Bonnie Rannald's Photo-Explorations in focus with nature.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Fall Comes to Zion National Park

Photographing Autumn Colors at Zion National Park

One of my favorite places for photographing autumn colors is Zion National Park, Utah. During the fall season, the trees growing along Zion's incredible canyons are accented with brilliant analogous colors of red, yellow and orange. On this blog entry, I would like to take you on a photo tour of Zion’s beautiful fall scenery.

On a clear day, the deep blue sky provides the perfect backdrop for showcasing the magnificent towers that include the Court of the Patriarchs. The Virgin River flows in the foreground with trees along its shore adorned in fall colors.

At the stream under Weeping Rock, branches of Velvet ash and Fremont Cottonwood create a colorful and serene retreat.

Maple trees of red and gold accent the picnic area with their branches forming an inviting arch to stop under and enjoy the scenery.

In the early fall morning, the rising sun illuminates the Virgin River and accents the trees growing on its bank.

At sundown, golden cottonwoods become muted against the crimson sculptured cliffs of Navajo Sandstone at the park’s entrance.

As the day gives way to night, my camera catches the last light, turning Watchman’s Mountain an even deeper shade of red.

The images in this blog are for sale and available in various sizes

For information on purchasing prints please contact me at contact@bonnierannald.com

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.

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.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Xeriscaping in the High Desert

BUILDING A NATURE FRIENDLY YARD

In my last few posts, I have been writing and sharing photos about subjects from my yard. On this post, I thought it only appropriate to show my yard and tell how it evolved from a weed patch to a xeriscaped, wildlife friendly retreat.

I relocated to Rural Nevada after 25 years in Las Vegas, because I needed the artistic freedom of an open area away from noise and traffic. However, life away from the city required some adaptation. Gone were the established and manicured yards with not a blade of grass out of place.

The yard where I moved was in bad shape, having been neglected for years. It was overgrown with dry weeds, dead trees and tumbleweeds. Before I could ever begin to think about landscaping, I hired a cleaning crew to remove all the dead growth. What was left was an almond tree, four elm trees, and an about ¾ acre of bare ground.

There are a couple of factors that must be considered when trying to landscape in a high desert area. One, the climate for growing things goes from one extreme to the other--hot summers, cold winters and harsh winds. The other factor wasn’t quite as obvious. This land had once been part of the lake bed and was full of rocks. For every inch of soil, there seemed to be one foot of rocks. Digging holes became my worse nightmare.

As the holes were dug, the rocks were piled in an area that was to be a landscape hill. The more I dug, the bigger the hill grew. Finally, I was forced to have most of the rocks excavated with a back hoe. I covered the remaining rocks with a sandy, loam soil and planted a colorful mixture of drought tolerant plants, including, Russian sage, salvia, blanket flower, wild desert dandelions, and a desert willow tree.

Just down from the steps leading to the yard, I planted two purple robe locus trees that will provide shade from the afternoon sun.

A reverse osmosis drinking water system was plumbed for the run-off water to drain and collect outside in a pond. A water feature in the yard not only creates a relaxing setting for my enjoyment, it also attracts birds and other wildlife all year long.

The photo below is the view looking from the pond to the southwest area of the yard.

After several years of hard work, my xeriscaped yard became a reality. Now I have a low maintenance yard that is wildlife and camera friendly. I can sit back, relax and enjoy the sky, lake, mountains and wildlife any time of the night or day.

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.

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.

"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.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Mantid Family Mantidae

THE PREYING MANTIS

In early September, as I stroll through my yard, I begin to notice the Preying Mantis on the leaves of plants or flowers, waiting for a tasty meal.

The mantis will reach adult size, from 3 to 4 inches, by late August or early September. It is also around this time when the female is ready to mate. Soon after mating, the female will lay her cluster of eggs on a limb or other rough surface and in a couple of weeks, her life cycle will end. These creatures only live for one generation.

The color and size of the Preying Mantis is determined by its species and may also be a factor of the environment.

A moist environment, the Mantis is Green.

A dry environment the Mantis is brown or tan.

Mantises are found throughout the world, and are revered and even considered holy in many cultures. The name mantis is derived from the Greek word, "Mantid", meaning "profit" or "seer."

I think they are fascinating creatures to watch and they do perform a service in keeping insect pests like flies and aphids in control.

The biggest fear and greatest predator to the Praying Mantis is none other than the common bat.

For more information, please visit:

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

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.

