In-flight Movie

Boarding the plane headed back to Mississippi from California, I was already dreading what I thought would be a boring, four and a half hour flight. Fortunately, we took off at noon, and from my seat behind the wing, I had a clear view of the changing landscape below. I decided to shoot the sights below from Sacramento headed east.

 Above the Fog
 Sacramento, California

I had a few of obstacles to overcome:


1)  I was using a point-and-shoot camera
2)  We were 37,000 feet in the air
3)  I was shooting through a scratched plastic window in front of outside glass
4)  We were going 600 mph
5)  The heat wash from the engine under the wing caused some blur


Below are a few of the results, I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome, which made my unplanned, overnight stay at an airport hotel in Atlanta a bit more bearable.

Lake Tahoe, California

Great Basin, Nevada

Lake Powell, Utah

Monument Valley, Arizona

Mesa Canyons -
 Navajo Reservation, Arizona

Heron Reservoir, New Mexico

San Antonio Mountain, New Mexico

Clouds over Texas Panhandle

Star Lake near Webbers Falls Reservoir, Oklahoma

Sunset Clouds over Arkansas

Last Light on Delta Flight 320

(all photos taken with Nikon P7000)

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)