September 30, 2011

Deer Valley

Brilliant Quakies

Come winter, these hills will be covered with "the greatest snow on earth," a trademark for Utah and there will be skiers everywhere. For now, nights are cold, mornings are crisp and invigorating, and days are warm and heavenly beneath that deep blue sky. Deer Valley, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Park City, Utah, USA, September 30, 2011. f/8, 1/250 second, ISO 200.

Provo Canyon

Everything But Oaks

Fall is my favorite time of year! Too bad this only lasts for a brief two to three weeks here. The air is crisp and clean, nights are cool or cold, and days are warm and inviting in the sunshine and brisk in the shade. It always takes me back to my youth, fishing and hunting and camping with my father and brothers. I miss those times, but cherish those memories! Provo Canyon, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah, USA, September 30, 2011. f/6.3, 1/640 second, ISO 200.

Maples and Cottonwoods

Provo Canyon, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah, USA, September 30, 2011. f/9, 1/320 second, ISO 200.

September 5, 2011

Mahi Shipwreck

Blue-Spotted Sea Urchin

Family Diadematidae, Astropyga radiata, 95 feet deep. First and only one I have ever seen! Unlike any other urchin. Very pretty. Mahi Shipwreck, Wainae, O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA, September 5, 2011. f/5.5, 1/50 second, ISO 200.

Blue-Spotted Sea Urchin

Family Diadematidae, Astropyga radiata, 95 feet deep. This pretty reddish brown and white striped urchin is found through the Indo-Pacific and inhabits sand or rubble bottoms of at least 50 ft. or more. In other areas of the Indo-Pacific it can be found in shallow sea-grass beds. Uncommon in Hawai'i, it is rarely seen. The spineless areas of the test contain rows of iridescent blue dots that can expand and contract, sometimes disappearing altogether. Mahi Shipwreck, Wainae, O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA, September 5, 2011. f/5.5, 1/60 second, ISO 80.

Legal Fireworks

Last year the Honolulu City Council banned fireworks. Whether the recent bout of lightning storms is someone's way of sending them a message or not we'll have to leave to everyone to decide, but there have been some spectacular displays.

Last night, I was watching yet another one and decided it was time to see if I could catch some on film. Unfortunately, like with most things, once I got the camera out and got ready, things pretty much died!

Not that there wasn't still lightning, just that it was all behind the clouds so seeing the bolt was impossible, still it is pretty impressive! These were all taken about 10:00-10:30 at night when the sky was pitch-black.





And I did mangae to catch a few lightning bolts but none of them are real impressive.





This one is my favorite. Look closely at the top of the frame!

April 19. 2011

Mt. Timpanogos

Springtime in the Rockies

As the sun sets on the top of Timp, still locked deeply in Winter's icy grasp, Spring has come to the valley floor. Mt. Timpanogos, Utah County, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah, USA, April 19, 2011. f/4.8, 1/125 second, ISO 400.

February 19, 2011 - Humpback Whales

In January 2010, Lauri and I discovered Lana'i Lookout over on the Windward side of the island near Hanauma Bay. It is a great place to go during whale season to watch for whales. Today they put on a pretty good show, even though most of them were a little too far out to get really good photos.
















Until today, however, we had never gotten photos that were even close to as good as that first day over a year ago.







I missed the breach, but got the splash. I would have loved to have been in that boat!




These two were waving goodbye as the sun set. What a way to end the day!

January 8, 2011 Humpback Whales - Lanai Lookout or "A Whale's Tail"

Whale watching is a lot like fly-fishing! Some days, no matter what you offer, the trout just ignore it and are simply not feeding. Other days, they are vigorously feeding and jump clear out of the water while capturing insects, both real and imaginary. And then there are days when they subtly sip insects from the surface film with hardly a ripple to give them away.

At Lanai Lookout, we have experienced all three kinds of days. Our first, and a very few others have been the boisterous, jumping, frolicking kind. We have had a lot of the "not interested in anything" days.

Today was the third type - quiet, but eventful. Lots of whales, even fairly close to land, but just quietly showing their backs and every-so-often a fluke to wave goodbye as they dove.




























Wave those pectoral fins!











As deeply as these two humped up in preparing to dive, I was sure that we would get the best fluke shots ever since they were so close to shore!

However, they simply sunk out of sight without ever raising a fluke!

In the middle of all the whale action, we were entertained by a couple of Red-Crested Cardinals.