A scene from the amazing Keukenhof Park in Lisse, Netherlands:
EXIF:
Olympus OM-1, M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 II
ISO 200, 26mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec
Category Archives: Nature
Birds of Waterton Canyon
Waterton Canyon is a nearby attraction for me (southwest of Denver, Colorado), and it’s both scenic and peaceful — so it’s just a shame that I don’t get there very often. The canyon was carved by the Platte River, and has an incredibly gentle trail to hike (repurposed from its original genesis as a railroad bed), so I don’t even have difficulty as an excuse.
Regardless, I went on a hike there recently along with other members of a local photography group — we were primarily there to see bighorn sheep, but ran across some interesting birds in the process.
Let’s start with the Spotted Towhee:
Unlikely guardians
A pair of Peruvian thick-knees keep an eye on the ruins of Pachacamac (near Lima), Peru.
These little guys normally live in shrubland and grassland, so it’s impressive how prevalent they are in Pachacamac — it’s about as dry a desert area as you’ll find (no shrubs or grass), although it’s relatively close to grassy areas by the Pacific coast.
EXIF:
OM System OM-1 camera, M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 lens
40mm, ISO 200, f/11, 1/320 sec
Purple Mountains Majesty
We recently went camping in the White River National Forest, here in Colorado. The camping areas are adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness, so we enjoy being able to dip into the wilderness on some quick hikes. Here’s a 2-frame panoramic view across Anderson Lake (near Trapper’s Lake), looking south from the Wall Lake Trail in 590nm infrared, with a few color tweaks — click to enlarge it:
South America travelogue, part 1 — the Nazca lines
I’ve wanted to see the Nazca lines for quite a while, essentially since I first heard about them as a kid. Earlier this year, I finally had the opportunity to check off this long-standing item on my personal “bucket list.” Continue reading
The bear
Chalk art by Jake Nissalke, Ashe Bentley, and Cindy Nissalke; seen at the 2024 Denver Chalk Art Festival.
This art won the 1st Place Best of Show award.
The photo above has been rectified, to show what it would have looked like from above. The non-rectified version looks like this: Continue reading
Through the trees
A local park, seen in summertime in 720nm infrared.
EXIF:
Olympus E-PM2 camera, M.Zuiko M.14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ lens
ISO 200, f/11, 14mm, 1/100 sec
Merry Christmas!
…to all who celebrate it.
Colorful Reflections
A scene from 2023’s “Blossoms of Light” at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
“Blossoms of Light” is always an enjoyable and visually arresting visit in the run up to the holidays. This view looks south across the Monet Pool toward the Hive Garden Bistro.
EXIF:
OM System OM-1 camera, M.Zuiko 12-45mm f/4 lens
ISO 2000, 19mm, f/11, 0.8 sec
Fully partial
Folks in a large swath of the western hemisphere were fortunate to have the opportunity to see an annular solar eclipse today (weather permitting, of course). We decided to forgo a drive to the path of annularity, opting instead to watch it as a partial eclipse — from our front porch. We got lucky as a thin layer of cirrus blew out of the way just in time, and I was able to make some photos.
This was the eclipse as seen from Denver, about 10 minutes past maximum. Look closely, and you can see a sunspot in the upper right part of the crescent.
EXIF:
OM System OM-1 camera, M.Zuiko 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 lens, MC-14
560mm, f/9.0, 1/320 sec, ISO 500