• Glacier National Park,  lake,  landscape,  National Parks

    We Are Nature

    January 18, 2016
    This image was taken in 2004 just afater the massive fires in Glacieer National Park. The haze of smoke is evident in the mountains and you could smell it.
    This image was taken in 2004 just after the massive fires in Glacier National Park.

    Back in 2004 I made a road trip on my motorcycle to the west coast. During the 3 week trip I road 4200 miles. I drove down the northwest coast of Washington into Oregon, ate seafood in Seattle and tried to cover as many National Parks as I could fit into the schedule. I camped along the road except for 4 four nights, setting up camp primarily in National Parks.

    I only scheduled one afternoon and night in Glacier National Park which is not near enough time to really see the park. I setup camp in one of the campgrounds near Lake McDonald but for the life of me can’t remember which one. The previous year was one of the worst seasons of fire in Glacier National Park. A 136,00 acres were burned that year. One of the largest fires was the Roberts Fire, which burned 57,570 acres, that is near the lake. I could see the barren and naked landscape across the lake. There was a fire burning nearby, causing a haze to settle into the lower valleys of the park.

    It’s cold outside this evening so I’m going through my archives and found this image that caused me to remember  the trip. I wrote about this trip before and have a color image or the lake, if you care to check it out. I converted this image to black and white with Silver Efex Pro using one of the presets then making a few simple adjustments in Lightroom 4.

    A final thought : I have in the past wished we had more respect for nature but I think I would rather we understood that “we are nature.”

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  • architecture,  clouds,  Documentary/Street,  landscape,  mountains,  National Parks,  Rocky Mountain National Park

    Estes Park and RMNP

    August 18, 2014

    This is a small park area along the river.
    This is a small park area along the river.

    I decided to make a drive up to Estes Park yesterday. My intent was to grab a coffee and sit along the river to read and write. The thought crossed my mind to maybe have lunch before coming back. I ended up driving up to Trail Ridge Road. What a glorious day to make that drive. Last Fall Estes Park had a flood come through the town and wiped out most of it. Here are a few images. The city is built along the banks for the Big Thompson River and has been a tourist attraction for years. I am amazed at how well it looked. Lunch was probably the best turkey/bacon wrap with a pesto sauce to die for.

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  • Arches National Park,  Blossoms,  flowers,  National Parks,  Plants

    Common Paintbrush

    April 12, 2014

    Common Paintbrush
    Common Paintbrush

    At one of the stops along the road in Arches National Park I noticed the Common Paintbrush were blooming, and usually do from March to June. They are also called Slickrock Paintbrush or Early Paintbrush. The desert is a harsh land so plants find ways to survive in this arid land. This plant is hemiparasitic (partiallyhalf-parasite). It is a water parasite that survives drought by attaching to the roots of other plants using them as a source of water.

    Strange as it may seem I was drawn more to the plants such as these Paintbrush and the twisted junipers. The rock formations were amazing but looking within inches of you was just this incredibly amazing world.

    Common Paintbrush and Yucca
    Common Paintbrush and Yucca

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  • Canyon De Chilly,  clouds,  Fujifilm X-E1,  landscape,  National Monuments,  National Parks,  snow,  sunrises

    Made It To Phoenix

    April 4, 2014

    Snow covered car and not my tent
    Snow covered car and not my tent

    Well, I arrived in to Phoenix yesterday evening about 6:30 pm, an hour later than I expected. Even though I left Cortez early I found myself stopping way too often. When I awoke I could hear the wet pavement from passing cars. But I was in for a surprise when I stepped outside my hotel room and found 2-3 inches of snow on my car. Glad I did not pitch the tent. 🙂 Below is an image taken just west of Cortez before sunrise. What a beautiful serene morning.

    Snow covered trees west of Cortez
    Snow covered trees west of Cortez

    Snow covered trees inside Canyon De Chilly
    Fresh snow inside Canyon De Chilly

    I arrived in  Canyon De Chilly about 9:00 in the morning and spent more time there than I expected, which was not enough time. The scenery was breath taking but not as much as the sacredness I felt there. There were very few visitors because of the cold and snow from the night before and it is still early in the season. Loved the quiet of walking to vistas and looking out over the canyon. I had no desire to leave and will  go back.

