Picture of the Day - 12/27/2010

"Zoo Lights" at the Denver Zoo - While the Denver Zoo also has an annual "holiday light safari", I couldn't help but try out some abstract photography this evening. There are many ways to create interesting abstracts and most cameras (even the small compacts) can be set up to do this. While "zoom blurs" may only be done with lenses that can be manually zoomed during the shot, the "jiggle" or (horizontal or vertical) "pan" blurs may be done with any camera. Remembering that the actual image ends up on the imager upside down, to achieve the "swirl" blur as pictured (a series of "smiles"), you need to swirl up and down in a circular fashion. For the best effect, it helps to look for a multitude of multi-colored and closely-spaces lights. Trial and error is the order of the day for these and it usually takes several tries before I like the result. Camera settings: ISO 1600, aperture 5.6, shutter 1/6 second. Be sure to pre-focus first.

Picture of the Day - 12/26/2010

Electric Safari, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs, CO) - After a delightful BBQ rib dinner, cooked by Chris & Alex, we all headed off to the local zoo for some night time photography of the lights. Here's a shot near the entrance showing some of the lighted animals and walkway. The zoo is unique in that it is (likely) one of the highest in altitude at 6800 feet and its built onto the side of Cheyenne Mountain, which requires a certain amount of exercise to experience all the exhibits. The Electric Safari is an annual event held right around Christmas time and it attracts quite a crowd!

Picture of the Day - 12/25/2010

Merry Christmas! - For all those who celebrate it, Foxie wishes you all a very Merry Christmas from our house to yours! Best wishes & God's blessings for the New Year!

Ken, Sheila and Foxie

Picture of the Day - 12/24/2010

Stare At This - I'm sure this image has been floating around for a while now, but I thought it appropriate for this Christmas Eve. Stare at the four dots for 20 to 30 seconds, close your eyes and tilt your head back a little. What do you see?

Picture of the Day - 12/23/2010

East Face of Mt. Whitney - I took this photo last February on my way to the NANPA (www.nanpa.org) photo conference in Reno. I was just entering the town of Lone Pine from my stay the day before in Death Valley. Whitney is the highest peak in the continental U.S. at 14,495 feet. While I've climbed it twice via the main trail, I've yet been unsuccessful in climbing the east face. Coming upon this scene this year reminded me of my attempt to climb it while in college. My climbing partner and I made it about 3/4 of the way up, before being chased back down by a lightning storm. It's hard to tell the scale, but it took us over 20 rappels to get back down and out of danger. Photographed with a Canon 1D Mk2 with 100-400 mm lens at 310 mm. ISO 200, f8 and 1/800 second. I did the B&W conversion in Lightroom.

Picture of the Day - 12/22/2010

Lunar Eclipse with Tower of Babel - Here's one more take on Monday night's lunar eclipse at the Garden of the Gods Park - this time with the moon fully shadowed by the earth. If magnified, the moon would look rather orange. Focus was achieved by switching to Live View mode and adjusting the moon for best sharpness. Taken with a 16 - 35 mm wide-angle zoom set to 16 mm on a Canon Rebel T2i body. ISO was 800 with shutter at 30 seconds and f5.6. The rocks were lightened slightly and the sky cleaned up in Lightroom. The rocks were lit only by ambient light from a nearby building.

Picture of the Day - 12/21/2010

Lunar Eclipse, Garden of the Gods Park - Sheila and I spent the better part of the night last night (and this morning!) photographing the total lunar eclipse. It was fascinating to watch the full moon with its bright light casting shadows around us, with near full visibility...to near total darkness, in a matter of several minutes. I had set up two cameras - one with a 300 mm / f2.8 (and 1.4X teleconverter) on my Canon T2i body, in order to obtain close-ups of the moon itself. The other one was set up in a fixed location near the Tower of Babel rock formation, hooked up to an intervelometer shutter release, set to fire every 8.5 minutes. The primary purpose of this one was to capture a sequence of moon shots, which would later be combined into a single frame showing the moon at different stages of eclipse. The 8.5 minutes was calculated such that none of the moon images would overlap. The tripod was located such that the sequence would have arced directly over the rocks.

This is one frame from that sequence, showing the moon as its just coming out of umbral stage. The slight sliver of crescent moon is causing a "starburst" effect, which I thought was unique. This was photographed using my Canon 5D with 24 to 70 mm /f2.8 lens (adjusted to 30 mm) and  set to ISO 800, 30 second exposure at f5.6. It was slightly adjusted with Lightroom to bring up the shadow detail in the rocks. I also applied sharpening and noise reduction to clean up the sky. Because of the 30 second exposure, if one were to magnify this image, you'd be able to see slight arcs in the stars, due to the earth's rotation. The light on the rocks is from the natural ambient light from the nearby building in the main parking lot where we were located.

