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Jan
01
In 2020 I didn’t take a single photo until about 8 months into the year due to the pandemic and work commitments. In the last 4 months I did make a weekend trip to Mt. Rainier and a few weekend trips to the coast — one trip to Oregon and two trips to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Our trip to Kenya was cancelled so plan B was to visit the Grand Teton NP (Wyoming) in the fall and then again over Christmas. And that was pretty much it for photography in 2020. A few highlights from the year (in random order):
1. Grizzly Bear
We had a once-in-a-lifetime sighting of a grizzly bear in Yellowstone NP. You can read all about this adventure here. Wow!!
2. Golden Crab Spider
Here we have another ferocious predator, albeit, on the other end of the size spectrum. I shot this beauty in our garden.
3. Wildflower Marmot
While visiting Mt. Rainier I found this marmot along the side of the road. It is not the greatest image, but I love the cacophony of color. This rascal was dining on this beautiful buffet of wildflowers.
4. Shipwreck
The shipwreck of the Peter Iredale never fails to offer stunning photo opportunities.
5. Bighorn Sheep Battle
I have seen bighorn sheep before but never saw them crashing heads. It is quite the spectacle and the sound of that collision is shockingly loud.
6. Bighorn Motion
The big boys clash heads to claim rights to mate with the females. The ewes make the males pursue them endlessly to prove their worth and at times the hillside was a frenzy of chasing hither and tither. I slowed the shutter speed down with this image to try and give a sense of the chase.
7. Sunset Bison
A lovely sunset mood with a few bison in Grand Teton NP.
8. Dinner is Served
Otters are an absolute joy to see and we had a magical morning watching these river otters catch their breakfast in Grand Teton NP.
9. Rialto Beach
Hiking to the sea stacks at Rialto beach on the Olympic Peninsula (Washington) is bit of a workout with camera gear. And you have to carefully study the tides to avoid getting stuck out there. But the rewards can be stunning…
10. Backlit Moose
If you want to see moose get over to the Grand Teton NP. I shot thousands of images. After a while you want to try and get something a bit different…so here is a backlit moose.
11. Bonus Moose
And here I caught a moose crossing a stream at sunrise with the picturesque Teton mountain range in the background.
Wishing everyone a healthy and safe 2021!!
michael
Jan
08
Time to look back at a few of my favorite images from 2019. These may not always be my “best” images from the year but they are special to me for various reasons that I will comment on below. In no special order:
1. Jaguar
Five of my favorite images for the year were captured during our November trip to the Pantanal in Brazil. Here we have a lovely female jaguar. You had me with that look, but with the crossed paws? I’m done….
2. Giant River Otter
Another shot from the Pantanal. With this shot I finally managed to get an image of a giant river otter doing what they do best — eat fish. Great eye contact from both the otter and the fish and I love how you can see how beautiful the armored catfish is. And this is one the few images where there was no obstruction — I have hundreds of images of otters with grass, sticks, leaves, etc. blocking the view. I shot this image on the LAST outing on the LAST day of the trip! You just never know…
3. Green Kingfisher
Continuing with images from the Pantanal. On this trip I managed to get two very nice images of kingfishers. Here is the first of a green kingfisher. I love the colors and that clean background. Such a gorgeous bird.
4. American Pygmy Kingfisher
I love the “other worldly” look of this image of the American Pygmy kingfisher — the 2nd really nice kingfisher shot that I got from the Pantanal this year. You might not imagine it, but photographing a tiny bird, on a moving boat is exhausting. Hundreds of images later, finally one that worked.
5. Toco Tucan
This is the last image on the list from the Pantanal trip. I just love the colors of this bird – amazing! Toucans are more common in southern Pantanal — we were in the north so getting an image of this incredible bird was totally unexpected. We only had two, very brief sightings during the entire trip and I was only able to fire off a few shots before the birds vanished each time. These birds never stopped moving, jumping from branch to branch, while trying to approach and shoot from a small moving boat – yikes! It was hard to even find the find the birds in the view finder let alone compose a good shot. Sometimes you get lucky…
6. Red Fox
The rest of the images are from the good ol’ USA. In 2019 I got my first worthwhile images of red foxes. Here we see a female bringing back a rabbit for her kits at the den. Yes this is a red fox – they have several color morphs that include black, brown, silver, etc.
