Bonnie Rannald's PhotoGraphic Expressions

Desert Bighorn Sheep at Walker Lake

2012-01-16T17:38:00.000-08:00

Photographing the Cliff Dwellers

A few weeks ago in January, early one Sunday morning as I was leaving the beach at Walker Lake, I spotted a Desert Bighorn Sheep standing on a ledge at the area knows as The Cliffs.

Many years ago, the water level to Walker Lake was much higher and the area known as The Cliffs was underwater. In present time the water level has receded eastward, way below the highway.

After a short hike scrambling around the rocks, I noticed a group of at least 10 bighorns grazing on the dry desert grass. I quietly set my camera with the ISO at 800 for a faster shutter speed since the canyon was still in shadows with the morning light.

A closer look through the lens revealed that this was a herd of younger sheep and females. Bighorn sheep have a gregarious nature and will stay together in large groups. The adult males, rams, will usually remain a part from the ewes and young in bachelor herds for most of the time.

Several sheep stop grazing to watch and a youngster peeks out from around the cliff.

During winter, the sheep can be found in sheltered areas around the canyons and along the cliffs.

In the warmer season, they will migrate to the upper areas. Interestingly, the sheep may inhabit their same bedding area for many years.

The rugged rocky cliffs allow the sure footed Bighorn sheep quick escapes from predators.

Photographs Make Great Gifts

With my Nikon and tripod, my goal is to recreate the scene as it appears in nature, to preserve in a photographic image the awesome, yet simplistic beauty of the scene that waits around a bend or over a hill. Sometimes it's a colorful landscape, and many times I'm allowed in the presence of the numerous creatures that adapt to life in the wild.

No images on this blog are within Public Domain.

All rights reserved, world-wide and images protected by Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). All photography, graphics, text, design, and content is copyrighted by Bonnie Rannald and should not be copied, down-loaded, transferred and re-created in any way without the express consent, in writing to Bonnie Rannald. For information on Bonnie Rannald licensed, right-managed images, please submit a written request of the image.

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"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

Walker Lake's East Side

2012-01-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

A Glimpse Through Earth's Ancient History

A trek through the desert to the east side of Walker Lake takes one back through the ages to a glimpse at Earth's ancient times. The natural high desert lake of Walker Lake lies with in the Great Basin Desert, south of Reno Nevada and northeast of Yosemite, California.

Going back in history, earlier than 586 million yeas, the Great Basin Desert was formed during the Prepaleozoic Era due to plate tectonics that lifted the ancient seabed. Having no outlet, it became an inland sea. Moving forward in history, during the Pleistocene epoch (ice age), Lake Lahontan covered most of the western U.S. As the climate began to warm, the massive ice sheet receded northward, causing Lake Lahontan also to recede. A number of smaller isolated lakes were left behind in closed valleys, thus Walker Lake was born. Today, three major rivers still drain and feed these lakes: the Truckee, the Carson and Walker which presently flows to Walker Lake.

The west side of Walker Lake is established with a residential area, parks and recreation.

Across the lake, the east side still remains desert and primitive. Desert sage, natural grass and rabbit bush grow abundantly in the alkali desert soil. Shells from ancient sea creatures are uncovered from wind drifts and accent the sandy banks.

The mantle from a long extinct volcano stands out against the distant Gillis Mountain Range and is a reminder of Walker Lake's violent past.

Looking out across the desert playa toward the west side of Walker Lake and the Wassuk Mountain Range.

A fun day exploring the desert with the camera. At a glance, the desert appears barren and harsh, but remain still and watch closely and its many secrets will be told.

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

The Quadrantid Meteors

2012-01-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

Star Chasing in January

The first meteor shower of 2012 was the Quadrantid that peaked on January 4th, around midnight for the western U.S. The Quadrantids are reported as being the most intense of all the meteor showers and also the shortest duration, occurring when Earth passes through the debris left by asteroid 2003 EH1.

Staying true to my nature of moon chasing and star watching, I was out and ready to catch what ever action came my way. Unfortunately, there was the light from a waxing gibbous moon and just enough cloud cover to obscure anything but the brightest meteor trails. Even the harsh winter night temperature was mild for this time of year, dipping down to around the freezing point.

The lens that I choose was my wide angle Nikon 24mm 2.8 to cover as much sky as possible. The Nikon D90 camera was set on manual mode at f/8 and the shutter was held open for approximately 10 second intervals on Bulb with an electronic cable release. And I also used my sturdiest tripod.

Noticing the descending moon setting in the west between the Wassuk Mountains and just over the bare tree branches, I made a long exposure and happened to catch one meteor trail that was visible through the clouds.

Even with the moon glow, the stars over Mount Grant were standing out against the winter sky.

The night sky over Walker Lake offers some of the best star gazing and it's always a thrill to see what the camera picks up during the long exposures.

Unlike 2011, this year promises to be a great year for meteor watching in the Northern Hemisphere because most of the meteor showers are due to peak when the sky will be dark and not bright with moonlight.

For information on 2012 meteor showers:

http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/earthskys-meteor-shower-guide

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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Happy New Year from PhotoGraphic Expressions

2011-12-29T15:15:00.000-08:00

Highlights of 2011

As 2011 swiftly comes to an end, I would like to dedicate this week's blog to recapping some highlights over the past year. There have been so many exciting adventures it would take an entire book, however the following are the most outstanding or unique.

The New Year was welcomed in with festivities in Reno, and to add to the fun, I spent some quality time at Idlewild and Wingfield Park getting photos along the Truckee River in the snow.

Also in January, we had the weather phenomena called Pogonip or freezing fog. Although it is very cold and even dangerous to breathe the cold air for long periods, I braved the cold at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge and was rewarded with some intriguing photos.

In March, I had the most amazing adventure in Death Valley, California with our Wildflower Photography Workshop. We camped at Furnace Creek, enjoyed great gourmet cooking, photographed wildflowers in the early morning and explored Death Valley during the rest of the day. The best part is, everyone is looking forward to doing it again this spring! If you would like to join us, please contact me via email.

Following the Death Valley trip in April, I was invited to exhibit my "Clouds, Sky and Moon" photos at the NeverEnder Gallery in Reno. Thanks again NeverEnder for a great reception and thanks to everyone for coming out and showing support!

During the month of July in Reno, the entire area celebrates the arts with Artown. I joined in the fun and action with the Purple Summer Festival held at Lavender Ridge. Again, I want to thank everyone, it is great to make new acquaintances and see familiar faces.

July was a busy and exciting month because the following week after the Purple Summer Festival, I was in Virginia City doing the still photography at the Americana Music Festival.

What wonderful music and the best part was meeting great musicians like Darrell Scott,

And Kathy Boyd with Phoenix Rising

Two favorite and unusual photography events occurred at night. In August, the Perseid Meteor Showers were due to peak at the same time as the full moon. After careful planning, I went out on August 11th. at 2:30 am to catch the sky while the moon was setting.

A total lunar eclipse occurred on December 10th. and again I braved the cold to be out at 5:00am to catch the eclipsed full moon just as it was setting over the Wassuk Mountains.

2011 has been a wonderful year and would not have been possible without your interest, support and inspiration. Thank you all for being along on the journey. I look forward to new adventures and thrills in 2012 and wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year!

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

Winter Solstice Moon

2011-12-21T09:36:00.000-08:00

Last Full Moon of the Twentieth Century

Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night is very special to me when there is a lunar event taking place at the same time. As you have heard on numerous writings, I am known as "one who chases the moon”, well that is with my camera!

One of my most special Winter Solstices was back in 1999 when the last full moon of the Twentieth Century fell on this special night. During this time, I was living in Las Vegas, Nevada and spending a lot of time photographing in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. I knew if humanely possible, I wanted to photograph this special moon over the Calico Hills at Red Rock.

No matter how well we prepare to photograph an event, there are always unforeseen challenges to deal with. On this early evening, the sky was relatively clear, it was not too cold, but the winds were gusting around 40mph (64.37 kph). In order to get a sharp image with the slower shutter speed in low light, I parked my truck and placed the tripod with camera between the front and back doors. And then, I waited to click the shutter between gusts. As luck would have it, I managed to get one clear photo before the clouds blew in and obscured the sky.

Happy Winter Solstice everyone!

For more on the Winter Solstice:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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Rare Moments in Nature Photography

2011-12-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

Ready When the Scene Appears

Now that the Holiday Season has arrived and Christmas Day is fast approaching, in this week's blog I would like to take some time and reflect back on some very rare moments in photography that are very endearing to me.

The wonder of photography is, it puts you in the moment and when you're in that moment on rare occasions, the scene just happens to come to you. As with when I was trying to get macro photos of cacti in the snow and saw the trunk of a pine tree standing out in the distance, accented against the falling snow.

Sometimes those special moments show up after the photos have been processed and you find surprises that a fast shutter has captured. For example, a bee appears to be coming in for a landing right behind a Western Tiger Swallow-tailed butterfly.

On very rare occasions, you might be out looking for photos of Walker Lake in the snow and happen across a herd of 26 Desert Bighorn Sheep nestling in against the early morning cold.

When tracking wildlife with the camera, you never know what to expect, so being focused and ready with the finger on the shutter catches an event that is so fast, you just get that one click. I was following the sorrel stallion at Cold Creek, Nevada with my Nikon 500mm 4.0 lens when the black stallion came out and offered the challenge. The two wild horses reared, and then it was over.