Note that focussing any lens at night (especially during a total eclipse) is troublesome. If your camera body has a "live view" mode (or equivalent), where you can see the actual image via the LCD screen, it's possible to set focus on bright objects, such as the moon or stars. You'll want to switch to Manual focus, so that successive shots don't end up defocussing the lens. For camera bodies without "live view", it's tougher. It's generally best to prefocus the lens during the day or early evening, switch to Manual focus and tape the adjusting ring down with gaffers tape. This assumes there will be no drastic temperature changes, as this can affect the focus point (mainly on large telephotos). For these lunar shots, I set the exposure to Manual and diddle around until I get proper exposure for the moon. To see stars well, you'll want to set the aperture for around f4 to f5.6 and the ISO to a setting where they start to show well in the LCD screen. The shutter speed should be 15 to 30 seconds for good detail. If you're fortunate enough to have some foreground, it can be light-painted with a strong flashlight during the exposure.

Picture of the Day - 12/16/2010

Merry Christmas 2010 - This photo was taken earlier this year during a winter weekend. We were staying with good friends Larry and Terrie at the Mt. Elbert Lodge, near Twin Lakes, Colorado. The sky was pretty clear and I stayed up late to capture this scene overlooking some of the other cabins - along with a starry sky. You can see Orion just right of center. For a situation like this, I tripod-mounted the camera and set the exposure to manual (using f8 and adjusting the shutter by trial & error). To emphasize the sky, I used a wide angle (16-35 mm) lens. Adjusted slightly using Lightroom 3 with text added in Photoshop.

Inspirational Prints Added

In time for this special Christmas season, I just added several new inspirational prints in the Gallery section of the Web site. These would make ideal gifts for your loved ones. If ordered by the 17th, I should be able to deliver by Christmas.

Mobile Connectivity on the Road

Those of you who travel a lot - especially into remote areas and who need internet connectivity for email or conducting business on the road - this may be your solution! My job takes me on the road quite often and I need regular access to email and the internet. There are many providers of "mobile connectivity" for areas not blessed with free Wi-Fi, but most force you into buying an expensive 2-year contract along with their plug-in USB "dongle". Virgin Mobile, on the other hand, offers a no-contract, month by month plan, which is ideal for the occasional traveler. I purchased their MiFi 2200 credit card-sized solution ($150), which works off the Sprint (or roams to Verizon's) network - the combination of which is one of the most extensive coverages in the U.S. This can be ordered off their web site (http://www.virginmobileusa.com/) or purchased through Best Buy and others.


This small card allows wireless connection of up to five devices. So, once its turned on, both Sheila and I have access simultaneously! I can be answering client emails while Sheila surfs the Web or goes through her email. The speed varies, but both Spring and Verizon have fairly fast networks (up to 150k bps rates). While not the speediest, it gets the job done! Best of all, you're not locked into a long-term contract. I just pay $40/month or $10 for 10 days - just for the time I need!

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Picture of the Day - 12/6/2010

Snowy Ridge, Rocky Mountain N.P. - The day after Thanksgiving, we drove Chris & Alex to Estes Park and took a loop through Rocky Mountain N.P. While there, we were able to photograph bighorn sheep, elk, and lots of icy reflections in the creeks and streams. On the way back to Estes, we noticed the snow blowing off the ridge of the craggy mountain range. Glad we were in a warm car, as it looked pretty cold up there!

Picture of the Day - 12/4/2010

Grasses in Snow - The morning following our first decent snowfall a few days ago, I peeked out the front door into the chill air to capture this image of grasses poking up through the fresh blanket of snow. A single ray from the sunrise lit up the row; the effect lasting for a brief moment, and then was gone.

Pro Tip - Submitting Images to Photo Editors

I've been writing for various hobby and professional magazines for 25 years now and after speaking with many editors over the years, as well as attending several writing and photography workshops on this subject, I've got it down pretty well. I go over much more detail in the Business of Photography seminar, but I did want to mention an easy way to get sample images (or "comps", as they're called) to photo editors and buyers.

First, you need to establish a relationship with the editor(s). Avoid contacting the "editor in chief" as they're usually more a management role, than "worker bee". Don't be afraid to drop the photo editor or assistant editor a short email or letter describing yourself along with a few sample images. Don't overwhelm them - they're under constant pressure to "get out the next issue" and they may take a while to get back to you. Generally, they prefer not to take phone calls. One thing I do 2 to 4 times a year is send them a "promo sheet" with a few of your BEST recent representative images. Need I mention, images that reflects the needs of the specific magazine? Make sure it's printed on classy paper and include your contact info. You want it beautiful enough they'll want to pin it up on their wall!

