Solitude @ Wind Cave | a 7 Image Story Each national park has a character of it’s own. “Solitude” describes Wind Cave NP above the ground, particularly in the off-season. At solitary Wind Cave, it’s all about the land and its wildlife; a nature photographer’s heaven.
Definition of Wind Cave’s Solitude? sol·i·tude [sol-i-tood, -tyood] noun
the state of being alone; seclusion: to enjoy one’s solitude at Wind Cave.
remoteness from habitations, as of a place; absence of human activity: the solitude of the hills in Wind Cave.
a lonely, unfrequented place: the solitude at Wind Cave.
the moment just before the click at Wind Cave.
A couple of gravel roads traverse the more remote areas of Wind Cave. Traveling slowly along the road, it’s quiet. Roll the window down; it’s still quiet. Notice the sound of gravel beneath the tires; no other sounds; just gravel. Stop the car; turn the engine off; silence! Look up and down the road; no one’s coming. Solitude allows the creative to “make a photograph.” Wander back to the day when making one good photograph a day was a real accomplishment. And, for a change, let the wildlife on pass by. Experience the solitude only a photographer can feel; the moment before the click.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Solitude @ Wind Cave.
Yellowstone Sepia Snow | a 7 Image Story At this time of year I like to look forward to visiting Yellowstone in the winter, even if I am not planning to go. There’s nothing like Yellowstone in the winter. It’s my favorite time to visit. Yellowstone always provides perspective and introspection whether in color or B&W. Over the last several years, I have had the good fortune to visit Yellowstone on numerous occasions spanning all seasons. Every time I go to Yellowstone, the experience changes with new vistas, wildlife, challenges, and accomplishments. On every visit, it always seems to be my favorite visit. And, on every visit, I learn more about my photography and more about myself.
On the other hand, winter in Yellowstone can be so beautiful, and at the same time, so grueling for the wildlife. It’s -20° F along the Madison River; yet, because of Yellowstone’s thermal features the water does not freeze. Bison lose so much weight from fall to spring just trying to survive the Yellowstone Winter, nine percent of adult bison will die during the winter. Many of these bison entered winter in poor condition due to age, disease, or injuries. Young bison face a higher risk of dying: 20 – 40 of every 100 first-year bison die from accidents, winter exposure, or predators. Yellowstone is a land of fire and ice while beautiful and harshly wild.
At Yellowstone, the rain and melted snow seeps into the earth. The cold water gets warmed by heat from molten magma deep underground. The hot water with dissolved limestone rises up through small fissures. Once above ground, the dissolved limestone solidifies into a white, chalky mineral called travertine. Travertine forms the terraces at Mammoth Springs as well as many other formations.
The Yellowstone River does not look like much of a river in this image as it flows northward out of the park, but it becomes a nice size river as it travels further north. This image was captured the day after the first major snow of the season in mid November in the far northern part of the park just a couple of miles from the northern entrance.
Firehole Falls are located about half a mile upstream from the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers at Madison Junction. With only a 40 foot drop, Firehole Falls aren’t real tall; just majestic, with unsurpassed rugged beauty. The falls lie about a hundred feet below the road. It’s a difficult decent and climb back up from the river bottom; in fact, it’s dangerous. Actually, the rangers have now blocked off the way down to the river. Too many people were falling; it’s really steep. I would not try it again.
Normally, I don’t like wildlife images in a B&W format, but this image seems to work. This coyote is hunting for voles during the first snow in Yellowstone. Coyotes are very good at finding the voles. They can hear them in their underground burrows.
Each image will be posted individually this week under category Yellowstone Sepia Snow. Click any image below for a slide show!
Petri Color 35 to Europe | a 7 Image Story Although my trip included many places in Europe, it started and ended in London. Oddly, I really did not get much time for photographs except when in London. In preparation for my trip, I needed a new, smaller 35mm camera that would easily fit into my carry-on. Somehow, I found the Petri Color 35. The Petri Color 35 camera is a compact mechanical, scale-focused, leaf-shuttered 35mm film, viewfinder camera with a 44mm f2.8 lens. The camera has a built-in coupled CdS meter with a match-needle indicator and a manual estimating aperture control; both visible in the viewfinder. For this December trip, I used the Ektachrome instead of Kodachrome slide film because it is faster.
