Another photographer and I were at White Sands National Monument at sunset. We were getting ready to leave when we spotted several Claret Cup cacti. It was long after sunset and our exposures were about 30 seconds long. When we got our slides back we were blown away by the color. The blossoms glowed with an almost electric red. Don’t put your camera away after the sun goes down.
There is nothing quite like working with a beautiful model. I like working on stairs in soft light. This is my favorite image for this date.
A look at my “favorite photos” folder for May 1 tells me May 1 has been a great day for photography. I have picked two most favorite photos for this date.
It was my happy privilege Thursday might to do a photography workshop for a local girl scout troop. The girls were alert, eager, fun, bright, and very attentive.
Wild in Captivity, an article at Outdoor Photographer by Melissa Groo, is about the ethics of photographing wild animals in captivity.
Favorite Photos, April. Click for a larger version.
Here are my favorite photos for the month of April. The story behind this “favorite photos by date” project is here.
After four days in California doing the family history thing (see the prior articles in this series), I had a change in plans. The next leg of my family history trip had to be postponed to a later date, which meant I had two extra days to do whatever I wanted. I decided to take the two extra days and go back to southern Utah.
Bill and Winnie Johnston and I were driving around northern Michigan scouting out potential field trip location for my annual photography workshop on Lake Charlevoix (which is a good location in and of itself). Winnie is in charge of lodging for the workshop and Bill is the cook. They are both excellent photographers. You can see their work here.
If you have been following this series, you know I went on a cross country family history trip in 2011 (with a scenic side trip through southern Utah). My plan was to visit relatives in Colorado, Utah, and Oregon and record family stories. This doll is part of that story.
I was in California in 2011 to collect family stories on a digital recorder. One of my stops was my cousin Sue and her family. Our mothers are sisters. Sue has a remarkable memory and I recorded her stories of family events.
This is a special edition of my favorite photos by date series. In 2011 I set out across the country on a family history excursion. My mission for the California part of my trip was to visit several relatives and record their stories.
I was at Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is a favorite place for birds to migrate across Lake Michigan in the spring and fall so it is also a favorite place for bird watchers.
Doris is my mother-in-law. We spent the day with her sharing family stories and I recorded them all on a digital recorder. Those stories are a family treasure. Recording her memories was one of the primary reasons for the trip to California. After sharing stories we went out in her back yard where she has a nice little arbor. The light was perfect for portraits. This is my favorite photo for April 26 and one of my all time favorite images.
It got up bright and early and looked outside. It snowed overnight. I was thrilled. Following some excellent advice from a photographer who has spent a lot of time at Bryce Canyon, I went to Sunset Point, not Sunrise Point. This is one of my favorite photos for this date and one of my all time favorite photos.
This article is going to feel at lot like a travelogue – because it is.
It was late in the afternoon when I arrived in Moab Utah, and even later when I drove in to Arches National Park. I just kept saying “Oh, Wow!” and and driving around taking pictures.
Big Bend National Park is one of my favorite places on the planet. That was a big surprise to me since I prefer mountains, pine scented air, trout streams and high mountain lakes. Deserts are not my thing. But I fell in love with Big Bend on my first visit.
I left the Rio Grande Valley in the southern tip of Texas and I was headed for Big Bend National Park. Somewhere between Laredo and Del Rio I spotted these Prickly Pear blooms.
It was Easter Sunday morning and this young woman was one of the people taking up the offering. The expression on her face and the bunny ears make the photo. She was new at this job, taking it very seriously, and determined not to accidentally drop the offering plate. This is my favorite photo for April 20.
This alligator is memorable to me because it decided I would make a tasty lunch. Good for the gator. Not so good for me.
I have two, related, favorite photos for this date and this is one of them. It is an unusual choice.
I practice my wildlife photography skills at a variety of excellent zoos near the places I have lived. This fine eagle was at the zoo in Oklahoma City. This is my favorite photo for April 17.
Another photo from my week in Haiti. I lined the sun up so it was right behind the heart of the palm tree. This is my favorite photo for April 16.
Out for a walk with our dog Sunny. We are in his favorite park. I let him choose our route and most days he chose to walk to this park. This is my favorite photo for April 15.
In 1985 it was my extraordinary privilege to spend a week in Haiti. The people I met were wonderful in their passion, kindness, and devotion. The hillsides that had not yet been stripped bare (to make charcoal) were beautiful. The poverty was staggering. (Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.) It was a life changing week.
You’ve seen this young lady before. I have been photographing Ava and her sisters for over 15 years. This is one of our first impromptu photo sessions. This is my favorite image for April 13.
If you have been following this series, you might have guessed this is another conference photo, but in a different building.
This is one of my favorite rooms on the planet. Ever since I was a small boy I have been intrigued by the large, roundish, room with a dome for a ceiling and a mini-dome at the top. This is my favorite photo for April 11.
Are you ready to take your nature and wildlife photography to the next level? Are you ready to learn the professional secrets that make the difference between good images and great images? Are you ready for a high intensity, action packed, total immersion photography weekend? Come to Park of the Pines on beautiful Lake Charlevoix June 7-10, 2019.
I have two favorite photos for this date, one from a conference, and the other from an art exhibit and auction.