    Morning sun to melt the fresh snow
    Morning sun to melt the fresh snow

    I took the above image along Highway 191 in northeast Arizona. You can see the storm system that moved through yesterday on the eastern horizon. You can also see the dirt on my lens. 🙂

    Puffs of clouds to keep my company
    Puffs of clouds to keep my company on my drive

    If you enjoy scattered clouds against a blue sky then yesterday was the day for it.

    Painted Desert
    Painted Desert

    I also made a quick drive through the Petrified Forest National Park. It was more than I expected, the colors and art work of nature at it’s best can be found in Painted Desert area of the park. It is called the ‘badlands’ for a good reason but what beauty in such a desolate and harsh land. Now to relax and spend time with my parents and eat!

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  • Great Sand Dunes National Park,  landscape,  National Parks

    On the Road

    April 2, 2014
    Great Sand Dunes National Park
    Great Sand Dunes National Park

    About the time you read this I will be on the road heading south, in Phoenix area, to visit my parents and get in some photography time. I’d planned to camp at the Great Sand Dunes National Park this evening then camp at Canyon De Chelly tomorrow night. It looks like I may go to plan B and get a hotel in Durango since they are predicting 40-50% chance of rain and snow for the next two days. Plan B sounds the best as my dad says they are down in the 70’s in Phoenix. Much better than camping in the snow and rain. I would also get there Thursday evening instead of Friday. I may just revert to plan A on the way back as I’ve never been to Canyon De Chelly so visiting there is my first priority.

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  • Great Sand Dunes National Park,  landscape,  Plants

    Nature: The Simple Artist

    October 7, 2013

    Ripples of a Sand Ocean
    Alone in an Ocean of Sand

    “What we can easily see is only a small percentage of what is possible. Imagination is having the vision to see what is just below the surface; to picture that which is essential, but invisible to the eye.” – Anonymous

    Over time I’ve discovered how to eliminate unneeded elements in my photographs and create a powerful image. A solo tree on the horizon. The fallen maple leaf among the stones. When we first see The Great Sand Dunes we are impressed by their beauty and size as they rise over 750 feet above the valley floor. We grab out cameras,wide angle lens and tripods to capture the grandeur of those dunes. Yet, when we change our view and look closer we can find elements that are essential to making powerful images. Nature is the artist. As a photographer it is our task to find simple images provided by the artist.

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  • Capital Reef National Park,  National Parks

    A Quick Post

    October 2, 2013
    Icicles on a fence from an irrigation system that had run all night.
    Icicles on a fence from an irrigation system that had run all night near Loa, Utah

    It’s Tuesday night and ready for bed. I wanted to share a bit about this road trip I just finished. This impulsive idea turned out to be an eleven day adventure. I covered 2,680 miles. I saw the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Escalante National Monument, Colorado National Monument and a half dozen cool mom and pop coffee shops. I played the tourist rather than a photographer so most photos are more about pressing the shutter. I camped 6 of the 11 nights, spending 3 nights in Phoenix with my parents. I saved money due to my senior status as all the parks were free and the camping sites were half price. Now we can’t even get in. 🙁 A couple of nights were cold as a cold front moved through the area. One morning it was 29 degrees and the next morning it was 25 degrees. The above image was taken the morning it was 25.

    Aspens in Dixie National Forest
    Aspens in Dixie National Forest at Sunset

    The aspens were in all their glorious colors as I passed through the Dixie National Forest on my way to Torrey, Utah and Capital Reef National Park.

    Capital Reef National Park
    Capital Reef National Park

    I want to go back and spend more time in each of them. I found myself emotional several times as I took in the beauty of this Colorado Plateau lands. I loved seeing all those stars at night. I loved the quiet and solitude that surrounds you while you’re there. All of the parks and monuments have hiking trails for day trips or overnight trips. I would like to venture into some of those canyons, to be closer and more intimate.

    Bryce Canyon National Park
    Some of the trails in Bryce Canyon National Park

    If you look closely in the above image you can see some of the self-guided trails that lead down into the canyon. These are what I’m interested in taking in the next time I’m there. I have a lot of catching up to do after being gone for 11 days: blogs to read, respond to comments and laundry.

     

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