"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.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Hot Air Balloons, Reno, Nevada

The Great Reno Balloon Races

In early September, the sky over Reno is accented with colorful hot air balloons soaring in the Great Reno Balloon Races. The nation's largest free ballooning event is held each year at Rancho San Rafael Park with more 100 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes.

The two day event begins before sunrise with the Dawn Patrol testing for ballooning conditions, followed by the Glow Show, a shimmering display of balloons with interior lights against the dark sky, set to music.

As the sun slowly illuminates the dark landscape, balloonist prepare for the Mass Ascension and on signal, lift-off as a group.

The Hare and Hound is a popular race where the Hares, two balloons in the shape of bees carrying flags, are chased by the other balloons, the hounds. The Hounds that capture the flags, win the race.

A new event, the Balloon Blackjack Tournament, is played by dropping beanbags on large playing cards below, as they ascend.

With all the activity in the sky, there's plenty of entertainment on the ground for spectators at Balloon Boulevard. This is one time when you don’t want to forget to bring your camera; you might just get a free balloon ride!

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.

"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.

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Bullock's Oriole

A Summer Visitor to Walker Lake

Summer is beginning to wind down and as the days get shorter, I’m seeing less of the brightly colored birds that have taken up residence in my backyard. Of all the birds that summer in my area, I enjoy the Bullock’s Orioles the most, watching them scurry around the plants searching for insects, fruit and nectar.

Orioles, like hummingbirds will drink from feeders with sugar water and I have several oriole feeders placed around the yard. The oriole feeders are usually orange, with bigger holes, ¼ inch diameter, and come with larger perches. A hummingbird feeder can be adapted for orioles by enlarging the holes.

Around the middle of April, the Bullock’s orioles begin to show up from their summer migration. The mature males are easy to spot with their bright orange plumage accented against black, with the white wing patches.

The females and first year-males are more difficult to identify because they have similar colors; gray-brown on the upper areas, with dull yellow on the underparts. The only noticeable difference on the male is the eye-lines and black on the throat.

Over the years from bird watching in my yard, I began to notice a pattern where the orioles were in the yard at dusk, but gone the following morning. I did some inquiring on the Internet and found to my surprise that orioles and songbirds migrate at night. Studies have found that when birds are in the nest, they spend a large portion of their time at night looking out at the stars. It is believed that by watching the stars in the nest, birds develop the ability to recognize star patterns and their movement in the night sky. Furthermore, it is theorized that birds use the North Star for navigation. During spring migration, orioles and other type birds fly to the north, or to the North Star, and in fall they fly away from it, heading south to Mexico. On cloudy or foggy nights, it is believed that birds fly above the clouds and can actually detect the earth’s magnetism through a built-in compass.

With summer drawing to a close, my yard has become quiet and still and I feel sadness as I miss the flurry of activity from my summer visitors. I bid them safe travels on their journey south and will look forward to their return next spring.

For more information, please visit the following links:

Songbird Migration:

http://www.sewanee.edu/biology/courses/Bio201/Songbird.html

Migratory Bird Center
Smithsonian National Zoological Park:

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/fact_sheets/default.cfm?fxsht=9

The Bullock's Oriole:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullock's_Oriole

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.

"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.

Monday, August 30, 2010

FANTASY IN FLIGHT

HUMMINGBIRDS IN FLIGHT

I’ve been fortunate in getting hummingbirds to stop in mid-flight and pose for my camera.

Well, I'll let the secret out, I use a fast lens, a Nikon 2.8mm, a steady tripod, and stand patiently near a hummingbird feeder with my finger glued to the shutter.

Hummingbirds are native only to North and South America, and many species fly as many as 500 miles non-stop during their migration period.

Unlike other birds, hummingbirds have wings that rotate in a figure-8 motion.

This unique wing rotation allows the hummingbird to fly forward, backwards, up, down and sideways. The most exceptional flying skill that the hummingbird possesses is hovering.

The wings of the hummingbird move at a rate of 80 times a second, and during courtship may increase to 200 times a second. In normal flight a hummingbird flies between 20 and 30mph, but when diving can reach speeds as fast as 60mph.

With a heart beat as fast as 1,260 beats per minute, the hummingbird will feed at 45 second intervals, up to 8 times an hours.

A wing beat speed of 60-80 times a second requires a fast shutter speed.

