Images Of Wild Life - www.imagesofwildlife.com

Abandonded Silk Mill

2012-01-31T17:29:00.001-08:00

Hi! I'm back and have a couple interior shots of an abandonded silk mill which still have the old equipment inside. These types of factories is what made this country great - local manufactoring using local material and sold regionally. More to come - just have to get more worked on in the very near future.

Lotus Flowers at Kenilworth Gardens

2011-09-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

A lone bee works this lovely pink Lotus. This was about 10 inches across and was in a wonderful field of lotus - actually a water filled field.

The yellow seed pod is engulfed with the petals of this pink tinged lotus.

Moody Blackwater Falls

2011-09-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

Blackwater Falls can show many moods during the course of the year and time of day. I caught this one on a dark day which provided a nice moody feeling.

And to lighten the mood, here is a 8 image stiched panorama at the onset of leave color:

Field of Dreams.... of Sunflowers

2011-09-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

What could make you feel happy besides seeing a sunflower? Not sure what but this photo brings a smile to me.

New Hampshire

2011-09-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

New Hampshire in the fall has its magic to bestow on its visitors. Colorfull leaves, running water in its gorges, waterfalls, colorful reflections on its lake all make for a memorable visit.

Greens, yellows, oranges and reds, makes for a nice range of color with in a single view:

This is a lovely waterfall coming through a gorge at the foot of Mount Washington:

Eastern Shore parallel lines and flowers

2011-09-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

The Maryland Eastern Shore has many old homes or plantations from Colonial times. This is a back porch which has excessive parallel line:

Lovely peonies with bright velvet petals with a full center:

Palouse - Graineries

2011-09-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

Besides the vibrant greens of the Palouse, the outstanding features are the graineries. These are two shots of the same grainery but from very different angles. Besides have it's own unique features, it stands out against the background of the rolling fields at it's base. This shot shows where the trucks arrived and departed. There is a scale inside to weight the contents being loaded of off-loaded.

This shot has lovely clouds and bright highlights:

Local spots in New Hampshire - Gorham

2011-08-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

This is the train station in Gorham, New Hampshire with a steam engine and cars providing nice local color.

Gorham has the typical hardware store which has disappeared across the country eaten up by the big box stores - what a loss for America but a gain for Gorham having this wonderful iconic store still open for business.

Palouse - Elevator and Red Barn

2011-08-31T17:59:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most interesting grain elevators in the Palouse - triangular and to the point.

Nice red barn placed up against a strong hill with prominant stone out croppings.

Blue Truck Graveyard - Henderson

2011-08-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

Interesting interior view of an old Henderson Truck from the 1950s. It is rather plain compaired to today's technical truck cabs.

Interesting place for a turn signal. When was the last time you saw a Henderson?

Turning New Hampshire Fall Color

2011-08-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

I found this nice heart shaped puddle with a nice view of the falls in the background. Nice place to sit and relax.

Close by this large stream had some early fall color.

Green Palouse, Washington

2011-08-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

\Found this older farm house in the Palouse. Looked to see if I could find someone to see why they let the grass grow this long. Couldn't find anyone.

Near the same house found this old bottom plow waiting for a trip over the fields.

West Virginia Waterfalls

2011-08-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Nice pre-fall color shot of a gret waterfall and down stream flow - this is a nice falls as you have a lot of leading water before you get to the falls. This is a favorite of mine.

Swirly, swirly, nice shot showing the slow swirl of the water. Another favorite place to go.

New England trains and barns

2011-08-30T16:51:00.003-07:00

Finally getting back to some post-processing after significant projects around the house. I promise to get back into the swing posting. Here is a live RR line with a nice work shed, rails and dark clouds.

On the same trip I was able to find several old farm buildings that had nice reflections, work red paint and event plants growing inside. My grandmother would have made sure the plants stayed outside!

Sunrise on Smith Island

2011-07-28T16:19:00.002-07:00

I went with a small group last weekend to Smith Island. It was a very interesting place, limited, but very nice. You do need to keep a watch on your friends as the bugs will carry them off if left unattended. Here is a harbor shot - nice sunrise shot.

The sunrise reflection and soft light was great which leads to this shot.

Alternate Fuel - Steam and Electric

2011-02-06T18:13:00.001-08:00

Alternate fuels for automobiles has been around for quite sometime and is not a recent idea. Stanley Steamers used a gas fired boiler that created steam that ran their cars. A very quite car that many people did not like as the car could sneak up on you and your team of horses. Here is a phot of the side light of one of these open cars.

Another form of fuel is electricity. Although a relatively newer concept just because battery technology has gotten better, (there were earlier cars but the batteries took up a significant amount of room), here is a 1978 CitiCar Sebring Vanguard which sold 2,600 unites between 1974-1976. The car had a range of 50 miles (interestingly similar to quotes of today) with a top range of 28mph.

Fall foliage in New Hampshire

2011-01-31T17:58:00.000-08:00

Where has January gone?? It was just 2010 and now a whole month has gone by. Well, for me I have been able to get caught up on some processing so I am good to start the new year off right. This will be the last of the Fall foliage shot from New Hampshire for now. Here is an old barn, can't remember seeing many (if any) new barns in New Hampshire, with a nice rich red color hues, great reflection in the windows and nice subject inside the windows.

