Postcard from Tucson–Arches

There are so many ways to look at the same scene…and so many approaches to architecture…just like life itself. So it is with these arches. They are part of a walkway at the Old Courthouse in downtown Tucson.  Back in March, I shared a picture of this same walkway. As I was intrigued by the walkway as an element of style in architecture of the building…but also found I was especially fascinated with its old Spanish-style arches. While I set out initially to photograph the entire walkway, I also wanted to experiment and capture the arches by themselves.

I photographed at different angles, trying to capture their special individuality rather than as a part of the whole.  And this was my favorite shot. It was done with the camera held at an angle, as sometimes good architectural photos are. And while the original photo I shared in March was in color, this image had to be in black and white. I knew that when I snapped the shutter.

Looking at the arches, it seems as if they repeat themselves almost to infinity. The lines and form flow on and on. In this photo, as in many others I look for patterns, lines, and repetitions. I think I found them. 

Compositionally, while the first arch is partially cut off at the top, the mind fills in the missing parts. An object doesn’t necessarily have to be shown in its entirety. Consider that when you are working with your own camera. While it is important to know the rules of composition, don’t be afraid to break them when it works.

This photo, of course, is part of my on-going studies of architecture that I’ve been featuring here from time-to-time. I find it to be endlessly fascinating and challenge for my artistic eye…especially when trying to narrow my range to graphic design elements.  If you are interested in doing some architectural photography, or trying it out, I recommend a short, but informative article on the subject in Popular Photography Magazine.

There is also a more comprehensive article on the photo.net Website titled, “How to Photograph Architecture.” Still, another article is, “A Guide to Architectural Photography.” My favorite article on the subject, “Architecture Photography: Beauty of Interior and Exterior Designs,” is not so much about reading as it is seeing so many photos that illustrate architectural design in a more focused, artistic manner. Well worth spending a little time exploring these beautiful photographs. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com.

Postcard from Italy–Canale Road

 

I’ve walked this road a few times in my life…sometimes alone, sometimes with a dear friend or two. Canale is a small town in northern Italy in the Piemonte region, famous for its outstanding wines. It lies about an hour south of Turin (Torino), Italy, home of the 2006 Olympic games.

The road and houses you see here lie in the rolling hills above the town where thousands of vines dot the landscape…they are all around, except you can’t see them in this painting.

Some of the most special friends I’ve ever known, have a second home just a little up the road from where the homes in this painting are located. I visited it on every Italian pilgrimage I made. Whenever I see this painting, I harken back to the very special times. If the US Dollar was worth a damn, I would probably be there now.

Regardless, it is a special place for me. When I walked this road into the vineyards, it reminded me of scenes I saw in paintings by some of the great Impressionist painters of the late 1800’s, especially those country scenes done by Camille Pissarro. That is what was in my head when I photographed the original image.

I got to know many of the people that lived in the homes along this road, even though none of them spoke English. How they must have laughed at my feeble attempts to speak Italian. But somehow we communicated and enjoyed each other’s company. Every minute spent in this extraordinary part of Italy is precious to me now…and I hope before my time is done, I can walk this road again. 

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

Postcard from Yosemite–The Other Side of Fern Springs

A couple of weeks ago, I showed you a photo of Fern Springs taken on the east side of the creek. This is what Fern Springs looks like from the other side. Of course, since I only moved the camera a few feet, what is the big deal, you ask?

Well the biggest difference is that the first image was done using HDR techniques…meaning five images were taken and combined into one. This image was done from a single exposure. I think you would have to agree they are pretty close in quality, although there is a difference. Whatever the case, I like both photos and am sharing both with you. As you may recall, Fern Springs is considered Yosemite’s smallest waterfall.

I’ve talked a lot about HDR photography lately, and with good reason. It’s a new and different way to create fantastic images. If it is something that might interest you, there is no better source of info on it than the tutorial done by Trey Ratcliff available on his “Stuck in Customs” Website. Trey is the master of HDR photography, and if nothing else, you will enjoy looking at his photos. Another good source for HRD info is the Pixiq Website.

Just a quick note, if you noticed a change in quality in the images shown here lately, its because of a new trick I learned that makes absolutely no sense at all. For as long as I have done this blog, I posted the image directly from my computer to the blog…which makes sense, of course. Well I began noticing a slight blur in the images when they hit the Web site. After doing some research, I found I was not the only one who had this complaint.

One of the folks suggested putting the image up on Flickr, then using it from there to paste into the blog. Since I already have a Flickr account, I tried it…and as much as it makes no sense, it works. So now you can get a better copy of my images. Remember this tip if and when you decide to create your own photo blog.

Currently I am in the process of sending all my best images up to my Flickr account. Feel free to see what I have posted there so far.  More to come. Also look for some huge changes coming shortly to my personal Web site.

(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)

Postcard from Oakland–Reflections

What happens when you set me loose in a big city with camera-in hand? Simple…I start shooting interesting photos of buildings as part of my “Photographic Studies of Architecture” Project. Here are two buildings in downtown Oakland…one reflected by the other.  Sadly, I cannot tell you the names of the two buildings as I was too busy at the time to ask. So, just enjoy the image as it is. Again, I am focusing on line and form…and I think I have successfully created an interesting image. But don’t stare at it too long as you will get dizzy. Just kidding.

Since this photo is in black and white, I thought I would pass along a tip or two on that subject.  Black and white is not as easy as you might think…in fact it is in many ways harder than color. It is helpful when you compose a photo to think about how it would look in black and white. I always do this when photographing architecture. Color can be a real distraction in bringing out the power of an image. 

A recent article on black and white was published in Digital Photo Magazine entitled, “Thinking in Black and White”…It might help you get started. There are some good tips here.

Another interest article can be found on the Digital Photography School Web site, titled, “Key Ingredients for Black and White Images.” I found this one especially informative. As long as I have been involved in photography, I continue to find new good info on a wide variety of subjects. I will be passing some of them along in the future. Photography is a never-ending learning process…as are all forms of art.

(To see a larger version of this image, just click on the photo.)

To see more of my work, just head over to my Web site.

Postcard from Yosemite

 

This is Lower Yosemite Falls, photographed and processed using HDR techniques. A few weeks ago, I showed you an image from the same falls (with a rainbow) that was not done with High Dynamic Range (HDR) techniques because of the tremendous amount of mist coming off of the falls.

Here, several feet to the left of where I shot the rainbow photo, I found a location that was sheltered from the mist. I was able to set up my camera on a tripod and shoot the five exposures necessary to create an HDR image in the digital darkroom. Sadly, one cannot see the rainbow from this vantage point, but I think the foreground and the HDR effects more than make up for that.