7. Barn Owl
My first image of a barn owl!! This image was captured before sunrise. See more here.
8. Short-eared Owl
This image is bittersweet. Each winter I could count on seeing short-eared owls in this amazing habitat north of Seattle. But no longer – the fields were flooded over in 2019 to create a salmon habitat. (Was the same place I saw the barn owl).
9. Savannah Sparrow
In 2019 I managed to add a few images to my Sparrow/Tulip series. Savannah Sparrow in Yellow. You can see a red version here (4th image from the top).
10. Moose
In 2019 I made my first trip to Grand Teton NP and captured this lovely fall image of a moose. I plan to go back to the Grand Tetons this winter so hopefully we will see more images from this park on the 2020 list…
11. Ponytail Falls
I made a quick weekend trip to the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon in 2019 and came away with two nice shots. The first was this lovely autumn scene:
12. Wreck of the Peter Iredale
The other nice shot from that weekend was captured along the Oregon coast. In 1906 a steel ship called the Peter Iredale ran aground here. By sheer luck I was there on a day when the tide was low at sunset allowing me to shoot next to the wreck.
Have a favorite? Which one(s) do you like best?
I can’t wait to see what Mother Nature will share with me in 2020!
Happy New Year!
Jan
01
Here are a few of my favorite images from 2018. These photos are not necessarily the best images I captured this year, but are ones that I like for one reason or another and/or give a good sense of the environments that I explored in the past 12 months.
I recommend viewing the photos on the biggest screen you have — click on an image to see it larger.
Drop me a line and let me know which one(s) you like best.
In no particular order:
1. Leopard
Probably my favorite image from our visit to Kruger National Park. The vantage point of this shot makes it special.
2. Lion
An ominous gaze from a female lion. Click on the image to see it larger and to get a good fright…
3. Wild Dog
My first decent image of a wild dog!
4. White Rhino
Seeing a rhino in the wild is a life-changing event. Click here to see my recent post to learn more about these amazing animals.
5. Anna’s Hummingbird
I spent three weeks this year watching these chicks grow up. Wow. Click here to see the entire story.
6. Black Crake
I found this guy in Kruger NP and shot hundreds of images of him over an hour as he explored every nook and cranny of the river. I had an absolute blast. I am mesmerized by his bold colors. And those feet!!
7. Birdscape
I made a first-time visit to some tulip fields in Washington in 2018 and I had the time of my life creating bold birdscapes like this one. Click here to see a few more.
8. Palouse
I also explored the farmlands of the Palouse in eastern Washington for the first time in 2018. Heaven on earth for landscape photographers…
9. Rufous Hummingbird
My first image of a male Rufous Hummingbird in all his iridescent glory.
10. Pied Kingfisher
My first decent image of a Pied Kingfisher. Nabbed this guy in Kruger, NP.
11. White-fronted Bee-eater
And my first image of this lovely bee-eater. Another gift from Kruger NP.
12. Wood Duck!
I have been trying to get a photo of a wood duck for years. Finally….
Ok, so that was 12 images — hope you don’t mind.
Wishing you a wonderful 2019!
Jan
12
10 for 2017
In 2017 I spent much of my “outdoor time” exploring Washington, our new state since mid 2016. Most of my images from this year were clustered around a few species: bald eagles, short-eared owls, great horned owls, and jaguars. Landscape efforts were focused mainly on Mt. Rainier. Our “big” trip for the year was to the Pantanal in Brazil where we had great luck in seeing and photographing jaguars, as well as five types of indigenous king fishers. These may not be my best shots from the last 12 months, but they are my favorites for a variety of reasons that I will comment on below. 2018 here we come!!
Click on an image to see it larger (highly recommended). 🙂
In no particular order:
#1 Hunting Jaguar
Seeing a jaguar in the wild was phenomenal. And I was pleasantly surprised with how many good images I was able to capture of this amazing cat.