Went by this one pond and caught some great reflections. These two pumpkin head fisherman kept bugging us until we took their photo:

And lastly, at the end of a long drizzly storm, we caught some nasty clouds looking down a gorge:

Watery New Hampshire Fall Shots

2011-01-22T09:30:00.001-08:00

Working on some older shots from this past fall from my trip to New Hampshire. The fall colors were at peak and it was a wonderful trip with some nasty clouds thrown in for extra effect - great time. Here is part of a series of cascades and small water falls - really nice place to visit:

Went back a second time and caught some really nice shot with strong sun light - something we try to stay away from but this really work. Here is a typical NH red leaf and it's shadow in a pool:

And finally, here is a painterly photo of a small stream of water catching the colors of the trees above. This is processed as an actual photo - the painterly is because it is reflection in the water:

New Hampshire Fall Color

2011-01-16T16:12:00.001-08:00

Went to New Hampshire this past fall at the peak of the color as you can see. The reds, oranges and yellows were screaming - what a beautiful site to see! Here is a shot from on of the valleys with two peaks stacked behind each other.

We recieved permission for the caretaker of this property that used to be a motel probably from the 60s and earlier. Each room was a seperate little cabin with a fireplace. Could not see the inside, some had fallen down, others taken apart and the rest were leaning so much we expected to see some fall over while we were there! Here is one end with the pine tree shutters still holding on.

Here is one of the cabin leaning and holding on. I am sure no one has stayed here fir quite some time. When a stone motor fireplace leans, you know you do not have structural integrity any more - believe me, this is not lens distortion!

1956 Chevrolet 210 Station Wagon

2011-01-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

Something a little different for the new Year - a 1956 Chevrolet 210 Station Wagon headlamp deatil. This model had power window lifts and a Powerglide automatic transmission that were found in the higher priced models like the Bel Air and the Nomad. This model sold originally for $2,130 with a 283 cubic inch V8.

Happy spring thoughts!

2011-01-02T12:04:00.001-08:00

Here are a few aquatic flower shots from Kenilworth Gardens which is part of the National Park Service in Washington D.C. This is lotus flower is fully opened and will begin to drip in a week:

Early morning light on a lotus bloom:

Two white water lilies at sunrise:

New Year Post for 2011

2011-01-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

I thought I would begin 2011 with a few interior shots of the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, located in Washington D.C. The Monastery of Mount St. Sepulchre, was designated a National SIte in 1991 and has been a place of worship and pilgrimage since the church's dedication in 1899. To fund the construction, Frier Godfrey sold paper bricks, called 'building bricks'. They were 2.5x.5 inches and contained a medal of St. Anthony of Padua. They sold for 10 cents each. When the church was completed in 1899, it was nearly free of debt.

This is the center of the main chaple:

This is looking out from the main center:

This is looking out from the other direction from the center:

Last Post for 2010!

2010-12-31T13:21:00.001-08:00

Here is my last post for 2010! This has been a great year with many photo trips, excursions and day trips. I have had the pleasure to work with old friends and meet many new ones along the way. I hope 2010 has been kind to you as much as it has been to us - may 2011 be even better!

Here are some West Virginia shots which never fails me when looking for something to shoot. Here are some dried ferns in the fall:

And when you have fog/dew in the early morning, catching these spides webs are just super!

On top of Dolly Sods, the low blueberry bushes turn a magnificany red in teh fall:

Almost last post for 2010..... Waterfalls

2010-12-30T18:08:00.000-08:00

This is the end of 2010 and to help wrap up I will post of couple of waterfalls from West Virginia - Douglas Falls:

Elakala Waterfalls

2010-12-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

Tucked away in a small ravine in West Virginia is this delightful waterfall which changes through the seasons and the amount rain. This is a favorite place to go and soak in nature.

Fall color against a waterfall

2010-12-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am finding time to post-process some of my photos from the spring and summer. Here is one from early fall on a really pretty waterfall that the rocks are orange due to the mining runoff in the area. You will be seeming more of this waterfall as I do plan to get back here for several more sessions. There are a lot of angles and vantage point this location has.

Fall reflections

2010-12-23T06:06:00.001-08:00

We went to check out the color at some waterfalls and found these reflections in basically a rain puddle. It had a complete black bottom and had a great reflection:

Complete lunar eclipse winter solstice 2010

2010-12-21T00:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight I watched the first lunar eclipse during winter solstice in 456 years. The last time this occured was in 1638. This is such a rare event that Nasa is not sure when the next one will occur. And this happened right before cloud cover came in.

Cows eye view

2010-12-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

I went to see what was going on at a local dairy farm this past fall and had the run of the farm. That included walking with the dairy cows, watching where I stepped and see what the cows say on a daily basis - they sure had a pretty backyard to play in. Here are just two trees on the pond which they drink from:

Here are two very old trees, reminding me of two old men standing on the street talking to each other:

2010-12-19T09:02:00.001-08:00

A few more from the truck graveyard, here is a General Motors Corp cab with a great airhorn on the top:

Here is a Mack - still standing proud!

And lastly for today, a GMC with old curved fenders again with an airhorn on the cab:

1955 License plate

2010-12-18T06:16:00.000-08:00

I love this graveyard! Loads of color and detail everwhere! Here is a 1955 license plate with a Ford pickup attached to it. Someone poked it's eyes out!

This is a front end detail of a well rig - General Motors Truck with the rig company listed:

Million Mile Seat

2010-12-17T16:16:00.001-08:00

I wonder what it would be like to sit in this seat for a million miles??? Who was that man?