Using five exposures and because the falls were still mostly in shade, I was able to capture more details for the falling water. In fact, you should remember that when shooting your own photos of waterfalls. Water details are lost when the falls are in bright sunlight.

It was very special to visit Yosemite Valley this year in May because of the higher-than-normal winter snowfall that filled the waterfalls to overflowing. There was so much snow, in fact, the the high country roads, like the Tioga Pass Road, are only now just opening for traffic.

Please feel free to share this photo or use it in an electronic greeting card. It is free. Just use the buttons below the photograph.

(To view a larger version of this image, just click on image.)

Postcard from Canada–Three Canoes Painting

 

It was a sunny morning on the shores of Kootenay Lake near the charming little town of Kaslo, British Columbia where I photographed this image. Back then, I lived in the Pacific Northwest. I used to take a vacation now and then up in this area. I found a cabin for rent a few miles south of Kaslo on the lake and would spend time there just relaxing or wandering about with my camera. It was a wonderful place to unwind.

On this morning, I came across these three canoes just sitting on the beach. The colors and the shapes of the canoes screamed out to be photographed…so I did. Realize this was still the era of film cameras.

It worked well as a photograph, except for the giant weeds that invaded the picture. I could never get rid of them without damaging the picture. Then, recently, along came Photoshop CS5 with a new feature called “Content-Aware Fill.” This allows you remove any image detail or object…then it magically fills in the space left behind. It is really something special.

So, I thought of this older image and pulled it out of storage…then removed the intrusive weeds. Wow! Now I had an image worth painting! Next time, I will pull the weeds out of the ground before I take the photo!

I worked on this image for several days to get it where I wanted. I am more than happy with the way it turned out. Your comments are more than welcome.

Special Note: If you are seeing this image on the “Postcards” Web site, you may have noticed four new buttons…Buy Print, Buy Card, Share, and E-Card. If you receive this blog via e-mail, as many of you do, you cannot see these buttons. But, for you, there is a special link above the photo where you can go to the site and use these buttons.

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time…and now I have done it. I am especially excited about the e-card button. This allows you to use the image to send a greeting card….FOR FREE, using one of my images. Click on it and see what I mean. For now, you can only do this from the blog. I am adding this capability to my Web site images also, but it will take a little longer to finish.

I am so happy to have you share my work as a greeting card. By the way, you can also use the “Share” button to share this image with other people…again, no charge. I hope you will find this new service of use.

PS – you can use these buttons on older images also. And don’t forget, you can click on the image to see a much larger version.

Postcard from Venice

Welcome to Venice.  It’s been a while since I’ve written about this special gem of a city in Eastern Italy. I also take this occasion to present you with a new digital painting…titled “Gondolas at Rest.”

For those readers who only know me from my photographic work, I actually became better known for my digital paintings. That is what I displayed for several years at all my art shows prior to retiring. I was fortunate enough to have some of my works hung in prestigious galleries. To be honest, I haven’t done many since moving to Tucson, 2.5 years ago. But I have taken up the brush again. I have more in the works so you will see them from time-to-time here.

To briefly explain the process, my paintings begin as photographs. Then, using several different software programs such as Painter, I create paintings of various different styles by hand, meaning I use a graphics tablet and a stylus to create a painting from the photograph. In many ways, I work just like a oil or watercolor painter…only I don’t use any paint. The colors you see are derived from the original photo. I’ve coined the term, “Photo Expressionism” for this type of work. 

The Venice paintings, and there are several of them, were always my most popular works. It is difficult to see the painted details of the work because the image is so small, but if you click on it, you will see (hopefully) a much larger version. You might be able to make out some of the brush strokes. To see more of my Venice paintings and sketches, as well as other subjects, please visit my Web site.

The story of this image is quite simple: when I arrived by train in Venice, it was pouring rain…and I mean pouring. It was not my first visit to this fabled city, but still, I wanted to capture as many images as possible.  So I wandered around the city and just started photographing. I found some interesting places, like the one pictured here. I wish it hadn’t rained but I made the most of my opportunity.  I sure hope one day soon I can return…in sunshine!

(To see a larger version of this painting, just click on the image.)

Postcard from Yosemite

This photo was taken from the Pohono Bridge in the early evening. It shows a blooming dogwood tree out over the Merced River. The sunset refection in the water is coming from the valley walls above Bridalveil Falls as they reflect the orange light from the sunset. FYI, it is not an HDR image.

This is just one of many photos I took there over two nights. I am still at work on other images from there which may show up here in the future. This location is no longer a secret as there were 10 photographers there this one evening, all crammed into a small space to get right angle for this photo. And, of course, the dogwoods have a very short blooming season in the valley, so you only have a few nights to get this shot.  Not only that, the reflected light on the water lasts for only about 15 minutes.

This image was photographed on the first night I was there. I say that as the photos from following evening show an even higher flowing river. The few rocks you see at the bottom of the photo were underwater on the second night. Makes me wonder how high the river is today.  

(Click on photo to see a larger version)

Postcard from Oakland

On my recent trip to Northern California, I did more than just photograph Yosemite. As you may remember from some of my recent blogs, I’ve been doing some architectural studies…photographing bits and pieces of interesting buildings wherever I can find them.

A friend of my brother’s suggested I go to downtown Oakland to photograph the  recently-built Catholic Cathedral. So one lovely afternoon, my brother Dave and I drove into downtown Oakland to see it and other buildings of architectural interest.

Our first stop was the Catholic Cathedral, appropriately named The Cathedral of Christ the Light. I say appropriately as it is almost entirely glass on the outside. On the inside of this nearly circular, but mostly vertical structure, are wooden louvers that let in more or less light as deemed appropriate. It is a treasure trove of images waiting to be made by anyone interested in architecture.  To try and describe the inside would be impossible as it is utterly breathtaking. I will show you more photos in the future, but you may also read more about it at their Website. It is a fascinating read.

The image here is of the ceiling. It was one of the first things I noticed and photographed. From their Website, there is a photo of it at night, all lit up in an an intricate weave of lights and color. But even without the lights, I found it a lovely study of line and form, perfect for my architectural collection. I hope you agree. (And yes, it does look like a football)

There will be more images now and then from my trip to downtown Oakland and definitely more from this Cathedral. Stay tuned…

Postcard from Yosemite–Fern Springs

Fern Springs,  in the far west portion of Yosemite Valley, is often referred to as Yosemite’s smallest waterfall. As you can see, it is exactly that. The water comes from an underground spring and is fed into a small pond, then flows out of the pond and heads to the nearby Merced River.

