Daily Image - Oct 2019 Archive

02 Oct 19 Yesterday we looked at the conclusion of the first day's drive; today we look at the initiation of that drive. Stormy weather was to be the theme of the 15 day jaunt, some of it threateningly so and some of it delightfully so. We decided to take the ferry to Seattle this time to avoid the I-5 parking lot and it proved the right decision. However the ride across Puget Sound did not give us a feeling of confidence as the clouds were hanging directly overhead and were ominously dark. I was expecting a downpour any moment but we made the crossing having to deal solely with the threat. It did make for a dramatic view and so I framed the city with its two icons guarding it. On the left is of course the 605' Space Needle completed in 1962 and which is indirectly responsible for all the high rise buildings in the city. On the right is the 484' Smith Tower, the highest building west of the Mississippi River at the time of its building in 1914, and a building which was to be the tallest building in the city forever. But money talks and the ordinance forbidding anything to be taller than the Smith Tower was waived for the Space Needle . . . . . and that opened Pandora's box. With this as the beginning of the trip, I was thinking it could only get better. In many ways it did and although we saw few animals save for multitudes of Bison, and almost no autumnal yellows in the trees, we did see some spectacular ground color and other colorful sights all of which will be forth coming. Note the presence of 13 of the new state bird, the crane. This is pretty much what the camera saw except for a small amount of contrast enhancement. Arriving Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 100; 1/1600 sec @ f / 9.

01 Oct 19 Back from Yellowstone a day early; 15 days, 2,438 miles, and 4,235 images. Weather was challenging at times, fall color was about two weeks late and for the most part had yet to start - it did a few days before we departed - and we hit the front end of the Rockies storm that made headlines. That said, we had a very good time with friends from MD who joined us for a week and we experienced MANY firsts! Got home about 3 hours ago and am rather tired so just a quick note for this first back from Yellowstone mailing. Sharing another sunset photo which I took just before we got to the motel on day 1. The day started out overcast, remained so for the entire drive, then turned quite stormy toward the end of the day, only to suddenly conclude with a vibrant display of color. This sunset was a first for me in that I've not before encountered one that had as a part of it a rain squall which you can see at the top of the frame. Rather different but it made for a fitting end of the day. 01 Oct 19 This is straight from the camera except for some trivial housekeeping. Fitting End of the Day Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/100 sec @ f / 9.

14 Oct 19 Today's image, an eight frame pano, is a combo creator-wise. You can decide for yourselves who gets credit for what but I think it obvious. This was an early afternoon shot on day two about 5 miles from our departure from I-90. Cardwell is a lovely farming community and each time we visit we get to see something a little different farming wise. This time it was the huge round bales as in the past the vast majority of the farmers were still producing the more common - at least to us - rectangular bales that one generally sees stacked several bales high. As I was taking the shots one of the farmers drove by and waved apparently approving of my photographing his operation. As we drove further down the road and it made a bend to the right the clouds became more dramatic and the colors more intense. Just love driving along the farms in this kind of weather condition and taking in the drama of the scenery. More often than not we get it in both the spring and fall drives. If you ever have the opportunity to avail yourselves of such an opportunity I urge you to take it. I believe this is the northern end of the Tobacco Root range of the Rockies. Other than a tiny bit of straightening, a wee bit of dodging and burning, plus the combining of the eight frames, this is what the camera recorded. Field of Hay Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/500 sec @ f / 9.

03 Oct 19 There are 4 direct approaches to the condo off I-90, 5 if you first go to Boseman. For the first 4 years we went through the town of Cardwell as this was both the second choice of our GPS and also the builders of I-90. For the last three years we've elected to try different routes so this year Jan thought we should give the Cardwell route another look. It was a great decision as we got to see some things for the first time, one of which was a haying operation of significant size and which must be the second crop of the season if haying time there has any relation to haying time in our area. During the 15 days we were traveling we saw many farms bailing hay so it likely wasn't just unique to the one farm. The turbulent weather that we encountered at our departure followed us all the way to the condo and you can see some of it in the capture. The bailing process was underway as I took the shot and you can see the John Deere tractor pulling a yellow bailer - unknown brand - in the upper third of the frame. Although it's obvious that the mowing was done parallel the the edges of the property, it nonetheless reminded me of the creative planting and mowing in the Palouse regions of southeast WA & southwest ID. The grass still waiting to be bailed along with the bright green of the mown areas and the huge hay bails was what initially caught my eye but I also need to recognize the effect of the cloudy sky. This is basically what the camera saw. Stripes Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/320 sec @ f / 9.