2010-12-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

Ok, I thought I knew a little about trucks but going to this truck graveyard has given me a new perspecitve and how large the variety of trucks and styles there are if you find them. The problem is you see an old truck once in a while not loads of them all at the same time. 10 Macks in a row - they have be some dups in the group, nope - all different. Well the Macks will be another post. Here are two Fords - a cabover - the cab sits on top of the motor not behind the motor and a sturdy pickup truck. Both need work, both could become mint if a person had the time...... Here is the cabover:

And here is the Ford pickup - resting in the shade of tree:

Autocar-Diesel in truck graveyard

2010-12-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

I went to a truck graveyard a couple weeks ago and foudn a treasure of 'old rust' that I will be going back propbably many times. Need to find me a warmer day to get there. This is an Autocar-Diesel with nice rust and extra paint.

The Autocar Company was started in 1899 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania as a manufacturer of brass era automobiles. They began manufacturing trucks in 1907 until 1953 when they were over taken by the White Motor Company.

Gettysburg Remembrance Day

2010-11-21T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Muffled Drum’s Sad Roll Has Beat
The Soldier’s Last Tattoo.
No More On Life’s Parade Shall Meet
That Brave and Fallen Few.

Found on a plague at the Gettysburg Cemetery during Rembrance Day. 3,000 luminaries were lit in honor of the soldiers buried at this hollowed ground where Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address.

It's a Good Year!

2010-11-15T17:10:00.001-08:00

It's a Good Year!

And at the other end of spectrum, a dump truck that has seen better days.

Fall Color

2010-11-12T13:11:00.001-08:00

I need to post some fall color and needless to say some water to go with it. Enjoy!

Oktoberfest Booth

2010-10-25T16:37:00.000-07:00

I had a booth at the local Vienna Oktoberfest this October - here is what it looked like before the show opened:

White Birch

2010-10-15T13:53:00.001-07:00

Just got back from a week in New Hampshire. Great weather including the rain which added to the photos. Went to a white birch forest - here is a nice swipe:

Pickles for this season

2010-08-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

This is a little off topic but I though this would be interesting i the day of fast food and prepared food - my family were from the farming heritage and always canned in late summer/early fall. I took my shot this fall and canned 2 bushels of cucumbers - could not fit the canner nor the 7 cans in the canner on the table so this is what was the results and input to the process. I believe I may have enough bread/butter, green lime and dill pickles to last for a while.

2010-07-25T18:21:00.000-07:00

Found a few more Palouse photos for processing. These are from a Scottish Highland Cattle farm. This is a Ford V8 stake body truck with a load of drums which appears to have not been moved in a while.

Here we have the main barn looking through an old cattle loading ramp which has fungus and other growth on the wood. Not sure if this was really was for cattle as there is a 'horse' on the ramp.

And lastly, to show you that this was really a Scottish Highland cattle farm, here are four of the herd. It appears two of them could be twins as they were un-separable and very similar in color.

Manassas Bull Run National Battlefield

2010-07-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

It was time to take the kids out and get a little exercise under the disguise of earning their Junior Ranger badges for Manassas National Battlefield in Virginia. It was a hot sticky day but there was a breeze - not one of the those hot but dry days which really only exist for the benefit of people who reason the situations. We saw multiple cannon demonstrations (little gun powder to make a little noise) and went over the hike loop around Henry Hill and went through the museum. The kids are now Junior Rangers at one more NPS site. Here is the stone bridge over Bull Run (the running water). The bridge was destroyed and rebuilt multiple timesduring the civil war.

Here are a string of cannons on Henry Hill.

And lastly here is the Henry house and the memorial to commemorate those who died at First Bull Run (Manassas).

Farm Equipment in the Palouse

2010-07-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

This is a set of farm equipment in the Palouse - this is a 6-bottom plow sitting at the edge of the Palouse fields:

This is an interior shot of a farmers barn with his two combines and his fleet of Chevrolet work trucks - most are several years old but they are well cared for and provide excellent service:

This is a very interesting grain elevater that is in the shape of a wedge, normally they are square or more round but this was an interesting shape:

Old Cars in the Palouse

2010-07-08T18:33:00.001-07:00

Besides old farm equipment being found in the Palouse, I was able to shoot some old cars and trucks as well. Here is the interior of an old Dodge 4-door sedan with a view of an old farm house in the window.
And who remembers the Ramblers?? Here is one with fresh ventilation - easy air flow in this model. I was also purchased in Spokane.

And here is the Dodge againg from a different vantage point and showing the farm house as well.

Train Tracks in the Palouse

2010-07-06T16:01:00.001-07:00

The railroad played a significant part in the development of the Palouse which needed a way to haul the grain to market. Plenty of grain elevators and tracks are easily found in the Palouse. Here is a shot of several grain elevators:

This is the same area with train cars waiting to be used but not for grain.

And lastly, no yard is complete with out switches...

2010-07-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

The residents of the Palouse use their vehicles for what appears a long time than other parts of the country. You can easily see trucks for the 60s still being used and older trucks as well. Many farmers have older equipment that, when asked, can be located and photopgraphed. Here are just a few of what I found in one day. This is a restored firetruck that the owner is very produ of:

The same own has a few other trucks that have not yet been restored but are in very good condition. Here is a GMS - General Motors Corporation stake body truck.