It is a pure underground spring, meaning it is perfectly drinkable. Several time while photographing here, cars stopped to come over and fill their water jugs…as did I. The spring mountain water here is better than any water you buy in stores and just as healthy. I wish I would have brought more containers to fill before I headed home.

Getting to Fern Springs could not be easier. When you come into the valley either on Highway 120 or 140 (they join up), the two-way highway turns into a one-way road. At the split, the road crosses Pohono Bridge (more on that in a future blog) then makes a quick jog to left, then right. There, you will find Fern Spring just sitting there waiting for you, your camera, and your water containers.

As you might guess, this is an HDR enhanced photo. I used only 4 exposures to make this image instead of the usual 5. The last exposure was so blown out it wasn’t needed. I used a slow shutter speed to obtain the silky texture of the water. A few enhancements were added in Photoshop to complete the image. I must say I do like the way it turned out.

Back in February of this year, I wrote about Fern Springs and showed you a photo I took a couple of years ago in Autumn. At that times, the plethora of autumn leaves in the water were the dominant theme and the waterfalls were just a trickle. Not so in spring. All of Yosemite’s waterfalls are always changing.

Look for more HDR images from my Yosemite trip coming your way here soon.

Postcard from Yosemite–Half Dome in HDR

Here it is folks…my first photo from Yosemite, done using HDR (High Dynamic Range). To be honest, I wasn’t going to share this photo here…it was only a practice run and not one of my favorite images from my recent trip. But, right after making this very first image, my computer stopped working…just stopped dead in its tracks. I was without my computer for 24 hours.

Turns out the power supply died and I replaced it today.  Am back on line now, as you can see. But my blog is due out today, so I decided to share this first test image with you. It shows Half Dome and the Merced River, as photographed from the Centennial Bridge…a well known spot to tourists and photographers alike.

Actually it’s a good time to explain the HDR process with you. This photo is nearly impossible to get with a digital camera, or most cameras for that matter. The light on Half Dome is quite bright…but there is hardly any light on the river or the trees.  From the Valley floor, the sun has already set below the horizon. Cameras today do not have the ability to handle such a diverse range of light. 

If you go to the bottom of this blog, you will see the original photo as the camera automatically metered it. The trees are way too dark and the sky and Half Dome are almost blown out.

The HDR solution I chose here was to take five shots in quick succession, using a different exposure for each one. So in the underexposed photos, Half Dome and the sky are correctly exposed. In the overexposed images, you cannot even see the dome or the sky, but the river and trees are well lit.

In the digital darkroom (AKA my computer), I use a program called Photomatix. It takes the five images and brings out the best exposure for each part of the picture and then combines them into one. But, it is far from perfect…to finish off the photo, one needs to import it into Photoshop and work more magic to make it really stand out.  

I actually darkened the trees a bit to bring it as close to what my eye saw that night…and I had to tone down the reds and yellows on Half Dome. Its great fun exploring the possibilities of HDR…so look for more HDR photos from Yosemite soon.

Here is the single shot of this image using the metering determined by my Nikon camera.  Now you know why I am excited about HDR.

Postcard from Yosemite

Here is the first photo from my recent expedition to Yosemite National Park. This is Lower Yosemite Falls, complete with a double rainbow. Fortunately I knew what time to get to this spot for a possible rainbow shot…and was lucky enough to get not just one, but two rainbows.

At the time I took the photo, on the bridge downstream from the falls, I was being soaked by the heavy mist coming off of the falls. I would have loved to do this shot in HDR (High Dynamic Range), but that requires a tripod and a quick series of 3-5 shots. There was no way that was going to happen with all the mist from the falls. The only way to capture it was to hide the camera with my back to the falls, turn quickly, then take the shot as fast as possible.  Then turn around and wipe the lens off…then shoot again.

There was a place to shoot the falls without getting wet, but there was no rainbow visible there. I did take other exposures out on the bridge to capture the rainbow, but this was the only one that had a double rainbow.

Most of my photos on this trip were done using HDR techniques, but they take a while to “develop” in the computer. You will be seeing some of them shortly.

We had great weather on this trip…sunshine every day. A few days after we left, the weather turned bad and there was actually some snow in Valley.  Very unusual for May. High above the valley floor there is still a ton of snow so the waterfalls are going to be full for a while longer.

Look for more from Yosemite soon.

Postcard from Yosemite

This is Bridalveil Falls in May, five years ago.  It was taken at sundown from a location called Tunnel View (because it is close to a tunnel) on the main south-bound road out of the valley. I used a telescopic lens to get this close-up.

Five years ago, the falls were very full as the melting snow was 125% above normal.  You can see the huge mist clouds billowing up from the base of the falls. On that trip, I could not get anywhere near the falls to photograph as the mist was very intense. This year, the melting snow is 175% above normal, so the falls (and the Merced River) should be even fuller.

I show you this photo for two reasons: One is that it is a good photo…two, because I will be there next week. Yes, I am off on one my road trips again in two days.  I will be gone for two weeks, both for the Yosemite trip and to visit family and friends. It’s been almost two years since I have been there, so am really looking forward to this trip.

I am flying up to San Jose where my brother will pick me up. Then, next Tuesday, I am meeting up with my friend and fellow photographer Dave Forster and heading to Yosemite for a few days. On this trip, I will be doing at great deal of HRD photography to hopeful yield even better photos.  It will be so great to “come home” to Yosemite Valley where I spent so much of my childhood.

Obviously I won’t be able to write this blog on a regular basis, but will try to post a few pictures as I will have 3 camera with me, two of which will be used for instant photos to post here, as well as Facebook and Twitter. So stay tuned…please.

Postcard from Tucson

This photo is part of my project on architectural studies. This building is the medical library building, which is part of the large University Medical Center on the UofA campus. The medical facilities are located on the north side of the campus and are quite extensive. If you watched the TV coverage of the massacre here in Tucson a few months ago, you saw the hospital portion of the UofA medical facilities. Believe me, there is much more to the place.

I just love the view of this building. I called the photo, “The Graph” as it reminds me of a graph of my retirement fund accounts after the recent economic downturn….down, down, down.  I was temped to flip the photo so the graph pointed up to make me feel better, but I resisted the temptation.

I have posted some of my architectural study photographs on my Website and also on Flickr. There are many more that I have not processed yet. Again, my goal with these photos is purely artistic….and, as I have said here before, there are a plethora of subjects here in Tucson to keep me busy for a while.

I would appreciate any comments you have on this photo, or any others, for that matter. 

Postcard from Quartzite–Rock Me, Baby

Give me some new tools for Photoshop and I will start playing like a kid with a new toy. This time, I revisited my collection of rock photos from Quartzite, AZ…the sleepy tiny town in the middle of nowhere that is famous for rocks and RV shows.

