Nature photography and outdoor destination marketing
– Jo Walton
Good advice.
Thanks to Ann-Christine of the Leya blog for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Illustrate a Favorite Quote or Poem.
This week I’d like to share with you all some of my favorite places, ones I will miss this winter as I practice The Middle Way on Orcas Island. This week’s Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge is Home Sweet Home. Tina Schell of Travels and Trifles asks us, ” If a foreigner were to spend a week or a month traveling your home country with you, where would you take them? What sights would you tell them to be sure to see? Where have you found some of your own favorite images? What is it you truly love about where you live, or places you’ve seen in your home country? ”
Well, they would need at LEAST a month for all MY favorite places. Although I grew up in Colorado and now live in Alaska, I feel at home throughout the West. I’ll start with Colorado. I was raised in Colorado, and lived there for many, many years after I went out on my own. It’s probably where I’ll end up when I get too old to live deep in the wilderness in Alaska. My family is there. Colorado is always close to my heart.
Although I’m at home throughout the West, I do have a few favorite places that I try to visit whenever I have the chance. One is the Colorado Plateau. This region covers big chunks of 4 different states: Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. I can’t narrow my favorite down to just one or two places in this area, it’s all so amazing. My advice to a foreign visitor might be to check out a few places that are not as well-known as iconic parks like Arches and Zion. Although I love them, too, they ARE getting loved to death and it might be good to try to spread that impact out a little. Lesser-known places such as Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Petrified Forest National Park contain wonders, too.
Another favorite place is Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico. This is the best place I’ve ever been for birds. It is the winter home for vast flocks of Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes. Over 340 different species of birds live there. It is an incredible place to observe wildlife.
I spent 8 winters working as a ranger in Death Valley National Park. It is another desert that has captured my heart. The great thing about Death Valley is that because the altitude on the valley floor is so low (the lowest elevation in North America), the nights are seldom cold, even during the deepest darkest months of winter. Makes for great camping, and the rattlesnakes sleep in the winter! It’s an incredibly diverse park, with elevations ranging from below sea level to over 11,000 feet.
I did a little playing with LightRoom on this image. It was a daytime image and the background of bare dirt desert ground was a bit meh so I darkened it until it resembled the night sky, and tried to give a nighttime feel to the dunes, too. Since Death Valley is famed as a night sky park, and since one of my favorite things to do is to walk through the sand dunes under the full moon, I wanted to capture the feel of that experience in this image.
And then there’s the bloom. If there is rain in the desert, and if it is timed right, the wildflowers will rock your world. If it seems like it might be a good year for the flowers, I try to make a circuit that starts near the Mexican border in Anza-Borrego State Park, moving through Joshua Tree and Mojave National Preserve until I end up in Death Valley.
Further west on the California coast you will find another great wildlife phenomenon, the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas near San Simeon. Although you can find a few seals there at any time of year, December through February are the best months. Thousands of seals converge on the beaches, with the big strange-looking bulls battling it out for the right to own a piece of the beach, and all the females on it. The cows are birthing and raising their babies then, too. It’s an extraordinary spot to witness wildlife drama, so close you don’t even need binoculars to see it.
From the campground at San Simeon I can walk to the beach and see some fantastic bird action on the sea stack that looms just offshore there. It’s an awesome place to catch the sunset.
Farther north along the California coast is Mendocino County. It’s my favorite part of the California Coast. I think the scenery is even more dramatic than Big Sur, and without the crowds. It’s got big trees, too.
Speaking of big trees, I’ve really fallen in love with the tallest trees in the world, the redwoods, over the last few years.
Sometimes I go straight up the coast into Oregon. Other times I head for the Siskiyou country near Grants Pass and Williams. The trees there are incredibly graceful and beautiful and it’s my last chance to see wildflowers as I head north.
But no matter which way I go, I try to hit the coast at Bandon. It is so much fun to shoot the sea stacks there!
The Olympic Peninsula is my next favorite place. The old-growth forests redefine green and the wild beaches are phenomenal.
