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| Click Photo to Enlarge |
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Deer
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| Click Photo to Enlarge This doe walked in front of my house and into my neighbor's yard. I just really think she is pretty. Notice the large notch in her ear. She's also got a deep scar in her back about two feet long. I saw at least one other scar on her left hind quarter. A mountain lion? Who knows? I think she's had a tough life, but she's maintained her dignity and beauty. |
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly
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| Click Photo to Enlarge The Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly is the Arizona state butterfly. I made this picture in my backyard. The butterfly is sitting on the flower of my Mimosa tree. |
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
Monday, May 4, 2015
Thursday, April 30, 2015
American Goldfinches
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| Click Photo to Enlarge These American Goldfinches showed up at my fountain. They were there for about 5 seconds, then gone. Male in the foreground. |
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Monday, April 27, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Friday, April 17, 2015
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Hooded Orioles, April 4, 2015
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| Click Photo to Enlarge The Hooded Orioles have arrived. These photos were taken this evening while I was sitting on my couch. I had to take these photos while looking through my front window. The birds are about 15 feet away. This first bird is a male. |
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| Click Photo to Enlarge The Hooded Orioles have arrived. These photos were taken this evening while I was sitting on my couch. I had to take these photos while looking through my front window. The birds are about 15 feet away. This second bird is a female. |
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| Click Photo to Enlarge The Hooded Orioles have arrived. These photos were taken this evening while I was sitting on my couch. I had to take these photos while looking through my front window. The birds are about 15 feet away. This third bird is a male. |
Friday, April 3, 2015
Hummingbirds on My Porch
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| Rufous Hummingbird Click Photo to Enlarge |
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Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Band-tailed Pigeons
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| Click Photo to Enlarge These Band-tailed Pigeons began showing up at a feeder in my backyard about a month ago. I have been trying to photograph them ever since. They are very wary. Today, from a blind, I was finally able to get a few photos. |
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Red Shouldered Hawk
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| Click Photo to Enlarge Two hawks were way up high in a tall Pine tree in my backyard this morning. The one at the very tip top of the tree was the easiest to focus. |
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Red Barn, Castle Crags
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| Click Photo to Enlarge My wife Nikki took this photo with my Samsung cellphone. The barn is near Castle Crags State Park, just south of Mount Shasta. |
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
Eurasian Collared-Dove
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| Click Photo to Enlarge Nest building in my backyard tree. |
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| Click Photo to Enlarge Nest building in my backyard tree. |
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Varied Thrush
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| Click Photo to Enlarge I wanted to get a photo of a Varied Thrush, and I succeeded today at the Woodson Bridge State Park, near Corning, CA. |
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Nuttall's Woodpecker
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| Click Photo to Enlarge This woodpecker was on an oak at my property in Cottonwood, CA. |
Monday, January 19, 2015
Monday, January 12, 2015
White-breasted Nuthatch
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| Click Photo to Enlarge This little Nuthatch was on my property in Cottonwood. |
Thursday, January 1, 2015
My Daily Photo
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| Click Photo to Enlarge |
Today marks the end of a wonderful journey in photography. A little over a year ago, near the end of December, 2013, I was challenged to make a photograph and publish it every single day in 2014. I am happy to report that I achieved that goal. But in a larger sense, the satisfaction of achieving a difficult goal pales in comparison to the knowledge I've gained along the way.
I learned that achieving any great goal requires steadfast commitment to that goal. Having achieved other difficult goals in my life, I had a hunch that this would not be the most important thing I would learn, and it wasn't. There were many times that I did not want to post a photograph, but I found a way. A prolonged hospital stay, several illnesses along the way, family problems, internet outages, camera failures and software failures were simply challenges that had to be met. Each time, through creative means, I found a way.
I learned a lot about the subject matter that I enjoy as a photographer. If you peruse my entire year's worth of photos, you will see that there are commonalities. I like old rusty pickup trucks. I like barns, beautiful Victorian houses, and of course wildlife. I began to learn what sort of pictures I liked to take, and that has helped me immensely in the selection of equipment. I will shortly be making some new purchases, and I now know what kind of equipment I will need.
Of course, I know a lot more about photography now too. More importantly, I know a lot more about what I don't know. Just as is the case with learning what sort of gear one must possess, one must also know what one needs to learn. I would say that learning more about Lightroom, Photoshop and perhaps digital high dynamic range photography will be my focus of study this year.
None of these insights could have been gained without a total emersion in the everyday life of a photographer. I learned to:
1. Never leave home without ALL of my photographic gear.
2. Never pass up a shot. When I see it, take it.
3. Always be looking for that photo that is hidden in plain sight.
4. Never say "I'll fix it in post."
5. Always fix it in post.
6. Don't fix problems in post that aren't there. Sometimes, you get it right the first time.
7. Listen to others even if you don't like what they are telling you. Critics are your best friend.
8. Study other people's photos, especially if you like the photos.
9. Nobody's an ammature. There is something to learn from everybody.
10. Have fun.
For anyone who has followed my photography journey over the past year, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you will stay tuned for more photos. There will be more. Thankfully, however, I will no longer be under the constant pressure of having to post a photo every day.
I am going out to do some January 1st errands now, and I will be taking my camera gear along.
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