This robin has a nest at our cottage. This is the third year in a row that it used this nest.
Wednesday, 08/13/2026: Posted photo — Partial Solar Eclipse.
There was a partial solar eclipse today. We had only about 18% coverage. When I woke up the weather was predicted to be partially cloudy. I glad it was not at the time of the eclipse. I stepped out of the office to take this photo.
Thurmond Station is in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in WV. Thurmond was once among the greatest railroad towns along the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. The historic Thurmond Depot has been restored by the National Park Service and now serves as a park visitor center.
Friday, 08/14/2026: Post photo — Acorn.
This 10-foot-tall, 1, 250-lb. copper and steel sculpture was commissioned for Raleigh’s bicentennial in 1992. Dedicated to John Watkins, it is located at Raleigh City Plaza.
Saturday, 08/15/2026: Post photo — Ocracoke Lighthouse.
The Ocracoke Lighthouse is in Ocracoke Village at the southern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.” — Sally Mann
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 08/02/2026: Posted photo — Votive.
The word votive describes something offered, given, or dedicated in fulfillment of a vow, prayer, or expression of devotion. The word votive comes from the Latin word votum, meaning a vow or a promise. These candles are in the vestibule of our church. They are dedicated to a good friend and his wife who have both passed.
Monday, 08/03/2026: Posted photo — Abstract.
The topic for my photo project this week was abstract. I took this photo as an abstract photo. It served two purposes. The first is to take a photo for my project. The second is to test out the focus on my phone’s camera. The class on my phone spontaneously broke. I am not the first owner of this brand of phone that this happened. Since the glass broke, my phone’s camera does not focus in the distance.
Tuesday, 08/04/2026: Posted photo — Black Eyed Susan.
The black-eyed Susan symbolizes encouragement, motivation, resilience, and justice. The name comes from the flower’s dark central disk surrounded by bright yellow petals, paired with a popular 1729 English ballad titled “Sweet William’s Farewell to Black-eye’d Susan” by poet John Gay.
Wednesday, 08/05/2026: Posted photo — Avocados.
Though once they roamed wild on the island, the Ocracoke Banker Ponies have been penned for their protection and cared for by the National Park Service since 1959. Legend has it that the “Banker” horses of Ocracoke were left here by shipwrecked explorers in the 16th or 17th century. These horses, often referred to as Ocracoke ponies, have been documented on Ocracoke Island since the first European settlers came to stay in the 1730s.
Thursday, 08/06/2026: Posted photo — Sunflower.
Sunflowers universally symbolize happiness, loyalty, adoration, and longevity. The sunflower got its name from its bright, round shape that looks like the sun and its habit of turning to face the sun.
Friday, 08/07/2026: Post photo — Still Eating.
This is the same rabbit as the last few weeks. I did not see it all week until today. I had to use my DSLR to get this photo. I wanted to take its photo this week using my phone, but as stated earlier, the zoom does not work.
Saturday, 08/08/2026: Post photo — Wright Bothers Memorial.
The site of the first flight in Kitty Hawk, NC in the Outer Banks. The wooden rail in the photo is what they used to keep the plane straight during takeoff. I did not realize how much influence their sister Katharine had on them. She is the forgotten sibling in this incredible feat and should have some credit. Glad to see that her name is in the Memorial.
Flight Details on December 17, 1903 First flight: 120 feet (36.5 meters) in 12 seconds, piloted by Orville Wright. Second flight: 175 feet (53.3 meters) in 12 seconds, piloted by Wilbur Wright. Third flight: 200 feet (60.9 meters) in 15 seconds, piloted by Orville Wright. Fourth (best) flight: 852 feet (260 meters) in 59 seconds, piloted by Wilbur Wright.
Looking at the flight markers, I could just imagine what went through their minds during that fourth flight. It was a relatively long way from the first three. It took some time to walk to it in the North Carolina heat.