The flight to London was on a BOAC Vickers VC-10 airliner. British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) later merged into British Airways. The Vickers VC10 is a mid-sized, narrow body, long-range British jet airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Aircraft Ltd. It’s able to operate on long-distance routes from the shorter runways. The VC-10 still holds the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing by a non-supersonic jet airliner; call sign: Speedbird.
The changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace displays colorful British pageantry at its finest. During the Changing the Guard ceremony, known as ‘Guard Mounting’, a new British regiment relieves the one on duty. The Queen’s Guard consists of the St James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace detachments. The New Guard during the course of the ceremony becomes The Queen’s Guard. Their march to Buckingham Palace from Wellington Barracks includes musical accompaniment from their band.
10 Downing Street, also known as Number 10, is the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, a post held by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It’s also the headquarters of the government of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, London, the 300+ year old Number 10 has approximately 100 rooms. The private residence occupies the third floor. Besides offices, the other floors contain conference, reception, sitting, and dining rooms. Number 10 has an interior courtyard and a terrace overlooking a half-acre garden. Located next to St. James Park, it is near Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British Monarch, and the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place for both houses of parliament.
The White Cliffs of Dover are located on the Kent coastline facing the Strait of Dover at the point where Great Britain is closest to continental Europe. On a clear day they are visible from the French coast. The cliff’s face reaches a height of 350 feet and stretches eight miles encompassing the town of Dover. It owes its white appearance to a composition of chalk streaked by black flint.
2018 MI Fall Color Tour | a 7 Image Story Northern Michigan trees tend to show more reds than southern Midwest. This year the reds seemed to be somewhat muted; not as many and not as brilliant. Still, peak color is always beautiful. The highways northwest of Crystal Mountain offer a beautiful mosaic view. Although a road trip is always nice, it’s nicer with color. There’s color around every turn. In fact, so much color dulls the sensations after a while. It’s just too much color all at one time. A lone tree, well almost a lone tree, with a tree background makes an easy roadside simple click.
Point Betsie rarely disappoints for a nice image. Point Betsie Lighthouse, located on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan, sees some pretty dramatic weather. It really does not matter what time of the year, there’s plenty of good clouds, wind, and waves any time of the year. A little closer look at the Point Betsie Lighthouse reveals nice restoration work done over the last couple of years. The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse have restored the lighthouse and now operate it. As our color tour day draws to a close, a tall ship returns to harbor.
Northern Illinois fall color doesn’t contain as many reds as farther north in the U.P. Late afternoon light in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula adds to the soft flow of the river and a bit of fall color. As the afternoon drags, the light gets lower, and the winds die down to light and variable, capturing images becomes a bit disciplined.
Fall also brings grapes closer to wine. These grapes grow on the peninsula between Grand Traverse east and west bay; just up the road from the Old Mission Lighthouse. Wine country will soon be in full color. It’s one of the nicest times of the year in northern Michigan. Wish the beauty of fall would last longer. Soon, the fading colors of fall will give way to beautiful white snow.
Each image will be posted individually this week under category Midwest Fall Color. Click any image below for a slide show!
Hyalite Canyon Hike | a 7 Image Story Late September can be quite cool around Bozeman, Montana. Obviously, this day was very warm as we started our hike up Hyalite Canyon. Of course, the weather cooled as we climbed higher along the trail. Although there are several waterfalls along the trail, this one seems to be the tallest. Obviously, this image was captured by a hiking friend.
The trail starts wide at the lower altitudes; yet narrows a bit as the climb gets steeper. The hike gets tougher when the trail gets steeper and the trail needs switchbacks. Notice the tree roots and rocks in the trail. Good hiking boots help. Even in the deep woods, patches of color delight hikers as they struggle uphill. It’s amazing how much fall color appears on the forest floor. Every so often, a ray of light pokes through the forest canopy to reveal a burst of color right along the trail. A mountain stream winds down the canyon crisscrossing the trail from time to time. The sound of the water rippling down the mountain continually remind.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Hyalite Canyon Hike.
