A collection of articles describing the adventures of capturing a specific shot and the creation story of some of my favorite images.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Flower buds fascinate me. I am in awe of the whole growth process and how such a rather mundane little thing can transform into a beautiful flower. A flower bud is the promise of a beautiful tomorrow.
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.
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.
The Orange-crowned warbler ranges in color from drab olive to pale yellow and is argubly one of the plainest of warblers. The orange feathers, from which it gets its name, are rarely seen. Is that why this one put on a show for the camera? Dancing in the water, compensating for its perceived lack of beauty in an attempt to make the most of what it has in order to stand out and be seen? Go on and strut your stuff little bird!
How and why did someone select this beautiful name for this little warbler? Perhaps, bestowing a name, fit for royalty was a way to compensate for being, what many consider, an otherwise plain looking bird.
The name orange-crowned warbler, conjures images in my mind of a bird with a fiery, orange ring of feathers around its head. If told to look for a bird with this name, I would never look for a bird like the one shown above. Would you?
Step Lightly depicts a Northern bobwhite as he walks gingerly across the red dirt toward a watering hole. Sitting in a ground-level blind, I was able to get eye-level with the bird to get my photo. Then I employed several techniques to create this work of digital fine art.
I’ve been to Canyon de Chelly before but never attempted the hike to view the White House ruins. This year was different. Our group really wanted to make the trek and I was determined not to be the spoil sport. There is one public trail starting at the White House Overlook on the South Rim of the canyon. Park rangers advise to allow 2 hours to hike 600 feet down and back up the switchback trail. I really have no idea how long I took. I do know I brought up the rear and was the last one of our group, back to the top. I didn’t pass out and made it back without assistance. For someone who will celebrate her 62nd birthday this year, I am pretty proud.
Along the way down, I was able to stop and capture a few images. These are views I would never have seen from the sidewalks of the overlook. So, despite the sore muscles, I am happy I gave it a try. But, once is enough.