And here is the nose:

More Sunflowers

2010-07-05T14:42:00.001-07:00

I was able to get back to the sunflowers this morning. It appears the spring weather with a lot of rain and then several weeks of +90 degree weather has stunted the sunflowers and causes some patches of flowers still trying to produce a head - in other words the field is not very even in a carpet of sunflowers. Their are many than are nice one-on-one.

Field of Sunflowers

2010-07-03T18:33:00.001-07:00

Went out tonight to see how the field of sunflowers are doing this year - I think with all the early rain and recent weeks of 90+ weather, the sunflowers may not be as nice this year as other years. Here is a pano that I caught:

Lotus - Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

2010-06-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

I went to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens (NPS) located on the eastern side of Washington DC on the Anacostia River. The lotus are blooming almost a month ahead of ‘normal’. Must be due to the two weeks of 90+ degree weather we been having in late June. I expect peak to be over in a week or so for what is blooming. There is a smaller number of heads that are not yet ready to open but this is the week to visit.

June - The Palouse, Washington

2010-06-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

I went to the Palouse in Washington State this month and it was an unforgettable trip. I understand why people go back and back and back. The scenery is constantly changing as the

farmers plant different crop every year and every years crops 'bloom' into color at varying times. The tallest vantage point is the Steptoe Butte which rises out of the plain of the Palouse and can be seen for miles. The following shot is of a mustard field which many people believe is a canola field which has the same yellow flowers. No canola was found on this trip but two mustard fields were.

This year the Palouse received quite a bit of rainfall which caused the rust fungus to become active and attack the wheat crop. We spoke with an experienced farmer and he said this is the first time they ever had to deal with rust. For the more immature crops, they rust could be sprayed from a vehicle or tractor/crawler. Being immature, the crop will rebound and straighten itself. For the more mature wheat fields, ariele spaying is need and I saw up to 5 different biplanes spaying through out the region.

Owachomo Bridge - Natural Bridges national Monument - Utah

2010-05-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

These are two photographs or Owachomo Bridge which is one of three significant water carved bridges found in Natural Bridges national Monument in Utah. Owachomo is 106 feet high, has a span of 180 feet and is 27 feet wide and 9 feet thick. Owachomo is located near the intersection of Tuwa and Armstrong Canyons. The bridges are made of Ceda Mesa Sandstone from the Permian geologic period which predates the stone in Monument Valley and is even older than Arches national Park. The stone was form 570 to 240 million years ago. I heard this in grade school but I had to do a little research on the details. This is one of the unknown National Monuments which most people never have seen nor heard of.

Monument Valley - Mittins at sunset

2010-05-28T11:36:00.001-07:00

Sunset on the Mittins can be dramtic most of the time if the clouds and co-operating and they were this evening. The left mitting is in Utah - the right mittin is in Arizona - did you know that??

2010-05-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

This is a slightly different post - a group of us are working on a tribute to a dear friend and his love of knockers. He was actually commenting on door knockers at the time so we decided to post a few knockers in his honor. This first one is a very conservative, kinda shy knocker, that is why the knocker is 'covered' up to some degree.
This is a very manly knocker mounted to a wonder oak door.

And the last of this set is of a very patriotic knocker!

2010-05-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

I found myself in a field of buttercups last weekend so I took a few multi-shots with my Nikon:

2010-05-04T18:53:00.001-07:00

Went to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania this past weekend to shoot a farm that had a stone barn and farmhouse. Lovely old farm with wonderful photo ops where ever you turned. The early morning light was delicate and added a tint of yellow glow with backlighting. It was a great morning!

2010-05-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

I went to Fonthill which is the castle designed and built by Henry Mercer from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The entire structure is made from concrete without the aid of machinery except for Lucy, his horse. These are interior photos taken without the the use of flash which is prohibited due to the damage it would eventually cause. Henry built the Moravian Tile Works on his property which was used to decorate homes in his day.

2010-05-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

I went to Eastern State Penitentary in Philadelphia. Wanted to go for a long time and finally found the time to make the trip. This is a wonderful place, for photographers, and not for the inmates that lived here. As you see the photos you can see this was less than an ideal place to be sentanced and that is probably why they closed the prison in 1970. The lighting is low, no lights except for natural lighting which does work it's way in at places. Behave! You do not want to live here!

Every cell had one of these:
A wooden door found it's way to this cell:

Correct, no windows to look out of but light that can shine in. Flood light to see by and a stool to sit on. What else could you ask for?

Philly Graffiti

2010-04-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

I went to Philadelphia this past weekend and met up with some friends. Ended up as this secluded location which has some great graffiti. First time shooting graffiti and I like the colors. The artists use bright colors including neon which is great for folks that like the saturated look. These are what the location looked like, very little processing. It ended up raining at the end and then the sun went down so needless to say the light went quickly and so did we. Enjoy!

Snowy Grand Canyon National Park - Southern Rim

2010-03-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

I went to Arizona and Utah a couple weeks back. On the way to Monument Valley, i stopped by Grand Canyon National Park. They had snow for a good week and many places still needed plowing but I was able to get in and hike around in the snow. I thought the canyon looked especially great with the snow.

This is Navajo Point (7360 ft) on the southern rim:

View from Grandview Point (7399ft) from the southern rim:

From Mather Point (7120ft):

Check out www.imagesofwildlife.com for more photos at much great detail.

