Monday, September 30, 2013

9/30/13

I had posted this today on Google Plus for a Macro Monday theme that had a sub-theme of "Furry".  You wouldn't normally think of a Sunflower as furry but it is always amazing to me the things that macro photography will bring out in nature.  When seen up close, the stem and leaves of a Sunflower are rather furry.  :-)


Sunday, September 29, 2013

9/29/13

This is from late this spring, almost summer in Minnesota where these were just in bloom.  I think they have become one of my favorite spring flowers.  They are just so interesting looking.  The name is fairly appropriate due to the heart shape, Bleeding Hearts.


Saturday, September 28, 2013

9/28/13

This is a beautiful sunset we had earlier this month.  We were walking late one day and I was able to capture this as we were heading back.  I loved how the sun was peaking through the layers and the color of the sky.


Friday, September 27, 2013

9/27/13

One evening as we were walking I was able to photograph some geese.  I liked the way the light was hitting them.  Thy were flying south but I don't think it was permanent as it hasn't really gotten cold here yet.

Remember you can always click the image for a larger version.



Thursday, September 26, 2013

9/26/13

This is a macro image of the tiny blooms of a fresh mint plant we have growing outside the door to where I work.  


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

9/25/13

I normally don't name my photos, I have never been good with that.  This one I shared today on Google Plus and called it Mantis Kung Fu.  We were out walking one evening and this female Praying Mantis was trying to cross the road where a car was going to be coming shortly.  In trying to get the mantis to stay on the side of the road Darren would put his hand down to make it turn the other way.  One time he got a bit too close apparently and the Mantis puffed up and put out a claw at him so I had to get a shot of that.  Originally she had both claws out but I didn't get that, wish I did cause that was really a Kung Fu move!  :-)


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

9/24/13

These were some lovely white flowers I saw in Minnesota early this summer.  They were seen in 3 different variations, this white one, a light pink one and a dark pink.  They seemed to be on a shrub type plant.  Would love to know what they are.  Reminded me of honeysuckle but I'm not sure.  They were all quite lovely though. 



Monday, September 23, 2013

9/23/13

This is a Mockingbird I saw several times early this summer.  It would usually pose somewhere fairly close and let me get a shot or two, usually it was on a fence.  This time it posed for me on something more natural so decided to share this particular shot.

Remember you can always click the image for a larger view.



Sunday, September 22, 2013

9/22/13

This was a gorgeous sunset we had this past week.  We were supposed to get some rain out of those clouds but we didn't get anything at all.  It did make for a beautiful sky though.


Saturday, September 21, 2013

9/21/13

We haven't had many large butterflies around this summer but there has been quite the abundance of these little guys.  These are Skippers and these particular ones are Uncus Skippers I believe.  Those big eyes make them rather cute I think.  They were busy feeding on the Zinnia flowers.


Friday, September 20, 2013

9/20/2013

So a 100 percent chance for rain yesterday and it resulted in nothing!  I need a job where I can be that wrong like a weather person.  Anyway, over by Konza Prairie outside Manhattan, KS a storm was moving though.  This was the view I saw on the way home from a meeting yesterday afternoon as the storm was on it's way east.


Thursday, September 19, 2013

9/19/13

Here is an image I got of a Viceroy that I was happy with.  I loved how it had it's wings so flat and well displayed and how it's antennae stood out from the background.


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

9/18/13

I got this image a few weeks ago and for some reason never shared it even though I was very excited to get it.  I was on the way home one afternoon and saw a large bird in a tree.  I turned around and went past and around so I could park off to the side of the road and shoot from the car.  I guess because I was doing that and didn't get out it was content to sit there and pose for a bit.  I was able to get several shots before it decided it had enough of me and took off.  I believe this is a Coopers Hawk.


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

9/17/13

This is another image of the sunflower field I found this year.  I got several shots that evening that I thought turned out pretty well.


Monday, September 16, 2013

9/16/13

We are actually getting a bit of rain today.  I thought this photo from back when it was raining earlier this summer would be appropriate.  This is one of my Rose of Sharon blooms with rain drops on it.


Sunday, September 15, 2013

9/15/13

I help host a theme on Google Plus called Steamy Sunday.  Every Sunday we encourage people to post their favorite steam photos.  It doesn't have to be of trains, even though that is my favorite steamy subject.  It can be steam from a coffee cup or steam from a geyser in Yellowstone or whatever you can think of that creates steam.  
This was my share for today.  Former Soo Line switch engine 353 on the grade at Rollag, MN during the Steam Thresher's Reunion.  I caught this view of it from the trailer door as I was getting ready for my shift to act as Fireman on it.  The morning light was really making it look cool and show off the smoke and steam as it climbed the steepest grade on the route around the show grounds.  I liked how it looked in B&W as well.