When I was walking from the location of the fourth flight to the Big Kill Devil Hill Monument, I heard a teenaged girl tell her mother, “I do not know why so many kids do not like going to a place like this. This is such a historical event in history.” There is some hope with the younger generation.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.” — Don McCullin
Here are some animals that I have seen over the last couple of weeks.
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Snapping turtles are large, long-lived freshwater reptiles known for their powerful jaws, long tail with a saw-toothed appearance, and aggressive snapping defense when on land. This snapping turtle has been living in the fresh water on the property that I work. I know it is the same turtle I have been seeing for years by the deformity in its shell. I have also seen her laying her eggs.
A Common Snapping Turtle delivers a force closer to 200–250 psi. I have seen this snapping turtle snap a broom handle when someone attempted to move it out of the driveway.
Monday, 07/27/2026: Posted photo — Deer.
Here are some deer that were hanging around our campsite in West Virginia. They were roaming the area and were not afraid of people. The deer in the photo kept looking at us and had an expression like “Are you looking at me?”.
Tuesday, 07/28/2026: Posted photo — Snake.
Just a snake we saw at a water crossing in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virgina. I like this photo because you can see that the snake is sticking its tongue out at us.
Though once they roamed wild on the island, the Ocracoke Banker Ponies have been penned for their protection and cared for by the National Park Service since 1959. Legend has it that the “Banker” horses of Ocracoke were left here by shipwrecked explorers in the 16th or 17th century. These horses, often referred to as Ocracoke ponies, have been documented on Ocracoke Island since the first European settlers came to stay in the 1730s.
When I went to the island, I was looking forward to possibly seeing the horses running on the beaches. That might happen at a different time of year.
Thursday, 07/30/2026: Posted photo — Barn Owl.
This owl was just after a trailhead on Wachusett Mountain. We heard the owl for many weeks and saw it at a distance once. This was the closest to the trail that I have seen it.
Friday, 07/31/2026: Post photo — Bunny.
This rabbit was eating some of our grass when I came home from work today. Most of the time when I see a rabbit, it flees. This one just looked at me and kept eating. It allowed me to take my camera out of my camera bag and to take its photo.
Saturday, 08/01/2026: Post photo — Golden Silk Orb-weaver.
Females are among the largest non-tarantula-like spiders in North America and are perhaps the largest orb-weavers in this country. This is one of two Orb-weavers that were hinging out all week at our vacation rental in the Outer Banks.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“What makes photography a strange invention is that the primary raw materials are light and time.” — John Berger
Thumb drive is still missing. Here are some photos from this week. Need to find my thumb drive soon.
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 07/19/2026: Posted photo — Roses.
Here are some colors for today. I went out shopping today to pick up a few items. I post many rose photos without comments, so I am posting again.
Monday, 07/20/2026: Posted photo — Name in Stone.
Sometimes I wonder how long it took for people to carve their names in stone. This is on the summit of Wachusett Mountain where a hotel once stood. The Hayward family was a big furniture family in our area. Solon was the middle and troublesome son.
Tuesday, 07/21/2026: Posted photo — Tiger Lily.
Tiger lilies are covered with black or deep crimson spots, giving them the appearance of the skin of a tiger. If I take a photo of a Tiger Lily at the correct angle, it almost looks plastic.
Ginger root provides major health benefits, specifically easing nausea, reducing inflammation, and supporting digestion. Ginger Ale contains a very small amount of ginger, usually in processed ginger extract rather than fresh ginger root. It still is used to ease nausea. I drink Ginger Ale to help prevent kidney stones.
Thursday, 07/23/2026: Posted photo — Mushroom.
I do not know much about mushrooms, except they are a type of fungus. Since I spend many hours or days outside hiking, I should. The only drawback is that I do not like the spongey taste of them.
Friday, 07/24/2026: Post photo — Bunny.
This rabbit was eating some of our grass when I came home from work today. Most of the time when I see a rabbit, it flees. This one just looked at me and kept eating. It allowed me to take my camera out of my camera bag and to take its photo.
Saturday, 07/25/2026: Post photo — Shell.