#2 Theft by Eagle
During the year I visited two areas where bald eagles congregated to feast on exposed fish. In this scene the eagle is about to steal a bullhead fish that is just in front of the Great Blue Heron. I have dozens of images of eagles to process from the year.
#3 Barred Owl
I have seen barred owls several times over the years without much luck in getting a worthwhile image. And then this happened in a small park in Seattle!
#4 Pygmy Kingfisher
We spotted this little jewel while in the Pantanal in Brazil. I like this little guy because he reminds of this Malachite Kingfisher shot, that is also one my favorites.
#5 Mt. Rainier Meadow
On of my first decent images of the wondrous wildflower displays that one can find near Mt. Rainier.
#6. Reflection Lake
And my first decent image of Mt Rainier at Reflection Lake with a nice dash of color from wildflowers. A twofer!
#7 Cougar Rock
A lovely sunset vantage point near Mt. Rainier.
#8 Mt. Rainier Fall
An autumn scene near Mt. Rainier. In Vermont the fall is all about looking up into the trees to see the display. Here near Mt. Rainier it is all about looking down as Huckleberry and Larch provide much of the color.
#9 Goose Family
Last year an image of a robin was a surprise entry in the top ten list. This year it is the Canada Goose. Usually not one of my favorite creatures, as explained here, but I love this image.
#10 Short-eared Owl
I prefer images of owls in flight but I can’t resist the grumpy face and devil horns of this short-eared owl.
Jan
07
2016 was a year of transition — we moved across the country from Vermont to Seattle, Washington and we (Nicky and I) both took on new jobs. Between moving and career transition I did not have as much time for photography. We did manage to make two trips to Yellowstone NP (once in the Fall, and once in the Winter) while most other photographic forays were weekend trips exploring our new state. Four of my favorite images were shot in Washington while the other six images were shot in Yellowstone. Click on image below to see it bigger (highly recommended).
The Top Ten for 2016:
#1 Bobcat
One of my earliest forays in Washington State allowed me to see my first bobcat in the wild and produced this amazing view in the Hoh Rainforest. You can read the full story behind getting the shot here.
#2 Marmot
During the summer we visited Mt. Rainier several weekends in a row to try and capture the summer wildflowers at their peak. I didn’t have much luck on that front though I did get this nice shot of a marmot. And in my defense, there are 4 types of wild flowers in this scene!
#3 Great Gray Owl
I spent three magical hours alone with this Great Gray Owl in a forest in Yellowstone NP. Wow.
#4 Bighorn Sheep
On the fall trip to Yellowstone I had my first sighting of a male Bighorn Sheep. Our guide said that this may have been the biggest ram he had ever seen during his 35 years as a guide.
#5 Yellowstone Landscape
A nice sunset in Yellowstone captured using the HDR technique. If HDR is jibberish to you, learn more here.
#6 Robin
I have to admit that I never imagined that an image of a robin would make my top-of-the-year list, but I really like this scene of a robin in a holly tree. Not bad for backyard photography.
#7 Short-eared Owl
I never had much luck in finding Short-eared Owls (SEOs) on the east coast. Turns out that many owls winter over in Washington state. You now know how my winters will be spent…..This shot of an SEO taking off in the snow is my favorite capture so far.
#8 Coyote
Our winter trip to Yellowstone provided my first opportunity at a decent image of a coyote.
#9 Bison
The star attraction of our winter trip to Yellowstone was the bison. I loved the abstract nature of this shot.
#10 Pronghorn in a snow storm
Probably my favorite shot from our winter trip to Yellowstone. One day one, five minutes from the gate at the end of the day as were leaving the park we found this herd of Pronghorn caught in a sudden flurry of snow.
Wishing you a great 2017!
Jan
09
A couple of days ago I posted 10 of my favorite images from 2015. There were all color photos. Here is a sample of 10 of my favorite black and white images from 2015. Is that cheating?
#1 Loon Take Off
This actually is a color photo that lacks color. This image was shot on a foggy, early morning pond looking into the sun. I love the back-lit water splash.