Saturday, September 14, 2013

9/14/13

I don't think I have ever shared a panorama on my blog before.  With this new site the presentation size is easier to do larger.  Remember you can always click on an image to view it larger. 
Friday the 13th seems to always get a bad rep and it certainly wasn't good for people in Colorado.  However it's usually an OK day for me.  This is how mine started out yesterday on the way to work.  This is a 3 shot image stitched together of a gorgeously colorful sky that I could not resist photographing. 


Friday, September 13, 2013

9/13/13

This is a Pearl Crescent butterfly that had seen better days sitting on one of my Straw Flowers earlier this summer.  Looks like it had been in a scuffle or two, it's wings are pretty tattered.  I read one time that's when you can tell one that's older, it if's pretty tattered, it's been around a while.




Thursday, September 12, 2013

9/12/13

I saw these leaves on a plant growing at the edge of a pond this past Saturday.  The way the sun was shining on them made them almost seem to glow.  This is basically straight out of the camera with only some re-sizing done.


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

9/11/13

This is a lovely waterfall I almost missed in Yellowstone National Park.  It's a good example of you need to learn to look around you, not just at the main subject.  I was observing and photographing the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone and was turning to leave when this was pointed out to me.  It was through some trees but clearly visible if i had looked around.  This is Crystal falls.



Tuesday, September 10, 2013

9/10/13

This is a shot I had done a while back playing with Depth of Field.  I liked how the water drops created a bokeh effect.  Bokeh is a Japanese term for the aesthetic quality of an out of focus part of the subject.  Usually if something has interesting bokeh it will contain dots of light.  The water drops are creating that dotting effect here.


Monday, September 9, 2013

9/9/13

I photographed this butterfly on my Sedum flower today.  I planted this one and 2 other varieties in hopes that they would attract butterflies but so far they had only seemed to attract honey bees.  I guess that's good as Honey bees seem to be endangered but it was nice to finally see a butterfly on it today.  I think this is a Buckeye but it never opened it's wings so I could tell for sure while I was watching.


Sunday, September 8, 2013

9/8/13

It's time for my favorite subject, railroading!  This is a Large Scale locomotive I was able to see in Minnesota.  We went up a day earlier than we usually do to be able to travel to this private railroad.  It is a 12 inch scale railroad and you can get a sense of scale from the man in the back bending down to work in the cab.  It is a Challenger style locomotive in small scale like one that the Union Pacific still operates.  It was beautifully detailed and I even was allowed to operate it!  Very cool!  This has a couple of effects done to it, the color is muted and a small glow was put on it as well.





Saturday, September 7, 2013

9/7/13

This is a beautiful sunset with really neat light playing across the clouds that I was able to witness in Kansas City in mid July.  I had a lovely view from my hotel room on the 32 floor of my hotel.


Friday, September 6, 2013

9/6/13

I don't think I have shared this one yet, shared something similar a few days back.  This was when we used to get rain, too much, one extreme to the other.  Now it's hot and dry and cracks in the ground like the desert.  This is my Blanket flower shortly after a rain.


Thursday, September 5, 2013

9/5/13

This is a pretty old image but I was sharing it somewhere else today and thought I would share it here too.  It was a Monarch migration I was able to witness through our back yard several years ago.  It was quite a magical experience with so many Monarch butterflies flying about.  They seemed to like these trees to sleep on for the night.  I took this at dusk and was using a flash.  


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

9/4/13

This is another view of the very cooperative Blue Heron I was able to photograph in Yellowstone National Park in July.  This is a bit closer up.  I love their eyes.  Very cool looking.


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

9/3/13

I have had several Hummingbirds visit my feeder late this summer.  This is one that I captured as it was actually feeding.  I liked the wing action.  I also was happy that I got close up.


Monday, September 2, 2013

9/2/13

I have seen several of these Hummingbird Moths around this year and have managed to get some shots of them.  This is one where it was partaking of a Hoary Vervain flower.   I was happy that I was able to get it in focus yet get the motion of it's wings as well.



Sunday, September 1, 2013

9/1/13

This was a beautiful sunset we had earlier in August.  The color and clouds were wonderful.  Can't believe August is done already.  This year is just flying by and soon it will be winter again.  :-(