I Need A Napa

Another day in Napa - fog, wildlife and color!

Foggy Morning Vinyard

Fall Field

Black-tailed Deer at Rest

Napa Landscape

Afternoon Light

(all photos taken with Nikon P7000)

Monterey Day

The Monterey Peninsula is a place of amazing beauty. We spent most of Friday and Saturday in Carmel and along the famed 17-Mile Drive. It was gorgeous. Most of what I shot was on film so no go as far as photos to post here, but I did get a couple of shots on my Nikon point-and-shoot to share.

Enjoy!

 Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa)

In the wild, the species is confined to two small populations, near Monterey and Carmel, California. There was once a large population of these trees, some survivors are as old as 2000 years.

Sea Rocket or Iceplant (Cakile edentula)

This succulent is beautiful but is considered a "pest." It is used extensively as ground cover but has spread all over central California dunes. It is still debated whether or not it is a native species.

Breakers on Monterey Peninsula

 (all photos taken with Nikon P7000)

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving in Yosemite has been awesome.

El Capitan & Half Dome at Dawn

On March 27, 1851 the first group of non-Indians entered into the Yosemite Valley. Soon after, the word of Yosemite's beauty gradually spread, and in 1855, the first party of tourists arrived. What greeted them is still described as “one of the most beautiful places on earth”. 

Mirror Lake Scene

In 1864, in the middle of the Civil War, artist along with a group of influential Californians persuaded Congress and President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) to sign a bill making Yosemite and the Mariposa Grove a State Park.

Driftwood (looks like a fish to me)

Pines & Fall Color

 After an eventful camping trip with the sure-footed John Muir in Yosemite, Roosevelt helped to add the stunning Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias to Yosemite National Park. However, it took a meeting between President Roosevelt and John Muir in 1903, and the effective lobbying of railroad magnate Edward H. Harriman, to have Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove ceded from the state of California's control and included with Yosemite National Park in 1906. 

Black-tailed Deer & Fall Color

Fallen Leaves & Boulders

Vernal Falls

“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.  

                            I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.”             

~ Abraham Lincoln

(all photo taken with Nikon P7000)

Garden Of Eden

What a day...and it has only just begun.

In 1863 Albert Bierstadt’s passion for nature is expressed in these words about Yosemite:

"We are now here in the garden of Eden I call it. 

The most magnificent place I was ever in, 

I employ every moment painting from nature...

We camp out altogether, get no news, 

and do not care for any for we are perfectly happy 

with the fine scenery, trout, ducks, deer, etc."

Fall Maple

 Granite Wall & Reflection in Merced River

Redwood & Lichen

 El Capitan Reflections

Half Dome

Sunset in Yosemite Valley

(all photos taken with Nikon P7000)

Fall Is Over

Yesterday was the end of my second attempt at my first roll, "Fall in My Backyard." I am going to assume from now on shot #35 is the end of the roll on my Nikon F5. I will post a review of the roll in a few days, and when I get the film back I will do another analysis and then determine (sigh) whether or not to start all over again. I've got a felling...


On a side note, yesterday our state bird, the mockingbird, gave me a literal sign: "wildlife restoration." If for no other reason than our own sanity, we could all take that message to heart.

21)  Canada Geese in Fog - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 18, 2011 -  6:22 am

Clear,  33 degrees

500mm, 1/100@f4, Tripod

22)  Plum & Leaf with Frost - (V)

Madison County, MS

November 18, 2011 -  6:47 am

Clear,  33 degrees

60mm, 1/15@f7.1, Tripod

23)  Deer in Frost - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 18, 2011 -  7:10 am

Clear,  34 degrees

500mm, 1/1000@f4, Tripod

24)  Gray Squirrel Warming - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 18,  2011 - 8:33 am

Clear,  44 degrees

500mm, 1/80@f4, Tripod

25)  Hooded Mergansers in Flight  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 19,  2011 - 7:15 am

Clear,  50 degrees

500mm, 1/250@f4, Tripod

26)  Groundsel & Clouds - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 19,  2011 - 12:20 pm

Cloudy,  71 degrees

17-35mm, 1/60@f13, Hand Held

27) Downy Woodpecker  - (V)

Madison County, MS

November 19,  2011 - 2:17 pm

Cloudy,  73  degrees

500mm, 1/50@f4, Tripod

28)  Tree Silhouette - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 19,  2011 -   4:28 pm

Clear,  73 degrees

180mm, 1/200@f16, Hand Held

29)  Tree Roots  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 20,  2011 -  8:20  am

Cloudy, 66 degrees

60mm, 1.3 sec@f22, Tripod

30) Cicada Skins  - (V)

Madison County, MS

November 20,  2011 -  10:49  am

Cloudy, 72 degrees

60mm, 1/4@f22, Tripod

31)  Red-tailed Hawk in WIllow  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 20,  2011 -  12:10 pm

Cloudy, 73 degrees

500mm w/2xTC, 1/160@f8, Tripod

32)  Holly Berries  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 20,  2011 -  12:42 pm

Cloudy, 77 degrees

60mm, 1/10@f11, Tripod

33)  White-tailed Deer Buck - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 20,  2011 -  2:50 pm

Cloudy, 76 degrees

500mm, 1/250@f4, Tripod

34)  Creek Reflections - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 20,  2011 -  3:11 pm

Cloudy,  75 degrees

180mm, 1/15@f10, Tripod

35)  Blackbirds in Flight  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 20,  2011 - 4:53 pm

Partly Cloudy,  76 degrees

500mm w/2xTC, 1/200@f8, Tripod

(photo taken with Nikon P7000)

I Had To Pass...

