues to leak from USS Arizona’s wreckage. I saw this when I visited in February 2020. This iridescent sheen, no more than12 inches long, appeared just long enough for me to squeeze off a few shots. In less than 5 seconds it was gone. The nebulous blob, sometimes called tears of the Arizona or black tears, seems to float just above the water’s surface. It is an eerie reminder of the things still trapped in the wreckage below.

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Hope Springs Eternal

In spring, the Indian Paintbrush is commonly seen along Texas highways and in fields throughout the state. Most commonly a bright red but occasionally a plant with a color variation is seen. There is a simple beauty in a white flowers. Often associated with true love, innocence, humility, and reverence, white flowers evoke a sense of hope in me.

In spring of 2020, the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have hope for the resilience of mankind.

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Dance Halls as Social Centers in Rural Texas

Dance halls and churches served as centers for social gatherings in rural Texas for generations. Families, with children in tow, went to the Saturday night dance at the local dance hall. Then, all were expected to be in the church pews on Sunday morning–no matter how they felt.

Before Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp, people formed and built relationships, celebrated, and mourned losses within the walls of these structures. Neighbors greeted each other by name and with a handshake or hug. Perhaps, given the state of the world and the COVID-19 pandemic, I am feeling nostalgic.

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Winter Harbor Light

Winter Harbor Light, located on Mark Island off the coast of Maine, creates a nice focal point for this landscape. The overcast skies created a perfect diffuse, soft light. There are several words which come to mind as I look at this scene; solitude, stoic, historic. Unfortunately, I could not get much closer as this is now privately owned.

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“Addicted to Red” Poster Now Available

I posted this image to Facebook and it was seen by more than 11,000 people! Now, I am making it available as a 16×20 poster.

“Addicted to Red” depicts a field of poppies next to a vineyard and makes for a mesmerizing view.  $25 plus shipping and taxes. I am only shipping to the continental US at this time.

To purchase your poster, hover over or click on the image, then provide shipping and payment info. I’ll get yours to to ASAP!

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The Promise of Beauty to Come

I am going to assume that all of us, at one time or another, have had a bad day. Maybe you’ve even had a bad week, month, or year. In those times we could all use something to give us hope that good things are coming. For me, this bud symbolizes that hope.

Where I grew up and where I now live, this blanketflower is a pretty common sight along roadsides. I’ve planted it in my flowerbeds and as of today, this October day, I still have blooms. It is a hearty plant and can tolerate the extremes of Texas weather; persevering and sometimes even flourishing despite the stress put on it.

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Peaceful Beauty in the Heart of Palo Duro Canyon

On an overcast, March day, I was lucky enough to find and capture the heart of Palo Duro Canyon. I have the proof in my photo. This was my first visit to this particular Texas State Park but it would not be my last.

Palo Duro Canyon played a major role in the lives of the Native American peoples who lived here. Those who utilized the canyon and it’s resources include, Folsom and Clovis, Apache, Comanche and Kiowa. There are accounts of U.S. soldiers chasing Apache bands across the plains, when they just seemed to drop out of sight. The soldiers, unaware of the canyon where the natives had taken refuge, called off the chase and returned home.

While I am claiming to have captured the heart of Palo Duro in my work, I have to admit, the canyon captured my heart first.

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