Strasburg RR locomotive engine maintenance

2010-03-12T06:15:00.000-08:00

As part of a large winter photo shoot, I was able to take a personal tour of the engine shop where Strasburg RR maintains their equipment. Below are several shots of locomotives being repaired, maintained and the equipment used to support a railroad. Did you ever wonder how they machine the driver wheels for a locomotive, which are several feet in diameter? It takes a very large lathe the chuck up those pieces of iron!

Here are two sets of drivers and the locomotive which has been stripped down and being rebuilt:

Here is the lathe used to machine the locomotive drivers: "huge!!"

Did you ever wonder if Thomas the Tank Engine was a real steam engine - you betcha! He is getting his flue cleaned out to be ready for spring:

And here is a shot of the overall machine shop, there is another shop to the left and another to the right. I takes a lot of equipment and hours to support a railroad!

Spring flowers from Mom's garden

2009-12-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

I have most of my older photos worked on - here ar a few from Mom's garden. This is a tulip poplar tree flower, about to loose it's leaves:

A common red poppy:

A wet Japanese Red Maple:

Anna's shots from Bryce NP

2009-12-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

I was reviewing some older photos and worked on a few of Anna's shots from Bryce National park from early Spring. For high rez versions of Bryce, see my website at www.imagesofwildlife.com For me I am heading off to bed and then getting up to work the 24" of snow we got.

Mid-Atlantic Snow storm of O-9

2009-12-19T10:43:00.000-08:00

Nice snow shot from mid-storm - we have 12" and expect the heavy snow to come next. The yard shots do not show the depth but the table sure does - we will have to measure with a yard stick when it's all over. Turkey in the oven so we will have a lovely meal tonight!

2009-12-18T20:54:00.000-08:00

Anna and I went out and catch these falcon, hawks and owl. These are Anna's photos - not bad for a 12 year old.

This is a female barn owl:

This is a juvenile male Harris' Hawk:

North American male Kestral:

Female Saker Falcon:

Female Red Tailed Hawk:

Pink and White Dogwood

2009-12-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

Next year's dogwood buds are waiting for the cold to hit the region which has not really happened. We had a little frost this morning but still waiting for the cold to truly arrive for winter. It will come. Until then we can sit back and relax knowing these beautiful flowers will be out before we know it.

Battle of Second Manassas (Bull Run) 147th Anniversary Commemoration

2009-12-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

Catching up on some photo shoots from the summer - attended the 147th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of Second Manassas (Bull Run) at the Manassas National Battlefield park in Virginia. It was a typical hot, sunny, humid August day with sharp lighting. They were well planned and had plenty of water for the men and the horses. I saw several living history events at Brawner Farm along with live carbine, pistol and cannon fire.

Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade

2009-12-13T09:57:00.000-08:00

Some great photos were captured at the Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade recently held. This was the parade held in conjunction with the celebration of remembering the Northern and Southern Civil War soldiers that fought and died at Gettysburg. Many units representing those that fought at Gettysburg participated in the parade.

Townhomes from Washington DC

2009-12-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

Took a walk through a wet Washington DC the other weekend which highlighted the rich colors or the normally dully paint an bricks. Fall colors added to the richness of the wet landscape.

Down on the Farm Over Thanksgiving

2009-12-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

I found myself and my son down on the farm over Thanksgiving. It was time for harvesting the corn (follow-on post will come) and taking it to the Farm Bureau for drying was a highlight for Christopher. The cows also found Christopher to be interesting and lost some of the shyness to see who he was. This was a 'white' farm - none of the red to be found on any of the out buildings - all white.

Remembrance Day - November 21, 2009

2009-12-04T19:22:00.001-08:00

Do you remember Lincoln's Gettysburg Address?? Then you should know about Remembrance Day and Gettysburg National Cemetery located on Cemetery Hill. On this day they place a flag for each fallen soldier.

The site was purchased and Union dead were moved from shallow and inadequate battlefield burial sites to this cemetery. Williams Saunders was a landscape architect and founder of the National Grange. His design had two facets: first, the Soldiers National Monument was placed at the center, promoting the Union victory. Secondly, the graves were arranged in a series of semicircles emphasizing the fundamental egalitarian nature of U.S. society with all graves considered equal. The cemetery was dedicated on November 19, 1863. It was here that Abraham Lincoln delivered his most famous speech, the Gettysburg Address. It became a National Cemetery on May 1, 1872 when control was transferred to the War Department. 3,512 Union soldiers are buried in the cemetery with 979 unknown. From 1870 and 1873, 3,320 Confederate dead were reburied in Richmond, Raleigh, Savannah and Charleston at the initiative of the Ladies Memorial Associations of these cities.

2009-11-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

We went down to the Air Force Memorial Saturday morning. Had a wonderful breakfast at a local all night diner and good coffee. Here are a few reflection shots. Need to get back down for some true night shots.

View of Lincoln, Washington and US Capital

2009-11-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

Get up early and met somefriends in the early hours of sunrise and caught these shots. Once the sun starts to comeup the lighting changes very quickly.

Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

2009-11-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

Spent a few days in the Shenandoah Valley going to several farms and seeing the sites and eating fresh meals and brought back a few new recipees and some shots. We went to a produce auction and say a field of mums being sold in lots of 20 for great prices - sure wish I could have used 20 18-24" mums... Got into the pinpkin patch after it was picked through....