Second, you need to know what images they need. Don't just send a bunch of unsolicited pictures - especially via email. Many magazines publish writers and photographers guidelines on their Web site. You also want to locate the "editorial calendar", oftentimes located in the "Advertisers" section. Be sure to read through these, as often they will mention how they'd prefer to receive pictures (email, CD, light table on Web site). If you can, request to get on their "want list" email distribution. This is an emailed listing of specific images they're looking for in the months ahead. Remember, magazines have a three to six-month lead time. Right now, they're working on the spring through summer 2011 issues.

Next is the actual delivery of comps (sample low-res images they can use for the initial pasteup drafts). Most editors won't want you to attach them to an email, unless they're in a hurry to get them. This is where you really need to listen to how they wish them delivered. Lately, I use Photoshop Lightroom to adjust the images and then I use the included plug-in that uploads the selected images directly to my PhotoShelter account. Once the upload is complete, I create a "light table" section for just the editor to see. PhotoShelter automatically creates the email notification and includes a series of thumbnail images with your pictures. There is an included link within the email they can click on to see the larger images and to download comps for layout purposes. The whole delivery process takes just a few minutes.

Should one, or more, of your images get accepted, the editor will want the originals (high-res) converted to TIFF and delivered "yesterday", so you'll want to have already loaded in some ftp software in order to upload the images directly to one of their ftp servers. I use CuteFTP, which works well. The editor will provide the ftp address and password to get access to their server. That's it!

Photo Tip - The Thought Process of Photography

After several years of photographing nature, I've developed a consistent sequence or process of thought prior to actually photographing a subject. I run through this sequence for every situation and because it's sort of a "check list", I rarely miss a step. I thought I'd pass this along to you, as I'm frequently asked questions about the technical aspects of my images along the lines of lens types, shutter speeds, and so forth. If you learn a consistent process (and it may be different for you), after a while it will become second-nature.

Depending on the subject I intend to photograph, I'll run through the equipment I'll likely require before leaving home. Will I need special lenses or lighting? How about spare batteries and memory cards if it will be an extended shoot? Scenics or wildlife or both? If it's a commercial shoot, will it be a portrait session or product photography? Will I need to bring studio gear?

Once I answer these general questions, I'll pre-visualize the shots I intend to take. Of course, if it's a commercial shoot, I'd probably have developed a "shot list" in advance. Let's say this example will be a nature shoot. Here's the thought process I go through once I arrive at the location and start scouting for good spots.

1. Is the lighting bright or dim and can I use a tripod or must I hand hold? For handheld, I'll ensure the image stabilization is "on" and I may increase the ISO to an appropriate speed. If tripod-mounted, image stabilization should be switched "off". I also make sure my exposure compensation is "zero" (or, for my Canon bodies, I find setting it to -0.3 is best for the initial exposure).

2. Since I normally shoot in raw, the white balance is really immaterial, but to save a step in post-processing, I may pre-adjust the white balance to the appropriate lighting source. If it's critical to get the white balance correct (mixed lighting, for example), I'll go through a custom white balance. If shooting snow, especially if including shadow areas, or sunsets/sunrises I'll automatically place the white balance in "Cloudy" to warm up the image. If you're shooting JPEG, then you'll definitely want to pre-set your white balance!

3. Is the subject wildlife or scenic? If wildlife, I'll use the appropriate telephoto and support the camera. If scenic, either the normal zoom (24-70mm) or wide angle (16-35mm) if I need the foreground to dominate. It's best to use a tripod for either case.

4. Narrow or wide depth of field (DOF)? Scenics generally use a wide DOF, while flower or wildlife portraits use a narrow DOF. Set the mode to Aperture Priority and adjust the aperture accordingly. Set the focus to the hyperfocal distance (usually 1/3 up from framed image in the viewfinder).

5. Do I wish to show motion (stream or waterfalls) or create abstracts (zoom or "jiggle" blurs)? Set the mode to Shutter Priority and the shutter to an appropriate setting. I generally use 1/10th to 1/4 second for moving water. Any more and the water starts to lose detail and overexpose. (If shooting sports, set the shutter to 1/500th second, or faster.)