This is one of several photos taken at a rock shop in Quartzite where small and medium size rocks reside in barrels…perfect for shooting (you have heard the old expression, “As easy as shooting rocks in a barrel”). With my new Photoshop tools, I started playing and creating new colors and textures. I call this new series of photos, “Color and Chaos.”

While the colors here are not faked, they are definitely exaggerated…and the textures are definitely exaggerated! But, that is the fun of creating art…going off the mainstream and heading into uncharted territory. Sometimes you get a winner, other times a total dud.  I like to think this shot, and a few other rock shots, are winners, if nothing more than fun eye candy.

I hope you agree. 

You can see more fantasy rocks at my newly updated Flickr site in the “Colors and Chaos” section.

Postcard from Tucson

This is the first photo I am showing of my new architectural studies project. I started this project after seeing a book on architecture in Paris. Rather than photographing the large buildings and monuments of that great city, the photographer focused on small aspects of the native architecture. After going through the book, I felt sad that I could not go to Paris and do the same thing in my own style.

But then it got me thinking that I live in Tucson, and we have some wonderful architecture here…and I should focus my efforts on where I live, not where I want to be. So I started exploring and found many, many locations that fell right into place with what I wanted to achieve.

For most of the photos, I focused my eye on smaller parts of structures that show simple lines and form, rather than on a whole building. As I preached here before, one starts with the big picture and works down and down and down to the smallest parts, until finding what looks good in two dimensions.

This is a good example…the picture demonstrates those very lines and single point perspective. It is a walkway on the campus of UofA, taken early on a Sunday morning before the students were awake.  I had to do that as it is a very busy thoroughfare during the day and evening hours. 

About 90% of the photos you will see in this project are in black and white. In photos like these, color distracts the viewer from the main points of the photo and largely reduces any emotional impact. These are simple studies and I want viewers to focus on the simplicity and beauty of the objects you see. Black and white makes that possible.

I will show you more of these photos in the future, but not at the expense of some of my other interesting photos and traveler’s tales. I hope you like this first one.

Postcard from The Arches

Welcome back to the Fiery Furnace section of the Arches National Park. I’ve brought you’re here before, through the lens of my camera, but you have not seen this picture before.  It was one of those great days where you get red and white against a blue and white sky…and a little bit of greenery thrown in for measure. What more you could ask?

Again, this is outside of the furnace itself. I have shown you one image from inside, but there are more to come someday soon. The inside is difficult to photograph as it is a very tight fit in there, its dark, and no sky. As mentioned before, it is a maze of dead end slot canyons, best seen with a guide. One day soon I will tell you my adventures inside the furnace.

Of course, south eastern Utah is filled with all kinds of red and white rock formations, each different. Just think about it…the Arches is so very different than Bryce Canyon, or Red Canyon, or Zion, and many other places I could name. One could spent many years wandering in and out of that part of the state and still not see all its wonders. I hope to return there later this year to explore some new places.

And I promise to take you along. 

Postcard from Tucson

The University of Arizona sits on over 400 acres in central Tucson. It is a beautiful campus, with incredible architecture and educational facilities like few others here in the US. I often go there for walks and to do some reading and writing, and lately, some photography.

With so much space and so many places to wander, I constantly find new things and new nooks and crannies to explore. This last weekend was no exception. With camera in hand, looking for interesting architectural features, I came across this beautiful flower that I had never seen before. It is called a “Mexican Bird.” And it is not the only unique plant of its kind on campus.

Thanks to the work of Professor Emeritus Warren Jones and others, the UA Campus is the home of hundreds of species of trees and shrubs, from arid climates on all continents.  The University of Arizona Campus Arboretum was established for the purposes of preservation, education, and enhancing this extensive collection…and they do an excellent job.

According to their Website…”The University of Arizona holds a truly unique collection of plants from arid and semi-arid climates around the world. Many campus trees are the largest specimens in Arizona and have been designated as Great Trees of Arizona. There are 5 trees on the National Register of Big Trees.”

The reason I was able to identify this flower so quickly was that there are small plaques in front of plants, trees, and cactus all over campus.

Now that spring is in full swing, many of the plants and trees on campus are showing their blooms, although the cactus seem to be a little slow this year. The plant life that inhabits the Sonoran Desert is like no other in the world. What is enjoyable is discovering new flowers like this one, even though I have been here now for 2.5 years.

Postcard from Oak Park

Oak Park is a lovely city, just east of Chicago…a bedroom community, if you will, for many folks who work in the Windy City. The fastest way to get there, without a car is to take a Green Line El Train east out of the Loop and get off at the Oak Park station.

What makes Oak Park a little more special than most bedroom cities? It was the home for many years of the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The city is replete with several homes and buildings designed by this highly influential man. The photo you see here, is part of Wright’s own home and studio. It’s much larger than shown here as I could not back up far enough to get it all in the frame.

It is a good example of the “Prairie Style” architecture pioneered by Wright. That style featured horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands, integration with the landscape, solid construction, craftsmanship, and discipline in the use of ornament. Horizontal lines were thought to evoke and relate to the native prairie landscape.

Inside, there is a feeling of openness as Wright loved large rooms that were not delineated by full walls. Wright also designed the furniture and other aspects of daily living that went into each of his homes. He would even pick out silverware.

His early big break came when he was hired by the great Chicago Architect Louis Sullivan. He recognized Wright’s talents early on and eventually gave him large design responsibilities. Remember, at this time, Chicago was still being rebuilt because of the “great Chicago fire” of 1871…and Chicago was experiencing a large influx of new residents. So Sullivan (and Wright) were extremely busy at this time.

Later, Sullivan fired Wright when he discovered that his best designer was secretly freelancing on the side. A sad ending as it was Sullivan that lent him the money to build his Oak Park home. Wright was a complex man…a great architect, but a lousy businessman, lousy handling money, and a flair for stepping out on his wife and family. An affair with a neighbor’s wife eventually led to the two of them leaving Oak Park and moving to Europe. He left behind his wife of 20 years and six kids.  

If you want to know much more about Wright, I heartily suggest a PBS video done by the great filmmaker Ken Burns (The Civil War). Its available to watch for free on Netflix. It is utter fascination to see how this American icon led such a turbulent personal and professional life and rose above it all to become known as America’s greatest architect.

I have more photos Oak Park including homes around Wright’s, some of which he designed. I got to be pretty good at spotting his designs as I walked around the town. More to come in the future.

