This past Saturday morning I rose before sunrise and drove out to a favorite location to enjoy the morning sunrise. I like this location for several reasons. There are some isolated trees in a farmers field that I enjoy working into some images. There are two wetland/marshes where I can find plenty of red-winged blackbirds and yellow headed blackbirds feeding on insects during the early summer mornings and evenings. On this particular morning I had walked through an open fence and into the farmers field about 20 feet, setup my tripod low the the ground and started pressing the shutter. The sun was just starting to crest the horizon when I heard a vehicle stop just behind my car. As I stood up I noticed it was a police car. I grabbed the camera and tripod and walked over to meet him. He was friendly and just checking on my car which was parked off the road and gave me a warning that I was on private property. I quickly went back to my previous location in time to shoot the sunrise. It is always good for us to turn around and look to the west just as the sun begins to rise as the sky can present us with beautiful pastel colors.
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Front Range Sunset
After two days of snow and an accumulation of 7-14 inches, depending on where you were in the city of Fort Collins, we had clear skies and sunshine. It was 6 degrees yesterday when I crawled out of bed at 6:00 am. The high temperatures never rose above freezing. But with the warm Colorado sunshine the snow quickly melts as natures prepares for the next snowfall. We are expecting 30% chance of snow again today.
As the above image shows most of my images are not of iconic or exotic places. They are taken close to home. I try to get out and explore whats’ near and always coming across new places, at least to me. I wander through the nature areas, local parks and the Old Town area of Fort Collins. If I have my camera with me I know there is an image to be made. Anyway here is the Colorado Front Range just after sunset last night. It was 18 when I took this shot. I must admit, as I walked back to the car I was wishing I was shooting a sunset in Key West. Maybe someday.
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County Road 19
Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.
Wendell BerryEvening sunset taken a couple of weeks ago on County Road 19, just east of Fort Collins.
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Two Hawks
I apologize for the quality of this image but it was taken at 300 mm, hand held and cropped. How’s that for excuses? I just pulled off to the side of the road and shot from the car window, across traffic. It’s not very often I see two hawks sharing the same tree or branch, so I had to stop. They alway seem to be a solitary creature. The other reason for posting this image is to demonstrate the affect a telephoto lens has on distant objects, bringing them closer. The mountains in the distance are several miles away. Below is the same group of trees taken from the approximate same location and at 24 mm. Just a bit of difference.
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I’m thankful for ….
I’m thankful for: my health, my family, those who are like family, friends, pumpkin pie, passion, love, joy, peace, serenity, quiet time, second chances, failures, my new wheels, each season, a birds morning song and each sunrise and sunset. I hope and pray everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!
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A Way of Life
“As far as I am concerned, taking photographs is a means of understanding which cannot be separated from other means of visual expression. It is a way of shouting, of freeing oneself, not of proving or asserting ones originality. It is a way of life.” Henri Carier-Bresson.
The move to Denver has again allowed me to wander the country roads of the Colorado plains. I find my eyes are scanning for a solitary tree or groups of trees, isolated farms or old homesteads, windmills, the distant horizons, all forms and textures of rolling clouds and of course the Rocky Mountains. While out here I’m free of the noisy city. I can listen to the wind make music with the trees along a creek. I can listen to prairie dogs bark their warning calls. I can enjoy the joyful song of the meadow lark. In the heat of the day I can hear the hypnotic sound of the cicadas. I like being here. I like having my camera with me. This is a way of life.
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Snow Along the Front Range
We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can’t speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees.
— Qwatsinas (Hereditary Chief Edward Moody), Nuxalk Nation