6. Is the subject neutral-toned or lighter/darker? Preset the exposure compensation in advance and check the histogram after the first shot. Strive to "expose to the right", but avoid extreme overexposures. If photographing sunsets, sunrises or red rock formations (Southwest or Garden of the Gods, etc.) watch that the red channel doesn't oversaturate.

Usually, I'm pre-adjusting the camera as I'm approaching the subject. By using this thought process enough times, it will become second-nature.

Picture of the Day - 12/1/2010

Succulent in Sandstone - on the way to dropping off some prints to a show in Colorado Springs, I stopped for a while in Garden of the Gods Park and spent a few contemplative minutes photographing along Ridge Rd. Not the typical plant found in the park, this succulent, growing from a crack in the sandstone caught my eye. Often, the simplest composition is the most powerful visually. Photographed with the new Canon Rebel T2i. 

Picture of the Day - 11/25/2010

Sandstone Outcrop with Piñon Pine - I was looking for a snowy picture this morning to celebrate the start of our winter here in Colorado. This image was captured earlier in the year on my trip to Reno and the NANPA (www.nanpa.org) conference in February. I was just entering Zion N.P. via the "back" way (from the east) and came across this scene just before entering the valley. With bright white dominating the scene, we have a classic case where spot metering off the rock (which is close to neutral-toned) is best for achieving proper exposure. The lone tree growing in such an inhospitable spot, reminds me of a similar image I have in my "Inspirational" collection, "With God, all things are possible" (Matt 19:26).

Sheila and I would also like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! While we've had both happy and sad times this year, we continue to count the many blessings God has provided and thank Him for the many places He leads us to capture His wondrous beauty!

Best wishes to all! Ken & Sheila

Picture of the Day - 10/22/2010

Backlit Forest in Fresh Snow - Overnight, we received a fresh layer of snow, and this morning, I was up for the sunrise to capture this backlit scene looking out into our backyard. I like the areas of golden backlighting along with the graphic nature of the composition. Taken at 1/15th second at f11 (ISO 800) with the new Canon Rebel T2i. Touched up slightly in Lightroom.

New eBook on Travel Tips

One subject I've been teaching for several years now is Travel Photography - a seminar I'll be teaching this coming Friday! As such, I'm always on the lookout for new reference materials that will augment the class. Yesterday, I ran into a brand new eBook on travel photography by Christopher Grey, "Travel Photography Tips - Part 1". This covers properly exposing for different lighting conditions, use of architecture for framing, use of different perspectives, panning, several useful compositional techniques, photographing the locals and much more. The cost is just $10.00 and you'll be able to download immediately. Published by ProPhotoPublishing.com.

Click here to visit ProPhotoPublishing.com. Then click on "Travel Photography Tips 1" in the right-hand sidebar.

Picture of the Day - 10/24/2010

Sunrise at Garden of the Gods - This morning, I left early to try photographing the full moon setting during sunrise. Since there was cloud cover, there was  no moon to be seen, however, I hoped for a decent sunrise and was rewarded beyond my imagination! I walked uphill from the visitor center and concentrated on taking panoramics of the scene as events unfolded. I knew the cloud cover to the west would provide some dramatic color, so I maximized it in the composition. Notice, also, that when composing panoramics, it's a good idea to find an obvious starting and ending point - in this case, the rock formations. This will give the viewer a more pleasing experience. For this image, I used eight overlapping vertical shots and imported them into Panorama Maker 5 Pro, which I use to build most of my panoramics. Although advertised to, Panorama maker doesn't seem to play well with raw-format images, so I exported the unaltered raw images to JPEGs using Lightroom prior to building the panorama. Once I had the JPEG panorama, I made slight adjustments in Lightroom. In the past, I've noticed that while photographing the formations during sunrise, the red channel of the imager tends to oversaturate more quickly than the blue and green channels, so I actually had to unsaturate the red channel a bit in Lightroom to make the colors more realistic. What you see here is very close to what I saw - pretty amazing! It does pay to get up early!

Picture of the Day - 10/23/2010

North Cheyenne Canyon #2 - With the help of fellow photographer, John Vinson, I was able to locate another great spot to photograph along North Cheyenne Creek, near Colorado Springs. The fall color was maybe a week past prime, but I just loved all the fallen leaves on the rocks along the creek and the multitude of interleaved waterfalls. Exposure was about a half second at f16 and ISO 250.

Picture of the Day - 10/22/2010

Black Bear in Tree #1 - Sheila and I were photographing in North Cheyenne Canyon yesterday and just prior to entering the park, we caught sight of two black bear cubs - maybe two years old? - that were scavenging for food. Their mom was just up the street. I captured one of the cubs as they climbed an apple tree and started scarfing down the fruit. Must have been tasty, because it stayed there quite a while chowing down! Canon Rebel T2i with 70-200mm/f2.8 lens, handheld.