Then there are those intimate moments when you are made aware of a tiny Calliope Hummingbird sitting on her nest at Pine Creek in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area.

I made the transition to wildlife photography when I was spending so much time in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area looking for landscapes and I was always coming across wildlife. One day the rangers told me to take a look on the patio of the visitor center where a Say's Phoebe had built a nest on top of the outside light. The newly hatchlings were waiting for mama and didn't notice as I clicked the shutter.

On other rare occasions, you get a nice surprise when two hawks take off near a frozen stream at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge on a cold, foggy morning in January.

The real beauty of photography is being out there and sharing in those awesome rare moments that just happen. With nature, you never know what scenes might occur, even in a wildlife sanctuary like the Animal Ark in Reno there are rare moments when a cougar bends down to sniff a tiny sage plant.

Many times I feel that I am led to the scene so that I can share those intimate details to create an emotional bond and bring the viewer closer to the natural world.

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

December 10, 2011 Lunar Eclipse

2011-12-10T17:34:00.000-08:00

Chasing the Moon

In the early morning of Saturday, December 10, 2011 there was a total lunar eclipse that was visible from the west coast. If you've been following my blogs, you know that I am effected by full moon madness and earned the title as "one who chases the moon". After careful preparations, I set the alarm to be up at 4:30am and brave the cold to go out and chase the lunar eclipse. During this week, the temperatures had been getting very cold at night, dropping from 5° to 19°f (-15° to -9.4°c) so I was prepared with my down jacket, ski pants and plenty of hot coffee. I was somewhat relieved when I saw that it had only gotten as low as 20°f (-6.6°c) on my outdoor thermometer.

I decided to use my Nikon 80-200mm 2.8 lens for this lunar eclipse where I would normally use the longer 500mm 4.0 lens. The reasons for going with the shorter lens are: the 80-200 is a faster lens, thus allowing for faster shutter speeds and it would give me the area to include more landscape in the scene if needed.

On the night before the eclipse, I did a trial run with the moon to test for metering and found that it might be safest to bracket in the manual mode with the shutter speed at 1/800 seconds, f/8 aperture and ISO at 200. Because the moon is so much brighter than the dark sky, I used spot metering.

I arose early in the morning and realized that the moon would be setting behind the tall mountain much sooner that I thought. After taking the first exposure and checking for sharpness in the camera screen, I determined that my setting from the previous night was just right.

As the eclipsing moon was just about to set behind the Wassuk Mountain, I wanted to get the mountain silhouetted against the setting moon. I changed the metering from spot to matrix, opened my aperture to f/5.6 and began to bracket the shutter speed down to 1/400 seconds.

Just as a test, I changed from Manual to Aperture mode and got an unusual result. The image is overexposed, has lens flare but is interesting in an alien world effect.

The last exposure, the eclipsed moon has dropped behind the Wassuk and the stars begin to shine, but the sky is still bright from the moon's glow.

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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Tundra Swans at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

2011-12-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

Calls of the Wild Ones

The last Tuesday in November of 2011, while the weather was still nice, I made a visit out to the Stillwater Wildlife Refuge, near Fallon Nevada. Stillwater, with its numerous isolated wetlands is an important area for migrating shorebirds and has been designated by the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network as a site of international importance.

As I was approaching the Auto Tour, which takes you to several viewing areas, I noticed a number of large white birds on the water. From a distance, they appeared to be the American white pelican that is very common to the lakes and streams in Northwestern Nevada.

After setting up my Nikon D90 with the 500mm lens on the tripod and getting out my bird identification book, I realized that these were Tundra swans.

Tundra swans breed and summer in the coastal plains of Alaska and Canada. As winter approaches, they fly south to areas where their food sources of aquatic plants, mollusks and arthropods are more readily available.

During breeding season, the Tundra swan sleeps mostly on land. However in the winter, it sleeps on the water where it is better protected from predators.

Immature Tundra swans are duller in appearance with grey feathering mixed with the white.

Tundra swans are known to become very vocal when foraging in flocks and will make excited calls to those arriving or departing, sounding similar to the honking of the black goose. On this day, it was very noisy at the quiet Stillwater Refuge.

What an interesting day to watch these large birds flying in for a landing and then running on the water to get airborne.

For more information:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/tundra_swan/lifehistory

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Cedar Breaks, Utah

2011-11-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

A Happy Thanksgiving With Fond Memories

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I'm reminiscing about one the favorite places where I have enjoyed spending the Thanksgiving weekend and that is Cedar Breaks, Utah. Cedar Breaks is located 23 miles (37.01 km) from Cedar City and standing at 10,000 feet (3048 m) elevation is known as a miniature Bryce Canyon.

During a mild autumn, when the short days are not too cold, Cedar Breaks can be one of the best places in the Southwestern U.S. to catch the splendor of fall colors.

Brilliant aspens growing throughout the landscape and along the roadside are accented against tall evergreens.

Getting off the main road on to any of the numerous dirt trails, an entire day can be spent admiring the analogous colors of leaves that drape across the path.

Looking out across the colorful canyon through a knot in the trunk of a Bristlecone Pine, one of the oldest living trees in North America.

After a long day's hike, it's fun to relax and have a picnic by one of numerous streams that flow throughout the area.

At this time of year, it's always wise to keep a careful watch on the weather. Sudden storms can move in with harsh winds, cold temperatures and even snow.

Just come prepared, for Cedar Breaks all covered in snow takes on a difference appearance as a winter wonderland.

No trip to Cedar Breaks is complete without a visit to Navaho Lake. Formed by an ancient lava flow, it was originally named "Pa-Cu-Ay" by the Paiute which means Cloud Lake. This high mountain lake was well named because it does appear to be in the clouds and on top of the world.

For more information:

http://www.scenicsouthernutah.com/recreation_areas/navajolake.shtml

http://www.utah.com/nationalsites/cedar_breaks.htm

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Reno Elks Craft and Products Fair

2011-11-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Shopping for the Holidays

To kick off the 2011 Holiday Season, I've been invited to participate and exhibit at the Reno Elks # 597 Craft and Products Fair this Saturday, November 12th.

The Craft and Products Fair is a fund raising project by The Elks, a national non profit organization that responds to community needs and events. The funds from Saturday's event will go to benefit needy families, abused children and to finance Christmas food baskets.

This should be a very nice event since it is also on Veteran’s Day weekend. Reno Elks #597 Lodge is located on 597 Kumle Lane and the hours are from 10am till 4pm.

If you live in the Reno area, please come out and support this wonderful event and buy local!

For additional information on The Elks please visit:
http://www.elks.org/

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The Painted Lady Butterfly

2011-11-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

Accenting the Fall Flowers

The warm seasonal temperatures of this fall in 2011 have been such a delight to just get out with the camera and see what shows up. Over the last few weeks, I've noticed a large number of Painted Lady butterflies that are highlighting the sunflowers along my walkway. All I've had to do was just set up my D90 with the Nikon 150mm 2.8 macro lens on the tripod and click away.

The Painted Lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui, also known as the thistle butterfly or cosmopolitan is one of the most widespread of all butterfly species because it is found in temperate and tropical areas across the globe.

The adult Painted Lady's open orange wings extend around 2 1/2 inches, 5-6 cm and are accented with white, blue and black circles.

When folded, the underside of the wing is a duller shade of gray and brown with the leading edge accented in a white bar and smaller white spots. Four small eyespots are visible on the hind wing.

Even with pieces missing from this Painted Lady's wings, it seems to have no trouble maneuvering and flying.

Painted Lady on a Rabbit Bush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus, that is native to the Great Basin Desert and blooms from August through October.

Since the life cycle of the Painted Lady butterfly is just a short two weeks, I will enjoy as much time as possible with these amazing creatures that flutter across my yard visiting each sunflower that is still in bloom.

For additional information:

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/nymph/plady.htm

http://www.earthsbirthday.org/butterflies

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Carving a Jack O Lantern

2011-10-30T17:21:00.000-07:00

The Traditional Halloween Pumpkin

Halloween is definitely my favorite holiday season and has been since I was a child. Maybe it brings back such fond memories of my Mom making my costume and taking me out to trick or treat. Back in those days, the treats were usually home made baked goodies and so delicious!

In celebration of this year's Halloween, I carefully selected a large pumpkin to carve in to a scary Jack O Lantern. The name Jack O Lantern is derived from European origin: Jack who was a character that tricked the devil, plus the phenomenon of strange lights flickering over peat bogs.

Since I've always been intrigued with haunted houses, I decided to make a haunted house design on my pumpkin. On a warm, sunny morning this past week, I began the carving. After selecting the proper tools, I placed them and the pumpkin on a plastic trash bag, because this can be a messy task. A key hole saw with the serrated edges works great on the larger pumpkins. I used an ice cream scoop to clean out the inside, after of course saving the seeds for roasting later! Then I used some smaller tools that I bought just for the details.

When the pumpkin was carved to my satisfaction, I carefully washed it off with a garden hose in an area where the birds could enjoy the remains.

While the Jack O Lantern was drying, Sasha did a quick pose to practice her arched back for Halloween night.

Later that night, I did a trial run by lighting my Jack O Lantern and taking photos. I was pleasantly surprised and a little scared with the spooky house and the strange shapes in the candle light!