This is the first of many photos I plan on posting from our latest trip. I just need to find my thumb drive. If I cannot find it this week, I will have to redo my posts. This shell was on the beach in the Outer Banks.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.” — Sally Mann
This is a repost since I left my thumb drive with my last three weeks of posts at work. I hope I did since I cannot find it here at home.
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
For this post, I am showing you a few of the mountains and other geological formations that I saw during my vacation.
Sunday, 07/12/2026: Posted photo — Badlands National Park.
Here are some of the formations in Badlands National Park. Badlands National Park is in South Dakota. Its dramatic landscapes span layered rock formations, steep canyons, and towering spires. Bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs inhabit its sprawling grasslands.
Monday, 07/13/2026: Posted photo — Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in North Dakota and is one of the lesser know parks. After visiting the park, I have been in all 50 states! There was a stamp at the park that is a map of North Dakota and stays, “Saving the best for Last”. What a great stamp to put in my National Park passport.
Tuesday, 07/14/2026: Posted photo — First View in Yellowstone.
For a few weeks we were concerned about going to Yellowstone. As you may know, there were floods in the northern part of the park. The northern section of the park was closed when we were there. Some of the northern section opened about 3 days after we left the park. This did not disappoint up since we wanted to explore the southern section more during this visit.
Wednesday, 07/15/2026: Posted photo — Tetons from Yellowstone.
Grand Tetons National Park as seen from the West access road at Yellowstone National Park. We did not visit the Tetons this time. We have visited the Tetons in the past.
Thursday, 07/16/2026: Posted photo — Good Morning View at Yellowstone.
Good morning from Yellowstone. This is what I looked at when I came out of my tent the first morning in Yellowstone. What a great view to wake up to see. Just for your information, the temperature was in the low 30s F when I woke with frost on my tent. Some nearby campers had their water frozen.
Friday, 07/17/2026: Post photo — Mount Baker.
Mount Baker, also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is a 10,781 ft active glacier-covered andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington in the United States. Mount Baker has the second-most thermally active crater in the Cascade Range after Mount St. Helens.
Saturday, 07/18/2026: Post photo — The Sisters.
From left to right North Twin Sister, South Twin and Little Sister. The North Twin is the second highest point in the strikingly jagged ridge known as the Twin Sisters Range, 10 miles southwest of Mount Baker. Pyramid shaped; the North Twin has three ridges which connect directly to the summit area. One to the northeast, one to the southeast which is joined by a saddle to the South Twin, and finally the west ridge. The South Twin is the highest point in the Twin Sisters Range. Little Sister is the lowest and most northerly of the Three Sisters and is in Canmore, Alberta.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth.” — Richard Avedon
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 06/14/2026: Posted photo — Rose.
This is a rose that is growing in our flower bed. I am happy to see that both my rose bushes have survived the winter. This might be the first time this has happened.
Does anyone know if I need to have a trellis to support the roses as they grow. The roses are drooping under their own weight, and I want to get the right support for them.
Snapping turtles are large, long-lived freshwater reptiles known for their powerful jaws, long tail with a saw-toothed appearance, and aggressive snapping defense when on land. This snapping turtle has been living in the fresh water on the property that I work. I know it is the same turtle I have been seeing for years by the deformity in its shell. I have also seen her laying her eggs.
A Common Snapping Turtle delivers a force closer to 200–250 psi. I have seen this snapping turtle snap a broom handle when someone attempted to move it out of the driveway.
Tuesday, 06/16/2026: Posted photo — Old Steel Wheel.
I normally do not take still life photos. Hope you like this one. This steel wheel is located at our cottage at the edge of the lake.
Wednesday, 06/17/2026: Posted photo — Lightning.
I wanted to try out long exposure photography. I saw a storm out at sea and started shooting.
Thursday, 06/18/2026: Posted photo — Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park MT.
