The light was coming through the storm clouds casting rays on the Gulf of Mexico while a I rested on Tiger Key in Everglades National Park. It was a beautiful evening with a soft salty breeze coming off the ocean and cooling me on the silky white beach.
Grove of Mangrove Trees on Tiger Key
I love the different formations of mangrove trees in the Everglades National Park’s Keys. I couldn’t help but use them as focal subjects for my photographs. Coming from the Colorado Rockies, these swamp/marsh forests are super cool.
Mangrove Tree Off of Rabbit Key
One of the cool aspects of exploring Ten Thousand Islands in Everglades National Park is the plethora of Mangroves that are present there. The Gulf of Mexico is very shallow in the area and tides can expose large expanses of beach when they recede. Trees can thrive out in these sections as long as the top of their roots remain exposed to the air. This presents some interesting opportunities for unique subjects in photography that are not available in other locations.
Sunset Peaking through Clouds on Tiger Key
Listening to the waves roll on to the white beach and looking up through the mangroves to see the sunset happening on Tiger Key was a fabulous moment. Everglades National Park has numerous locations to get away from Florida’s crowds and just absorb nature's beauty. Ten Thousand Islands is a prime location to experience the setting sun dip below the Gulf of Mexico.
Beauty of a Crashing Wave
I sat on Tiger Key Beach and watched the evening waves crash into the sand and this stump. I was fascinated by the water drops shooting up from the waves as it hit the immovable object. The sound of the waves and the sight of the crash was so cool. Having lived my whole life in the desert southwest, I am seduced by the ocean and sauntering on the gulf coast.
Tranquil on the Beach
It was relaxing exploring Tiger Key in Everglades National Park. We spent several nights camping on the key during our kayak trip into Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands. I was heartened by many sights like the one captured here. It was wonderful to sit in the soft sand and daydream about the many different people who visited this key and saw sights similar to mine and may have felt their souls soothed as I did.
Crab Gang Massing on Beach
This mass of Fiddler Crabs swarmed the beach during low tide on Tiger Key in Everglades National Park in Florida. It was fun watching them fiddle around and feed in the sand. They were very focused on their task but if you moved toward them they would scurry up the beach and hide. Their eyes were very acute to any movement.
Tabeau Peak above Joshua Tree National Natural Landmark
Enjoying the quiet serenity of sunset at Joshua Tree National Natural Landmark on the border of Utah and Nevada. This is a wonderful location to get away from the city and just “be”. I am alsways searching for those places when I am traveling.
Deep Snow on Mount Falcon
A big snowstorm hit Denver and the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains leading to this beautiful winter landscape on Mount Falcon. Teig and I spent the afternoon exploring this mountain in the awesome silence that comes to the forest in a huge snowstorm.
Winter on South Boulder Creek
I really enjoyed exploring the winter conditions at Walker Ranch in the Front Range Mountains west of Boulder Colorado. South Boulder Creek was predominantly frozen over with sections where the flowing water showed through the ice. I think it makes for a pretty interesting composition.
Bird on Feeder
We were relaxing at RedRocks Trading post in Morrison Colorado watching the few bird feeders in the back during a snowstorm and this little guy flew up and started feeding. He seemed quite fearless and hungry and was picking through the seeds in the feeder finding the tasty morsels.
Winter Scene at White Ranch
Winter in Golden Colorado is especially wonderful after a snowstorm. On this day I took a hike up to White Ranch above the valley and I found this group of frozen trees on my way to the summit. The light was nice even though it was later in the morning. A hike becomes super fun when you come across gems like this.
Morning Breeze in Death Valley
On our last morning in Death valley National Park we sauntered around the salt flat near Badwater which is the lowest point in North America at -282 feet below sea level. The winds were kicking up pretty good and Teig had his fur flowing with the breeze. It was very quiet on this morning and we were on the west side of the valley which only has a rough dirt road with hardly any tourists.
Stars, Milky Way and and Night Eyes
The Milky Way is amazing, especially viewing it above 11,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies. On this summer evening I was shooting the night sky in complete darkness. I was out in the forest alone and heard a bunch of rustling near me, totally freaking me out. I booked it back to camp which was a couple of hundred yard away. I came back a got my camera a short time later with a extremely bright headlamp. When I got home and processed the shots I found out it was just a few deer feeding in the grass on the mountainside. When you are out in complete darkness by yourself, you can get rattled and spooked by noises in the dark. By the way, Teig was asleep in the truck back at camp.
Winter Storm Engulfing Redrocks
A winter storm came into the Front Range and blanketed snow on beautiful rock formations at Redrocks outside of Denver Colorado. Sauntering the trails was a pleasure with no tourists because of these chilly conditions. As a photographer, these conditions are great and require a trip around the trails in the park.
Mt. Wilson through the Joshua Trees
Teig and I made an excursion trip to Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. We were thrilled we made that choice. The mountains there are exquisite with bright red and orange faces on the sheer cliffs. I was surprised to see these mountains a stones throw from Vegas. I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get a photo of Mt. Wilson through the Joshua Trees… I do love colorful mountain faces and Joshua Trees!
Joshua Tree in Utah Preserve
Sauntering through southwest Utah near St George, Teig and I stumbled upon Joshua Tree National Natural Landmark and spend a day and evening there enjoying the desert landscape and Joshua Trees. It is definitely worth the time and we really enjoyed the area especially since it was deep into December and winter but the nights stayed above freezing temperatures.
Hawk Silhouette at Carolyn Holmberg Preserve
I find zen with a winter evening’s stroll around Carolyn Holmberg Nature Preserve in Broomfield Colorado. There are many species of birds and mammals that occupy this open space during the winter months. Keeping your eyes open and searching the trees you will most certainly find hawks and maybe an eagle perched in the branches. On this evening there was this hawk resting high in the cottonwood tree silhouetted against the beautiful colors in the sky from the setting sun. How lucky we are to witness the wonder and beauty of nature in Colorado.
Bison Bull Roaming Rocky Mountain Arsenal
This large bison bull was roaming the Rocky Mountain Arsenal refuge outside of Denver Colorado and he just happened to saunter past me while I was photographing the bison herd. He was a big boy and moved slowly across my frame. No hurry, just stopped for a brief moment to look at me and then continued on his way.
The Chase in the Sangre De Cristo Range”
Teig was off and in chase of a Pronghorn Antelope near McCrystal Creek in the Sangre De Cristo Range of northern New Mexico. Teig is an old dog but still has some speed in the short races but in this one he had no chance to even come close to this beautiful antelope. Although, it was good exercise for my old dog.