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

Six Mile Canyon

2011-10-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

Nevada's Hills of Gold

A drive along Six Mile Canyon on a nice fall day is a voyage back into the past to where the first mining in Nevada started.

The paved Six Mile Canyon road is off Highway 50, just before Dayton and winds through colorful green lichen covered rock formations with tall cottonwood trees along the way, to terminate in Virginia City.

Today, there is only a remnant of the stream that once flowed through the canyon where in 1859 the miners Peter O'Riley and Patrick McLaughlin enlarged to create more water for their gold panning and discovered a black, crumbly rock laced with gold. When the news spread about the strike, Henry Comstock, e.g. the Comstock Lode also claimed rights, so to avoid any disputes they all became partners.

As the word spread, more gold prospectors began to come and in a few years Virginia City and the other Comstock boomtowns led to the establishment of Nevada's statehood in 1864.

The stone and concrete ruins are all that remains of Butters Mill, a large cyanide operation that was in production in 1902.

Sugarloaf towers against the rolling hills that are lined with sagebrush and piñon pine. Located within the Flowery Range, it is a volcanic plug with an elevation around 6,581 feet, 2005.8888 meters.

For additional information:
http://nevada-history.org/mines.html

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White Cabbage Butterfly

2011-10-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

Fairy Dancers in the Yard

Late in October when the days are still warm, I notice a large number of butterflies at Walker Lake. This fall, I have been watching small white butterflies dance around my yard. One morning when I happened to be walking by my hedge, I saw one of them land on a leaf.

I quickly set my Nikon D90 with the 150 mm 2.8 macro lens on the tripod and slowly approached the butterfly. I was afraid that the butterfly would fly off as I moved in for a closer shot.

However, the butterfly was content to stay where it was and this became an exercise in patience for me. To be this close to a willing subject made me determined to wait it out while I closely observed through the view finder and snapped the shutter at any activity.

After over an hour with sweat rolling down my aching back, the butterfly appeared to be cleaning its antenna and then decided it was time to take flight.

Upon processing my RAW photos and getting out my butterfly book, I determined my friend to be a white cabbage butterfly with a bad reputation because when it is a caterpillar, it dines on our garden veggies.

The adult white cabbage butterfly's wingspan measures around 1.25 to 2 inches or 32–47 mm.

For additional reading:
http://insects.about.com/od/butterfliesmoths/a/7-Fascinating-Facts-About-Painted-Lady-Butterflies.htm

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Great Horned Owl Rescue

2011-10-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

Care for the Wild Ones

Sometimes, I think wildlife photographers are led in the path of animals in order to preserve a rare moment and share that beauty with others. Last week when I was coming back from my early morning walk, I noticed what I thought was a large tan cat sitting under the ramp of my neighbor’s front deck. When I came closer, to my surprise, I discovered that it was a great horned owl. A little later, my neighbor came out with her dog and I noticed that the owl hadn’t flown off and was just walking around.

It was determined that this owl had an injured wing and could not fly. The owl needed medical attention and the Wild Animal Infirmary for Nevada was located in Carson City, a two hours drive from here. I went in to start making phone calls and was informed that the owl would have to be transported to the Klaich Veterinary Hospital in Reno where it could be examined by a bird specialist. With birds and children, the sooner the injuries are treated, the better.

To catch the owl, a blanket was gently draped over its head and body, then it was carefully lifted and placed in a large dog carrier. To make the 2 hour drive, the owl would need to be secured in a snug, dark box where it could not move and receive further injury. Once the box was adapted with air holes, the owl was carefully coaxed from the dog carrier to the box. So far, everything was going as planned.

After arriving back home that night, the call came in that the owl had to be euthanized. The injuries to the wing were so severe and over the course of time, infection had set in. It was very sad and disheartening news to hear that this once healthy beautiful female bird could not be rehabilitated. So often with the birds of prey, the injuries will heal and the birds can be set back out to their freedom and usually in the area from which they came.

Migratory birds, including great horned owls are protected from removal, hunting and commercial trade under the Migratory Bird Act. It is illegal to harm the birds, their nests, the eggs and their feathers. If you should ever come upon an injured bird of prey, please do not approach the bird unless you have been trained to do so. Furthermore, if you do not have a raptor rehabilitation center in your area, it is best to call your state or countries wildlife agency to arrange transport of the injured bird.

While the owl was in the dog carrier, I carefully took some photos of its beautiful face and eyes. I feel that I ask permission of the animal for photos when the animal remains still and we make eye contact. Though the owl did not survive its injuries, its beauty will be preserved in the photos so that we may all be brought closer to the wonders of our natural environment.

Photographs Make Great Gifts

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"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

The Ubiquitous Contrail

2011-10-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Tic Tac Tow Across the Clear Blue Sky

One of my pet peeves with shooting landscape photography is contrails. I was always told by my mentors that clouds enhance the sky creating interest and drama, but contrails do not belong in nature scenes unless they are part of the theme. Over the years before Photoshop, I've tried to dodge or hide contrails. Often, I stood patiently waiting for a contrail to dissipate and then tried to snap the shutter before the next one appeared.

On days where there is moisture in the air and airplanes are flying at cruise altitude, above 26,000 feet (8 km) where the air is very cold, contrails will be produced from ice particles coming off the aircraft exhaust.

Around the second week in September, I noticed some of the most beautiful contrails glowing over the Gillis Range at sunrise.

I rushed out with my D90 and the 35-70 2.8 lens to catch the scene. Just as I was getting set up, the contrails of 2 jets flying from the west appeared overhead and it seemed that the planes were approaching at almost the same time, coming together at an angle.

This was a rare occasion for me and I am still not a fan of having contrails streak across the sky in landscape photos. However, I do love to watch the contrails form from the aircraft, especially when the sun light accents them at night.

For more information:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz/science/contrail.php?wfo=fgz

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The Mantis and Sphinx Moth

2011-10-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

The Arms of Death

Late one September afternoon when dusk was fast approaching, I was out in my yard and as I walked by the large desert willow tree, I heard a loud vibration of wings. I looked up on a higher branch that was covered in flowers and saw a sphinx moth frantically fluttering its wings. When I took a closer look, I discovered that the moth was caught in the clutches of a preying mantis. I found this quite amazing since the mantis was out-sized by the sphinx moth.

The sphinx moth, Sphingidae, is in the family of moths, Lepidoptera and is also known as hawk or hummingbird moths. This moth can have a wingspan up to 3 inches (75mm) and is one of the fastest flying insects, reaching speeds of 30 mph, 50 km/h. The body size of the moth and mantis are about equal at around 21/2 to 31/2 inches (65-90mm).

Wanting to catch this rare event with my camera, I quickly rushed in and changed to my Nikon 150mm 2.8 macro lens, ever aware of the fading light. I set the D90 on Aperture priority at f/8 for depth of field and raised the ISO to 800 and fired the flash. My shutter speed was indicating 1/60 second and I was afraid that it was not fast enough to freeze the wings and give me a sharp image. Darkness was quickly replacing all light so I opened the aperture to f/5.6 and increased the ISO to 1600, at the same time fearful for digital noise that might ruin the photo. I guess when a photographer becomes desperate to get a photo they will go to any lengths. As a last resort, I had the light from my LED flashlight shining on the scene while I continued to fire the flash on my D90.

After processing the RAW images in Lightroom, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and lack of digital noise from the higher ISO.

To some, this may be a less than desirable scene to watch and take photos of a preying mantis eating a beautiful moth. And yes, I had to overcome the tremendous desire to take the fluttering moth from death’s grip. However as a wildlife and nature photographer, this is one occasion where I have to think with my logical brain and not my heart. Nature has its balance and I am just an observer, I must always adhere to the principles of taking only photos and leaving only memories.

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The Great Horned Owl

2011-09-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

My Summer Evening Visitor

This summer of 2011, in the late afternoons, I have had the pleasure of watching a rare visitor to my yard . A great horned owl has taken up residence in my tallest elm tree. Just about every afternoon when the sun drops to a lazy angle, the owl moves to an open branch and begins to preen. Then as dusk descends, off it flies to begin its nocturnal activities.

One morning the owl happened to be on a branch where the sun light was catching it so I quickly grabbed my Nikon 500mm 4.0 lens. Upon focusing in on the owl's face, I noticed that the right eye socket appeared to be empty. I took several more photos and sure enough, this was a one-eyed owl! After carefully examining the photos in Lightroom, I saw that the eye socket was hollow. In amazement, I wondered how this owl could have lost the eye ball.

I have seen great horned owls around this area before and have heard them vocalizing at night with the familiar "who, who, who" sounds. Curiosity got the better of me, so I went to Google to look for more information. So far, I haven't been able to find anything that might explain the eye loss, but I did uncover some interesting facts.

On the website, "About Falconry", I learned that 95% of an owl's brain power is taken up simply for its eyes and that the eyes of owls are larger than other birds of prey. Bearing this in mind, I wondered how my owl was able to adapt with just the one eye.

Every afternoon when I am home, I've made it a ritual to go out and watch my friend. Great horned owls are amazing hunters that strike from above with their powerful talons. Their diet consist of reptiles, smaller mammals, birds and rodents but they have been known to prey on larger animals including cats, dogs, other raptors and even owls. After looking around on the ground, I've come to realize that my owl is eating quite well. I found a large number of castings or pellets that were regurgitated from the indigestible material of bones, fur and beaks.