This is from the start of a trip I took a few years ago. We started at Glacier National Park. The parks we visited were Glacier National Park, MT; Northern Cascades National Park, WA; Olympic National Park, WA; Mt. Rainier National Park, WA; Grand Tetons National Park, WY; Yellowstone National Park, WY; Wind Cave National Park, SD; and ending with my first trip to Badlands National Park, SD.
Friday, 06/19/2026: Post photo — Moon over Cape Neddick.
This is the Nubble Lighthouse, in York ME. This lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world due to its location. This photo was cropped to fit in this poster, so it seems out of proportion.
Saturday, 06/20/2026: Post photo — Waterton Lake Sunset, Alberta.
This is one of my favorite photos from our travels. This is from Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta Canada.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
Any of my photos are available in poster format. These photos are formatted for 18” x 24” posters.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“I never have taken a picture I’ve intended. They’re always better or worse.” — Diane Arbus
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
This is a repost from 2021.
Sunday, 05/31/2026: Posted photo — Reflection in the Fog.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/80 s, 113 mm.
Driving into church this morning, I notice fog off the lakes in the area. The location of this photo is one in which I take many practice photos. It is a difficult location to take a photo since I needed to stop on the edge of a busy road.
My initial thought on this photo was to get a picture of the mist rising from the surface of the lake with the foliage behind it. When I arrived at this location, the mist was thicker than I would like. I did see the reflections of the trees on the water and thought that that would take a good photo.
Monday, 06/01/2026: Posted photo — Western Tanager.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/320 s, 300 mm.
Fact from All About Birds: “The oldest Western Tanager on record—a male originally banded in Nevada in 1965—had lived at least 6 years and 11 months by the time he was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Oregon in 1971.”
We were walking the north rim at Grand Canyon National Park when I spotted this male Western Tanager in a conifer tree. The color contrast between the bird and the tree caught my eye.
The range of the Western Tanger is the western parts for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Again, from All About Birds: “A clear look at a male Western Tanager is like looking at a flame: an orange-red head, brilliant yellow body, and coal-black wings, back and tail. Females and immatures are a somewhat dimmer yellow-green and blackish. These birds live in open woods all over the West, particularly among evergreens, where they often stay hidden in the canopy. Nevertheless, they’re a quintessential woodland denizen in summertime, where they fill the woods with their short, burry song and low, chuckling call notes.” (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Tanager/overview)
Tuesday, 06/02/2026: Posted photo — The Gathering.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 3200, f/7.1, 1/100 s, 135 mm.
On my way home from work today I saw this rafter of turkey. I have seen them many times before on the property and did not feel the need to photograph them. Today was different.
When I was approaching them today, it looked like it was a group of workers getting ready to clock out of work and were planning what they were going to do tonight. Just the way they were gather in pairs and it looked like they were talking to each other.
Also, I thought it would be a good picture to take.
Wednesday, 06/03/2026: Posted photo — Cattails.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 800, f/5, 1/800 s, 52 mm.
I had a choice of photos to post today — a photo of an island or a photo of cattails. I decided on the cattails for the photo to put in my 365 project because I liked it just a little bit better than the photo of the island. I will be posting both in this blog for you to compare.
Cattails are a type of aquatic plant, approximately 5-10 feet tall. These plants have long, slender, branchless, and upward-growing leaves and a distinguishable brown, cylindrical flowering head at their apex. The grow around ponds and other wetland areas.
What is the difference between a pond and a lake? Here is something I found in my research: “To help determine the difference, both the depth and surface area must be considered. Lakes are normally much deeper than ponds and have a larger surface area. All the water in a pond is in the photic zone, meaning ponds are shallow enough to allow sunlight to reach the bottom. This causes plants (sometimes too many) to grow at the bottom of ponds as well as on their surface. However, sunlight can’t reach the bottom of all areas of lakes. Lakes have aphotic zones, which are deep areas of water that receive no sunlight, preventing plants from growing.” (https://lakes.grace.edu/ponds-vs-lakes-whats-the-difference/)
I took the cattail photo with a shallow depth of field (DOF) to blur the background and the make the cattails “pop”. As you can tell by this photo, the cattails are starting to spread their seeds.