Picture of the Day - 10/21/2010

Cheyenne Canyon #1 - Sheila and I spent part of the afternoon photographing in North Cheyenne Canyon. We were trying to take advantage of the last vestiges of fall color. It was heavily overcast by the time we arrived - perfect conditions for photographing dense foliage like we had here. Most of the leaves had already fallen and were covering the trail. I love the subtle colors that are just about gone. The camera used was a Canon 5D with f11 and 1.3 seconds exposure. The best angle for this shot was with the tripod positioned in the middle of the creek!

Picture of the Day - 10/14/2010

Backlit Aspens #2 - Here's another take on backlit aspens. This was captured along the road SE of Aspen, CO, near sunset. A lot of attention to detail was paid in this image - not only the correct technical details like exposure and depth of field - but compositionally, as well. I positioned the major trunk just off-center towards the right, with the smaller one positioned in the larger half of the frame. This creates balance to the image. I also placed the darker branches so that they served as framing elements, top and bottom. I allowed the ends of these branches to exit at the corners (right side). The diagonals they form are also a pleasing element to the eye. The dark green background of trees was adjusted during post-processing and the green complements the yellow leaves. All these help create the most pleasing composition - at least for me! I hope you enjoy it also.

Picture of the Day - 10/12/2010

Crystal River Reflection - While the Crystal Mill is the reason most of us to trek down a very rough and narrow road east of Marble, CO, there are many more great shots in the area. This view, for example, captures the fall colors and sky in the Crystal River just below the famous mill. I set the shutter for 1/2-second in order to soften the rapids, making the image a bit more abstract.

Picture of the Day - 10/9/2010

Wedding Bells! - Today, we celebrated son, Chris, and his fiancé, Alex Ramirez', wedding in LaPorte, Colorado (north of Ft. Collins)! The wedding was held outdoors in the shade of huge oak trees at the Tapestry House, a large mansion and farm - now converted to an event center. The happy couple will honeymoon in Estes Park, a favorite haunt of theirs. Several family and friends were able to participate with a reception following. My sister and retired wedding photographer, Susan Langley, photographed the event. What a special day!

Picture of the Day - 10/8/2010

Backlit Aspens - Friend and fellow tour guide Nat Coalson who we passed on the road to Crystal Mill, recommended we check out the aspen grove just past the near-ghost town of Crystal once we had finished photographing the Mill. Boy, am I glad we did. We had stayed at the Mill until near sunset and as dusk was approaching, we drove on past Crystal and were met with this incredible scene. While the sun was well down, there was enough glow from the sky to provide an amazing backlight to the golden leaves. Everywhere we pointed our cameras was more backlit scenery! We took individual shots. We took panoramics. We "worked it" for all it was worth. By the way; most of the photographers had left long ago. We were nearly the only ones to experience this amazing light! Just goes to show you it's always worth staying "a little longer", just in case God plans a special show. Forget Crystal Mill - this is the picture to capture!

Picture of the Day - 10/6/2010

Maroon Bells Sunrise - Here's the image you were all waiting for - Maroon Bells reflected in Maroon Lake. THIS is why we nature photographers drag ourselves out of bed at 4:30 AM! This was taken 18 minutes before official sunrise. The mountains were being lit purely by early morning sky light. To our eyes, it was still nearly dark. To the camera's sensitive imager (with a 5-second exposure), this is what was actually captured. Tomorrow, I'll pull the camera back and show you a different perspective!

Picture of the Day - 10/5/2010

Aspen Shadows - This image was taken during our half-day fall "mini-tour" and right at the turnoff for Gold Camp Road, near Victor, CO. Although most forest photography is hopeless during mid-day sun, due to the typically extreme contrastiness, if you point directly into the sun (as in this case) or directly away from the sun, you can often get usable photos. I used a wide-angle lens and included the shadows on the ground for a dramatic effect.

Picture of the Day - 10/3/2010

Crystal Mill/Pumphouse - I actually sent this picture out to the group in error, but so many of you asked about it - well here it is officially! This is one of the classic Colorado icons and it took me a while (many years ago) to locate it. It was constructed in 1872 to pump air to the various mines in the area. Water was diverted from the adjacent Crystal River, through the building and down the flume to drive the pump machinery. The owners have continued to restore the building, because it is so often photographed; hence the steel cables and new roof installed last year. To reach this spot requires traveling on a VERY rough jeep road from the town of Marble, Colorado.