And then there’s Alaska. It’s where my heart is, my community, my job, my life. My first love in Alaska was Denali National Park and I try to go there whenever I get a chance.
But home is McCarthy, in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. I truly believe it’s the most spectacular place in North America. Case in point – check out my daily commute! And the feature image was taken while I was standing on my front porch! It doesn’t get much better than this.
I hope you’ve enjoyed some of my favorite places. As Jim Morrison of the Doors said, the West is the best!
I tried to keep it down to 12, but I couldn’t. Here is a baker’s dozen of my favorite photos of 2021.
It was really hard to cut it down to just a baker’s dozen. Reviewing the images I’ve captured over the last year, I realized that what I had were favorite photographic moments, not individual photos.
You know, when you’re really in the zone, actively practicing the Art of Seeing? You might take a whole series of shots and not be able to choose one in the series as the best. That’s how I felt about a lot of these images.
I tried to disqualify images I’d already published in this blog (mostly!) So if you read my last few blog posts, you’ll find a few more favorites I wish I could include.
Despite all the darkness and cold, there are some things about winter in Alaska that are really special and that I miss when I’m not there, kind of a reward for those who tough it out. One is the aurora, of course. Another is the special pink sunset/twilight glow in the sky on certain cold, clear nights. Although I got lots of great alpenglow, I didn’t see as many pink light evenings as I have in past winters. But I did get it one evening when I photographed the Knik Glacier.
I went to Homer to see a few birds this spring. The migration was a bit disappointing, but I did get some wonderful eagle shots!
This is my favorite flower shot for 2021. I didn’t shoot nearly as many flowers as in years past, since I stayed in Alaska and didn’t follow the bloom. But I saw two brand new flowers I’d never noticed before in a few ponds along the McCarthy Road, White Water Lilies and Wild Calla.
It was October. It was not yet prime time for birds at Bosque del Apache. Due to the drought, the ponds on the edge of the refuge that are usually the go-to spots for bird photographers trying to catch the spectacle of the Bosque were dry. I wasn’t expecting much. I only had one day to spare. But the Bosque is a magical place and doesn’t disappoint. Having fewer sources of water concentrated the birds that were there. I was surprised to realize that three of my favorite photos for the entire year were taken on that day.
Even though I published the sunrise photo in a prior post, I had to include it since it was probably my second-most favorite photo for the year. Also, I processed it a little differently this time and think it does a better job of capturing the feel of sunrise on the Bosque.
As I slowly drove by, I realized that all those “dead leaves” on that tree were birds. Then they took off and I was swept up by a cloud of birds. The Bosque is bird heaven!
This might be my favorite photo of 2021. Except it’s one of those photographic moments, one of a series… I like the vertical images I captured of this scene a lot, too! Both this image and the feature image were taken on the beach at San Simeon in California. The island the cormorants are roosting on is part of the California Coastal National Monument. It is usually just offshore except during a very low tide, like this one.
I absolutely fell in love with the manzanitas and madrones of southern Oregon in November and December. I can’t choose my very favorite madrone/manzanita photo. I have about 20 favorites. But they were my favorite thing to photograph all year. So here’s one I haven’t published.
I couldn’t choose a favorite detail shot of that forest, either. I have about a dozen favorites of bark, lichens, mushrooms… But this is definitely one of those favorites.
This is definitely my favorite abstract of the year, though. Can you guess what it is?
This final shot conveys my thoughts and hopes for 2022, that the light burns through the fog of the last couple of crazy years and brings us all many happy blessings. Welcome 2022!
Thank you to Tina Schell of Travels and Trifles for hosting this week’s Lens Artists Challenge, Favorite Photos of 2021.
It got to -40 in McCarthy last week, and almost 20 below in Palmer. It’s been C-O-L-D in Alaska.
Thankfully, I’m not there. I decided to make like a bird and migrate. I’ve spent enough winters in cold places. For me, Warmth = Bliss. I’m following my bliss this winter.