Here is the photo of the island that I took and did not like as much as the cattail photo.
Thursday, 06/04/2026: Posted photo — Sunset Through Trees.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/160 s, 100 mm.
After a week and a half, I was back on the hiking trail today. It felt good to get back. I hiked 4.3 miles on Wachusett Mountain after work with some colleagues. I took a series of photos along the way to determine what one to post. I decided on this sunset photo. I had another sunset photo that I took from the summit, but I accidently deleted it. Rookie mistake.
The other choices of photos were a glacial erratic called Balanced Rock or a burl on a tree at a trail junction. Just a reminder that a glacial erratic is glacially deposited rock differing from the size and type of rock native to the area in which it rests. And a burl is a strange-looking collection of tree cells, which are called callus tissue. Normally, callus tissue is formed by a tree in response to an environmental injury such as a pruning cut, disease, or insect damage. If you have a piece of wooden furniture, such as an end table, it was most likely made with a burl.
These are the photos that I did not post for my 365 project.
Friday, 06/05/2026: Post photo — Pareidolia.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/10, 1/250 s, 21 mm.
Pareidolia is the defined by Merriam-Webster as the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern. I have posted about this tendency in the past.
Today I am posting a photo of a cloud. I see a couple items in this photo. I see an opera singer hitting a high note and I also see a ships figurehead. It is amazing how one can see an object when one is not there.
What to you see? Do you see what I see, due to the power of suggestion, or do you see something else. Please respond in the comment section.
Saturday, 06/06/2026: Post photo — Iris Bouquet.
Settings: Samsung SM-G930V (Galaxy S7), ISO 100, f/1.7, 1/60 s, 4 mm
From The Old Farmer’s Almanac: “The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors. Despite its divine origins, this June bloomer is rugged, reliable, and easy to grow. Learn all about planting, growing, and caring for iris flowers.” (https://www.almanac.com/plant/irises)
Today was a shopping day from me. Saw this iris bouquet in one of the stores that I shopped. I like the colors.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
This is a re-post from March 2022. I have been too busy this week to write comments on the photos I took. The plan is to integrate this week’s photos into the next few posts. Another thought is to post a bonus blog.
Sunday, 03/15/2026: Posted photo — Low Key.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 2500, f/3.5, 1/40 s, 18 mm.
A low key image is one that contains predominantly dark tones and colors. Low key photography conveys atmosphere and mood. One of my photo projects had a low key image challenge this week. I was thinking about what photo to take to meet this challenge. I would have had many options if I had not just been operated on. With limited mobility, I thought about what there might be around the house. Since low key images contain predominantly dark tones and colors, I took a photo of the fire in our wood stove.
Monday, 03/16/2026: Posted photo — Cameron Falls.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 100, f/22, 10 s, 28 mm.
Cameron Falls, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta.
Cameron Falls is a very uniquely shaped waterfall of about 75 feet in height found in the heart of the Waterton townsite in Waterton Lakes National Park. After heavy rainfall, the waters upriver from the falls get stirred up with a red mudstone called argillite. As the water flows towards the falls, it turns to a beautiful pink hue when light reflects on the mineral water. We did not see the pink falls since the weather was dry when we visited Waterton Lakes National Park just after we visited Glacier National Park in Montana.
Tuesday, 03/17/2026: Posted photo — New Boot.
Settings: Google Pixel 2, ISO 195, f/1.8, 1/60 s, 4 mm.
I had a post op follow-up today a week and a half after surgery. My recovery is going as planned. I was fitted with this very uncomfortable boot. I still cannot put pressure on my ankle for another four weeks. I need to go back on Tuesday for another follow-up since the first one was close to my surgical date and the doctor would like to see my progress and remove some items from my ankle.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/8, 1/2000 s, 160 mm.
Harvard Glacier, College Fjord, Alaska.