Bay Coast Railway of Cape Charles, Virginia

2009-11-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

The still exists a railway in Virginia that ships train cars on a barge. They can handled 40 cars on a tub boat barge between Cape Charles and Norfolk Virginia. This parrallels the Chesapeake Bay bridge over 16 miles. This was a rail line that was begun in the 1880's and during WW II, 1,000 cars were shipped by barge per day.

Pair of Bald Eagles

2009-11-11T08:42:00.001-08:00

On my way down to Cape Charles, I was able to capture these two Bald Eagles on the same dead tree:

Fall color on the Potomac River

2009-11-11T08:38:00.001-08:00

Took a hike at Great Falls National Park a couple of weeks ago and caught some great color..

Sites around Cape Charles, Virginia: Sandy Beach, Harbor and Train Tracks

2009-11-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Went down to Cape Charles, Virginia for a photo shoot and went back down a second time. Here are a few shots:

There is a nice sandy beach:

Nice harbor with an active fishing fleet:

And there is a rail barge that will take cars over to Norfolk:

Acadia National Park - Mount Desert Island, Maine

2009-08-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

Just got home from a week in Acadia National Park. All kinds of weather was provided: overcaste days, foggy mornings, entire days of fog, bright mid-90s (we were told Maine gets one week of 90s a year and we picked that week), calm seas and we left the day the effects of Hurricane Bill was felt by the coastal areas of Maine. PPing is in my immediate forcaste to get some photos posted.

Hoover Dam - Bridge Still Under Construction

2009-08-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

The government is trying to divert Route 93 interstate traffic from driving over the Hoover Dam onto a new road which requires a brige to be built which is located down-stream from the dam. Construction progress can be view from the dam.

The above is the bridge ubutment from the Arizona side of the Colorado River.

The above is the bridge ubutment from the Neveda side of the Colorado River.

More photos can be viewed at my site: http://www.imagesofwildlife.com/

Water Lilies

2009-08-02T10:00:00.001-07:00

Waterlilies are a right of passage from Spring in to Summer. These delightful flowers are delicate looking but have to hold up to the rigors of living in water. Early morning shooting is mandatory due to glare off of the water and this shoot was no exception.

More photos can be viewed at my site: http://www.imagesofwildlife.com/

Field of Sunflowers!

2009-08-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

I had been checking on this field of sunflowers since early spring. Due to the rains that we had the normal arrival of the sunflower blooms was pushed back of few weeks this year. I arrived early with plenty of bug gear as I had been warned a head of time and I had discovered multiple blood donor locations (skeeters) during my earlier visits.

I was welcomed with 95% of the sunflowers being in full bloom this morning and this is what I saw....

More photos can be viewed at my site: http://www.imagesofwildlife.com/

My Review of Superfeet Green Premium Insoles - High Volume

2009-07-18T14:07:00.001-07:00

REI

Superfeet® insoles align and control the motion of your feet, providing balance, support and shock absorption for hiking and other active sports.

Great for Photographers on their feet

imagesofwildlife.com Vienna, Va or any place in the woods. 7/18/2009

Gift: No

Pros: Breathable

Best Uses: Everyday, Supportive Footwear, Hiking

Describe Yourself: Comfort Driven

I am a photographer which means I have to hike into the location and usually wait for the shot due to lighting or the subject coming into view. Having great boots is a must. I picked up a pair of Merrells but thie insole on the left foot had an embossed logo which killed my foot. I picked up one of these insoles and have had great wear since then. I understand when the REI salesrep said most people through away the oem insole and get these. Thanks for letting me get my great shots REI!

()

2009-04-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

While at the Lincoln Memorial last night, I caught this shot of the Capital, Washington Monument and the sothern half of the WWII Memorial. This was shot with a D700 and an older upgraded 300mm lens.

More photos can be viewed at my site: http://www.imagesofwildlife.com/

Lincoln Memorial after an evening thunderstorm

2009-04-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

Went down to the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall around 9:00PM and the 30% chance of scattered thunderstorms settled on the Lincoln Memorial. After a 45 minute rain, we were able to get out and about. (A note for the NPS, it would be great to have a few rocking chairs on the Lincoln's side porch.) The shot below is the obligatory statue shot and the shot above is a view of the Memorial Bridge and the Memorial.

Tributary waterfalls at Great Falls National Park, Virginia

2009-04-26T10:51:00.002-07:00

Went to Great Falls National Park on the Virginia side and started scoping out some of the tributaries that feed into the Potomac River. Found a few that had some 'action':

Zion National Park

2009-04-26T10:51:00.001-07:00

Zion national Park in Utah is different from all the other National Parks in the area. The bulk of the sites have to be hiked in to and are not the drip up and just view places. Daily 5 miles hikes was typical of this trip with many worthwhile sites along the way.

The above is a view of Angels Landing (5785ft) in Zion National Park, Utah - looking upstream on the Virgin River in the area of the Grotto Picnic Area in Zion Canyon. Left to right: Cathedral Mountain (6930ft), Angels Landing (5790ft), The Organ, Observation Point (6507ft) and Weeping Rock (6100ft).

The above is The Watchman (6545ft) viewed from the Pa'rus Trail, Zion National Park, Utah.

Bryce Canyon - early spring with snow

2009-04-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

We went to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks in Utah this spring. Bryce along with Zion are both very different from all the other National and State parks in Utah. Daily 5+ mile hikes which included more elevation change than distance hikes was typical of this park.