Postcard from Tucson

Not long ago, I mentioned a new project I was working on…architectural studies of buildings in the Tucson area. Well, I am still plugging away at it, usually on weekends. This is one of the photos I took on one of my outings. It isn’t exactly a true architectural photo, but I like it, never-the-less. It has some nice artistic qualities. And actually, as the tables, chairs and umbrellas were planned by the original architect, perhaps it is architectural in nature.

I took it on the third floor of the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Building on campus as the University of Arizona. As you will see from future photos, the UofA is a treasure trove of fabulous architecture. And now that I think about it, you have already seen a few examples in past blogs.

This actually is one of my favorite places on campus. On weekends, you will often find me there, working on my netbook computer, or just reading. It has a fabulous courtyard between two main buildings, filled with tables and chairs. In the courtyard are beautifully shaped concrete planters with plants, lawn and bushes and many stately palm trees rising almost to the third floor. I recently read that the building was designed to resemble and airplane hanger, but I must admit, I don’t see it.

Two walkways on each connect the two buildings. It is from the western walkway, looking down, that I took this photo. I hope you like it.

Postcard from Wrigleyville

I realized after posting my last blog about Wrigley Field, that I have never told you the story of the stadium’s famous scoreboard. Well, I am here to make amends…and as you will see, the facts and stories behind the scoreboard are interesting.

First, there are only two fully manual scoreboards left in the major leagues…and as you might guess, they are from the two oldest parks, Wrigley and Fenway Park in Boston. A few other stadiums have partial manually operated scoreboards, but its not the same.

In Wrigley, the board, which was installed in 1937, is operated by five guys behind the scenes. There is no heating or air conditioning inside, so right now the guys are freezing, but will be roasting in there come summer. And, as you can imagine, they are constantly moving, putting up scores from all over the major leagues.

Now, you noticed I said 5 guys…not a woman in site. The reason…there is no bathroom in there…however, there is a funnel attached to a hose which is used when the need arises. Imagine that in this day and age!

Now, if you examine the photo, you will see electric lights used to signify balls, strikes and outs. These lights are not controlled by the guys inside, but rather buy a fellow working in the press box, high above the field behind home plate. His name is Rick and has picked up the nickname of “Quick Rick.”I was lucky enough to visit the press box and see where Quick Rick does his work.

Now, Rick got his nickname because he is super-fast at posting balls, strikes and outs. In fact, he has studied the motions of every umpire in the National League and has the ability to put up a ball or strike before the ump has finished his arm motion. He is that fast.

But, one day, he was a little to fast. The Cubs were playing the St. Louis Cardinals one day and the Cards had two runners on base with one out. The next batter hit a fly ball to the outfield where Sammy Sosa made the easy catch. But Sammy forgot how many outs there were. So, as soon as he made the catch, he turned around to check the scoreboard.  He saw two outs posted and thought he made the catch for the third out. But Quick Rick had posted the out before Sammy turned around.

Sammy, thinking there were three outs, started jogging in towards the Cubs dugout. The Cardinal runners all scored before Sammy realized he had made a goof. The Cards won the game by one run. Oops. Legend has it that Quick Rick was told not to be so quick anymore.

There are lots of great stories about Wrigley like the Curse of the Billy Goat and others, but those will have to wait for another day. Next time, something different than baseball, I promise.   

Postcard from Wrigleyville

About 11 months ago, I wrote a blog about my first trip to Wrigley Field in Chicago. I still think back to that trip and how special it was for me. Stepping back in history and waxing romantically about my love of baseball in my younger days.

I have been back to Chicago and Wrigley since then and it was no less a special visit than the first time. And with the baseball season just beginning, I thought it a appropriate to show another image of that famous stadium and its sign.

I don’t think there is any more famous ballpark sign in baseball. Sure, Fenway Park is slightly older than Wrigley, but I defy you to tell me what their entrance looks like. We have all seen photos of the “Green Monster” wall in left field, but their entrance is doo-doo compared to Wrigley.

In case you are wondering, this picture was taken at the corner of Addison and Clark. That whole area reeks of sports, both baseball and others.  Sports bars are everywhere. But having been to a few, my favorite is still Harry Carey’s Tavern, across from the stadium.

And while my love of professional baseball has waned considerably since my younger days, I still love the game. The major leagues lost me as a fan several years ago, but I do enjoy going out to watch college baseball here in Tucson. And this year, Tucson has a new Triple A Farm Team, so I might just drop by this year and see a few games.

But whatever happens, I will never forget my times at Wrigley Field.

Postcard from Oxford

It’s one of my favorite cities in the world…Oxford, England. It lies about 1.25 hours north of London, depending on traffic. Of course, it has one of the most famous and oldest universities in the world, dating back to the 11th century. Oxford University consists of 38 colleges with romantic names such as St. Johns, Trinity, Queens, Keble, New (which is old), Jesus, Exeter, and many more.

Its noted teachers and students are way too many to name here. Its churches, libraries and museums are incredible and fun to explore. The whole city reeks with charm from by-gone eras. And, I have been fortunate to visit it several times. But part of its charm includes its many pubs in and around town.

This photo/sketch is of my favorite Oxford pub, the White Horse. It is located on Broad Street, in the heart of Oxford, directly across the street from the famous Sheldonian Theater. It’s the oldest pub in Oxford, dating back to 1590. It was “home” to famous visitors to Oxford such as President Clinton and Winston Churchill…and favorite hangout of TV’s Inspector Morse. Also look for it in the movie, “The Oxford Murders,” (they sat at the same table as me). It is also one of the city’s smallest pubs.  But definitely worth the visit.

If you go, be sure and order the steak and ale pie…so delicious…and let the barman pick out your beer/ale/lager/bitters for your meal.

Its easy to get to…if you are in London, take the bus (called the Oxford Tube). There are several pickup spot in London, then non-stop to the heart of downtown Oxford. Then, just walk and enjoy this most incredible city.

Postcard from Tucson

I’ve started a new project (or picked up the pieces of an old one)…photographing some of the architectural wonders of Tucson.  Since I live here, why not.? Easier to photograph here than Paris.

My project, for the most part, will focus tightly on some of the smaller details of our architecture, and will mostly be in black and white. This photo, of course, fits neither of those two criteria. But I was out shooting early Sunday morning and I always wanted to shoot this scene without people in it.

So while I captured several good architectural images later in the day, I had to get this one while I had the opportunity. I will explain more about my new project when I show off some of those images.

But, of course, this does qualify as an architectural photo. It is the walkway in front of the old Tucson Courthouse. I’ve shown you a painting I did of the entire courthouse some time back. This walkway is on the other side of the picture. I love the arches here and have always been a fan of arched walkways and their courtyards. This kind of arched walkway is very prominent in several European countries. I have even found some here in America…the last one, besides this one, being inside a student dorm at the University of Chicago.