Picture of the Day - 10/4/2010

Aspen Grove, Maroon Lake - While the fall color tours are over for this year, I thought I'd draw things out for you by continuing to send pictures for a few more days! Besides, there were several more great images I'd like to share. 

The best time to photograph forests is prior to full sunlight, so before the sun reached the highest ridge to the east, we walked over to the west side of Maroon Lake and started photographing the thick forests there. This was one of my favorite spots, as the large boulder creates a strong compositional element with the trees wrapping around the three sides. We spent quite a while here working it from all angles, but this was my favorite. 

Picture of the Day - 9/29/2010

Aspen Leaves on Water - During this last day of our fall color tour, we ended up driving over Independence Pass into Buena Vista and then up Cottonwood Creek. One of my favorite locations for photographing aspens is about three miles past Cottonwood Lake where there is a large stand of pristine aspens. Next to the road is Cottonwood Creek and I noticed an area adjacent to the creek filled with pools of water. Thousands of aspen leaves had fallen into the pools and covered the surface in a thick blanket of golden color. We spent several minutes here enjoying the abstract patterns of leaves and river rock.

Picture of the Day - 9/28/2010

The Grotto, near Aspen, CO - The Grotto is a little-known (to outsiders) waterfall and recreational area just south of Aspen, Colorado, off Highway 82 and about halfway between Aspen and Independence Pass. A steep stone-stepped trail leads down to the waters edge. The major pool is deep and locals will line up on a hot day to jump into the cold water from the cliff 20 feet above. While we were photographing, a fisherman was catching fish after fish in the deep pool. It's the perfect place for a picnic, as there are plenty of good "sitting" rocks all around.

Picture of the Day - 9/27/2010

Maroon Bells and Aspens - We rose before the sun today to photograph the Maroon Bells (along with about 50 other photographers!) and while we took the classic shot with the reflection in Maroon Lake, I actually liked this one the best. It's a very different composition with the top edge of the aspens following the jagged ridge of the peaks. The colors today were close to peak with a colorful patchwork from green to yellow. There are many diagonals in this image, which is pleasing to the eye - not only the peaks and tree tops, but there is a main diagonal line between the mountains and aspens, which nearly bisects the image. This primary diagonal provide a balance to the shot. This picture defines "Colorful Colorado"!

Picture of the Day - 9/26/2010

Golden Aspens - This stand of aspen is located along Highway 82 just east of Aspen, Colorado. The late afternoon sun was backlighting the leaves causing a brilliant warm glow. I included a nearby aspen trunk in the foreground to give the image some depth. Today was a scouting day and I was able to check out a couple new areas for future tours in this area. The various canyons around Aspen are just filled with huge stands of aspens in all their finery. Tomorrow we'll start the tour with views of the iconic Maroon Bells and later in the afternoon, Crystal Mill/Pumphouse.

Picture of the Day - 9/25/2010

Aspens near Cripple Creek, Colorado - My annual half-day fall color tour was this morning and we had a good-sized group along. This stand of aspens was located just north of Gillette Flats along Highway 67S and was especially eye-catching due to the brilliant reds. The sun had just risen over the ridge to the east, which backlit the leaves, making them glow. Because it was located up rather high above a cliff, I used my 100-400mm zoom to bring it up closer. This year seems to be one of the better ones for fall color. I'll be leading a three-day tour around the Aspen area early next week, so you'll have a chance to see more of Colorado's "Golden Hills".

Picture of the Day - 8/22/2010

Kudzu in West Virginia - Kudzu is gradually taking over the southeastern U.S. Introduced from Japan in 1876, as a forage crop in Florida. Kudzu has been spreading at the rate of 150,000 acres annually and is rapidly increasing. A you can see from this picture by Sheila, it transforms the native plants and trees into grotesque forms. For successful long-term control of Kudzu, it is necessary to destroy most of the root system (down below the crown) as well as all the runners. The city of Chattanooga, Tennessee has undertaken a trial program using goats and llamas that graze on the plant. If left uncontrolled, it will eventually cover old buildings, telephone poles and abandoned vehicles.