The above shot is at sunrise at Inspiration Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Ponderosa Pine on Wall Street at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. This is part of the Queens Garden Trail beginning at Sunrise Point, descending 320 feet (98m), is considered the least difficult trail entering the canyon from the rim. Traveling this trail you will see many hoodoos, representative of garden like features.

Natural Bridge is one of several natural arches in Bryce Canyon and creates a beautiful scene at this viewpoint. This arch, sculpted from some of the reddest rock of the Claron Formation (rich in iron oxide minerals), poses a stark contrast to the dark green of the Ponderosa forest that peeks through the arch from the canyon below.

2009-03-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

February 7, 2009

Great Falls National Park - Virginia

Slight snow and ice was still on the rocks at great falls when I got there very early on a cold morning well before the sun shown. Long exposure and early morning shots are great to go out and take. Many times you are the only one there and the serenity of the morning is all yours.

Wolves of Pennsylvania

2009-03-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

February 1, 2009

I went to Pennsylvania in February and shot some wolves. It became obvious that you do not approach a wolf when they have food, are eating food or are chasing food. Here is a shot of a wolf indicating to others to stay away from his food:

Timber Wolves have patterns that many people can easily associate with a wolf. Again these are big animals that you want to keep at a good distance or atleast when they are well feed and not really interested in you.

Black wolves seem to be a mysterious kind of animal - the whole black color seems to change their personality or atleast the way you look at them.

More photos can be viewed at my site: http://www.imagesofwildlife.com/

National Christmas Tree on the Mall

2009-01-17T13:58:00.000-08:00

December 29, 2008

We went down to the National Mall the evening of the 29th to see the National Christmas Tree, the Washington Monument and White House. The tree is located in front of the White House on the Ellipse. Since 1923, the United States has held a tradition of lighting a National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC. In 1978, a live 40-foot Colorado blue spruce was transplanted from York, Pennsylvania to its present site on the Ellipse, the grassy area south of the White House. In 1954, a "Pathway of Peace," 56 smaller, decorated trees representing all 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia were planted surrounding the National Christmas Tree. Each year sponsoring organizations from each state provide tree decorations that are encased in a protective plastic globe to shield it from the weather.

Christmas at Union Station

2009-01-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

December 20, 2008

We went down into Washington to see what Christmas decorations were out. We went to Union Station which usually has some kind of decorations which includes a G-Guage train layout running inside on a 10x20 foot display.

In the main lobby was a 32-foot tall Christmas tree which had 8,000 cnadles and U.S. and Norwegian flags was presented on November 25th, 2008 by the Norwegian Embassy as gratitude for assistance received from the United States during and after World War II.

National Air and Space Museum - Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

2009-01-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

November 23, 2008

The National Air and Space Museum is located close to the Dulles International Airport. The large part of the museum is an actual hanger that was constructed to house the many airplanes and related items the Smithsonian has but can not present due to space constrains on the National Mall in Washington D.C. The museum is a tough place to photograph, tripods are not allowed, natural light is sparse and when present create a large dynamic range due to the subdued lighting inside and the many spotlights that are used. I would suggest going to here when in the area as many famous planes are here.

This is a Republic P-47D Thunderbolt which was a ground attach plane with 2,000 horsepower radial engine with eight .50 caliber machine guns. The right wing and two engines of the Enola Gay are in the background.

Another famous item is the actual Enterprise Space Shuttle which was the first built for NASA. It was constructed without engines or functional heat shields and was therefore not capable of space operations. Its purpose was to perform test flights in the atmosphere. The Enterprise was to be refitted and subsequently used for orbital flight. As the second space shuttle, Columbia, was being built, design specs were changed which prevented the Enterprise from being refitted.

Great Falls - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Maryland

2008-10-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

October 24, 2008

I got there Friday morning around 6:30AM and set up. The temperature was in the low 40s but there was mist near the larger falls. As time went on, the fog come down off the hills and filled in the gorge. That's when I headed off to the canal for some other shots.

The above shot is one of the hundres of little falls now visable with the low water levels.

Here is a shot of the churnng water between falls:

Last but least, here is a shot of the Great Falls Tavern and the adjaceent canal:

Great Falls National Park - Virginia side

2008-10-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

October 19, 2008

Great Falls water level is really low this fall which again changes the way the river and the falls look. I got their Sunday morning around 6:30AM and set up. The temperature was in the 30s but fortunately there was no breeze so I was nice and toasty. Here are two shots - enjoy!

National Zoo - Washington DC

2008-10-20T17:41:00.002-07:00

October 13, 2008

The National Zoo in Washington DC is always a fun place to go and see the animals - four legged and two legged - you never know what you are going to see. The Cheetah and the Flamingo were animals that I have not seen in recent trips. Also, they are doing major construction for the elephants and it should interesting to see what the final exhibit looks like.

Yosemite

2008-10-20T17:41:00.001-07:00

Another famous, aren't they all, Yosemite view is of Half Dome. This is a shot from Glacier Point showing how Half Dome rises 4,735 feet above the valley floor.

Yosemite has many tributeries which show the results of glacial transformations upon the rocks. This quiet, secluded are is a gem to behold.

And lastly for this trip, a photo of Half Dome from Olmsted Point.

Yosemite

2008-10-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

Shooting at Yosemite meant getting up from 4:00AM to 5:00AM to get to the location for sunrise shots and then getting back for supper around 7:30PM and then heading to bed. We arrived at Yosemite just as a storm was rolling through. It provided for some nice cloud formations for the view of El Capita from Tunnel View.