The owls in North America have always carried great lore and superstition. Many people are afraid of the beautiful birds and I have been told by some that the hoot of an owl means there will soon be a death. I grew up watching 2 white owls that lived in my Aunt's windmill tank and on many a southern night, listened to their screech. I feel very fortunate that my one-eyed owl has taken up residence in my yard. We each peacefully coexist and go our separate ways and enjoy watching each other from a distance.

For additional information:

http://www.about-falconry.com/owl-species.html

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Photographing Spider Webs

2011-09-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

Nature's Weavings

A walk through the yard on a September morning with my D90 and Nikon 150mm 2.8 macro lens finds just the right type of lighting for photographing spider webs.

From my experience, early morning seems to have the best lighting to catch the sun's reflection on the delicate strands. If you live in an area where there is humidity, you might also find drops of dew accenting the web, however this is a very rare phenomenon in the high desert of Nevada.

A wide aperture helps to blur the background so that the focus remains sharp on the web. I find that auto focus does not work as well as manual focusing to bring out the small strands.

As with most of my macro, I will use a tripod which holds the camera steady so I can concentrate on setting up my shot for the best composition.

Firing the flash when the area is in shadows can bring out some interesting details.

Please remember when out photographing nature to take only photos and leave only memories. Always be respectful of the creatures that make their home in the wild.

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Cropping the Photograph

2011-09-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

To Crop or Not to Crop

When I was first learning the basics about photography, I was taught to crop the scene within the camera by moving closer or changing physical position. Zoom lenses were considered inferior so a serious photographer would only use a fixed length lens. With advances in technology, zoom lenses became sharper which made it easier to crop in the camera. As a last resort a certain amount of cropping could be done in the dark room, if the negative was sharp enough.

Enter the digital age with processing software and voilà cropping is made so much easier. However the original image still needs to be sharp and have the maximum number of pixels.

So if we have a sharp image with 300ppi, how much do we crop. With my Nikon D90 set for Image Quality: RAW, after processing I will have a finished photo that is 4288 X 3848 or 14.293" X 9.493", giving me a 34.9M file. The photo will also be saved as a TIFF and not as a JPG. And the difference between those two will be for a future blog.

The image size is especially crucial when you are cropping in on a photo to get a secondary clear sharp image.

Before the photo is cropped, a decision also may arise on whether it should be a vertical or horizontal. By rotating the photo in Photoshop, I can get a good idea of which format would give the subject a more interesting appearance. Once that decision is made, I will crop and re-size as needed.

One thing you must consider when cropping is how tight on the subject to go. Leaving a neutral space around the subject creates a more pleasing image, otherwise the subject becomes confined. An additional factor to consider if the photo will be framed is to allow enough space so that the subject will not be confined or covered up with a mat.

Experimenting with cropping in Photoshop is fun and can be very rewarding when you find those hidden images in a photograph.

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Mount Grant, Nevada

2011-08-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

One of Nevada's Tallest Peaks

Towering as a back drop to Walker Lake on the southwestern side, Mount Grant stands at an elevation of 11,270' (3435.096 m) and is one of the 25 tallest peaks in Nevada.

Located in west-central Nevada, the picturesque Mount Grant is the highest point on the Wassuk Range. After 9/11, access to the public was restricted and Mount Grant has been used predominately for military operations.

Standing above piñon treeline, the higher elevations of Mount Grant are covered in snow during the winter months and support various high altitude conifers.

During the short summers, native grass and wildflowers thrive in the various micro-climates along the slopes and in the meadows.

With its abundant water sources, Mount Grant is home to a number of wildlife including the Desert Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Cougar and Black Bear.

On a clear day at Mount Grant, you can see for approximately 130 miles. However the weather can be subject to violent and fast changes with systems moving in from the east, north and west. Strong winds, reaching gale force are as common as the clear blue skies.

Walker Lake lies on the lee side of Mount Grant and covers approximately 50.3 mi² (130 km²). Walker Lake is a natural high desert lake, fed by the Walker River and was once a remnant of the prehistoric Lake Lahontan that covered most of the western U.S. during the Ice Age.

The summit of Mount Grant is a sharp ridge of 3rd. Class talus, stretching for several hundred meters.

Mount Grant with its natural streams, cottonwoods, plentiful vegetation and wildlife is a sacred area to the Walker River Paiute Tribe.

For additional information:

http://www.walkerlakenv.ogr

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The Bird of Paradise Bush

2011-08-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Caesalpinia Gilliesii

My favorite shrub that brings color and wildlife to my yard in summer is an unusual tropical plant commonly known as the bird of paradise bush or technically the Caesalpinia gilliesii. I am particularly fond of this plant not only for the color and softness it brings to the high desert, but also for its drought-tolerance.

A member of the legume family, the Caesalpinia gilliesii originates from Argentina and Uruguay. Also known as the desert bird of paradise, yellow bird of paradise and barba de chivo, it is not related to the tropical bird of paradise genus Sterlitzia.

During the hot, dry summers, a small amount of water will keep the flowers in bloom and the shrub will continue to grow, possible reaching from 3-4 meters tall. Extending from the yellow flowers are the long red stamens that give the bird of paradise bush its unique appeal.

The seed pods will ripen in the fall where the dry seeds will pop out with a loud sound and fly for great distance. If one lands in the soft soil, a new plant will start to grow. This plant is very prolific and to keep it from growing all over my yard, I transplant the young shoots to small containers where I can share them with friends.

The seed pods and seeds are very toxic, producing severe vomiting and abdominal distress, however it is noted that the plant is used as a medicine to cure fever, coughs and sores by indigenous people of the Amazon Rainforest.

The delicate leaf patterns remind me of the mimosa tree and the faint sweet fragrance smells so nice in the summer air. Hummingbirds, bees and butterflies are attracted to the nectar, but not deer, the bird of paradise bush is resistant to deer.

For additional information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesalpinia_gilliesii

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Perseid Meteor Showers

2011-08-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

Catch a Falling Star Over Walker Lake

The week of August 8th, the Perseid meteor show is due to peak between August 12th and 13th, becoming more spectacular in the early morning hours before dawn. The greatest difficulty with this spectacular meteor show is the light from a Waxing Gibbous or nearly full moon and of course favorable meteorological conditions with clear skies and calm winds.

I chose to take my chances with the meteors on the morning of August 11th. because the moon was due to set around 3am. I arose at 2:35am and when I went outside, the sky was very light even though the moon had already dropped behind the mountains to the west. Just as I was setting up my camera, I saw several brilliant star trails streak across the northeastern sky.

To try and photo the meteors, I selected my wide angle Nikon 24mm 2.8 lens. Using a cable release on the Nikon D90, I set the program on manual and the shutter on bulb so that I could control the speed. From past experience, I can get a 10-20 second exposure with the D90 without too much digital noise. For these night photos, I set the aperture at f/8 and the ISO was on 200. I also used my heaviest Bogan tripod to prevent as much camera as possible.

Around 3:35am, the sky to the northeast began to darken and I was all set up, ready for action. The radius point where the meteors will originate is in the constellation Perseus, just below the Cassiopeia's W in the Northeast sky. However in the early dawn, I noticed shooting stars in all directions of the sky. The problem is being able to catch the meteor trail during a 10-20 second shutter opening.

I did manage to capture one nice meteor trail to the east just before dawn.

Once the eastern sky began to lighten with dawn quickly approaching, I could not resist to take more photos in the starlit sky.

With dawn's light accenting Walker Lake, I walked to get a closer image of the early morning light.

For more information:
http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors

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Sacred Datura

2011-08-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

American Desert Thorn Apple

One of the most beautiful fragrant white trumpet-shaped desert wildflowers also has a dark and deadly side. The Sacred Datura is an exotic looking plant that grows from Nevada to northern Mexico in lose sand and on dry wash banks. It can reach up to 5' (1.5 m) in height and circumstance.

The sweet smelling Sacred Datura’s sinister side comes from the narcotic and lethal effects produced by its extracts. Its narcotic properties have been used in religious ceremonies by southwestern Native Americans since recorded history. However the hallucinogenic effects of the Datura are known to be stronger than Peyote, Psyillicibin, or LSD and can cause permanent psychosis.

Unfortunately all parts of the Datura contain dangerous levels of poison if ingested by animals or humans. In some areas it is prohibited to buy, sell or cultivate Datura plants.

The corollas or flowers protrude 6" (15 cm) from the foliage on a flared trumpet, opening in the late afternoon, they bloom during the night or on cloudy days. At the end of the flare, five slender teeth form a spiral on the rim.

The 11/2" (3.8 cm) prickly fruit which also gives the Datura one of its common names, the Thorn Apple, has many slender spines that when dry will cause painful punctures to the skin. In the fall the dry Throne Apple will open, expelling numerous seeds.

Regardless of the Datura's dark and deadly side, it is a most beautiful pollinating plant, often used in xeriscapes. I have several growing in my yard that attract nocturnal visitors like the sphinx or hawk moths.

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Northern Bluet Damselfly

2011-07-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

Walker Lake Water Fairies

During the month of July, the lapis blue of the Northern Bluet Damselfly accents green bushes and shallow waters around Walker Lake.