TrustedHousesitters has been quite helpful to me when it comes to following my bliss. They hook up people looking for a petsitter with folks like me. I can check out what life is like in other beautiful places for a week or a month, and the homeowners can rest easy knowing that their home and pets will be well taken care of during their absence. It’s a wonderful trade, a real win-win situation.
I spent the end of October taking care of a sweet dog and kitty in Magdalena, New Mexico. Magdalena is the kind of town that brings those old Western movies to life. Established in 1885, it was a cowtown and railhead, the end of the line for cattle drives from as far away as Arizona.
The cattle drives are over, but Magdalena is proud of its rich history and happy to share it with visitors. This sleepy little town is chock full of art galleries and coffee shops. It’s a fun place to spend a Saturday afternoon, strolling along the sidewalks and checking out all the wonderful creations on display.
I love ghost towns. One way I follow my bliss is by exploring these glimpses of the past whenever I get the chance. Magdalena is surrounded by ghost towns and near-ghost towns. That old Western movie vibe you feel here? The ghost towns are a big part of that. You get a taste of the Old West as you walk their dusty streets.
Just a few miles from Magdalena is Kelly. It was once a thriving mining community, with a population of over 3,000 people. All that’s left now are foundations, a few walls, and a headframe at the mine. There is only one building left standing in town, the Catholic church.
Another ghost town near Magdalena is Riley. Originally known as Santa Rita, the town changed its name to get a post office, since there was already another Santa Rita in the Territory. Riley was a farming community and died during the Dust Bowl in the 1930s when its water table dropped precipitously. The church is still standing here, too. New Mexico is like that.
Water is key in the New Mexico desert. I spent most of my time in Magdalena sitting on the porch enjoying the birdlife attracted by a tiny pool on the property.
While in New Mexico, I pursued another passion, following my bliss by birdwatching at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Due to the ongoing drought, things were a little different at the Bosque this fall. The shallow ponds that are usually the big draw for photographers who want those images of thousands of Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes were dry. The Refuge was only flooding those fields that were planted with food for the birds. But there were still many incredible opportunities to observe and photograph dozens of different species. Sunrise at the Bosque is a magical, holy experience and I am thankful that I was able to visit this year.
I’m on another housesit now, a farm in southern Oregon. There’s a lot of birdlife here, too. I found it rather serendipitous that I am here for Thanksgiving, and a flock of 23 wild turkeys has been hanging out on the property off and on all week. Guess they know I have no intention of shooting them for Turkey Day!
Watching them though, I can totally understand why the Founding Fathers did not take Ben Franklin’s advice and make this bird our national symbol. Turkeys are really homely birds. Bald heads covered with red bumps, wrinkly and scrawny necks, not necessarily a good look for a national symbol!
However, I’m enjoying the peace and serenity of country living this Thanksgiving. I’m thankful to be warm and counting my blessings. It’s a good life. That’s my advice for this Thanksgiving weekend – Count your blessings. And remember to follow your bliss – whenever you can and wherever it leads you!
Thanks to Lindy LeCoq for this week’s Lens-Artists Photography Challenge, “Follow Your Bliss”.
Opening shot: Solitude at Sunset by the Seaside
For this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Patti @ Pilotfishblog asks, “What images can you find that feature a subject that begins with the letter S? For an added challenge, capture an image that illustrates a concept with the letter S, such as serene, sharp, spooky, or silent.” So, see if I have succeeded!
Sayonara!
I recently had the great good fortune to visit Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. It’s a special place.
The refuge is an incredible winter destination for those of you who are fellow nature addicts. The Bosque is bird nerd heaven.
You’ve probably seen the pictures. Thousands of snow geese and sandhill cranes, that’s what the Bosque is famous for.
And for good reason. The cranes are everywhere – in the marshes, in the fields, flying overhead.
The snow geese are a little more elusive. My first day in I didn’t see any at all. But when you do find them, you find a lot! Thousands. The snow geese travel in huge flocks of hundreds, even thousands, of birds as they move from pond to pond.
When I was there, the geese were spending most of their time on the other side of the river, where they didn’t have to deal with tourists like me.
