I have no real rhyme or reason to today’s post.  I just felt like celebrating image making.

Anytime during my life in photography, that I realized an opportunity to create an image that deviated even slightly from the norm, I tried to make that image.

I love Pronghorn and have made a lot of images of them.  When these two young Pronghorns stepped into some vegetation that was almost void of color, I snapped the image.  In some respects, it appears like I’ve made an image that combines a color shot of the animals, and a b&w of the prairie.  They sort of look like they are in an otherworldly location.

Part of photographing nature is to tell the stories that you find. I have photographed Snapping Turtles digging and covering up their nests for a long time. Just the same there is always a new way to look at things.  A different angle or composition.  This was made in Wisconsin.

I found this Fox Snake on the grounds of a historic lighthouse in Door County, Wisconsin.  It only stayed a few seconds and try as I might, I could not get any members of the workshop I was teaching to partake in this photographic delight. My memory fails me whether my workshop partner Celeste made pictures, but I am thinking no.

Fox Snakes are harmless.

I’ve never found a Tree Cricket in a tree, but I have found many of them on flowers.  These little critters are a bit more “cheerful looking” than their cousins the Field Cricket.  Tree Crickets are very easy marks for photographers, as they tend to stay in one spot for quite a while.

One job that belongs to any nature photographer, whether they pursue  art, editorial photography or anything else, is to share with viewers the patterns, rhythms, and details of the natural world. I have found that fungi is one great source.  Missing from this image and my memory are any visual clues of just how big this patch is.  One cue as to the size would be my aperture used but my exif data tells my that I shot this image at f 0.  That is of course not likely.

There is nothing like a stormy sunrise or sunset, to get my photographic adrenalin flowing.

For those of you here in North America who love making landscapes, but get only rare opportunities to travel away from home, take advantage of any chance you have to travel to the desert southwest of the U. S.  In particular the red rock canyons of the high desert.  You will not regret it. God created (my opinion) these places for landscape photographers like you. The first shot was made one morning in Utah’s Valley of The Gods State Park, and the second comes from Utah/Arizona’s Monument Valley

Let’s begin today’s guest photography section, with macro photographer MikeMoats. I have featured Mike before.  It has always been rare for any photographer to specialize in macros, but Mike has done well with this genre.  He is arguably the best known photographer of little subjects in America.

I was attracted to Facebook friend Rachel Cohen’s stark yet beautiful image of this modern building. If this is an example of her architectural photography, she has a natural flair for it. I love this Bill Chamber’s picture of two Bald Eagles.  The image is a great example of how wildlife photos don’t always have to be up close, and in your face.  The simplicity of the background and overall scene leaves the viewer with no confusion, and no doubt as to what the subject is. The image is perfectly composed.

I also enjoyed the simple elegance of this scene by Deborah Sandidge.  She is another Facebook friend who is a very successful pro photographer with travel photography being here specialization.

2014 is the year of the horse so let’s celebrate that fact with a couple of pictures from the one photographer who you can truly say is a living (and photographing) legend….. Art Wolfe.

First we have a beautiful Andalusion, photographed in action near his home territory of Washington State.  That is followed by a running herd of wild, French horses called Amarques.

Have the best of days,                                                                                                                  Wayne

“The empty vessel makes the loudest sound“.
William Shakespeare