These strikingly delicate creatures are insects similar to dragonflies, in the order Odonata and the suborder Zygoptera. However the Damselfly is smaller than a dragonfly and its wings are held along the body when at rest.

The male is a striking blue.

While the female is a duller slate color.

Damselflies have a life cycle of one to two years and can often be seen mating in flight or by clinging to plants.

After copulation, the female will lay her eggs in submerged vegetation. Once the eggs are laid, she will continue this process.

Upon hatching, the damselfly does not go through the larva and pupa transformation. It will emerge in to a nymph as a smaller version of the mature damselfly where it spends one to three years in the water preying on smaller aquatic insects.

After molting several times, the damselfly enters the adult stage where it keeps nature in balance eating flies, mosquitoes and other insects.

It's a wondrous sight to just sit and imagine the elegant damselflies as water fairies flying around Walker Lake on a warm day in July.

For additional reading:

http://www.lrdg.org.uk/articles/intro.php

http://www.cirrusimage.com/damselfly.htm

http://crawford.tardigrade.net/bugs/BugofMonth12.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damselfly

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2011 Purple Summer Festival

2011-07-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

Arts, Music and Culinary Delights at Lavender Ridge

I've just returned from participating in the Purple Summer Festival at Lavender Ridge, in Reno, Nevada. The Purple Summer Festival has become the top art festival and is held on the third weekend of July, during Artown, when the city of Reno is focused on the arts.

Lavender Ridge is a lavender farm with a setting that is just perfect for a celebration of the arts. Owners Kristy and Mike Harris go all out providing the Reno community with a diverse selection of fine arts, culinary delights flavored with lavender and live music performances under the gazebo.

I've been fortunate to be a vendor with my PhotoGraphic Expressions since the beginning of the Purple Summer Festival. Each year the festival gets better and more exciting.

The highlights of the 2011 festival including the diverse selection of mix media artists was the lavender beer that was so refreshing on a warm summer day and the entertainment by the Gabardine Sisters and their Homespun Harmony Hour.

The Homespun Harmony Hour with the Gabardine Sisters: Joyce Furlong as Dinah Gabardine, Karla Bowman as Tulla Gabardine, and Annie Pinkerton as Nettie Gabardine, perform a "live radio show" with the call letters KQLT from the make-believe town of Cotton Creek. The back-up band House Blend with guitarist Riley Hayes and Hobart "Geezer" Gaddy on upright bass play accompayment to the three-part harmony of the Sisters.

What a beautiful setting to enjoy the arts while sipping lavender lemonade by the cool waterfall that overlooks fields of lavender flowers. Lavender Ridge is located on 7450 West 4th. Street, in Reno, Nevada. (775) 747-3222.

To contact the Gabardine Sisters:
(775) 722-9877
Joyce Furlong

Additional information on Lavender Ridge:
http://lavenderridgereno.com/

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Pyrotechnics in the Desert

2011-07-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

Star Spangled Fifth of July

On July 5th., the mountain enclosed sky at Hawthorne, Nevada comes alive with a star spangled celebration for Independence Day. By holding the 4th. of July celebration a day late, the small desert town can catch the Fireworks Display Companies after the big city celebrations where they can use up left over pyrotechnics. This year, the left over’s put on one very spectacular display.

Anyone who has spent much time with me knows that of the two things I love to photo, fireworks is right up there with lightning. Well, the word photography is of Greek origin, meaning to write with light and with both lightning and fireworks, I am literally "writing with light"!

For this year's fireworks event, I set up in the desert approximately 400 meters from the display area, with the wind direction blowing cross wind from my left.

This position turned out to be just perfect and the wind drift created some interesting effects with the bursts.

With my Nikon D90 secured to my heavier Bogan tripod, I chose the Nikon 35-70mm 2.8 lens because a wide angle lens works better with fireworks to frame as much sky as possible. The D90 was set on Manual Mode and by using a remote cable, I held the shutter open on Bulb setting.

With Bulb, I have control over the shutter speed and can keep it open for long exposures where the fireworks become streaked.

Or time it just right to freeze the action on one burst.

The pyrotechnics in this year's show were outstanding, making it very difficult for me to select just a few of the best 80 images. To see more of the July 5, 2011 fireworks display, please visit my Bonnie Rannald's PhotoGraphic Expressions Facebook Artist Page.

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Attracting Birds, Bees and Butterflies

2011-06-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

Flowering Plants in a High Desert Yard

Trying to accent a yard in the Great Basin Desert with attractive wildlife friendly plants has been a learning experience of trial and error for me. The Great Basin is the largest desert in the U.S. and is considered a "Cold Desert" due to its northern location and higher elevations that average between 4,000 feet 1219.2 m to 6,500 feet 1828.8 m. The more southern area of the Great Basin where I am located averages less than 7 inches 17.78 cm of perception a year. Nestled between the Wassuk and Gillis mountain ranges, the winters can be cold with temperatures reaching below freezing and the summers can be harsh with the sun shining down through the clear blue sky.

Trying to grow the usual flowers and shrubs that adorn most yards just ends in disappointment when the plants struggle for survival and eventually die. However being a wildlife photographer, I wanted a yard that was attractive for the various birds and insects and would offer me a place to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Pygmy Blue Butterfly on Rosemary Blossom

The flowers and shrubs that thrive and bring so much color and various forms of wildlife to my yard are as follows:

One of the most unusual flowering shrubs is the Caesalpinia gilliesii or commonly known as Bird of Paradise Bush. A member of the legume family, the Bird of Paradise Bush is native to Argentina. It thrives in my area, especially with some extra water during the hot summer. The yellow flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Apricot Globe Mallow is an annual flowering plant native to the southwestern desert. Growing along washes, the orange flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. It is also a staple in the diet of the Desert Bighorn Sheep.

The deep blue Salvia of the mint family thrives in full sun and will keep flowering with a little extra water during the dry spells. It is a favorite with the hummingbirds and butterflies, but repels deer and rabbits.

Gaillardia or blanket flower accents the planting beds with large daisy like blooms. A sun and heat loving plant, the blanket flower attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and small birds that eat the seeds.

Sunflowers are my favorite flowers and just happen to do so well here that I have to thin them out. They come up all over the yard from seeds blown by the wind or dropped by wildlife. The seeds are a food staple for birds and ground squirrels. Bees and butterflies are drawn to the flowers and I have even watched hummingbirds visit the flowers.

Desert Willows are native to the Mojave Desert. They reach a height of 25 feet, 7.6m and grow along washes at elevations between 1000-5000 feet, 305-1524 meters. I brought some small Desert Willow transplants from my yard in Las Vegas and they are thriving here! The hummingbirds, moths and butterflies are drawn to the nectar. What a wonderful tree that decorates the landscape while providing shade and shelter.

I have many other different varieties of plants in my yard including junipers, elms, various grasses and an almond tree. However, the plants that I've focused on in this post are the summer flowering kind. A few years ago, the yard was certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a wildlife friendly habitat. So I can just sit back, relax and enjoy the outdoors whenever I feel the urge.

For additional reading:

http://bonnierannald.blogspot.com/2010/09/xeriscaping-in-high-desert.htm

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Bad Photos Exposed

2011-06-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

How Not to Take a Bad Photo

I'm writing this entry in reference to a comment on one of my Facebook posts from a friend who wrote "Can't you just post one lousy crappy photo? Just once?!" Well my friend, you've given me some food for thought and the more I thought about your comment the more I realized that yes, I’m always talking about the good photos. Now it's time to confess, show off the mistakes and ones that do not make the final Save As file. It took me a while to locate some bad ones because they usually are sent to the delete bin after processing.

One of the most difficult decisions for a photographer is to delete the poor ones from the good quality. Below are some examples of my photographs that have technical problems and will not make the cut!

On first glance, the dancer's photo appears to be nice and strong; however a closer look at his body shows exposure problems. With much of the editing software, including Lightroom, the exposure problem can be fixed, to a point. However with digital, once the highlights are blown out or clipped, they can not be recovered.

The wild horses and coyote at Walker Lake would have made a nice photo had the wind not been blowing so hard to cause camera shake. The white streaks in the background are white caps on the lake. Even by increasing the ISO, the force of the wind was just too hard and the photo is not sharp.

The Northern Flicker would have been a nice photo if the background was not so busy and distracting. A slight move to the right or left might have remedied the problem.

Ah, a grave site at the historical Aurora mining town cemetery. The contrasty lighting makes the image hard to see and the brick pillars create a barrier. Photographing the scene when the sun was at more of an angle would be nice. However if time will not allow, firing the flash and a side view would give a much stronger image.

An overexposed full moon lacking any detail was caused from rushing the photo without taking in to consideration the overexposure tendency of the digital camera and also not using spot metering. The moon is so much brighter than the sky or landscape and spot metering will allow for a more accurate setting.

One of my favorite mistakes and what I call: "Premature Shutter Clicking". I do this quite often by clicking the shutter in anticipation of the shot before I am in focus.

So often with wildlife, we are rushed to get a photo before the animal disappears. However, a little patience and tracking the animal in focus usually rewards me with a better image.

I just can't seem to get past the obstruction of the leaves in front of the robin, so I click the shutter, hoping for the best. Well in most cases the best just is not good enough when you are working for a sellable commercial image.