I found another interesting walkway similar to this one, without the arches, on the University of Arizona campus. As I said, it is similar, but quite a bit different. I will show it to you soon. I promise.

Postcard from Utah

How could one not stop and take a picture like this? I was traveling east on picturesque Highway 12 in Utah. I was east of Bryce Canyon and west of Escalante. I had just spent 4 days camping and hiking (and photographing, of course) in Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park….the very westerly section of Highway 12. Now I was traveling east to see more of the most beautiful highway in Utah.

This photo was taken just outside the small town of Henrieville, UT…looking east. The red rock/mountain formation you see is called Powell Point and is one of many beautiful sites you see in the Grand Staircase of the Escalante National Monument.

The clouds this day, were of course, a major bonus. I think it rained a little off and on that day, but had stopped by the time I got to Escalante. From there, the real beauty of southern Utah begins.

Postcard from Mt. Rainier

In a less visited corner of this magnificent National Park lies a grove of old, first growth trees known as the “Grove of the Patriarchs.” It is about a one mile walk from the main road through some of the most beautiful forest you have ever seen. Part of the trail runs beside the Ohanapecosh River.

Soon, the trail divides and you cross the creek on a swinging bridge and head deeper into the forest, until you enter the Grove of the Patriarchs. From there, the trail becomes a boardwalk to help protect this old forest from the crush of too many visitors.

From here, you feel like you are on sacred ground. Groves of ancient Douglas-fir, hemlock and Western red cedar trees leave the air musty sweet. Many of these trees are over 1,000 years old…some have 30’ foot or more circumferences…they have survived fires and floods and even the ravages of man.  

This photo is more artistic and less designed to give you a feel of an old growth forest. In the future, I will show you images of the trees that grow here. But, better yet, if you are ever in this great park, set aside some time to visit this place for yourself. You will never forget it.

Postcard from Chicago

The date was 10/10/10…an unusual date to be sure. It was the day of the Chicago Marathon, a major event not only in Chicago, but in the world of marathon runners. They come from all over the world in many shapes and sizes, some runners, some walkers, and a few who can do neither.

I captured this photo as a so-called handicapped participant in the race came around the corner near mile marker 19. He was actually way ahead of most of the runners. He moved quickly as his arms kept spinning his back wheels, only leaving when he had to negotiate a turn.  It was a herculean effort to stay ahead of the pack and attain his best personal time over the 26 mile course. No matter what his final time, he is a champion and one that inspires awe and admiration for us more fortunate humans who have the use of all our limbs. I wondered that day if I could do this, given his same situation. I tend to doubt it.

But in fairness, I raise my glass in tribute to the thousands who competed that day, but to this fellow especially.

Postcard from Tucson–Book Fest

The annual Tucson Book Festival is probably my favorite event in Tucson. Too bad it only happens once a year. In only its third year, the event is now the 3rd largest event of its type in the nation. This year, over 400 published authors, many extremely well known, came here for the two day celebration of books of all types.

As you can see, there are a plethora of tents all over the mall area where you can purchase books, attend seminars, meet authors, get your books autographed, and visit many other publishing-related vendors. The photo above shows you just some of tents outside…there are many more off to the right.

For me, the best part of the festival are the author talks and workshops that occur in classrooms and tents on the University of Arizona campus. There are hundreds of them, but sadly you can only do five a day as they are held in the same time slots. When the lists come out, I spend a few hours going over them and narrowing down the ones I want to see…then make my final selections. Sadly there are always two or three events held at the same time and I have to make a hard choice. This year, I carried the list on my new Droid X phone, so I knew where to go for each event. Love that phone!

The second photo shows you one seminar I attended called, “Scene of the Crime: Place as Character.” The mystery writers there include Martin Cruz Smith, on the far left (Gorky Park, Polar Star, and many more)…and Cara Black, center, author of the Aimee LeDuc mysteries that take place all over Paris. It was held in one of the large tents set up on the mall.

Other events I attended were on such diverse topics as science fiction, constitutional law, astronomy, puzzles, writing, sports and more. I got to meet and speak with folks like the famous sports writer Frank Deford and the writer of many great thrillers, James Rollins. 

Like last year, C-Span 2 was also here showing live book talks on both Saturday and Sunday. I attended two of those and saw the camera pointed at me a couple of times, but have not seen the videos yet. 

In such a short space, it is difficult to explain how much I enjoyed this festival. If you are an avid reader such as me, look for a festival like this somewhere near you.  Or next year, plan to come down to Tucson and see this one.  By the way, the weather was perfect, right around 80 degrees.

Postcard from Mt. Rainier

This photo, taken in Mt. Rainier National Park, is the base of Narada Falls. And yes, the rocks are really that gold color. They really do look like large chunks of gold, made even shinier by the water. 

I remember this trip to Mt. Rainier as it was my one and only visit to this great park in the Northwest. Imagine that, living for 15 years in Washington State and only visiting this natural wonder only one time. And here’s another dirty little secret…I never made it to Mt. St. Helens.

What makes this trip even more memorable for me, was it was my first expedition into the wilds with my first, brand new digital camera, an Olympus E-300. I remember shooting on the first day in the park and not being really pleased with my shots. So I took a hotel room outside the park’s western entrance, got out the camera manual and read it in depth and discovered where I went wrong. (You know the old saying about electronic gadgets…when all else fails, read the manual). The next day’s shooting produced much better photos.

This shot of Narada Falls was done on the second day. The falls are just a short walk from the main highway and worth every step. I did shoot the entire falls, but like this one the best as it highlights the gold rocks, which, to me, are just as important as the falls. When one is shooting a scene like this, one should always shoot at different angles, as well as wide angle and close-ups. You never know what may jump off the screen at you when doing post-processing.  

Postcard from Tucson–Wishing for Spring

It won’t be long now…it’s early March and Spring is about to be sprung. Here in Tucson, it feels like Spring already…temperature in the 70’s and low 80’s, plenty of sunshine, baseball underway…but no flowers yet, like the ones you see in this photo.

I shot these lovely flowers last year in early April at the Tohono Chul Park here in our fair city. That park is dedicated to Southwest plants and flowers and no doubt I will be out there again in a couple of weeks. I showed you some of the flowers from there last year. But, like most of you, I am getting impatient for the real Spring to kick into gear again.  If you live in the north climates, you must be more than ready.

Don’t ask me the name of these flowers as I don’t have a clue. Remembering the names of flowers is not my strong point. So I just enjoy the beauty they bring to our lives…and thanks to photography, I can enjoy them all the time.