I came across this scene yesterday and thought to myself, "Wow, what a composition." However, I already had two scenics in a row (#19 & #20) On A Roll so I had to pass. Sometimes it just does not work out. 


Soon after I shot this on my Nikon P7000 point-and-shoot, the weather turned and it started raining. Now this scene is gone. We often think of a running deer or a bolt of lightning as a brief moment in time, but in truth, every moment in nature is fleeting. 

Swamp Maple (Acer rubrum) in Cypress-Tupelo Swamp

16) Cardinal in Fall Leaves - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 13,  2011 - 2:54 pm

Cloudy,  78 degrees

400mm, 1/40@f3.5, Tripod

17)  Redheads in Flight  - (H)  

Madison County, MS

Novenber 13, 2011 - 4:21 pm

Clear,  77 degrees

500mm, 1/640@f4, Hand Held

18)   Bur-marigold (Bidens laevis) in Fall - (V) 

Madison County, MS

November 14, 2011 - 2:53 pm

Partly Cloudy, 77 degrees

60mm, 1/50@f11, Tripod

19)  Fall Tallow - (V)

Madison County, MS

November 14,  2011 -  3:58 pm

Overcast, 80 degrees

180mm,  1/40@f5.6, Tripod  

20)  Trees and Clouds at Dusk  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 14,  2011 - 4:50m

Partly Cloudy, 76 degrees

180mm, 1/400@f8, Hand Held

(photo taken with Nikon P7000)

iPhone Fun

On a summer trip to San Francisco - a trip deemed as a "non-working" trip - I did not take my cameras. That is not only unusual, but hard for me to do. As we joined with friends for sight-seeing around the area, I was bombarded with interesting potential images. I HAD to shoot something. I pulled out my iPhone (not the new one with a really amazing camera, an older model) and relieved the itch. Even for a wildlife photographer, the drive to shoot images not in my genre is strong. Below are a few fun photos.

Lessen: even shooting for fun has its rewards.

Gull over San Francisco Bay

The City, Pier 39 and Sea Lions

Golden Gate Bridge

Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens)
Muir Woods National Monument

Redwood Creek
Muir Woods National Monument

Fisherman's Wharf at Dusk

Chinatown

Shooting It Up

This week has been a busy one for On A Roll. Searching for "the" moment every day has had its rewards. This fast-changing time of the year has provided many photo opportunities, many of which I did not record for On A Roll, but shot with my Nikon P7000 point-and-shoot digital camera (a birthday present from my wife) to show you here. If this roll is the "one," I'll call it, "Fall in My Backyard."


Now back to the woods. I'm ready for more.

Full Moon and Clouds

Tree and Clouds

Ducks in Flight at Dusk

White-tailed Deer in Fall Leaves

Angel's Wings (Pleurocybella porrigens) and Leaves

Great Egret on Cypress Tree

Palmetto in Cypress Swamp

 Cypress Swamp Reflections in Fall

Grasshopper on Fall Leaf

Green Treefrog on Leaf

Piney Woods Fall

Frost on Fall Leaves

Foggy Sunrise

2)   White-tailed Deer in Fall Leaves - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 7, 2011 - 8:43 am

Clear, 63 degrees

400mm, 1/20@f3.5, Tripod  

3) Grasshopper on Fall Leaf  - (V)

Madison County, MS

November 8, 2011 -  7:12 am

Partly Cloudy,  61 degrees

60mm, 1/13@f13, Tripod  

4)  Great Egret Taking Off from Cypress - (V) ?

Madison County, MS

Novenber8 2011 -   9:34 am

Partly Cloudy,  71 degrees

500mm, 1/400@f4, Hand Held 

5)  Angel's Wings (Pleurocybella porrigens) and Leaves - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 8, 2011 - 10:04 am

Partly Cloudy, 69 degrees

60mm, 1/40@f6, Tripod

6)   Alligator Resting in Fallen Leaves - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 8, 2011 - 10:30 am

Partly Cloudy, 71 degrees

500mm, 1/160@f4, Tripod  

7) Green Treefrog on Leaf  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 8, 2011 - 11:42 am

Partly Cloudy, 76 degrees

60mm, 1/30@f10, Tripod  

8)  Turtles on Log - (H) ?

Madison County, MS

Novenber 8 2011 - 12:31 pm

Partly Cloudy,  78 degrees

500mm, 1/1000@f4, Hand Held

 9)  Fall Sumac - (V)

Madison County, MS

November 8, 2011 - 1:04 pm 

Partly Cloudy, 75 degrees

60mm, 1/500@f3.2, Tripod

10) Golden Silk Spider and Leaves - (V)

Madison County, MS

November 9, 2011 - 10:22 am

Clear, 60 degrees

180mm, 1/250@f8, Tripod  

11) Cypress Swamp in Fall - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 9, 2011 - 11:05 am

Clear,  60 degrees

17-35mm, 1/5@f22, Tripod  

12)  Ducks in Flight at Dusk - (H) ?

Madison County, MS

Novenber 10, 2011 - 5:05 pm

Clear,  56 degrees

500mm, 1/800@f4, Tripod 

13)  Full Moon and Clouds - (H) ?

Madison County, MS

November 10, 2011 - 5:17 pm

Clear, 55 degrees

500mm, 1/40@f4, Tripod

14)  Frost on Fall Leaves  - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 11,  2011 -  6:25  am

Clear, 36 degrees

60mm,  13 sec.@f32, Tripod  

15)  Foggy Sunrise - (H)

Madison County, MS

November 11,  2011 - 6:34 am

Clear, 36 degrees

180mm, 1/1250@f6.3, Hand Held

(photos taken with Nikon P7000)