Hum, what was the main subject that I was trying to portray in my photo? This scene has so many different subjects that it's hard to tell. All I needed to do was step back and decide what message I was trying to send to the viewer.

This is one of my favorites when trying to photograph a fast moving subject. I've seen more out of focus and blank frames that go straight to the delete file. The beauty of digital is, you can take numerous images and not worry about having to change film.

I was trying to get an action shot with a Costa's Hummingbird, but the lighting was wrong and the projectiles sticking up create a barrier and are distracting. Sometimes nature just doesn't want to cooperate.

When the distance is too far and exceeds the limits of the lens, all you can do is take a shot and hope for the best. Sometimes you can crop in and the subject will be sharp enough for a decent photo.

My favorite of all poor quality photos is not using a tripod so that I can get the sharp focus on my subject. Tripods are inconvenient and have to be set up, however the sharpness of the image is worth the extra effort.

So yes, even I take lousy, crappy photos sometimes. But I also know that the true difference between taking photos and creating images is the finished results within the scene.

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Photographing Butterflies

2011-06-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

The Illusive Butterfly

Trying to freeze the illusive butterfly in the lens of the camera can be both a rewarding and frustrating experience. I was in southern New Mexico one summer when the Western Tiger Swallowtail butterflies were out in mass, feeding on the flowering thistles. All I had to do was just stand nearby, clicking the shutter.

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Most of the time, it is not so easy to get up close and the butterfly just refuses to be still. Due to its survival instinct to flee from predators, the butterfly reacts to any movement, especially when the shadow from a moving body comes near.

Monarch

The time to photo a butterfly when it will remain still is in the early morning, before the sun catches its wings. The butterfly’s metabolism slows down at night or when it is cool. In the early morning, the wings are spread to absorb heat before the butterfly can start moving them to begin feeding.

Mourning Cloak

Having the camera on a tripod with a macro or telephoto lens allows you to get close to the butterfly and concentrate on the areas for sharp focus, which are the body and wings.

Pygmy Blue

By increasing the ISO, you can get a faster shutter speed in order to freeze the movement of the wings. As in macro photography, I try and keep the lens parallel to the area of sharpest focus.

Painted Lady

Frontal lighting is important to highlight the butterfly and bring out the accents and beautiful colors.

Pygmy Blue

Most often, if you remain still the butterfly will return to the nearby flower. A little patience and preparation by pre-focusing on the flower also has given me good results. I have heard that butterflies will not fly away if you wear dark clothes. However I can not guarantee this since most times when I'm doing nature photography, I wear light, neutral colors.

Zephyr Angelwing

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Calliope Hummingbird on Nest

2011-06-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

From Nesting to Hatchlings

One summer day when I was hiking in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area on Pine Creek Trail, I spotted a very small bird sitting on a nest in a willow tree by the stream. I quietly set my camera on the tripod, focused in with the Nikon 80-200mm lens and realized that I was looking at a very small hummingbird.

On comparing my prints to the hummingbirds in my bird identification book, I discovered this was a Calliope Hummingbird, the smallest bird in North America. The Calliope migrates from Mexico to breed and raise its young in mountainous areas where there are streams with wildflowers growing along the banks.

In a few days, I anxiously returned to find the Calliope patiently sitting on her tiny cup-shaped nest that was made from the buds of a creosote bush and bound together with spider webs.

Every few days I hiked back with my backpack of camera equipment across the hot desert and over the rocky path to check on the progress of my tiny friend. At the end of the second week I was amazed to see two small pointed beaks sticking up from the nest.

Each time when I came to visit, I would sit on a near by rock, eat my lunch in the shade and keep a close watch through the lens to snap the shutter when there was any action.

Finally after many hikes and a lot of exercise, I found the nest empty. I spent the rest of the day watching the hummingbirds flying around, sipping nectar from the Desert Paintbrush and Penstemon plants and I wondered which ones were the offspring from my Calliope.

A year to the exact date, I made the hike back to see if the Calliope had returned to her nest. Hummingbirds are known to re-use the same nest. I located the exact willow but to my disappointment, the small cup-shaped nest was no where to be found. I spent the rest of that day looking in the branches by the stream and did not find any other nests. While I was searching the area, I became flooded with emotions and felt an immense sense of gratitude that I was allowed to witness this rare and unique sage of nature.

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Photographing Smoke

2011-05-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

Smoke Gets in your Lens

For quite a while I have been wanting to try and photograph smoke. After doing some Googling, I discovered that the best way to photograph smoke was with a stick of incense against a dark backdrop. Also of most importance was a fast shutter speed and side lighting to highlight the smoke.

I set up a black velvet backdrop against the dining room wall where the morning sun comes in through the patio door. I tried one stick of incense and found that two gave better results with more smoke. With my D90 secured to the tripod, I used a Nikon 35-70mm 2.8 lens. The incense stick was placed on the table, close to the backdrop.

After adjusting my ISO from 400 to 3200, I found that 3200 gave the fastest shutter speed with the dim smoke against the black backdrop. The D90 was set on manual focus and on Aperture Mode at f/2.8, giving me a shutter speed of 1/80 seconds. The recommended shutter speed was 1/250 seconds, however without the use of studio lights it was impossible to get the shutter speed that fast.

In the future, I will set up studio lights and experiment with more of the effects. This was fun and I even tried catching a fireplace match as it lit. I think next time, I will try with different matches. I would like to get the spark as the match first ignites.

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Adventures in Wildlife Photography

2011-05-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

Knowing When to Exit Before It's Too Late

I began my photographic ventures shooting landscapes and because they always took me off the beaten path, I came across many different types of wildlife. Around this same time, I was doing volunteer work in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area and at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park with my photography. I made friends with some of the park rangers who taught me how to approach wildlife and enter their habitat without causing any problems.

One of the first things I learned in photographing wildlife was that I would need a faster telephoto lens. So when I could afford it, I added the Nikon 500mm 4.0 to my collection of lenses and it soon became my favorite, even though it was cumbersome and required a tripod. The 500mm lens allowed me to reach areas where the wildlife hung out and most times go unnoticed. However, on several occasions after walking quietly and blending in, I was the one who was in for a surprise and not too sure about my next move.

A female coyote stops on her way back to the den to check out what is hiding in the mesquite trees. I've been fortunate to come across these creatures many times in the early mornings or evenings when I wander through the desert. They are very shy and most of the time will scurry off. I love to hear their music on a calm summer night.

Now mind you, I haven't had the thrill of encountering a cougar in the wild yet, although I have seen their tracks in the moist sand near First Creek. This cougar photo was during the open house at the Animal Ark in Reno, Nevada.

Speaking of First Creek, which is in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area and runs along the trail as its name implies, is a great place to see a lot of wildlife. One spring day when I was hiking down the densely covered path I heard heavy breathing coming from just around the bend. My curiosity got the best of me and I continued on to find a group of wild burros foraging on a nearby hill. When I came into view, all heads looked up with ears forward. Wild burros can be mean spirited and will defend their territory; however this group posed for the camera as I quietly walked on down the trail.

There is something very peaceful about deer as they quietly graze on foliage, however this buck did not want me coming any closer and I have heard stories about hunters being attacked by them. With a quick clique of the shutter, I backed up and made a fast departure.

When I lived in Las Vegas, I often made trips out to Wilson Canyon where I could always find a large group of wild horses gathered around the natural springs. Early one summer morning, I was hiding in a grove of creosote bushes focusing on several horses that were drinking nearby. I heard some noise, turned and was completely surrounded by a bunch of wild horses that had snuck up while I was in deep concentration! When the horses realized that I was there, they stopped and allowed me to take a whole group of great photos.

Elk are like deer and just want to graze and be left alone. However when I was walking down a narrow back road near Cedar Breaks, Utah and came upon this group of Elk, I wasn't too sure how they felt about me entering their territory. Since my truck was a distance away, I snapped a few quick photos and did an about face!

In the areas that I frequent looking for wildlife, I've never seen a wolf out in the wild and this beauty is from the Animal Ark in Reno.

On one occasion, I did look up to see these big eyes watching me from the overhead tree! And no, I am not afraid of owls; to me they are beautiful birds that keep nature in balance.

What I am afraid of and always cautious about are the rattlesnakes that live around the rocks in the desert. During the warm season, you have to be very careful about where you step and place your hands! Getting bit by one of these creatures when you are out on a hiking trail could mean the kiss of death and ruin your day!

I love being out in nature, exploring and finding photos. When I am in nature, I try to be a good neighbor and to go unnoticed without intruding or disrupting any habitats. As the saying goes, take only photographs and in the desert we don't believe in leaving footprints, only memories.

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Reno River Festival

2011-05-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

Kayaking, Music and Festivities in Wingfield Park

On the second weekend in May for the past eight years the Reno River Festival is held at the beautiful Wingfield Park on the Truckee River.

Wingfield Park lies in the heart of downtown Reno where people can come to relax and stroll by the water along the Riverwalk.

In the hot summer months, the Truckee River Whitewater Park provides a water playground for people of all ages to cool off by taking a dip or floating along on tubes.

For the more adventuresome there is kayaking on the class II or III rapids.

The River Festival has become America's premier whitewater event, attracting around 40,000 people who come out to enjoy the festivities. Included with the paddle sports industry's top whitewater events are vendors with goods and services of food, drinks and the latest outdoor products, to bands performing at the Wingfield Park Amphitheater. And best of all, admission is free!