Postcard from Newport

The Oregon Coast is a wonder of nature and is always there for all to appreciate. I’ve driven it a few times, always with my camera because there is so much to enjoy and capture forever.

This photo of a beach near Newport, Oregon is a simple, yet expansive photo of the drifting sands caught in one moment of time. Go to this spot today, and it is an entirely different sight. When I saw this scene, I was reminded of some images I’ve seen of the sands of Death Valley and White Sands, NM. In these photos, it is all about patterns and texture.

I had no doubts when I photographed this scene it would be rendered in black and white. The sand is brown, but as I have said here before, color can distract the viewer from seeing the true intent of the photographer. By rendering the scene in black and white, you see what I want you to see and the image becomes more emotional. The patterns and textures jump out at you. Add to that, a classic S-Curve, and you have instant depth.

But enough of the photo lessons for now. Just enjoy the view.

Postcard from the Goosenecks

Last time, in my postcard from Mexican Hat, I briefly mentioned Goosenecks State Park. It’s an interesting place with a great view. I’ve never shared any photos of the place, because, quite frankly, my few pictures of the place were terrible.

The original images are the perfect example of why you never shoot at midday and you never shoot into the sun. I have worked hard to clean up this photo to make it presentable for viewing, but it is definitely not on my masterpiece list. I show it to you only because I want you to see part of the incredible views at this Utah State Park.

I stopped here briefly to eat lunch while on my way to Canyonlands National Park further north. I was amazed by the view and so sorry that I didn’t make it here at a better time of day, photographically speaking.  The river you see here meandering through the 1,000 ft. deep chasm is the San Juan River (I incorrectly identified it in my last blog as the Green River…sorry).  The river meanders back and forth, flowing for more than five miles while progressing only one linear mile toward the Colorado River. From this viewpoint, there is another gooseneck off to the right…just could not fit it all into the lens.

As I said, the only way to photograph the scene was to shoot almost directly into the sun, which accounts for the flares you seen in the photo. Still, it was a nice place to have lunch.

Postcard from Mexican Hat

Yes, there really is a place called Mexican Hat. It is in southern Utah, on US Highway 163, just north of Monument Valley and the Arizona border. Population 88, at the last census. It gets its name from Mexican Hat Rock, a distinctive rock formation located just outside of town (see below).

The town has a big celebration every year on March 8, commemorating the fact that the US Census Bureau has officially named it as a “census designated place.” Everyone in town who can make it shows up wearing…you guessed it…a Mexican Hat.

The hills pictured above are also just outside of town. When I first saw them, a few years ago, they reminded me of a Navajo blanket, for some reason. Probably because I had just left the lands of the Navajo Nation behind me when I first came into town. But, they are also similar to the Painted Hills of Oregon, which you have also seen here before.

So, besides the Mexican Hat Rock, located nearby is Goosenecks State Park, a wonderful place to see the Green River flowing through a series of goosenecks….and not far north are the fascinating red rock formations of the Valley of the Gods. As you may have noticed through my blogs, southern Utah is a beautiful place and worth many sightseeing trips.

Postcard from the Painted Hills

I came across this photograph taken a couple of years ago in the Painted Hills of Oregon and realized I had never shared it here. Neglectful of me, for sure, as I think it is a good photo.

I don’t have much more to say about the Painted Hills that I haven’t already shared with you before. It’s located in North Central Oregon and if you live in the Northwest as so many of you do, you definitely need to go there someday and enjoy the exquisite colors. Although it is part of a National Monument, there is no fee to get in. Just go, already!

Postcard from Chicago–Navy Pier

Welcome to Navy Pier, one of Chicago’s most popular landmarks and tourist attractions.  Extending nearly 2/3 of a mile into Lake Michigan, the pier houses dozens, if not more, tourist attractions, such as the carnival rides pictured here.

It took two years to build and opened to the public in 1916. It was designed as both a pier to handle shipping and as a public gathering place for Chicagoans. And that is what it did until the era of motor transportation began hitting the shipping companies hard.   By the late 1930s, the pier was used as more of a summer playground, with recreational facilities that included picnicking areas, dining pavilions, a dance hall, auditorium, and children's playground.

During World War II the pier returned to serious marine purposes, as the city leased the pier to the U.S. Navy as a training center. The Navy's air group training arm docked a pair of converted flattops at the pier to use as freshwater training carriers. During this period, some 60,000 sailors and 15,000 pilots, including President George H. W. Bush, trained at the pier.

Moving forward several years, the pier was rebuilt in the 1990s, and now includes fast-food kiosks, shops, a ballroom, a concert stage, and convention exhibition halls. Other attractions include a 150-foot Ferris wheel (pictured here), an IMAX theater, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Amazing Chicago's Funhouse Maze, the Chicago Children's Museum,  and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows.

There are also several different kinds of excursion boats docked on the pier that will take you for specialized trips around Lake Michigan. For example, I took an old schooner sailing ship for an hour’s cruise on the lake. Quite fun, actually.

If you are ever in Chicago, no doubt you will visit Navy Pier as it is listed as the #1 tourist attraction in this great city. Definitely worth of visit. Be sure and stop in at the Billy Goat Café so you can hear the cooks yelling out, “Cheesebourger, Cheesbourger, Cheesbourger.” That alone is worth the trip.

Postcard from Yosemite–The Smallest Falls

Yosemite Valley is home to dozens of gigantic falls, some of which I’ve previously detailed here. With the valley being around 4,000 feet deep, the giant falls have a long spectacular drop. There is Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Ribbon Falls, and many others to numerous to name. And in springtime, there are even waterfalls that have no names.

But, in a quiet corner of the valley lies Yosemite’s smallest waterfall…called Fern Springs. Mostly ignored by tourists, it is actually quite easy to get to as it sits right by the road. There is even a small turnout to park your car.  As you enter the valley proper, the road splits in two and becomes one-way in each direction. Cross the Pohono Bridge and it is on your right. 

It is a natural spring bubbling up out of the earth. The water is quite drinkable. Like all Yosemite water, there is less of it in the autumn than in spring…and obviously this photo was taken in autumn…late October to be exact. And there is actually a second set of small falls just below what you see here.

Like all falls in this great valley, water from Fern Springs eventually flows into the Merced River. I hope someday I can go back in the springtime and photograph it again when the falls are full. 

Postcard from Southern Arizona

Sunrises and sunsets are a photographer’s bread and butter. We mostly concentrate on the quality of that more gentle red-shifted light on particular subjects. But, occasionally, we focus on the sunrise/sunset itself, as I did in this photo.

Sunsets are usually better than sunrise, because the ground has heated up during the day and there are more airborne particles in the air to help bring out more color. Such was the case for this photo.

