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“Desert Dust Storm” While visiting the Palm Springs area recently, the frequent high winds meant my camera had to stay in my bag, and Arlo and I were sequestered to the RV; it was quite the site to see, and experience. The wind howled as the blowing sand and dust pelted the RV. At times it looked like fog, and it blanketed entire valleys and neighborhoods. Drifts of sand accumulated as the sand blew and swirled across the roadways. At times the wind was almost violent, and yet it was “only” 70 mph winds (I can’t imagine winds over 100mph!). This photo was taken from inside my RV :-) ....where I was sheltered from the wind and (most) of the blowing sand and dust. The wind shook the RV so I waited for a moment of calm before capturing this image. I love how the dust helps to define the depth of field in this image; something I didn’t expect to ever capture in a desert scene. I'm thrilled!
The Western Red Cedars of “Ancient Forest National Park”, typically grow along the northwest coast of North America,. Oddly enough though, these were located in the interior of BC! Many of the enormously tall trees are well over 1000 years old; thanks to the perfect weather and soil conditions, and the ability to survive past droughts, storms, insect outbreaks and fires too. Knowing that the early morning fog would add “mood” to the overall composition, I arrived before sunrise, The little bit that was there however quickly dissipated but I did manage to capture this moody shot. That said, it's very indicative of what I felt; all alone, at peace and at awe with nature. As I meandered along the manmade boardwalks through the forest, I could feel myself depart from the world outside, in both in time in space. I certainly was in my element and for a moment, I was a child again, without a care it the world. I hiked around with my camera gear on my back and with my puppy Arlo by my side for almost 5 hours. He's only five months old but I started training him early to sit and be still when I set up my tripod. Although he can't go on all of my photo shoots, he’s such a good puppy and great companion. What I love about this photo is its overall sense of mood and when I look at it, I feel a sense of mystery, yet I feel the tranquility and calm too. I actually saw this scene from quite a distance so I carefully chose where to positioned myself and then I changed my lens and camera settings… and so on, and so on! I remember thinking that photography is a lot like golf! Just as there is a lot to consider and remember before you swing, well, there’s a lot to consider before you press the shutter button too! Do this, do that, don’t do this… and so on, ha ha! As I neared the end of my hike, Arlo (with an alert stance) came to a dead stop…. hmmm, this was a first! Suddenly I heard what he heard; a rustling noise but it was a noise that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. As I stood in the stillness the strange sound slowly got louder, and louder. When I looked up, I realized a strong wind was blowing above me (only) and the noise was from the thousands of leaves blowing in the wind. I chuckled…. and breathed a sigh of relief (lol).
"Joshua Tree Nightscape" It’s long been known that our cognitive brain health declines as we age and that diet, exercise, sleep, social interaction and mental stimulation can prevent it. As I’ve aged, I’ve noticed the normal changes in my own cognitive function but I hope that as I sharpen photography skills (including night sky photography), will help; I have my fingers crossed! I pre-planned this location earlier in the day (I even marked the spot where I’d stand). With the help of an app, I knew exactly where and what time the milky way would line up with this scene. What I didn’t realize however (until after the shoot) was that the milky way was rather “blah” from that angle; hmmm, so what to do? I decided to learn something new by blending a previous Milky Way photograph with the foreground; the results of which you see here. This now known as a “composite" image; which is an image comprised of two or more images to create one. Joshua Tree National Park is a vast protected area, not far Palm Springs, California. The high elevation of the park is characterized by it's rugged rock formations, Joshua Trees, “dark sky” landscapes and sunsets. The Joshua "tree" is not really a tree because it belongs to the yucca plant family. They typically grow only in higher elevations (1,300 to 6,000 feet) and grow quite slowly (up to 3 inches per year). They have an average lifespan of 150-200 years but some live much longer.... hmmm, maybe I will too, lol!