23 Oct 19 Alright, back into the park for another pano, this time of one of the many meadows along the west entrance drive. In truth it is likely just one huge meadow interrupted here and there by BIG rocks and water. This site is perhaps three miles at most east of 7 Mile Bridge and is a meadow which frequently is occupied by either bison or elk, but not simultaneously. I shared a shot of the location last year full of bison with a pending storm hanging over a large portion of it. This visit there were no creatures but lots of very colorful vegetation. The shot was taken to show the vegetation in all its glory. I made two visits here on different days; this was the first visit. On the second there were a group of three photographers standing just behind that bare stump near the far right of the picture seriously watching something in the treed area directly in front of the stump. We watched them for perhaps 15 minutes and never did determine what it was that had them intently watching the area. On both days my interest was simply the colors of the vegetation. The image is a bit misleading as I'm standing at the perigee of the curved image shooting without the proper equipment for creating pano and so what is actually a straight meadow is appearing to be highly curved. It isn't. The upper half of the image portrays the meadow as it is; the lower half does the bending which it doesn't. The wide yellow-green band at the bottom of the image is actually parallel to the trees in the background. Other than a small amount of cropping, this 8 frame set is what the camera recorded. Madison Valley Color Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture priority; ISO 200; 1/400 sec @ f / 9.

08 Oct 19 At the far end of the west entrance road is Madison Junction, 200 feet higher than the condo. From there you can go north toward Norrris at 7,526 feet with options for Mammoth Hot Springs at 6,239 feet or Canyon Village at 7,918 feet. From there you have several more options but we'll pick that up in another mailing. You can also go south to West Thumb at 7,770 feet crossing the Continental Divide twice at 8,262 and 8,391 feet. On your way south you will pass the three major geyser basins and in particular, for most folks, Old Faithful and the magnificent Old Faithful Lodge. Between Madison Junction and Old Faithful are two short drives than most folks just ignore or, if they arrive too early in the season find closed. The first of these is Firehole Canyon Drive which contains the Firehole Falls of which I've shared several images in the past and I'll be sharing more later, and the only swimming spot in all of the many rivers in the park. The second is Firehole Lake Drive which does not contain the Firehole lake which comes and goes according to the weather. This short drive of roughly 2 miles is home to three geysers, one of them the highest in the park and another irregularly erupting but apparently something to behold, a couple thermal areas, and a large section of hot ground with many bath temperature rivulets running through it. The middle of the geysers, Great Fountain, offers a show anytime you are there though I've never seen it erupt. On this last visit we had a four hour window in front of us in which it might have erupted, emphasis on might. We didn't stick around. But the weather conditions were perfect for taking a portrait of it and so I did, actually many portraits. This is one of my favorites. Other than some cropping this is what the camera saw. Wind Less Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/800 sec @ f / 9.

09 Oct 19 Today we'll continue our drive along Firehole Lake Drive and stop at the last of the geysers, White Dome Geyser. This is one that erupts with a fairly regular schedule although this was the first time it chose to do it while we were standing there. It put on almost a ten minute show and I got to get several captures of the water in various configurations. The background clouds were a nice touch; all I needed was one of the bison that usually frequent the location to get in the frame but on this visit the bison had other plans. This is a nice little drive and one could easily walk it if looking for a leisurely way to spend an hour or more depending on how much time you spent at each attraction. For those of you contemplating a visit put this short drive on your bucket list. This is straight from the camera save for a wee bit of dodging and burning. Blowing Off Some Steam Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/800 sec @ f / 9.

15 Oct 19 As you continue along Firehole Lake Drive, between White Dome Geyser and the hot pond I shared with the sunset, you pass through an area of flat ground strewn with numerous little streams of hot water looking much like the capillaries you would see running through a tissue. The ground is reasonably soft due to all the water but not as soft as the signs would lead you to believe as we have frequently seen bison tracks in the muddy areas and there are generally one or more bison lounging near the roadside by these soggy areas. The water isn't deep, perhaps two to three inches at most, and the wind has a wonderful time playing with the rivulets blowing the water here and there. Due to its shallowness and exposure to the elements, it isn't as hot as you might expect. Depending on the time of day - and - the weather, the water can take on a deep blue color and is quite striking. That, coupled with the winds blowing across the surface, can make for a really idyllic scene, IF you slow down enough to take it in. Most of the vehicles I see driving along the road just rush by in their eagerness to get to the next thermal feature. The same holds true for the exit portion of the drive which also has some nice stuff to look even if it is a bit on the stinky side and not blowing off steam. If this short loop is open when you visit be sure to take it. This is pretty much what the camera saw save for a tiny bit of dodging & burning and a slight bit of contrast enhancement to render it as my eyes saw it. Fields of Hot Water Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/500 sec @ f / 9.

10 Oct 19 With it being Theatrical Thursday I'm sharing a somewhat altered image. After leaving the geysers you drive past the fields of hot water - a later image - and come to what looks like a tiny lake but is really just a hot pond whose name I don't recall. By the time we made it to this point the sun was beginning to set and was simultaneously playing hide and seek with the clouds. It looked like a promising opportunity so we stayed for a few minutes while I waited to see what might develop. It was worth the short wait as the sun tucked behind a nice cloud making for a rather dramatic sunset. The original capture was actually much bluer than what I'm sharing as I modified the color temperature some to give the more typical yellow look you are seeing. Either way made for a nice image but I thought that the blue might not be considered real even it was. You may notice a weather front moving in at the horizon. It was to catch up with us shortly and combined with a couple of "strong minded" critters who insisted in monopolizing the west entrance road we had an extra 45 minute drive back to the condo. Would have loved to see exactly what those critters were doing but from past experiences I have a pretty good idea. They can make for a unique experience in YNP. The image will display its best in a dark room. Other than a small amount of cropping, the color temperature was the sole manipulation of the image. Eventide Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/3200 sec @ f / 9.

16 Oct 19 I was politely informed last night the sharing of so many photos from Yellowstone has got to be boring everyone so I'll send this last one for this week, then limit them to 2 or 3 per week thereafter breaking things up with whatever comes to mind. This will force me to do a little reviewing of all that I have in backlog so not a bad suggestion. For today a bit of a back story. The weather report being not all the promising and not having outside connection to the world when we arrived, we took our first full day and went into the park postponing the business stuff for another day. We made several different stops before winding up the day with that Firehole Lake Drive from which I shared the last few images. Departing the loop we headed home and had a nice drive until a couple hundred yards from the Madison junction where you turn off onto the west entrance road. At that point the traffic stopped!! We then did a snail's pace creep to the turn off which continued at the same pace for about another 50 minutes. No problem, Yellowstone is a place to enjoy the views while waiting to see what is causing the delays. Only we didn't! About 6 miles into the drive the traffic started moving with an agitated Ranger waving everyone on. Didn't see anything that could have been the cause. One of our fellow condo owners is a park Ranger so I asked her. Turned out that the road to Mammoth was blocked due to a manhunt and that traffic was being turned around; there had been a accident on the west entrance road due to a driver falling asleep at the wheel; and a rogue bull elk commanding the road. The combo was apparently the cause of the stoppage. But with the creeping traffic came an opportunity to enjoy the evening light falling on the Madison River which the road was paralleling for quite some distance, 80+ percent of the length of the west entrance road. This is just one of the many shots the stoppage afforded us. This is straight from the camera save for a little dodging and burning and a small amount of cropping off the top. Appreciating the Setting Sun Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture priority; ISO 200; 1/200 sec @ f / 5.6 from inside the SUV.

04 Oct 19 As strange as it may seem, until this last visit to the condo I had never seen wheat up close and personal. Certainly driven by many fields of wheat and other grains, but never stood right up next to any of it. So seeing wheat from inches away was a first for me. We needed to replace the mattress on our sleeper couch and as it turned out the firm we used was located next to a large research field for the Ag department of the U of Montana. The field was sectioned off into several sectors each of which had a different variety of wheat growing in it. All of it experimental and some of it appeared very promising. For today's close-up we have the front edge of that field; you can clearly see 4 different varieties of wheat, three across the back half of the frame and a forth across the front of the frame. I took a few other shots showing the heads more distinctly but felt that this composition better displayed the operation. This is straight from the camera with a bit of dodging and burning for help in delineating the four sections. Bread Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture priority; ISO 200; 1/500 sec @ f / 9.

11 Oct 19 After weeks of images of God's creation, we'll take a look at one of man's creation. We're gonna claim it's a close up because I couldn't get any closer to the subject. Some of you may recall I shared some photos of the Bleu Horses by Jim Dolan about 4 years back. On our visit to the condo this year we made our normal treks to Boseman for shopping and noted that there was a new piece of artwork on the corner of N 7th Ave and W Oak Street, in the entrance area of the Comfort Inn. This happens to be the intersection for a major shopping center we frequent and our favorite restaurant in Boseman. I couldn't find any info on the sculptor but it bore a close resemblance to the work of Jim so I'll just credit him with it especially since it looks like much of his work. The piece of work doesn't even show up in a large grouping of photos for the motel so it must be a very new addition. So here you have a Bald Eagle fighting with an Osprey over a trout with both holding on to opposite ends of the fish. This shot was captured from the Trooper window while waiting the the light to change. I tried shooting the sculpture from the Inn entrance but the perspective from the street made for a much nicer photo. I've removed a fair amount of distractions from the original which might be expected as it sits directly in front of the motel's parking lot. Otherwise, this is what the camera captured. Roadside Distraction Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/500 sec @ f /11.

29 Oct 19 Today's submission is more of a humorous documentary type than anything else. I did remove some distractions so it isn't truly documentary and cropped it seriously. While driving along Hebgen Lake looking for at least some fall color, I noticed a rather strange thing happening along the fence line so I stopped to grab a couple of frames. It immediately reminded me of a grander version of The Birds sans Alfred and the crows. Grander in that the birds this time were a murder of ravens. Probably 100 or more - you can count them - coming and going back and forth between the fence and the adjoining field. Most of them paid me no mind, but a few didn't appreciate my presence and kept alternating between the field and fence. Either that or they were scouts determining how best to deal with the intruder. In any case I spent perhaps 15 minutes at most before moving on so even if they were plotting against me I didn't stick around to let them execute. When I returned to the location about 90 minutes later there wasn't a raven to be found - anywhere. Timing, as they say, is everything. Too bad we didn't time it for the autumn color. Other than the cropping and distractions removal, this is what the camera recorded. Conference Cawl Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 500; 1/500 sec @ f / 9.

28 Oct 19 I've shared a couple images from Mesa Falls over the last couple of years, and was planning on doing so again this year, but our visit to the falls this time around wasn't up to snuff, so I think I'll skip doing so this time around as it wasn't our best visit although I did have an interesting chat with one of the Rangers who was talking about the lack of color in the aspens, the leaves going from green to brown, vice yellow, throughout most of the Yellowstone ecosystem. He said it was rather interesting in that there were small groupings of trees not behaving that way grouped with those that were. He mentioned that it had the park botanists scratching their heads in that they could find no cause for the behavior. But there was color to be found, and all we had to do was drive a bit further along Hwy-47 to an area called Marysville just a couple miles from Aston, ID. This is prime farming territory and a location in which I feel sorry for the farmers as all day long while working the fields that have to endure looking at the Grand Tetons. From this part of Idaho you get the "back side" view, the one not generally shown by photographers who apparently prefer shooting from inside the park. But one shouldn't sell this western view short. This is a shot taken from roughly 50 feet off the road and illustrates what the unfortunate farmers must endure on a daily basis, but if one goes a bit further south on a back road, perhaps the one implied by the speed sign in the image, I'm told - and have seen it confirmed by an image taken by a good friend from MD who was there with us this fall - that there is a much nicer shot a couple miles down the road. I've removed a series of power lines that marred the capture; otherwise, this is what you see from the road. While I was taking the photo fog was beginning to build in the valley at the foot of the mountains. Probably should have hung around longer to see what the fog was going to offer but we didn't. It had been a long day, our tummies were full, and napping was beginning to seem like a good idea. So we headed home. Other that a tiny bit of straightening, a little contrast enhancement, and of course the removal of the power lines, this is what the camera captured. Farming the Tetons Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/640 sec @ f / 9.

07 Oct 19 Yellowstone is one of those magical places in the world. You can visit there with an agenda in mind, I always do, but if the situation is such that your agenda isn't met, you can easily switch to another. You can go to see the geysers and related thermal activities, a solid choice, or you could go to see the mammals of which you are certain to find one in abundance if not the specific one you wanted, the birds, and even the fish and/or fishermen. You could also go to see the geology, the forest which is basically a single species forest - lodge pole pine, or the rivers and waterfalls. You could also go to see the interesting patterns formed by the downed trees. Whatever your choice you can find something in the park on which to concentrate your efforts. There is an old adage I'm sure you've heard comparing business to sex, but I would substitute Yellowstone for business. When it's bad it's good, and when it's good it's really good. No matter the situation, our visits to the park always result in something good even if it wasn't what I set out to get. This past visit was one just so. I wanted to concentrate on the autumn color, but the color, except for the ground cover, was mostly non-existent until the last three days of our visit. So I concentrated on the ground cover and experienced some amazing displays of both color and texture. And when possible included a little bit more than just the colors such as the stump in today's submission. If you let yourself be just a little flexible, you will come away from Yellowstone with an appreciation of some aspect of the park. Plus you can always visit again and again, and . . . . . This is basically what the camera captured. I've cropped off some unnecessary material and removed an annoying tree. Around the Bend Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/100 sec @ f / 9.

22 Oct 19 Back to Yellowstone, yee haw as some may say. The determining factor as to whether this fall trip to Yellowstone would be a success or not was my being able to finally get the photo of Grand Prismatic Spring from above that I've been trying to get for 4 years. One of my neighbors, who is a park ranger, had promised to take me there this time around but when I approached her she begged off saying her mother was rather ill and she didn't have time. But she gave me directions which really didn't help. We tried to find it but failed on our first day in the park. But I did some more questioning of folks and finally got enough info that I thought we might find it. When I did, in the company of a friend visiting from MD, it was exactly how I was told to find it but that realization came after making the trip, not before. From the Fairy Falls parking lot one takes the trail to Fairy Falls from the Iron Bridge at the edge of the parking area and you walk perhaps one half mile on a wheel chair accessible trail where the trail makes a "Y"; you take the left leg of the "Y" and walk perhaps another two blocks with an elevation rise of maybe 100 feet. This trail is also wheel chair capable but the pusher may find the climb a little strenuous. Once you get there you have a full view of the Spring which may or may not be a disappointment; it was a disappointment for me because the pictures I had been seeing were taken from an overhead - aerial - perspective and from the observation point you don't quite get that. On top of that an attempt to get such a shot is now prohibited. One can only gue$$ how that came about! But I did get my shot, such as you can, and that's what I'm sharing today; thus the trip was a success. The view from the observation deck is certainly different from that which you get standing in the "fog" poolside but both vantage points are necessary for a full appreciation of Grand Prismatic Spring. One thing I got from the observation deck view is that it isn't nearly as big as I thought it was, nor as deep. One thing I didn't get was a bison wandering around the edge of the pond. This is an 8 pane pano and I've cropped a few trees off the right and a couple that were at the very bottom of the scene about 1/3 from the right plus removed a couple of vehicles that were distracting. Otherwise this is straight from the camera. The Big Picture Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 500; 1/1000 sec @ f / 9.

24 Oct 19 While today's Theatrical Thursday's submission was taken in YNP, it could just as well have been taken in many locations around our home. Great Blue Herons seem to be found throughout the NW and PNW areas and when I can I love to photograph them. Oddly, one of the best places "locally" is on Fir Island in the Skagit Valley area of our state. But this dude was hanging out in one of my all time favorite shooting locations in YNP, 7 Mile Bridge. This is generally either my 2nd or 3rd stop - depending on what I'm working - on my way into the park. If you are among those who save these mailings it will be apparent that I get a lot of photos from this location, my favorite being one a couple years back of a absolutely magnificent sunset in red and blue. Some of you may recall it. This particular stump, that sits at the far side of the Madison River which at this location is probably 10 feet wide and 15 inches deep (autumn levels), is frequented by Great Blue Herons and a few other smaller birds. The Blues however are the most common bird and I see them on that stump better than 50% of my visits which means that either on the way in or out I get to see one or more. Generally the birds will remain on the stump for an extended period of time before they tire of the attention and just fly off. If you time it right you can get them both perching and flying off. I got to photograph this one in all aspects and chose this frame of it just launching. I thought sharing it as a creative version might emphasize the flight aspect. Other than the creative manipulation using Topaz Impression 2, this is straight from the camera. Georgia Take Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority;ISO 200; 1/400 sec @ f / 9.

30 Oct 19 When one visits YNP for the first time, without a doubt, after Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is likely the number 2 item on the bucket list. There are two very vertical sides to the canyon as you might expect with the Yellowstone River running through it at its base which in the case of Yellowstone's Grand Canyon is very narrow. The main attraction of the canyon area are the two water falls, Upper and Lower, of which the Lower is the more frequently photographed and painted. It is a beautiful setting for a beautiful falls and certainly deserving of the attention it gets. Of course the falls are just cliffs over which the Yellowstone River flows, and both prior to and immediately after the falls the river is just another flowing body of water in the park. For most folks that just about wraps up the Yellowstone river. But wait, if you respond now, there is much more, especially downstream. One of our firsts on this past trip was to visit Calcite Springs, a location we have driven past multiple times and never taken the time to enjoy. But we did this time and were well rewarded for our effort, which truly was no effort at all. I'm sharing just one view taken from the overview location which is about a 70 yard stroll from the parking lot although there is a trail you can take for some much better views. This is how the river looks about 3 miles - I'm just guessing as I've never measured it - from the Lower falls as it winds its way for perhaps another 20 miles to the North entrance in Gardiner. While I'm not quite prepared to kayak over the Lower falls, I think it might be fun to enter the water just below that point and float all the way to Gardiner. This is an 8 pane vertical pano which I had to seriously crop as i wasn't doing a good job of holding the camera but otherwise it is pretty much what the camera captured. Following the Yellowstone Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/400 sec @ f / 9.

17 Oct 19 It's been a while since I've shared anything really creative but as this one got the spousal approval and it is Theatrical Thursday I figured why not. Two weeks back Friday we took a trip over Steven's pass to shoot some color. It wasn't quite peak and there was to be a lot more color in the next week to shoot but the weather hasn't cooperated since and now it is too late. According to the park rangers it was a spectacular year so I'm somewhat disappointed in myself for not having made better use of what was here but I did get some nice shots on that trip which I'll be sharing. Today's creative one is looking at the hillside near the summit of Steven's pass at 4061 feet, a little less than two thirds the height at the condo but the color was much more vibrant. Interestingly most everything seemed to be 2 - 3 weeks late this year and in fact our very vibrant centerpiece tree in the yard is just now starting to put on a show as are all of the Japanese Maples; even the Steelhead run is late. When we visited two weeks back there was not a fish to be found in the Wenatchee river which is quite unusual and a bit disappointing as it is always fun to catch them spawning. This is straight from the camera save for a wee bit of cropping and of course applying the creative touch. A Turner Approach Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 800; 1/800 sec @ f / 7.1.

21 Oct 19 Now that the colors out our way have finally popped, and have they ever, the rains have come to wash them away. I had high hopes of making more than that one color shoot trip this fall but it was not to be, so I'll have to share what little we got on the one trip we made to Leavenworth and the Tumwater Canyon as the area between Steven's Pass summit and Leavenworth is known. About a mile west of the rest stop near Coles Corner is a small pond called Nason Pond which you are more than likely to miss as you drive by it. Heading east to Leavenworth you won't even know it is there as it is on the opposite side of the road, and heading west toward Stevens Pass you likely will miss it unless you look to your right as you pass by. If you are paying attention to traffic it is almost a sure bet it will escape you. But once you know where it is, and you are there in the fall, I'll wager you either slow down to see it or stop and look at it for a bit. For me it is a must on every autumnal visit. The pond is very shallow, maybe two feet deep at most, and not much more than 100 x 30 feet if that large. But it can really put on a show and on our visit this time it was really putt'n on the Ritz. Today's shot shows how it appeared when standing at the edge of the roadway and looking over the guardrail to view it. I've cropped the original a little and done a small amount of dodging and burning, otherwise this is what the camera saw. East Coast Mimic Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 400; 1/640 sec @ f / 9.

31 Oct 19 Anytime you'd like to take a lovely drive consider the Skagit Loop Scenic Highway. At 390 miles round trip it will be an all day affair and considerably longer should you elect to take along your camera. Actually, I can't imagine making that drive without a camera. No matter the season it will have something memorable to offer, but for me the optimum time for the drive is in the fall. Portions of this loop can rival the right coast colors although not for large expanses at a time. One of my favorite portions of this drive is through the Tumwater Canyon paralleling the Wenatchee River and taking you through the community of Leavenworth. You can spend a short visit in this Bavarian town or make it an over niter before moving on. Oktoberfest and Christmas are delightful times to visit but so is almost any day of the year, especially if you pay a visit to the Christmas Store. It's also a great place to stay for a day or more to photograph the autumn colors and the area between Leavenworth and Steven's Pass - the Tumwater Canyon - can offer some truly lovely fall color. The road is only 2 lanes wide and in some places one of those lanes will be right up against the side of a mountain and just a few yards further on the edge of the bank of the river. If you take your time you are almost guaranteed of at least one good shot, maybe dozens or more. Today's submission is somewhat typical of what you can see as you drive through the canyon. For those of you who don't mind getting a little wet, that river is often less than 18 inches deep and you can easily ford it if you would like a little serenity. Another attraction but one that was missing on the day we were there is the Steelhead spawn. When that happens you can watch literally hundreds of fish on both sides of the river in the shallow areas near the edge. Often more of the fish is out of the water than in; it's a sight you won't easily forget. Other than a small amount of dodging and burning, this is what the camera captured. Missing the Steelhead Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 800; 1/250 sec @ f /9.

18 Oct 19 For today's macro/close-up I'm going with a species of fern that primarily grows on our trees and not on the ground where we live called Licorice Fern, Polypodium glycyrrhiza. It thrives in a humid climate, prevailing in areas with cool and moist summers and warm and wet winters. It is often found growing on the trunks and branches of winter deciduous trees, particularly Bigleaf Maple Acer macrophyllum (whose leaves turn deep yellow in the fall) of which we have many on the property. It takes advantage of the mild, wet winters and the substrate of deciduous trees to photosynthesize and grow during the cold season when most other temperate plants are dormant.In other words, it is perfectly suited to a narrow strip in southern Alaska, southwestern Yukon Territory, western British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northwestern California. This shot is of a small group growing low on a Bigleaf Maple at the edge of the driveway and was easy to capture compared to almost all the others growing high on the trees. While it is a rather striking plant on its own, I thought making a creative version of it provides it with some additional character. Jan agreed. This is straight from the camera save for some cropping off the top and the creative aspect. A Turner Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 1/60 sec @ f / 9 with fill flash.

25 Oct 19 It's that time of year again when Jan's Christmas Cacti start putting on a real show, 5 star like. With three different plants vying for 1st place choosing which one to share was a challenge. In the end I picked a magenta & white one that I was lucky enough to capture with the light shining through it from above and behind. As I was playing with it I got an email from out of the blue from Topaz announcing a new product, one which apparently none of us in beta test were informed of or at least I can't find any notification and none of the other active beta testers have acknowledged, offering me a chance to purchase at discount. The product is called Mask A I. It looks pretty much like the old Remask but this one is apparently built from the bottom up with artificial intelligence as its base engine. So, I thought to myself, why not give it a go on the Christmas Cactus image as it is rather busy, and so I did. The two images I'm sharing for today's macro shot are the before (small file) and after. You can take a gander and see what you think. I like it enough to purchase but everyone's taste differ. I've cropped the original quite some and then extracted the blossom using Mask A I and placed the extraction of a black background whose opacity I've reduces a slight amount. Solo for the extracted image and Tiny for the original. Nikon D500; 18 - 200; Aperture Priority; ISO 200; 1/8 sec @ f / 9 on a tripod.