Ah variety!

Landscape photographers who travel, are sure enough at some point going to visit a location that has been captured a large number of times by other photographers.

The Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake in the Colorado Rockies is one such place.

With all the images I have seen of this lake and those mountains 95% are clean shots of the mountains and their reflections, and that’s it. I also made such pictures. Most of the non winter months there you will find a few flowers here and there along the shoreline. I have had success with some of those images with flowers, largely because nobody else does it. I also made some reflection shots with Canada Geese and some ducks swimming in the foreground.

When you go somewhere great, especially a location that has been photographed countless times, do something different. Even something small.

Maybe in this case, 100% reflection should be tried,

I always loved making flower shots in unique lighting conditions. A little bit of sun creeping into the forest and coming from a direction that adds some drama to an image, was to me, a gift from God. A little morning dew as well, adds even more.

Top light, also works well.

This Spiderwort blossom was not as strongly lit as the flower above. That said, the soft background helped create a peaceful photograph.

Take care, images like this need to be carefully composed. The blossom here is at a natural “power point” from a compositional standpoint. it’s not a matter of following the rules when it comes to photography, it is a matter of looking and then “seeing” the possibilities.

There was nothing like a big old colorful and juicy caterpillar to make my day.

Once again, this is not a point and shoot composition. Among other things, the decision to go vertical was made, and I believe correctly.

There is nothing that makes a day in the field feel better than a cooperative wild animal. In this case, I believe a Red-tail. It can make a dull day a good one. It is almost like I hired the bird and posed it. Of course, I did not. I did use a 500mm lens but I do not believe that this is a crop.

It must be nice to be able to turn your head 180 degrees. It in this case it makes it possible to spot nosy photographers.

Greater Yellowlegs with reflection. A crisp, sharp bird with a somewhat wobbly reflection from moving water. That is a contradiction that in my opinion, makes the image if not better, at least more interesting.

There’s nothing prettier than a Red Fox that has just reached adulthood. This particular location has brought me many foxes, but only this one, at that age.

Cypress Trees with their base right in the water of a swamp or quiet river, always seem to have a natural order to them. In this case, that is the Mingo River in Missouri if memory serves.

When I worked the autumn season in the areas around cities, I always headed to cemeteries. Old ones. They often have old trees there that make great fall colors, and any architecture or fences always seem photogenic.

I love old buildings. The two images below are of an old Norwegian settler’s cabin in Door, County, Wisconsin. I and my partner were teaching a group workshop and the students seemed to enjoy the switch to human history from nature.

Fog can be a good subject, but how to present it can be problematic. In this case the trees and the dark forest in back of them gave viewers both a focal point and a place to contrast that point.

Stormy sunsets to me, can be a subject in and of themselves. I enjoyed the darkness above and below the sky and the contrast to the storm that it provided.

I do not specifically remember that day, but it seems to me the storm sort of exploded to the point that refuge was sought.

Well that’s our variety is the spice of life post for today.

May God Bless,
Wayne