The sun is actually in a different location than where I pointed my camera for this shot. The photo was taken at what we sometimes call “second sunset”…when the sun is below the horizon, but its red light affects cloud formations in all directions. The foreground, while not very spectacular, gives the viewer a point of reference. Remember, if you shoot sunset or sunrise photos, always give the sky either 1/3 or 2/3 of the image…never 1/2. Decide what is more interesting, the ground or the sky…then make your decision.

I took this image about 2 years ago in the Coronado National Forest, in the Mt. Wrightson Wilderness Area, about 40 miles due south of Tucson. I camped out there for a couple of nights and was rewarded with a spectacular evening light show. We do have some spectacular sunsets here in the Southwest. 

Postcard from Oregon

I came across this photo while searching through my archives.  I took it a few years ago with my first digital camera. The location is Astoria, Oregon…at the Northwest tip of the state.  It is here that the fabled Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean.

It is here where Lewis and Clark finished their amazing westward trek from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. In fact, nearby there is a replica of their winter fort.

This is one of the Columbia Lightships that marked the entrance to the Columbia River at the Pacific Ocean.  The first Columbia lightship took its place in 1892. This one served from 1951 to 1979. It was the last Columbia to be decommissioned on the west coast. WLV 604 is now a museum piece and open to the public at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

The ship is made of steel and is 128 feet long, 30 feet wide, and draft of 11 feet. The ship was powered by a diesel engine made by Atlas Imperial. The lighting system on the WLV 604 was a 375mm lens visible for up to 13 miles. Fog warning was provided by two diaphone signals on either side of the ship. It was replaced by a lighted navigational buoy. It was eventually retired as well.

I liked this image because of the two bow lines and anchor chain leading from the dock to the front of the ship. The clouds were also a great help. I am very glad I have so many pictures of the great Northwest to remember my time there.  

Postcard from Autumn–Forest Floor

I love these small scenes of nature, as you may have noticed. This was shot in Autumn, late October actually. Where? It doesn’t really matter, I guess, as its just another small, tiny piece of nature in the fall.

Actually, it was photographed in Yosemite National Park…not in the Valley, nor in the high country…but about halfway between…off of the Big Oak Flat Road. I just wandered into the forest and found this little scene. I didn’t arrange anything, just shot it as is. On that safari, I got to the park at exactly the right time.

What is better than wandering in nature, taking in the beauty? Most of the time it is not worthy of a prize-winning photo. But, never-the-less, it is peaceful and glorious to behold. It can restore our souls and wash away the noise and confusion of everyday life. But, it does help to have a camera nearby when you run into a beautiful little scene like this.

In my last blog, I showed you the grand sweep of Bryce Canyon from high on Inspiration Point. By way of contrast, I show you a tiny part of Yosemite here, but no less beautiful than the Canyon.

But, like the last blog where I told you to check out my updated Bryce Canyon photos on the Web, today, I am promoting my updated Autumn photo site on my Web pages. Again, this site has many new, never-before-scene photos, like this one…as well as some reworked images from other Autumn locations. I invite you to see it, at your convenience.

Postcard from Bryce Canyon

You’ve seen this photography before. I shared it with you just over one year ago. I am showing it again because my new blog writing software allows me to show photographs in a much larger size than ever before.  You may have noticed in recent blogs that many of the photos took up the entire top of the blog...like this one.

This is my favorite photo from Bryce and is also one of my favorite photos of all time. And now I can show it in a much bigger version. A year ago, the photo was just too small to really enjoy.

It shows the view of the aptly named Amphitheater in the north section of the park. The view is from high up on Inspiration Point, a rugged bit of a vertical climb. The trail is easy, but at 8,000 feet, you really give your lungs a workout. But on this day, it was worth it.

If you ever go to Bryce Canyon National Park, be sure an be ready to take photographs at sunrise. The canyon walls face east, so the morning light on the hoodoos is spectacular. In close-up photos in many areas, the sunlight bounces of the back walls of the canyon, giving shadow areas a wonderful glow. 

I have a second reason to show you this photo again. I’ve completely redone my Web page section on Bryce…removing several photos, redoing others, and adding several new photos never shown before. I invite you to take a look.

Postcard from the Cascades–Autumn Cartoon

As I have written here before, the Cascade Mountains of WA yield some of the finest autumn colors on this planet. Some years, of course, are better than others. Still, the Cascades are a photographer’s paradise in October.

I completed this image only today and wanted to share it with you right away. I’ve been working lately on upgrading my Web site images, adding new ones, and replacing those I’ve fallen out of love with. These last two days, I worked on some of my autumn images, which is always a labor of love. The colors…my God, how could you not love working on photos from autumn?

As is sometimes my habit, I played with a new, recently acquired Photoshop filter, called Cartoon. I was just experimenting, but loved what showed up. So, of course, I named it, “Autumn Cartoon.” I don’t consider it one of my paintings per say as I just applied a filter.  It does look like one and if I were still doing art shows, I might just put it out for sale.

I hope you enjoy it and in these dog days of winter, a little extra color is always to be savored.

Postcard from Bryce–Three Vultures

I will admit, I am not much of a wildlife photographer. But when three birds pose for me in a tree, how can I go wrong.  These birds are, if I am not mistaken Turkey Vultures.

I took this photo on my last photographic expedition to Bryce Canyon National Park. I believe I was high up on Inspiration Point just after dawn. After shooting down into the canyon, I turned around and there they were…three birds also taking in the morning view (or waiting for me to die). So I lifted the camera and started shooting. Thank God I had a zoom lens on the camera.

To quote from an article about these birds on buzzle.com:

“Turkey vultures are widely found in North America and are also known as turkey buzzards. The adult turkey vultures can weigh up to 6 pound, reaching the length of 25 to 32 inches. The wingspan of the vultures can be about 6 feet. The name turkey is given to them due to the bald, red head that closely resembles that of a wild turkey. Their feet closely resembles the feet of a chicken, which they cannot use to lift or carry food. Instead, their feet are especially designed to hold food in place while eating.

Vultures are basically scavengers, that feed on carrion or carcasses of dead animals. So, like other vultures, turkey vultures too survive on carrion and cannot kill their prey. They usually thrust their heads inside the carcass. Here, their bald head serves an important purpose, while they eat carrion. The fact that their head is bald keeps it clean, while they stick their head inside the body cavity of the carcass. Turkey vultures have an extraordinary sense of smell, which enables them to find out a carcass just within 24 hours of its death. They are also empowered with a sharp eye sight, which helps them to search food. If need arises, turkey vultures can also live on vegetation.”

And that’s the fact, Jack!