The action packed events over the three days include the Open Competition, the Slalom Competition, Run Amuck Relay Race, Whitewater Clinics, Stand-Up Paddleboard and Boatercross.

All during the River Festival in downtown Reno, bars, casinos and nightclubs will be open to welcome in the revelers.

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Elements of Abstract Photography

2011-05-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

Part Two, Exploring Abstract Photography

On Part 2 of Abstract Photography, I will continue to explore Ron Bigelow's concepts on how to create a strong abstract image when there are no rules for composition to follow and the art of subtraction applies to anything that does not strengthen the viewer's emotional reaction.

Bigelow provides us with three essential elements that are paramount in creating the abstract image: Form, Color and Curves.

Form is the shape of an object in an image and as stated by Bigelow, "serves as the framework upon which an abstract image is created."

Bigelow further stresses that abstract images must begin with good form, however to define what makes good form is instinctual, and is reacted to emotionally, not logically. In producing the abstract image, we are given the task "to find objects that create an emotional reaction." Furthermore, "When one looks at an object and immediately reacts, "Wow, look at that", a strong form has probably been found."

Color as stated by Bigelow is what "grabs" the viewer and "stimulates the viewer's perceptual system." Color not only catches the viewer's attention, it also prevents the eyes from wandering and keeps the attention in the scene. The use of color in abstract images can be intense, saturated colors, or also contrasting colors.

Curves add interest to the abstract image by controlling the viewer's eyes within the image. Curves can either direct the viewer's attention to the center of interest or control the eye's movement through the image in a graceful or dynamic way.

So as I begin the transition to abstract photography, I will be even more open to the emotional stimulating scene that presents itself to me. For all during my journey into nature and landscape photography, I have held the belief that I do not find the image, but it finds me.

For more information please visit

http://www.ronbigelow.com.

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Exploring Abstract Photography

2011-05-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

How to Photograph Outside the Lines

Over the last few weeks, I have been thinking in terms of abstract photography and that might be caused from the flowers staring to bloom and all the macros I've been out taking while enjoying the spring.

I have always been intrigued by abstract art since my early college classes in art appreciation. And unlike so many who consider the medium simple, I shied away from abstract photography because to me it is a much more difficult expression with no set rules on composition. It's like coloring outside the lines and coming up with a meaningful picture.

With this week's post, I would like to explore some discoveries that I have made about abstract photography from master photographer, Ron Bigelow. I was led to Ron Bigelow's website and article, entitled "Abstract Photography" after posting a question on Facebook to artists and gallery directors, inquiring what makes a photograph abstract. What I learned from Ron Bigelow as I paraphrase his words, "is that Abstract Photography relies more on our primal sense of form, color, and curves than it does on detail." Bigelow further believes that "there is no standard, universally accepted definition of abstract photography" . . . that "image detail takes a back seat to form, color and curves. . ."

As I begin to ponder Bigelow's words, I begin to wonder what I am getting myself into since I have always been an advocate of image detail being one of the principles that define a strong photograph image. However, I also discover through Bigelow's article that "the brain's logical processes are more subdued when viewing abstract images" . . ."instead the reaction is much more instinctual."

As Bigelow's words start to incubate in my mind, I look over a number of my photographs and discover that I have been drawn to the abstract in so many of the images that I have previously photographed. As stated by Bigelow, "abstract photography communicates to the viewer primarily through the viewer's emotions." At this point, I become very excited because I have been told on numerous occasions that my images touch the viewer on an emotional level. And to further paraphrase Bigelow, "the abstract form plays to the photographer's benefit because our human emotions are much more powerful than our logical systems."

In the past week, I have been on a sojourn so to speak, to evaluate how my photographs fit in with Bigelow's beliefs. During my teaching and coaching days, much emphasis was placed on the psychological aspects of human performance and I completely agree with Bigelow that color, form and curves evoke strong reactions that are pre-programmed in to our neurological systems.

In next week's post, I will delve deepen in to Bigelow's article and look at the essentials of color, form and curves that make up the abstract photograph.

For more information please visit

http://www.ronbigelow.com.

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Making Traditional Easter Eggs

2011-04-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Let's Color Some Easter Eggs

One of my favorite traditions at Easter was getting to color eggs. Since the weather has not been conducive for exploring bird baths, like I mentioned in my previous post, I decided it would be fun to experiment with Easter eggs.

Sophie got all excited and has come out to help with the project.

But first, why do we color and then hunt for eggs at Easter time. Checking with Wikipedia, I found that "the egg is a pagan symbol of the rebirth of the Earth and was later adopted by Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus".

As a child, I was told that the Easter Bunny delivered the eggs in a nice basket with other treats and I would have to hunt and find where it was hidden. Looking back, I guess this was one way to get me up early and ready for the special church service.

From what I learned with Wikipedia, painting and delivering eggs has been around for at least some 2,500 years. I also discovered that onion skins were boiled with the eggs to give them a popular tan color. This gave me the idea to boil my white eggs with the skin of a red onion.

After carefully placing my eggs in a pan of luke warm water and gently heating them so that none were broken, I allowed them to sit in the hot purple water for about 15 minutes to continue to cook and absorb the color.

While the eggs were cooling and drying, I returned to Wikipedia to get some ideas on how to decorate my eggs. There are so many traditions and variations on decorating eggs and some of the designs are so very complex. I think each region and/or country has its own custom.

Sophie lends a helpful paw, checking to see if the eggs are ready.

I used some ideas from various countries and came up my simply colored eggs. I decided to follow tradition and place my eggs in a basket with dried grass that I cut from my yard. What a fun project this was, it took me back to my youth and so many fond memories.

For more information on the customs and tradition of Easter Eggs please visit Wikipedia

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Photographing Birds at the Pond

2011-04-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

Backyard Fun With Blackbirds

In the spring, around the second week of April, my back yard comes alive and begins to sound like a jungle when all the migratory birds arrive. The most interesting grouping is a varied assortment of black birds: Red-winged, Yellow-headed, Tricolored, Brewer's and even some starlings.

The birds congregate in the 50 foot, 15.24m elm trees, which are close to the pond, near my back fence and as if on signal, they float down to the pond for drinks and baths.

Not only are the birds quite entertaining, they also offer some great photo ops when they are drinking and splashing around in the pond. All I need to do is set up my Nikon D90 with the 500mm 4.0 lens on the tripod and wait quietly on the walkway in the back of my house. Once I become still and out of sight, the birds will begin to trickle down to the waterfall and pond from the trees.

To be far enough away and go unnoticed by the birds, I am shooting at a distance of approximately 48 feet, 14.63m and even with a 500mm lens the birds appear much smaller in the camera. Many times, I will have to crop in on the image to bring the bird up to fill the frame.

Since the 500mm lens is manual focus, I really have to concentrate in order to get the bird's eyes in sharp focus. However with the continuous drive of the D90 shooting up to 4.5 frames per second, I have a pretty good chance to catch the action with some sharp images.

Opening the aperture to f/8 allows for greater depth of field but also calls for a slower shutter speed. In order to get up to a speed of 1/500sec. for stop action on the birds, I adjust the ISO from 400 to 800 depending on the light to bump up the shutter speed.

I don't think there is anything quite as entertaining as watching birds splashing around in water, taking baths. It is not necessary to have a pond to attract birds, any shallow object filled with water will do. The best location is always under or near a tree. And this has just given me an idea for my next blog entry: "Let's Make a Birdbath". So check back next week and see what objects I've found that will make great bird baths!

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Macro Photography, Up Close and Personal

2011-04-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

Exploring Hidden Worlds With Macro Photography

Spring is finally here and flowers are starting to bloom, bringing photographers out of their winter hiatus. I just recently returned from an exciting wildflower workshop in Death Valley that I conducted with Karen Linsley and you might have read about it in several previous posts. So I thought in this entry, I would go into further detail with how I like to set up for macro photos of flowers.

The way I prefer to photograph flowers if at all possible is in diffused lighting and with a small aperture of f/8-11 for maximum depth of field. A small aperture and low light, thanks to the good old laws of reciprocity, equals a slow shutter speed, which makes it all most impossible to hold the camera steady and to focus on the flower.

For the above stated reasons, to me a tripod is essential in photographing flowers or with macro work. The tripod that I prefer is the Manfrotto NA24 with the Manfrotto 3265 Grip Action Ball Head and Quick Release.

This tripod is light, with a weight of only 5 pounds, 2.26 kg, and lowers to 23 inches, 50.8cm, from ground level. The Grip Action Ball Head allows me to position the camera with just a squeeze of the handle within a 180° sphere.

Having the tripod low to the ground and tilting the head, I can get up close and personal to the flower and also concentrate on where I want my area of selective focus to fall.

The lens I use most often for closeups on flowers is the Nikon 150mm 2.8 macro. Sometimes when photographing the macro world, you might even get a surprise visitor.

If the flower is on a flat plane and depth of field is not critical or I want to blur the background, I will open the aperture to f5.6

For my taste with macro and flower photography, I like to isolate a subject so that it stands out against the background and becomes the main subject. In the following photo, it is difficult for the eyes to pick out the main subject.

Photographing flowers with macro photography is like exploring hidden worlds and inner universes. So many of nature's secrets are revealed.

A special thanks to Photographers Karen Linsley and Donald Heldoorn for use of their photos in this post.

