ArizonaWildlife

White-sided Jackrabbit Photo

This white-sided jackrabbit (Lepus callotis) showed up briefly one morning at Bill Forbes' pond. It did not approach too closely, unfortunately, and stayed in the shadows nibbling on fresh mesquite leaves, standing tall on its hind legs to grasp to lowest branches. I was amazed at how long its ears…
May 29, 2009
ArizonaWildlife

Round-tailed Ground Squirrel Photo

This little round-tailed ground squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus) showed up beside the pond only a couple times, and I really only had one good chance to get its photo. I felt sorry for the poor thing, not only is it a puny raptor-morsel, but it has a wimpy tail compared to…
May 28, 2009
ArizonaWildlife

Harris’ Antelope Squirrel Photo

This little Harris' antelope ground squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) came to the pond to sip water and look for bits of food. Check out that cool tail, I bet Fonzie would wear a tail like that if he could. I nicknamed this guy Mike Tyson. Harris' antelope squirrel.Image ID: 22900Species: Harris'…
May 27, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Mexican Jay Photo

I'm posting one last photo from Upper Madera Canyon, this time a photo of a Mexican jay (Aphelocoma ultramarina). The wanna-be tough-guys were everywhere among the trees, spooking all the smaller birds. They would only shut up and settle down when the larger ravens rolled through. They are not as…
May 26, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Acorn Woodpecker Photo

Another photo from Upper Madera Canyon, this time a photo of a male Acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus). The females look very similar, with the exception that on females the white forehead is separated from the red cap by black. Acorn woodpecker, male.Image ID: 22961Species: Acorn woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorusLocation: Madera Canyon…
May 25, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Black-Headed Grosbeak Photo

This male Black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) is one of many that flitted among the trees in upper Madera Canyon. There were females too but their coloration was not as striking. Black-headed grosbeak, male.Image ID: 22911Species: Black-headed grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalusLocation: Madera Canyon Recreation Area, Green Valley, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill…
May 23, 2009
Photography

Hammerhead Shark Photo on the cover of Zoology

One of my hammerhead shark photos was chosen for the cover of Zoology to accompany the article "Response of juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks to electric stimuli" by Stephen Kajiura and Timothy Fitzgerald. See lots more scalloped hammerhead photos (Sphyrna lewini).
May 22, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Brown-Headed Cowbird Photo

The Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) is rather plain, but I really liked this image of one with the golden light of sunset illuminating the bushes behind it. Brown-headed cowbird, male.Image ID: 22916Species: Brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus aterLocation: Amado, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill Forbe's Pond at Elephant Head, which I visited…
May 21, 2009
Abstract

Water and Stones, Abstract Photo

This was shot on a drizzly overcast morning at Ruby Beach in Washington's Olympic National Park. Fresh water flows over cobblestones on its way across the beach and into the sea. Today's abstract photo, #9 of 15: Water flows past beach cobblestones, blur.Image ID: 13794Location: Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park,…
May 19, 2009
Abstract

Predawn Flock of Snow Geese, Abstract Photo

Last winter I joined friends Skip Stubbs and Ken Howard for a few days of bird photography at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. I would get up early each morning to watch the enormous flocks of snow geese that overnight on the ponds take off in a massive predawn…
May 6, 2009
Wisdom

Optimal Contrast and Saturation Settings for RAW Photographers

Are you using the best in-camera settings for contrast and saturation? If you shoot RAW and think these settings don't affect you, think again. If you judge your exposure settings on whether you are clipping the highlights on your histogram, you may be underexposing unnecessarily. Here's why. Note that this…
May 5, 2009
Abstract

Sunlight in the Ocean, Abstract Photo

Another abstract photo, sunlight piercing the ocean surface. I used to shoot a lot of this stuff when I was diving in the 90's, killing time decompressing at the end of a dive. Note how elegantly the rays of the sun break apart and blend into the water. That is…
April 27, 2009
Abstract

Abstract Photo of the Ocean Surface

I have had good luck selling abstract photos the last few years. I just had another last week. Which got me pondering and ruminating (not a sight for the faint of heart). So without further ado, today begins a series of posts highlighting some of my favorite abstract images. Abstract…
April 25, 2009
AlaskaBald Eagle

Bald Eagle Catches a Fish, Alaska

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) pulls a fish from the water on the fly, leaving a splash in its wake. The fish can be seen in the eagle's talons. Bald eagle makes a splash while in flight as it takes a fish out of the water.Image ID: 22584Species: Bald eagle,…
April 21, 2009
Infrared

WTH?