Somewhere in Time Mackinac Island | a 7 Image Story Mackinac Island takes us back to an era where life moved a bit slower; a time when horses were the fastest way to travel over the ground. The island does not allow motor vehicles except for a couple of emergency vehicles. Most people arrive and leave by boat; just like a hundred years ago. The island does allow small planes to land at the airport. To get around the island, you have several choices; walk, ride a bike, ride a horse, or ride in a horse-drawn carriage, a surrey with fringe on top.
The island has been the main site for several movies including “Somewhere in Time” where many Mackinac Island workers and residents were cast in the film. About half of the movie was filmed inside Grand Hotel or on its grounds. Each October, the Grand Hotel hosts a Somewhere in Time Weekend for the film’s fans.
Somewhere in Time is also well known for its soundtrack; a musical score composed by John Barry.
In 1980, a young playwright, Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) becomes so obsessed with the portrait of a beautiful turn-of-the-century stage actress, Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour), that he travels back in time to find her and fall in love. Collier learns she was at the Grand Hotel in 1912. He travels to the Grand Hotel and through hypnosis, he travels back in time to have a love affair with her. Although they appear destined to be together, a love affair, somewhere in time, gets complicated.
The Round Island Light, also known as the “Old Round Island Point Lighthouse” and sometimes referred to as the Mackinac Island Lighthouse, is almost as famous as Mackinac Island itself. It was constructed in 1895 and located on the western shore of Round Island. Located on the Straits of Mackinac, just across from Mackinac Island, it is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world. Thousands of tourists pass within a half mile of the 123 year old lighthouse on ferries each day during the summer season. Certainly in 1980, Richard Collier saw the old lighthouse and in 1912, Elise McKenna saw the new lighthouse on their journeys to the island’s Grand Hotel.
Close your eyes and you can almost imagine Richard Collier and Elise McKenna, taking a stroll or riding in a surrey, and passing by this Little Stone Church. Maybe, they even talked of marrying in the church, which is only a short walk from the Grand Hotel. Continuing your ride in the surrey-with-the-fringe-on-top, the Grand Hotel with the world’s longest porch, comes into view as you ride up the hill. Since 1887 the Grand Hotel has hosted guests to old-world hospitality. Continuing the horse-drawn carriage ride past the Grand Hotel and farther up the hill, several grand old homes come into view. Imagine Richard Collier and Elise McKenna riding along as they think about their first home together. Then, riding inland through the back country, it looks much the same as it did over a hundred years ago. The ride brings out the romantic in all of us. Richard and Elise may have spent long hours wandering through the countryside. Finally, the carriage ride draws close to its end. After boarding the boat back to reality, we catch a last glimpse of the Grand Hotel; much as it looked back in 1912 to Elise and in 1980 to Richard. It remains; somewhere in time.
Kayaking on Pleasant Lake | a 7 Image Story Kayaking on Pleasant Lake is, well, pleasant. It’s a relatively small lake without much big boat traffic. Paddling along the shoreline on a relatively calm day makes for a nice serene break from the day’s challenges. During the summer months, several species of water lilies are abundant along several areas of the shoreline. They provide a hint of color and beauty while slowing paddling around them. The water is generally clear enough to see the stems in the sandy lake bottom
The north side contains a large number of beaver dams woven together making a wildlife wetland. Most days a kayak trip encounters some type of wild life and some days it uncovers numerous species. Unfortunately, so far this year, some of my favorite wildlife species have eluded my camera; like the Loons and Bald Eagles. Also, using a kayak enables a photog with patience and a telephoto lens to even capture dragonfly images. When photographing wildlife, I try not to disturb the subject by using telephoto lenses to stay far enough away. Remember, the 300mm lens on a Nikon 1 V3 with a 2.7 crop factor yields 810mm. For another Pleasant Lake kayaking story, see Pleasant Lake Kayaking | a 7 Image Story.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Kayaking on Pleasant Lake. Click any image below for a slide show!
Solitude @ Wind Cave | a 7 Image Story Each national park has a character of it’s own. “Solitude” describes Wind Cave NP above the ground, particularly in the off-season. At solitary Wind Cave, it’s all about the land and its wildlife; a nature photographer’s heaven.
