Today we have three impressive works of photographic art. The world of photography is always well served by the sort of imagery you see in the three photos below.

This romantic couple are in fact a pair of King Penguins in the Antarctic. Sharpshooter Darrell Gullinis responsible for the photo and I’m betting he is happy for that fact.

The species and the location helps make this image important, but that pose and the flawless quality seals the deal.

What a powerful and moody image we have in this next image, which came from Landscape Photography Magazine.

This was created in the area of Glencoe Scotland. Ribbons of land resting in the fog, and one lone deer in silhouette with its head and antlers turned towards us.

Perfect!!

Finally, art personified in this Michael Frye created image including stars, a comet, and the sands of death Valley. All under incredible light. Wow!!

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Next, I selected a few of my old images in an effort to talk a bit about the mindset of a photographer when they are in the field, or at home.

In no way am I suggesting the photos I selected today are in the category of quality as what we have seen above.  I chose them for other reasons.

When you are photographically chasing a subject like the Buckeye Butterfly you see below, it pays to point and shoot ( a dirty phrase in serious photography ), when any opportunity presents itself. Don’t come home with nothing.

The image below lets us know, that I have made an image of this species of butterfly. It says little else.

If the opportunity to quietly move in closer, or to switch to a longer lens does not present itself, than the last option to create a super close-up, is to crop at home while editing. Sometimes large crops like this hold up, and sometimes they don’t. Taking all things in to consideration, this is presentable, although not a major winner.

This Spiny Fence Lizard, was photographed as it hunted insects in a cactus garden in New Mexico. I have previously shared the best two pictures I made of this critter, and today I share some “middle images” as far as quality is concerned.

An almost full body image of a rather exotic lizard, surrounded by some vegetation, on a stone fence (in keeping with its namesake) is more powerful than a rather worn and tattered butterfly resting in the grass.

This next shot was made from a closer vantage point, but it was also cropped at home.

The secret to wildlife photography of all sorts, is always make the picture, keep improving on it if possible, and make thoughtful edits at home. I guess that could be said for every subject, but it is the creed of the wildlife photographer.

The grand landscape as an art form, began with painters, and became a staple of photography way back in the 1800s.

There is nothing quite like an interesting and beautiful foreground that stretches to a distant horizon with a powerful sky to top it all off. This sort of imagery will never die. Qaulity is a natural result of a scene like this especially with a powerful sky.

Forests do not provide the spacious view that rock parks do, but the act of reductionism can render them beautiful. This Smoky Mt. stream in spring, is perhaps less powerful, but a lot more charming than the Badlands scene.  I chose a medium size area of the river to show, and composed to only include in the picture frame, what I wanted you to see.

Then there is the tiny landscape. Too big to be a macro, but small enough to be delicate and personal. I made this backyard scene many years ago. I truly do enjoy searching out such scenes almost as much as creating large scale landscapes.

The fence, brings just enough order to the chaos, to make this a tiny landscape. It keeps this scene in perspective, and adds to the scene by dividing up the greenery and blossoms, yet this does not have the feel of a planted garden.

Whether it be wild animals or the land,  bringing in our focus is one way to personalize our images.

Happy Trails,
Wayne