To get the faster shutter speed, I increase the ISO and try to keep the aperture at f/8 for the depth of field. I always pre-focus the lens to an area before the action starts. Shooting in bright sunlight also helps with the shutter speed and brings out the highlights in the feathers. I’ve never used a flash, although some photographers highly recommend it with hummingbirds. My favorite lens for this type of photography is the Nikon 80-200mm 2.8, mounted on a tripod. Getting a clear, sharp photo of a hummingbird sometimes seems a stroke of luck. One of the times when they were putting on the best show was at dusk, when I didn't have my Quantum flash, so I just sat and enjoyed the entertainment.

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.

"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.

Monday, August 23, 2010

AUGUST MOONS

The Full Moon at Walker Lake, Nevada

The month of August has proven to be a good time for me to photograph full moons. Since we are due for one on the 24th, I thought I’d provide some information on how I took one of my favorite full moon photos, the “August Moon” at Walker Lake, Nevada. On an August night in 1999, I was driving on the highway from Twenty Mile Beach after taking twilight photos of the full moon, when I noticed the glow on the water from the moon. I immediately pulled over to a level area, and set my Nikon back up on the tripod. At this time, I was still shooting film, long before I made the transition to digital.

During the film days, many of my full moon landscape photos were taken by creating a multiple exposure in my Nikon 8008s camera. The reason for multiple exposures on full moon photography is two-fold: the moon is much brighter than the night landscape and very far away. A multiple exposure allows the moon to show up life size in the photo and not be overexposed due to the difference in lighting. To photograph a multiple exposure, the film is not advanced to the next frame, which allows more than one exposure to be taken on that frame.

On the “August Moon” photograph, I positioned my Nikon 35-70mm 2.8 lens to include only the lake with the moon glow on the water, and a portion of the sky over head without the moon. I metered the landscape at f/5.6 with a 4 second exposure. After taking this first exposure, I changed to a Nikon 500mm 4.0 lens, and metered the moon at f/5.6 for a 1/250 second shutter speed. Here comes the tricky part, which is to carefully position the moon in the correct area of the sky, over the moon glow! Once the moon has been positioned in the frame, a final click of the shutter is made and the frame is advanced. If my estimations are correct, I’ll have a beautiful “August Moon” photograph.

In conclusion, I’ll let you in on an insight: I always take more than one photograph during a full moon multiple exposure just to make sure that the moon’s in the right place. Through experience, I’ve had my moon show up in some pretty strange places, over clouds, on top of buildings and in front of mountains. At this point, you might be wondering how it’s done with digital, well that’s a future post. So come back often for a visit!

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.

"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.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Aurora Ghost Town

Early Mining Days in Nevada

A drive through Lucky Boy Pass, off Highway 395, then a turn on a narrow winding rocky road will lead you back into Nevada’s gold and silver history to what was once the bustling town of Aurora.

Located just three miles from the California border, the town was founded around 1836, when a small group of prospectors discovered a ledge of silver and several veins of gold and proclaimed the area “Aurora! Goddess of the Dawn”.

It didn’t take long before word got out and the town of Aurora became established with a general store, post office, some saloons and a hotel. By 1869, the town had grown to a population of 10,000 and the mines were producing a reported $27 million in gold.

Aurora’s heyday lasted about a decade, until the gold and silver ran out. Presently, with the harsh desert environment and human vandalism, only a few structures are left to remind us of how life must have been.

At its peak, Aurora had as many as 17 mills, worth a total of 175 stamps. The elaborate frame from one of the stamp mills can be found just off the dirt road, near Aurora Creek.

The Gyratory Crusher was a large capacity crushing machine. Imagine how it was transported to a location through the desert and up a slope for operation.

The Hardinge Patent Conical Mill was used to reduce various minerals like gold, silver, copper and lead. This heavy mill was built to be sectionalized for pack animal transportation.

Heavy equipment and ladder are clues to how work was once done in the mines at Aurora.

A residence in the bustling town of Aurora.

A cement structure was thought to have once been a bank.

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.

"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.

Bonnie Rannald's Photo-Explorations in focus with nature.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Fall Comes to Zion National Park

Monday, September 27, 2010

Xeriscaping in the High Desert

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Mantid Family Mantidae

Monday, September 13, 2010

Hot Air Balloons, Reno, Nevada

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Bullock's Oriole

Monday, August 30, 2010

FANTASY IN FLIGHT

Monday, August 23, 2010

AUGUST MOONS

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Aurora Ghost Town

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