Alpenglow at Red Rock Canyon

 Sunrise warms a frosty desert landscape

Early one frosty February morning I ventured out to try and catch the sunrise at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas Nevada. 

My plan was to set up on a hiking trail in the desert near the entrance to Red Rock Canyon’s 13 mile loop.

I arrived just before dawn and it was cold!  The desert floor was covered in frost which made the cold even more penetrating. 

As the sky began to lighten, I feared the cloud cover was too thick and therefore the sun’s rays would not break through. 

I waited, moving my hands and legs to try and generate body heat.  Just before I was ready to pack up I noticed the slightest hints of pink starting to peek through the thinner clouds. 

Getting excited, I made my camera adjustments and focused my Nikon 24mm 2.8 lens to catch as much of the desert landscape, mountains and sky as possible.  

And as I watched, the optical phenomenon Alpenglow began to turn the snow accented mountains a fiery red.   Alpenglow occurs when the solar disk is just below the horizon, therefore illuminating the opposite horizon with a reddish glow. 

The thrill of the moment quickly warmed my cold body and I was allowed just 2 clicks of the shutter before the sun was obscured behind a thick layer of clouds. 

Alpenglow at Red Rock was printed as a limited edition on Ilford Colordeluxe archival paper and became one of my best selling Red Rock Canyon images.    

What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences.

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 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.

Buffington Pockets, Out of This World Terrain!

An extra-terrestrial landscape in a hidden desert pocket!

After watching the exciting Falcon Heavy Test launch I realized that one of the aspects that fascinated me so much while exploring in the Southwestern Desert, was it sometimes looks as if I’m on a different planet. Unusual rock formations, strange shape of trees and multicolored desert floors and can definitely give an out of this world appearance. 

One of my favorite areas with extra-terrestrial features is Buffington Pockets in Southern Nevada. Buffington Pockets is just off Interstate 15, in the Muddy Mountain Wilderness Area of Nevada and not too far from Valley of Fire State Park. 

As I approach Buffington Pockets, I begin to see colorful outcroppings of rounded boulders in light orange hues that appear to have been carefully stacked on top of each other.  I begin to wonder is this an American type of Stonehenge?  

A curve in the road and almost hidden out of sight I spot a towering eagle shape in the sandstone rock. Could it be a sentinel watching over to protect this wondrous area? 

One of the most striking outcroppings is a vast prominence of orange and white layered domes that appear to be laid out like a bakers’ tray of cinnamon rolls.  The dark gray Muddy Mountains can be seen towering in the distance to the right.  

On a mild day in February, I specifically made a return visit to this area of Buffington Pockets to catch the moon in its early phase over this grouping of rocks. 

Over the eons, nature’s creativity with complex uplifting and faulting, followed by extensive erosion, developed this unworldly landscape.   However, it is fun to just imagine that I could be off exploring on one our neighboring planets.  We are blessed with such a diverse and wondrous home on our planet, Earth.

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences.

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 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.

The Walker River, a Carving Force of Nature

Photo observations: water the interconnection  

The element water can be an awesome force of nature as it cuts through desert floors and carves out canyon walls.  On a mild winter day I stopped to check out one of my favorite wildlife retreats at Weber Reservoir.  While I was appreciating the nice blue color reflected in the water of the Walker River, I glanced at the deep edges of the bank that was highlighted in the afternoon sunlight.  

How much water and how long did it have to flow to excavate these deep walls, I pondered?   And I thought, if only walls could talk! 


I started to approach the cliff that was obtrusively sticking out on the opposite side of the bank only to see a crack in the dirt just a few feet from its edge.  Logic marred my photo quest and I realized that if it gave way while I was standing there, I would fall 30 feet down to the water with a ton of dirt covering me.   We do have earthquakes in this region.

Looking across the river to the sculpted hills, I just imagined the forces of water that made these impressions.  I then became aware that at this moment my photos were actually documenting scenery which will not remain unchanged.  The Walker River is fed predominately from snow melt as it originates from the Sierra Crest. As the waters flow and the rains come, what is here today may not look the same with the passage of time.  A feeling of nostalgia crept over me.

Walking along a tree lined bank, I felt so in touch with this natural environment.  It was quiet on this day and the area was void of humans.  What a feeling of serenity and being in the moment. 

Just then a big dark bird flew off from the bank right across from where I was standing.  As it became airborne and in focus, to my surprise I realized it was a golden eagle.  What a rare treat and a species of bird with which I hold a deep emotional bond.

Water, the element of nature provides the interconnection with all the habitats in this thriving wildlife retreat.  Through its driving force water has carved the byways, allowing its flow to nourish and sustain this natural environment.   As the sun was dropping low, I started my departure still wondering how long this unique landscape would remain as it was on this nice winter day.

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry"

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 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.

Blue Moon, Blood Moon, Supermoon January's Triple Finale

Photographing the Lunar Eclipse at Walker Lake, Nevada

Being noted as a photographer who loves chasing full moons, I was excited to try and catch rare triple lunar event of January 31, 2018.  Because the eclipse was starting at the early morning hours, around 02:51 PST, I set up for the photos in my backyard with a full view of the western sky.

On the evening prior to the eclipse I had my ski pants, a hoodie and warm jacket ready for when the alarm sounded at 02:30.  Earlier that day, I selected my photography gear: camera with charged battery, extra SD card, 80-200m 2.8 lens, remote cable release and flashlight.  When the moon first appeared I pre-focused on its bright face and did a camera test to make sure everything was working properly. 

The eclipse officially begins when the moon enters the Earth’s pale outer shadow, the penumbra.  During the first 40 minutes any changes are so faint and hard to notice. I waited to begin my photo shoot and took the first exposure at 04:22 PST.  My shutter speed was 1/2000; I selected a 200 ISO and f/8 aperture. 

The penumbra appeared as a dark smudge on the moon’s upper left surface and this was just before the moon entered the Earth’s dark umbral shadow.

After the penumbra has reached approximately 70% the Earth’s shadow starts to deepen. 

The moon crossed into the Earth’s dark central shadow, the umbra.  The dark shadow deepened on the moon’s left-hand eastern limb.   The partial phases of the eclipse begin.

Less than 5 minutes to totality the contrast between the remaining silvery light of the moon’s surface and the reddish brown color over the disk may produce a beautiful phenomenon—the Japanese Lantern Effect. 

The total eclipse began at 06:27 when the last portion of the moon entered the Earth’s umbra.  The moon may appear differently with each lunar eclipse and this coincides with the amount of sunlight that is scattered and refracted around the edge of the Earth by the atmosphere. 

The moon’s shine was so much dimmer during the eclipse that I slowed my shutter speed down to 10 seconds.  The moon was moving to the south of the Earth’s umbra and the upper portion of its disk appeared darkest with hues of dark red.  Its lower portion was brighter with more of an orange and soft bluish hue.  Unfortunately, I was unable to catch the ending of the eclipse due to the moon setting behind the Wassuk Mountains, around 06:30 PST.

The Walker Lake, Nevada area this late in January was blessed with a pleasant night of mild weather, calm wind and slightly overcast skies.  I have attempted to photograph other lunar eclipses where the wind was blowing so hard that I could not prevent the camera from almost shaking off the tripod.  For me, the best part of the night was the mild 36°f temperature which normally is much below freezing. 

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level. 

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What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

Sign up and follow my blog to see where my next photo-adventure will be!

Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.

 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 

Many of these images are available on my website:

 http://www.bonnierannald.com/ 

For custom matted and framed images:
Off The Wall

No images on this blog are within Public Domain or are available for free download. 

 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.

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