The glacier has a 1.5-mile (2 km) wide face where it calves into the College Fjord. It is 300 ft thick and covers 120,000 acres of Chugach National Forest. The Harvard Glacier is the second largest glacier in the Prince William Sound, after the Columbia Glacier.
It is amazing to see how large a glacier is when you look at it from a distance. In this photo, we were about a mile from the glacier.
The names of the glaciers in College Fjord are Amherst, Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Harvard, Smith, Vassar, and Yale. The glaciers of the northwest side feature the names of women’s colleges, and the glaciers of the fork and the southeast side sport the names of men’s colleges. What about Princeton? According to my research on the names, the scholars that named the glaciers took delight in ignoring it since none of them were Princeton alum.
Thursday, 03/19/2026: Posted photo — Cairn.
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/11, 1/200 s, 34 mm.
On the trail near the Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park, Alberta.
A cairn is a mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline. This cairn is shaped like a person. In Canada this is called an Inuksuk.
The Athabasca Glacier is one of the six principals ‘toes’ of the Columbia Icefield, located in the Canadian Rockies. The glacier currently loses depth at a rate of about 16.4 feet (5 meters) per year and has receded more than 1 mile (1.5 km) and lost over half of its volume in the past 125 years.
From the Canadian Encyclopedia: “Inuksuk (also spelled inukshuk, plural inuksuit) is a figure made of piled stones or boulders constructed to communicate with humans throughout the Arctic. Traditionally constructed by the Inuit, inuksuit are integral to Inuit culture and are often intertwined with representations of Canada and the north.” — https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/inuksuk-inukshuk
Friday, 03/20/2026: Post photo — Pall (and Rekard).
Settings: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/160 s, 55 mm.
These are my two buddied from Denmark. Earlier on in my photo projects, I featured Pall every week with Pall telling a story about his life. When I went back to Denmark, I picked up Rekard. They ventured together for next year or two. It might be time to bring their adventures back.
Saturday, 03/20/2026: Post photo — Crater.
Settings: N/A.
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
From the USGS:
“Prior to 1980, Mt. St. Helens had the shape of a conical volcano sometimes referred to as the Mount Fuji of America. During the 1980 eruption the upper 400 m (1,300 ft) of the summit was removed by a huge debris avalanche, leaving a 2 x 3.5 km horseshoe-shaped crater now partially filled by a lava dome and a glacier. It is primarily an explosive dacite volcano.”
Quick Facts:
Location: Washington, Skamania County Latitude: 46.2° N Longitude: 122.18° W Elevation: 2,539 (m) 8,330 (f) Volcano type: Stratovolcano Composition: Basalt to Rhyodacite Most recent eruption: 1980, 2004-2008 Nearby towns: Castle Rock, WA; Olympia, WA; Vancouver, WA; Yakima, WA; Portland, OR Threat Potential: Very High
Dacite: Volcanic rock (or lava) that characteristically is light in color and contains 62 to 69 percent silica and moderate amounts of sodium and potassium.
Stratovolcano: Steep, conical volcanoes built by the eruption of viscous lava flows, tephra, and pyroclastic flows. They are usually constructed over tens to hundreds of thousands of years and may erupt a variety of magma types (basalt to rhyolite). They typically consist of many separate vents. Synonyms are composite volcano.
I have been to Mt. St. Helens a few times over the years. The first time was about ten years after the eruption, and we saw the logs floating in Sprit Lake. I just pictured Harry Truman looking up at the mountain from his lodge and wondering why he did not leave. Then again, there were many false alarms in the past. I am amazed at how nature is recovering in the area. I can still remember the first time that I drove into the blast zone. Very lush, dense forest along the road, turn the corner and nothing. Trees looking like toothpicks laying down in the direction of the blast. There were some cars left for visitors to see how powerful the eruption was.
I took this photo because I was looking at the field of flowers and the crater. I put the camera down low so that I could get the flowers in the foreground and the mountain in the background. I do like how this photo came out.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“What makes photography a strange invention is that the primary raw materials are light and time.” — John Berger
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
Sunday, 12/07/2025: Posted photo — Monument Valley, