Category: Lens-Artists

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #26 A Photographic Review of 2018

Sunset at Pt. Arena lighthouse, California

This week’s photo challenge, brought to us by Ann-Christine, is to do a photographic review of 2018. As I looked over the files from all of my travels this year, I found it really hard to just pick a few favorites. I’ve done a lot of traveling this year! How do I narrow it down?

So many sunsets, like the feature photo of the lighthouse at Pt. Arena on the Mendocino Coast. I had a lot of red rock adventures, revisiting old favorites like Arches and Zion National Parks, and discovering new amazing places, Like Gold Butte and Vermillion Cliffs National Monuments.

Arches National Park, Utah
Alpenglow on Skyline Arch

Then there’s water. Incredible waterfalls and beautiful seascapes were hallmarks of my travels. The falls in Yosemite were peaking after a week of flooding rains when I passed through in the spring. Autumn found me deep in the rain forests of Olympic National Park. Great waterfalls there, too. Nothing like a waterfall to bring you serenity and inner peace.

Yosemite National Park, California
Waterfall in Yosemite

As I looked through my photos, though, I was struck by just how many of my favorite images were foliage. Trees were big for me this past year, both literally and figuratively. I got to know the redwoods a little better when I spent the month of February in Mendocino County, California.

Redwoods are TALL!
Redwood tree on the Avenue of the Giants

Springtime flower hunting introduced me to a new favorite, the Redbud trees of the Sierra foothills. I couldn’t get enough of these beautiful flowering trees and I was amazed that I’d never seen them before. The area where this image was taken burned in the fires over the summer. I’m thankful I got to see them before they were destroyed.

Merced River Canyon forest, California
Brilliant pink Redbud blossoms along the Merced River.

I spent my summer back home in beautiful wonderful Alaska. My summer image is not a tree, but a flower. I found these unusual albino fireweed blossoms in the middle of downtown Valdez, Alaska.

White Fireweed?
Albino Fireweed

Fall found me back in the big trees, the old-growth forests of Olympic National Park. Although I loved, and was awed by, these giants it wasn’t the size of the trees that captured my camera and my soul this time as much as it was the fertility  of the rain forest- the thick moss covering and hanging from every inch of bark, especially on the Bigleaf Maple trees

Bigleaf Maple in Olympic National Forest, Washington
Late afternoon sun backlights a maple tree in Olympic National Forest

For me, 2018 was a wonderful year. I’m hoping 2019 will prove to be yet another year full of wonder, with plenty of opportunities to be immersed in the natural beauty of our Mother the Earth. I’ll leave you with one more favorite. Happy New Year!

San Simeon Beach
California Coastal National Monument
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Splash!

Colorado River near Moab, Utah

Patti’s Lens-Artists Challenge for us this week is Splash! – the magic of water.

Powerful magic indeed. Water – creator, destroyer. The most powerful force in our universe.

Waterfall, Yosemite National Park
The awe-inspiring power of water

Water and time, joining forces, create the landscape we see before us.

Glacial ice carving mountains.

Matanuska Glacier, Alaska
The Matanuska Glacier carves a course through the Chugach Mountains of Alaska.

Rivers cutting canyons…

The crystalline blue waters of the Smith River in Northern California cut a canyon through volcanic rock.
Smith River, California

Waves sculpt rocks, eroding away miles and miles of coastline.

Redwood National Park, California
It’s thrilling to witness the power and fury of a Pacific storm.

Blessed rain.

Rainbow over the Virgin Mountains near Mesquite, Nevada
Rainbows are the perfect union of water and light.

Water is beauty. Water is life – the key ingredient that unifies all life on Earth.

Merriman Falls, Washington
Water is life.

Without it, none of this would exist.

Buddha Beach in Oak Creek, Arizona
Desert reflections

Splash!

Cormorants on the Mendocino Coast, California
Wave Watching

There are still a few hours left to take advantage of free shipping and handling on wall art and fun stuff featuring my photography. Go here to learn more!

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Lens Challenge #19 Magical Light

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
Mt. Whitney from Alabama Hills, CA
Sunrise on Mt. Whitney, CA

Ahhh yes, the sweet light…what a wonderful  lens challenge Amy has set for us this week! There’s the magical light of early, early morning. I don’t get see that very often myself. I’m not an early morning riser. Too much of a night owl, I guess.

Bonanza Ridge, Kennecott Mines Historic Landmark, Alaska
Jumbo Mine, Wrangell St. Elias National Park & Preserve

You shouldn’t discount rainy days. Some of the most magical light, and some of the most stunning images are made on those rainy days, when the light dances with the clouds.

A rainbow over the Kennicott Valley, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Alaska
Rainbow in the Wrangells

And of course, if not for rain, there wouldn’t be rainbows. Magical light is the very essence of rainbows.

P1160768
Ajo Lily (Hesperocallis undulata)

Strong sunlight can be magical, too. I love backlight on flowers, for instance.

Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Sweet Light on the McCarthy Road

But my favorite magical light is early evening. I’ve done blogs about it before. In an Alaskan summer, that sweet light can linger a long time.

Klahowya Campground, Olympic National Forest, WA
Bigleaf Maple

In most places though, it only lasts an hour or so before sunset.

Arches National Park
Alpenglow on Skyline Arch

The best light of all is alpenglow, the reflection of the sun setting on the landscape that you see when you look east. Sometimes, especially in the mountains and the desert, it’s more impressive than the actual sunset.

Pacific Ocean sunset, Oregon
Sunset near Bandon, Oregon

But not always.

(I had to make a decision a few years ago – buy a DSLR or build a house. I chose to build the house. But I never let go of the Art of Seeing. Photography feeds my soul, and I can’t give it up. So all these pictures were taken with a high-end point-and-shoot, a Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80. One of these days I’ll get my hands on a “real” camera again, and the possibilities will be endless.  For me, for now, though, it’s the vision, not the tool.)