Category Archives: Blog

A branch in water. Is it beautiful? Assuming that it is, then the next question I ask myself is: Is it worth documenting? Is it worth sharing? These questions can go on indefinitely. I guess if we keep questioning things, nothing will ever get done. I liked this branch in the water and took severalContinue reading “What is beautiful?”

February 3rd is National Golden Retriever Day in the United States. It so happens that we have Golden Retrievers–one that’s “real” and one that’s honorary. Why honorary? Because she came to us through a Golden Retriever rescue group. With that history she will be forever linked to Golden Retrievers, although she’s more Lab, Terrier, andContinue reading “National Golden Retriever Day”

This image was taken at a traffic light. The city had the flowers planted on the median. Three quick clicks, and the light turned green. Cities have lots of places of surprising beauty, but we’re often in such a hurry, or so focused on the next task, that we don’t notice them. Sometimes they requireContinue reading “In the city”

This example of construction worker humor — a work glove in a concrete washout pan — made me think of how to document humorous situations in nature. We can take pictures of animals in odd poses and then enhance them with funny captions. But this kind of humor often comes at the expense of theContinue reading “Humor”

The anhinga is also called a snakebird because it sits low in the water with almost only the neck and head showing. This makes people sometimes think that there’s a snake in the water. The anhinga doesn’t have oily feathers, which means they get wet and the bird needs to leave the water and dryContinue reading “Anhinga”

In the summer of last year I went to an area of Texas prairie. The plants were beautiful and delicate, with stunning colors. It was full of birds and insects, a very happy place. I couldn’t wait to go back, but didn’t find the time, so when I finally went back today, I didn’t knowContinue reading “Prairie vegetation”

I posted this image in a discussion about paying attention to detail, and one of the participants said that he had wondered why I posted this yellow flower… until he noticed the insect blending in so well. Now every time I look at this picture, I think of that. There are reasons every day whyContinue reading “Almost overlooked”

An online group of amateur photographers I belong to seems to feel that beauty is limited to nature. The members post truly stunning images of landscapes, seascapes, animals, meadows–breathtaking beauty. I love those images and take pictures like these myself, but this group always makes me want to be a little bit rebellious. Building materialsContinue reading “Beauty of a different kind”

We love gazing at the moon, especially when it’s fully visible, like this. I’ve taken images of the full moon rising over the Sandia mountains in New Mexico, a thrilling endeavor when I found the perfect spot for it. But lately I have also looked at the moon as it waxes day by day, andContinue reading “The Moon”

Near the San Andreas Fault in California, I saw cholla cacti for the first time. They can get quite big, and then they start dying off from the bottom up. So while the top can still be some hue of light green, further down it turns brown, then black, and near the ground you mayContinue reading “Different phases in one plant”