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Clouds, Moon and Sky

2011-04-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

Clouds, Moon and Sky Opening at Never Ender

Wassuk Moon

On April 1st., at the Never Ender Gallery on 26 Cheney Street in Reno, was the opening of my Clouds, Moon and Sky exhibit that will hang through the month of April. The reception was on Friday evening and I would like to give Melanie Crane, owner of the Never Ender, a big thank you for the lovely event. I also would like to thank all the people for coming out and showing their support.

Melanie and I decided on the theme of Clouds, Moon and Sky from the photos that I have been posting on Facebook that reveal my passion for photography through Nature's artistry. I believe there is nothing quite as inspiring as a sunrise, sunset, or huge full moon lighting the night sky.

If you are in the Reno area, please drop by the Never Ender, check out my exhibit and the huge of selection of artistic gifts that are available for purchase.

Joshua Tree and Moon

"My passion for photography is revealed in scenes of Clouds, Moon and Sky. The inspiration of Nature's artistry, ever changing from moment to moment, never remaining the same".

Again, a very big thank you to Melanie and the Never Ender Gallery!

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Death Valley and the Artist's Drive

2011-03-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

Zabriskie Point and the Artist's Pallet

There is so much to explore in Death Valley and one of the most beautiful areas is the Artist's Drive. The nine mile, 14.484096 km, one way scenic loop lies at the foot of the Black Mountains between Furnace Creek and Badwater.

As the narrow paved road curves and bends over hills and across steep gullies, we were taken on a voyage back in time through Death Valley's violent past while it was being created by volcanic activity.

The Artist's Palette, vivid hues of orange, mustard and yellow accent the clay which was composed from cemented gravel and volcanic debris.

The Black Mountains are a result of the uplifting caused from faulting. The broken layers of multi-colored rocks were created over the vastness of time from the oxidation of metals: red, pink and yellow from iron salts; green from decomposing mica; and purple from manganese.

The Desert Holly blends in so well with the harsh desert surroundings,

it often goes unnoticed.

Zabriskie Point and the Artist's Pallet stand as a testament to nature's artistry and the violent eruptions, ancient lava flows and million of years of erosion involved in the creation of Death Valley.

Photography like nature is forever changing and no one moment remains the same. What I found most rewarding with our group in the Death Valley Photography Experience was that we were able to stay on track with our plans for each photography session and were also able to make a mutual change of direction to go to a different scene, whenever it presented itself.

For additional information on Death Valley, please visit the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley_National_Park

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A Hike to Natural Bridge

2011-03-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Natural Bridge at Death Valley

During the March 2011 Death Valley Photography Experience, one of our side adventures was exploring the Natural Bridge Canyon with our cameras.

The entrance to the canyon is around a half mile walk, (0.804677 km) from the Natural Bridge Trail Head.

After entering the narrow canyon with such high vertical walls, a passage of time is felt. Almost like being in nature's sacred temple.

Thousands of years ago, a stream once flowed through this canyon but now the rock walls remain dry, untill it rains and the flood waters come pouring down, carving out more of the walls.

When there are seasonal rains, flood waters wash over the walls, creating interesting etched patters from mud drippings. These are not safe times to be inside the canyon at Natural Bridge.

A view from under the 50 foot (15.24 m) tall Natural Bridge.

Mineral deposits are found in many of the cracks in the canyon walls.

Smooth vertical chutes line the canyon walls from eons of erosion.

Natural Bridge is an interesting 2 mile (3.218688 km) trek with glimpses of the geological history that created parts of Death Valley.

Part 3 in next week's blog, the sunset colors at Artist Drive and Zabriskie Point.

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2011 Death Valley Wildflower Photograpy Sojourn

2011-03-13T18:03:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Death Valley Photography Experience

On March 8, 2011 a group of nine people met in Death Valley National Park for the first annual Wildflower Photography Workshop, under the direction of Image Angels professional photographer Karen Linsley and me. Most in the group were unacquainted and what happened over the next one and half days was a remarkable bonding from sharing an adventure in one of the most inhospitable places on earth.

Death Valley was so named when a group of pioneers became lost in the winter of 1849 because they thought they were taking a shortcut to the gold mines in Californian. They were stuck in Death Valley for weeks and assumed dead. However only one in the group died.

What causes Death Valley to be such an inhospitable place is a number of factors. Located between the Great Basin and Mojave Desert, Death Valley has a violent creation over a span of millions of years from earthquake activity and severe erosion. Over time, flood waters rushing in to the lower elevations deposited salt and other minerals which collected in the 200 square miles (520 km2) valley floor, making any standing pools of water undrinkable, thus the name--Badwater. An exaggerated rainshadow effect causes Death Valley to be the driest area in North America, receiving on average 1.5 inches (38 mm) of rain a year. Having the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere, 282 feet (86 m) below sea level, Death Valley is also one of the hottest places on earth with a recorded temperature on 134 °F (56.7 °C) on July 10, 1913. Winter’s can also be harsh when temperatures drop toward the freezing point.

So why choose such a desolate, inhospitable location for a wildflower photography workshop? Along with the challenges that Death Valley presents, it also offers so much diversity with its rugged terrain, varying saturated colors and thriving ecosystems.

The following are highlights from our 2011 Death Valley Photography Experience:

After setting up camp at Furnace Creek,

the group relaxes before going out on the first photo shoot.

An Antelope Squirrel comes by looking for some snacks.

The first photo shoot was catching the sunset at the Sand Dunes.

Far in the distance, one of the photographers waits for the sun to drop.

A colorful sky greets us at sunrise the following day.

Wildflowers of Blue Phacelia and white Desert Chicory

grow in the slopes and rocky areas close to the main highway.

The Blue Phacelia grow profusely, accented with white Brown-eyed Evening Primrose.

Blue Phacelia and Brown-eyed Evening Primrose accent the rocks and wooded areas.

Creosote Bush and Brittle-bush color the desert with accents of yellow.

Setting out as a group with the goal to photograph the rare and unique wildflowers that bloom ever so timely in the spring, we were soon captivated by the lure of Death Valley’s mystique and the Wildflower Photography Workshop evolved in to a mutual photography experience with lasting memories and friendships. We are now committed and determined to offer The Photography Experience with return visits to Death Valley and other intriguing areas.

Next week's blog will be a continuation of the 2011 Death Valley Photography Experience, The Hike to Natural Bridge.

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Wildflowers of the Death Valley Area

2011-03-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

Death Valley in Bloom

One of the things that I look forward to the most in spring along with the warmer temperatures is when wildflowers start to bloom and the desert is carpeted in color. This spring on March 8-10th. professional photographer Karen Linsley and I have designed a Wildflower Photography Workshop in Death Valley where if the conditions are just right the desert will come alive with numerous wildflowers.

Getting ready for the workshop, I have written a three part series on desert wildflowers. This week's post is the conclusion and a preview of many of the wildflowers that grow in the Death Valley area.

In order for there to be a good crop of wildflowers in the spring, weather conditions must be ideal over the fall and winter. Many seeds will lay dormant for 10 to 20 years waiting for the soaking rains that are spaced out to wash away the protective coating and when the days have been warmed by the sun, the seeds will quickly sprout.

On rare occasions all the wildflowers bloom at the same time, attracting the most bees, butterflies, moths and hummingbirds to pollinate the plants and ensure the cycle of life continues. Most wildflowers will continue to bloom, ending when the dry hot heat returns to the desert, usually during the month of June.

Dune Primrose opens in the early evening and closes by late morning to fill the desert night with its sweet aroma. Growing prolifically in open sandy areas or near sand dunes after abundant winter rain, it may carpet the desert floor with its white flowers.

Palmer Penstemon's pink flowers growing on tall stalks color the desert landscape in such beauty. Also known as the hummingbird plants, the Penstemon have a most delightful fragrance and are found along desert washes during spring and early summer. Its leaves and stems are covered with a layer of wax to prevent moisture evaporation.

The Sand Blazing Star accents washes and pebbly slopes in the spring with white flowers that are streaked inside with orange lines which are nectar guides to attract bees inward to the pollen.

Desert Globemallow also known as Desert Hollyhock is a favorite food of the Bighorn Sheep. It fills the slopes and flats with numerous orange blossoms in the spring and will grow through out the summer if there is additional moisture.

Purple Mat, known as a "belly flower" because it grows low to the ground, spreads its mat along sandy areas and has a long growing season when there is ample moisture.

Blue Lupines line the banks and washes in higher elevations with their striking color and will continue to bloom without much moisture.

The sweet scented Desert Four O'Clock open their purple flowers in the afternoon and blossom through the night. Found on stony areas and washes, the Four O'clock is a prolific bloomer lasting during the warm weather months.

Sand Verbena, growing at lower elevations, carpets the desert with pink and white flowers in sandy areas and around dunes when there has been abundant rain in the winter.

Desert Dandelion covers the sandy flat areas with a splendor of yellow in spring, but only when the right combination of temperature and rain occurs.

So in just two days, the Death Valley Wildflower Photography Workshop adventure begins. What a rare treat, to be able to walk among numerous wildflowers of yellow, gold, lavender and fuchsia that may have been waiting up to 20 years to bloom. An artist pallet of color adorns the desolate salt and alluvial fans in the 3.4 million acres of Death Valley National Park.

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