#2 Moose in the Mist
Another early morning shot. There was not much color to be seen at this hour and converting to B&W set a great mood.
#3 Spider Web
I shot this photo with a point-and-shoot camera. I love the multi-layered, diagonal transition from pure white in the upper left corner to pure black in the lower right corner.
#4 Loon Love
Harsh light when I shoot this image. But in B&W the image suddenly seems to become a timeless ode to familial love. (Its more an ode to hungry teenager, but let’s not ruin the moment…)
#5 Moose On The Trail
I like how this young moose really seems to pop in 3D with the different focal planes of the shot.
#6 Waxwing Love
These birds were harshly back-lit and I almost didn’t take the shot. But then I realized what a great silhouette it would make. Glad I saw the light before it was too late….so to speak.
#7 Waxwing Love, part 2
Another pair of courting waxwings. I shot this image while lying on the ground and supporting my 600 mm lens on my raised knees. I had to shoot through many layers of leaves and branches. I love the resulting effect. Stealing a secret moment among the trees…
#8 Alligator
Really harsh mid-day light. Converting to B&W really brings out the menace in this alligator.
#9 Ruffled Heron
I like the mixture of different hues and textures. A lovely dreamscape…
#10 Pedestal
I like how the bird really pops against the background.
Bonus Images for making it to the end:
#11 Peek-A-Boo
More loon love.
#12 Edge of the World
I love the color version of this image. I converted it to B&W on a whim and to my surprise I like this version very much also. The sky and ocean merge into one as the lighthouse beacons at the edge of the world.
Jan
03
It seems all the vogue with nature photographers these days to post their best shots from the previous year. I figured I would give it a go. Well, these are not all of my best shots but each is special to me for a range of reasons. I will provide a quick explanation for each image and why I chose it.
The images are not in order by preference. Please click on an image to see it larger (It is the best way to view them… :-))
#1 Fall Abstract
Despite living in Vermont for the last 5 years I haven’t had much luck in getting good fall foliage shots. This year I had some great luck but I am most pleased with a series of shots where I experimented with a new technique (for me) that produced some nice abstract shots – to me they seem to really capture the explosion of color that happens here during this magical time in the Northeast.
#2 Lighthouse, Bass Harbor
I don’t shoot landscapes very often so my skills are pretty basic. This year I managed to spend only one full day in Acadia National Park but still managed to get this respectable shot. In this image I experimented with an HDR technique (I will explain this in a later post) that allowed me to capture the full dynamic range of the image. Another experiment that went surprisingly well!
#3 Loon Chicks
2015 was the year of the Loon for me. After 4 years of trying I finally managed to get some very nice images of loon chicks riding on the adult’s back. The series of shots I got this year is definitely my best accomplishment of the year. (I still need to get these images on my website…)
#4 Osprey
I have never had much opportunity to photograph osprey diving for fish. This year I found an osprey family that lived near a fish hatchery and I was rewarded with a few new images to add to my portfolio.
#5 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
I had never seen this stunning bird until we moved to Vermont. I also never had much luck in getting an image that came close to conveying how beautiful these birds are. This year my luck improved.
#6 Moose and calf
This year I finally got my first decent image of a calf moose with mom.
My final 4 shots are from a trip to Florida that I took in December. (I just got back a few days ago)
#7 Heron Love
I was able to capture a nice collection of behavior shots of Blue Herons at a rookery in Venice, Florida. This couple displayed a fascinating range of courting rituals. Here we can see the male giving a stick as a gift to his partner. She will then add it to the nest that they were building for their new family.
#8 Roseate Spoonbill
I love this shot of a Roseate Spoonbill in flight.
#9 Great Heron
I have always admired images like this where the background is all blacked out. I was able to experiment with this technique on the recent trip and I was pleased with a few of the images.
#10 Pelican Landing
This lighting on this pelican is exquisite! The colors blow me away. Love it!
Bonus item for those making it to the end of this post:
#11 Moose Trip Video
This year I made my first video…not professional by any means but I think it does a good job of giving a sense of what it was like trying to photograph moose in Maine from a canoe.
Have a great 2016!