But there is one time and place where you are very likely to find them. No guarantees. (I did get completely skunked by the geese my first day.) There is a long, shallow. marshy pond located shortly after you cross into the refuge on Old Highway 1. Flocks of geese show up just before sunrise and take off soon after the light hits the water.
You’ll find the cranes, there, too. After all, the cranes are everywhere. The shallow pond is a great roost for them at night. It’s deep enough to keep the coyotes at bay but shallow enough to sleep in.
It’s a tradition for the bird nerds who frequent the Bosque. It’s kind of like watching the sunset in Key West, a crowd gathering to applaud an everyday natural phenomenon.
Lines of photographers gather along the berm next to the pond, like combat fisherman in Alaska, tripod to tripod. Instead of salmon, they’re trying to catch that perfect shot, waiting for that sometime moment when all the geese take off at once. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does…
These are die-hard nature photographers. I was part of the maybe 3% who DIDN”T have a lense as long as your leg.
Most of these folks come from a different tax bracket than I do. I overheard a conversation -“Well, I didn’t get the upgrade to the balcony room for the Antarctica trip because they wanted another 25,000 and I thought that was a little steep.” Uh-huh. No wonder she has that big long lense and I don’t.
As a photographer, I found it a great place to practice, and learn the art of nature photography. Low light and lots of movement are difficult taskmasters, teaching new skills in the art of capturing the essential moment. Practice, practice. I could see my photos improve with every day I had to learn here.
If your lense isn’t long enough to get that National Geographic shot at the pond, head on up to the other refuge roads and trails. There are plenty of other birds to see here, too.
Nestled in farming country along the Rio Grande River, the Bosque provides a patchwork of different habitats. From grasslands to marshes to patches of woodland, it’s a peaceful, pastoral setting.
Bosque del Apache is intensively managed to recreate conditions similar to what was found along the Rio Grande before the river was dammed and tamed. Fields are flooded to create temporary marshy areas, just as if the Rio Grande had flooded its banks with summer monsoons or fast-melting snow from the mountains. These ephemeral floods create an everchanging mosaic that supports nourishing plants like chufa and millet for the birds and other wildlife to eat.
Although there are two wonderful loops you can drive and half a dozen trails, most of the 57,331-acre refuge is not easily accessible to the general public. Thirty thousand acres of Bosque del Apache are managed as wilderness.
Stressing out at work and need a little more peace in your life? Come here and slow down. It’s zen, a perfect spot for a bit of nature therapy. A dozen varieties of waterfowl feed in the ponds and flooded fields. Raptors perch on branches and songbirds flutter by or rustle through the grasses. There are always birds flying by. This land is so full of life!
It’s not all birds, either. You might see deer, javelina, even a bobcat. I watched a skunk trot down the road one afternoon.
This land has a subtle beauty. It grows on you. It’s a place you could come day after day and never tire of. It’s a place that changes with every passing day, with every passing hour, yet still remains constant. It is a place to which I know I will return again and again.
There is no camping in the refuge. There are a couple of spots where you can camp near San Antonio, the nearest town. However, it is very cold at night, with temps in the teens, during the prime time of year for the birds at Bosque del Apache. The camping areas are a muddy mess whenever it rains, too.
San Antonio has limited lodging. There are a couple of Bed & Breakfasts, an RV park or two and a couple of trailer/camper options available through Airbnb. There are two restaurants in this tiny town vying for the title of “best green chile cheeseburger in New Mexico”, though, so you may want to stop for lunch one day.
Most visitors stay in Socorro. It’s a charming town, big enough to support a good coffee shop and a micro-brewery but with a decidedly working-class feel to it. Socorro has not been gentrified, not quite yet. It means getting up a little earlier in the morning, though, as it is a 20-25 minute drive from Socorro to the pond.
But it’s worth the drive. When the cackling of the geese rises from a murmur to a roar and you watch thousands of birds burst into flight instantaneously, you will experience that National Geographic moment. You, too, will hold a special place in your heart for Bosque del Apache.