Another famous view is looking up Yosemite Valley with El Capitan on the left and Cathedral Rocks on the right with the Merced River.

Yosemite October 4-11 2008

2008-10-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

Yosemite Curry Village was not the place to be last week. I was in a group of 6 photographers waiting to leave at 7:00 AM in the dark when we heard a clap of thunder and then the rain of granite began to fall. We were never allowed back to our cabin as it was in the danger zone. Tom Trujillo was my cabin mate and several of his photos were picked up by the AP just a couple of hours later. This news was in the newspapers worldwide - the below article is from the San Francisco Chronicle:

Yosemite National Park rock slide destroys cabins
By TRACIE CONE, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
(10-08) 21:10 PDT Yosemite National Park, Calif. (AP) --
Chunks of granite crashed to the Yosemite Valley floor in a cloud of dust Wednesday, injuring at least three people and destroying several cabins and trees at one of the park's most popular lodging areas, officials said.

The rock slide was the second in two days in the area called Curry Village, a lodging and retail area defined by dramatic, sheer cliffs. "We were awakened at 7 to what sounded like thunder and what felt like the Earth crumbling apart," said Deanne Maschmeyer, 41, of Monterey, who was staying in a nearby cabin with her two children. "People were stampeding everywhere and running, running like crazy. I felt like I was running ahead of a tsunami."

The slide destroyed five cabins and partially damaged at least three others, according to a park statement. Three visitors were treated for minor injuries.

The volume of rocks cascading from the granite face was estimated at about 1,800 cubic yards, or about 180 truck loads, said Vickie Mates, a park spokeswoman. There was another, smaller rock slide in the same area Tuesday afternoon. No one was injured then. In 1996, a rock slide in the same area sent as much as 162,000 tons of rock plummeting more than 2,000 feet, killing one visitor and felling 500 trees. A slide in 1999 killed one climber and injured three others while narrowly missing the popular campground.

Tom Trujillo, of New Milford, Conn., who was with a group of amateur photographers, saw Wednesday's rock slide and ran toward it. "Trees were crushed all over the place," Trujillo said over the sound of a hovering helicopter. "A couple of kids, fifth or sixth-graders, were stumbling out of the area. I tried to pick them up, tried to get them out as fast as I could." Trujillo said he helped one boy, who had blood on his forehead and down his back, get out and find his mother. "It was a really big mess," Trujillo said. "Tents were crushed, trees were knocked down, hard cabins were moved out of their positions, with boulders blocking their doorway."
Another photographer, Rena McClain, a nurse from Dover, Del., told The Associated Press that she had her back to the granite face when she heard what sounded like a thunderclap. She whipped around and saw a giant cloud of rock and dust coming down. "People were starting to yell, 'Run, run,' and kids started to scream," McClain said.

As the dust settled, shaken teachers and chaperones gathered groups of high school students and tried to get head counts. "The kids were crying," said McClain. "I tried to comfort them. I'm a nurse; my immediate response was, 'What can I try to do to help?'"

Mates said the rocks fell across an area that used to be traversed by a trail no longer maintained because of heavy rock falls. The beauty of the sheer granite face towering above the camp helps make Curry Village one of park's most popular lodging options. In recent years, geologists have published studies describing a series of cracks along the cliff's face and hypothesizing that pressure from water flowing beneath the surface may be one trigger of the slides. Researchers also say that tree roots growing down into cracks can sometimes wedge apart sheets of rock, sending sections of cliff tumbling.

Curry Village, founded in 1899 in south-central Yosemite, has 610 canvas and wood cabins in rows among huge boulders, which geologists say are there because of prehistoric rock falls. Those who saw Wednesday's slide wondered about the safety of the camp. "With the village right below the rock face, there is definitely a safety issue," said Trujillo, pointing out that the cabins could be moved farther away from the granite cliff, into the parking lot area. To McClain, on her visit to the park, the rock slide was an eye-opener. "Nature here is unbelievable, but until you see what can happen, don't realize the danger that can result," McClain said. "I would return to Yosemite. But would I stay in Curry Village? I don't know that I would. I'm pretty shaken up."

Below trees and granite smash wooden and tent cabins:

Below a granite boulder smashes a wooden cabin - ends up under the roof:

Granite boulders toppled trees, which were pushed into and on top of cabins:

From Glacier Point, above Curry Village, the rock slide and dust is captured:

Here is a map showing details of the second rock slide:

Here is a link to the yahoo news article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20081008/ap_tr_ge/travel_brief_yosemite_rock_slide

Maryland Renaissance Festival

2008-09-28T05:54:00.000-07:00

September 21, 2008

Summer is not complete without a trip to a renaissance festival. This year took us to Crownsville, Maryland to Revel Grove. The highlight of the trip was the jousting tournament with the knights, horses and all the other things that could maim or just outright kill you. Fortunately these are skilled horsemen who know what they are doing and there was very little blood letting this day. The crowds were rowdy, the horses were galloping and the costumes were, well, I have not been able to post those picture where most people say: 'How do they do that?'

Next year we look forward to another renaissance festival, perhaps in Pennsylvania or another location nearby.

Great Falls NPS - Virginia

2008-09-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2008

Great Falls continues to offer ever changing opportunities with changes in landscape colors and the level and flow of the Potomac River. This was an early morning capture.