Some Close up stuff

Sometimes, when in a scenic place, it's hard not to be too distracted by the grandeur to see the majesty at your feet. These are some close-ups that I have taken along the way. The first image comes from Washington state, looking out at the San Juan straits, but there, right in front are the magnificent rhododendrons, that catch your eye. The second picture is from the beaches of California, but not a picture of the beach, but rather the succulents growing on a rock. The next picture is of the mighty redwoods, but again, not what typically catches your eye. The next one is of my daughter (now 33 yrs old) - I wonder if she has seen this in years. The next picture is of a butterfly is some garden in Ohio. And the last picture was taken in some beautiful state park in Tennessee. So, you see, there is more out there than scenery, but believe me, you'll get plenty of that as well.

Something old, and new

All right, folks, time for something a bit different - something old and new. Old, because these are pictures taken well before the digital age (1970s), taken with an old Olympus film camera, but something new, because of the process of digital restoration and conversion. These are mostly taken from trips out west, and so are necessarily heavy on scenery. The first one is taken at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, in Colorado - really an astonishing place. The next one is taken at the Grand Canyon from the lesser known North Rim. The third is approaching Zion National Park, in Utah, which remains spectacular, as always. The fourth is of some wildflowers in Zion National Park. The fifth one is the Little Colorado Gorge, as the little Colorado River joins up with the Colorado at the Grand Canyon. The next one is of some Native American kids selling jewelry somewhere in Arizona. And the last one is actually from Washington State - somewhere in the hills. Hope you enjoy these.

Some of the unusual flora of Costa Rica

Sometimes, when we are in a special, exotic place that is full of wildlife, it is hard to concentrate on the incredible flora that is all around. These are some pictures from Costa Rica which highlight just that - the incredible variety of the flora. The first two are from the rainforest, and taken "au naturelle" within their natural habitat. The next two are from the gardens, just normal gardens, and represent some majestic use of the normal plants within reach. The third and fourth pictures are representative of the wild plants that grow around in the different environments. And the last one is - I don't know, I've never seen it before or since. It was just "sitting pretty," waiting for someone to take its picture.

More "just because"

It's time for another "just because" session. Now, as I last posted, some photos just sit for a while, but after some experimentation, seem to say something to me, and these are examples of that. Now, the first photo is one that I think says, in language unspoken "Costa Rica." While the second one says this is what I love about our own backyard. The next three are from India - the first is from the Amber Fort near Jaipur, and its lines I find extremely appealing. The next one says "Indian marketplace" as none other (and it is the one picture in this series that I've posted before). The third picture is from the Taj Mahal, but looking back to the South Gate. Now the next one is of a familiar scene from Alaska, but was not shown, because it needed some "tweaking". And the last one is really "just because."

Fixing things

OK, I've got a confession to make - I really like digital photography because I can play with the images. Not every picture one takes is going to turn out perfect, or even acceptable, but digital photography allows some spectacular results, from pretty ordinary pictures. These are all taken from our trip to Costa Rica, and represent "easy fixes." The first set is at the Poas Volcano, looking down into the crater, and I thought that the picture was OK, but needed some enhancing, so I just adjusted down the shadows, and I think it became better. In the second set, I had just not gotten close enough to the subject to make it stand out, but photoshop to the rescue, and we have a much more enjoyable image. The third set makes the photograph of something ordinary into something extraordinary. And the last set takes an "OK" photograph, and just by concentrating on the part of the picture of interest, makes it so much more enjoyable.

It's the Lighting

Photography, after all is the play of light on objects, and so naturally light is a major aspect of taking pictures, and we often don't pay it enough attention. What I would suggest, now that we are in the age of digital cameras, is that you play with the exposure and aperture settings, and pick one that you think says it best. All of these photos are examples of doing just that, with one major exception, and that is the seagull picture, where I didn't have the luxury of time, and so I just kept shooting, and hoped one or two would turn out. Enjoy them, I know I did.

India, another look

All right, it's back to India, with a slightly different take on the matter of tourism. The first picture is from the Qtub Minar complex, and represents a not often photographed scene, which I just happened to find rather appealing. The next picture is of the Temple of Lakshmi, in Jaipur, and represents taking the photo without any artificial light, and obviously without a tripod, yet there is something about the photograph that is very appealing, though perhaps not of professional quality. The next is of an outdoor market that could only be in India - if only we could import the sounds, smells and feel of the place. The next is one of numerous roadblocks along the highway - which just forces one to take out the camera and shoot, rather than be in any hurry. The next two are obvious - the Taj at sunrise, but how those two people got in there, I'll never know. And the last is, well...