Picture of the Day - 8/19/2010

Moscow Bridge, Moscow, IN - The Moscow Covered Bridge (built in 1886) is one of many in Indiana, but this one merits a special story. Good friend, Bob, and I photographed this bridge in some detail May 23, 2008. But here's the rest of the story... Previously, and that same day, we had photographed another bridge that had been reconstructed following an arson-caused fire. We just happened to stop in at a store in that same town for sodas and started talking covered bridges with the lady at the counter. It turned out that she and her husband own a construction company that had actually done the reconstruction. Here's where the story takes a twist. Eleven days later, on June 3th that same year, the Moscow Bridge was completely destroyed by a tornado. Our pictures may have been the last ones taken of the original bridge. Following the tornado, Bob and I rephotographed the damage August 27th and decided to supply our pictures to the lady just in case they ended up doing this reconstruction, as well. Turns out they were asked to rebuild it, and this year, we were there again to document the rebuilding. About 30% of the original timbers were able to be reused, but everything else was fabricated with the construction techniques and materials used at that time period. The grand reopening is scheduled for September 25th!

Picture of the Day - 8/16/2010

Orange Mushrooms, West Virginia Backcountry - We traveled through coal mining country today, but didn't find much worth sharing, so I dug into our archives from a few days ago. Sheila spotted these orange mushrooms during our drive through the backwoods of West Virginia. They were so striking, I wanted to showcase them today. These were the only ones we noticed all day. They were down in a low draw several feet off the roadway and just about blinded us with their brilliance!

Picture of the Day - 8/15/2010

Blackwater Falls, West Virginia - Sheila and I are falling in love with West Virginia and all the multitude of back country roads the state offers. West Virginia is nearly 80% forested, making it the third-most-forested state in the U.S. We spent the day traveling through many of the forest service roads in the Monongahela National Forest and throughout the central part of the state; visiting 50-foot high Blackwater Falls S.P. (pictured), Kumbrabow S.F., Holly River S.P. and Summersville Lake WMA, where we're camped for the night. Most of the back roads wound under thick hardwood forest canopies and breaking out into the sunlight took a while for our eyes to adjust. The roads were also very narrow, creating a challenge when meeting the (thankfully) few other approaching vehicles. Pulling a 25-foot trailer along these twisty roads took full concentration and added to the challenge! The scenic rewards were well worth the effort, though. Tomorrow, we'll visit some of the old coal mining region in the southern part of the state and then head through eastern Kentucky.

Picture of the Day - 8/10/2010

Wildflowers in Rain - Today was a work day, so no pictures taken, except for a very good friend of mine, who was holding his retirement party at Agilent in Delaware. So, I'm including a shot Sheila took in Cade's Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains several days ago. It was raining at the time and this field full of wildflowers was just begging to be photographed. How could we turn down that request? Our business is finished here in the east, so it's westward ho!

Picture of the Day - 8/9/2010

Killing Fields - We visited the battlefield around the small Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg today. All is calm and the air is warm and humid today, but almost exactly 147 years ago, this was the site of one of the most savage battles of the American Civil War. In three days (July 1-3, 1863) over 50,000 American soldiers died. General Lee, who headed up the rebel forces, made several poor strategic decisions which ultimately changed the course of the war. General Mead, who headed the union forces, had managed to establish a stronghold on high ground around Cemetery Ridge, south of town, which was able to withstand wave after wave of rebel forces. Today, there remains hundreds of lonely cannons and howitzers, as well as uncounted monuments of various kinds. The well-equiped visitor center has auto tour guides, which explain the various points of interest. This reference has a good explanation of the battle details. http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar/battle.htm

Picture of the Day - 8/8/2010

Humpback Bridge, Western Virginia - This covered bridge is located off I-64 and US-60, near the town of Covington in western Virginia. Built of hand-hewn lumber in 1835, this 100-foot long single span bridge is unique in that the arch was built in. The center is about four feet higher than the ends. This may be the only one like it in the U.S. In 1953, it was refurbished and five acres of land was purchased for a wayside and picnic area.

Picture of the Day - 8/7/2010

Blue Ridge Parkway, NC - This shot was taken near the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. A little bit of fog just adds a bit of mystery. The Parkway was started as a CCC project during the 1930s and finished finally in 1987. It travels along the ridge-line of the Appalachian Mountains stretching from the Great Smoky Mountains NP in the south to Shenandoah NP in Virginia to the north, some 469 miles long. We started at the southern terminus and proceeded northward, with the thought to complete the trip in two days - wrong! After three painful hours, finally terminating in Ashville, NC, we decided to bail. Maybe it was the time of year...but, everything looked the same after a while. The road has very few straight sections, so you're always turning the wheel and requiring full concentration. It's mentally fatiguing, not to mention a bit boring, as you view the same mix of eastern trees and viewpoints with little else of interest. Reminded me of the movies Ground Hog Day or The Truman Show, where everything keeps repeating over and over. Yup, same view...yup, same view... Maybe we've been on the road too long? I suspect the Parkway needs to be experienced in smaller chunks over a much longer time period - and over many different seasons. Fall color here would be spectacular. Anyway, we continued from Ashville up I-81 to the Natural Bridge site, where we're camped the night. Tomorrow, Shenandoah NP.