Exciting new initiatives in photography? Pushing the envelope? Outside my comfort zone? Bah, just a load of feel-good jargon nonsense ... Once again, I am not sure what I am doing. See the photos below as evidence. This is about as far removed from underwater film photography (which is where…
April 8, 2009
AlaskaBald Eagle

Bald Eagle on the Beach, Alaska

See the new bald eagle photos. This adult bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was observed foraging for bits of food in a shallow tidal stream on a broad sand beach. The bits of white in the air are snowflakes -- it was a wet snow and made the eagle look pretty…
April 6, 2009
AlaskaBald EagleIcons

Bald Eagle Landing, Alaska

See the new bald eagle photos. A large group of bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was gathered on the snow-covered ground when periodically another eagle would arrive, in flight, and join the group by skimming just over their heads, slowing with wings outstretched, finding a suitable spot amid the crush, and…
April 5, 2009
AlaskaBald Eagle

Two Bald Eagles on a Perch, Alaska

See the new bald eagle photos. There were several perches that the bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) would use each morning. The broad wooden perches could typically accomodate several eagles each. In this image the eagle on the left, which has been on the perch for a while, throws its head…
April 4, 2009
AlaskaBald Eagle

Two Bald Eagles in Flight, Alaska

See the new bald eagle photos. Having over 200 bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nearby would seem to make it easy to gather a variety of photos. But I was tempted to shoot the same few compositions repeatedly and had to make an effort to look for different compositions and angles…
April 3, 2009
Wisdom

Economic Recovery Plan for Photographers

This is an exciting time to be a photographer in America! Just a few days after Inauguration, the Obama Administration quietly created the Presidential Digital Imaging and Photography Commission. This blue ribbon panel of industry experts was tasked with devising market incentives, rather than bailouts, for the photography industry, in…
April 1, 2009
AlaskaBald EagleWildlife

Bald Eagle and Kenai Mountains, Alaska

See the new bald eagle photos. During two of the mornings that I was in Homer, I was fortunate to be inside Jean Keane's yard as the bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) gathered to eat herring. This was quite something, to be so close to so many eagles. Unnatural perhaps, as…
March 31, 2009
AlaskaBald EagleWildlife

Juvenile Bald Eagle, Alaska

See the new bald eagle photos. This is a juvenile bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). The speckled brown and white coloration is highly variable among juvenile bald eagles which can sometimes resemble golden eagles. It is typically not until the fourth year that juveniles mature and assume the characteristic brown body…
March 30, 2009
AlaskaBald EagleWildlifeWisdom

Photographing Bald Eagles in Homer, Alaska

Photographing Bald Eagles in Homer AK -- What Worked and What Didn't Bald eagle in flight, banking over beach with Kachemak Bay in background. Image ID: 22613 Species: Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis Location: Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska, USA If you have seen much of this web site,…
March 29, 2009
AlaskaLandscapePanoramas

Kenai Mountains and Kachemak Bay, Alaska

I was up north in Homer, Alaska to photograph bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), but I grabbed a couple landscape shots of the beautiful Kenai Mountains, which lie across Kachemak Bay from the Homer Spit. This was my view one morning, after the clouds and snow had cleared out leaving blue…
March 25, 2009
AlaskaBald EagleWildlife

Flip Flops

Bald eagle in flight, sidelit, cloudy sky and Kenai Mountains in the background.Image ID: 22596Species: Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensisLocation: Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska, USA OK, I've been running since I was thirteen. That's 32 years of running. I'm not a skinny guy, which means I've been pounding…
March 13, 2009
AlaskaBald EagleWildlife

Secondary Inspection

Bald eagle, closeup of head and shoulders showing distinctive white head feathers, yellow beak and brown body and wings.Image ID: 22582Species: Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensisLocation: Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska, USA Going to try my hand at photographing some bald eagles in the cold. Up at 4am, shower,…
March 12, 2009