Picture of the Day - 8/6/2010

Old Growth Forest, Great Smoky Mountains NP - We spent the day in Great Smoky Mountains NP, traveling north from the town of Cherokee, on the main highway towards Gatlinburg, TN. The Smoky Mountains include five main forest ecosystems. Shown here is the cove hardwood forest, consisting of beech, yellow birch, sugar maple, white basswood, yellow poplar, magnolia, hickory and eastern hemlock. Created through land acquisitions through the 1920s through 30s, Great Smoky Mountain NP is among the top five most-visited national parks.

Picture of the Day - 8/5/2010

Dragonfly near pond, SC - There were allegedly alligators in the pond near where we camped at Point South, SC, just across the border from Savannah. We didn't see any, but there was plenty of other critters around - deer, birds, very large spiders (I'll spare you) and these dragonflys flitting about. What struck me was the ability to see the delicate venous structure in the wings. Taken with my 100-400mm mounted on the Canon Rebel T2i.

Picture of the Day - 8/4/2010

Iguana, Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Not much in the way of photography today, as we moved from near Savannah to the town of Cherokee on the Cherokee reservation, at the southern border of the Great Smoky Mountains NP. This was our "camp host" during our stay at the RV park / marina near downtown Ft. Lauderdale. It's not unusual to see these 2-3-foot long reptiles hunting insects in the shrubbery and in the trees. They are also great swimmers. I never saw one, but Sheila was able to capture several on "film".

Picture of the Day - 8/3/2010

Morris Island Light, South Carolina - This is the third lighthouse at this location just outside Charleston Harbor. The first was constructed in 1673 by the early settlers and consisted of a "fier" ball of oakum and pitch that was elevated by an iron basket. King George III ordered a more permanent structure and the first stones were laid in May, 1767. The 43-foot tower was replaced in the 1830s, but this one was eventually destroyed during the civil war. This present 150-foot tower was completed in 1876, but since then, the sea has encroached and erosion is endangering the stability. As you can see, there is a slight list towards the sea. Now owned by the state of South Carolina, the organization, Save the Light, Inc. (www.savethelight.org), is raising funds to continue stabilizing and restoring this lighthouse.

Picture of the Day - 8/2/2010

Savannah River Light - The Old Harbor Light, an ornamented cast-iron shaft flanked by several large ship anchors, stands in Emmet Park overlooking the Savannah River. In 1858, the Lighthouse Board erected the beacon, whose gas light shone from a focal plane of 77 feet, as an aid to ships entering Savannah's harbor. While it was decommissioned years ago, it is still lit by gas.

Picture of the Day - 8/1/2010

Sawgrass Marshland, Amelia Island, FL - We photographed three more lighthouses in northern Florida, but I hesitate to duplicate this day with more of the same. As we were photographing the Amelia Island light, we entered the Fort Clinch Park for a better view. Walking out to one of the viewpoints at the edge of the forest, I gazed out on this large expanse of sawgrass. Much of the southeastern coastal areas consist of this sawgrass marshland, which sustains a high concentration of fish, reptiles, amphibians and waterfowl. This time of year, though, many of the birds are elsewhere, but it's not uncommon to see an occasional egret or great blue heron wading around fishing. With the exception of the cacophony of tree frogs, the area seemed devoid of life. What struck me in this picture was the multiple hues of grasses, as well as the subtle diagonal water channels.

Picture of the Day - 7/31/2010

Hi All, back with you again, now that the engineering conference is over. Sheila, Foxie and I plan to drive up the east coast...photographing the lighthouses we've missed in other trips. Mainly, we're looking for those on the east coast of Florida and South Carolina. After that, it's off to the Smoky Mountain NP and the Blue Ridge Parkway, towards our most northerly destination in New Jersey, where I'll be presenting an engineering design seminar. Today, we searched out the light at Jupiter Inlet (north of Palm Beach) and the one shown here at Ponce Inlet, just south of Daytona Beach. We're camped at the KOA just outside Daytona.

I've included two views of the Ponce lighthouse, because the night time shot was so striking. Ponce is Florida's tallest lighthouse at 175 feet. 203 steps takes you to the top for fabulous views of the Atlantic coastline and the renowned Daytona Beach. Built in 1887, it is one of the few light stations that retains all the original outbuildings and keeper's dwelling. The museum contains one of the largest collection of Fresnel lenses in the world. More info at www.ponceinlet.org.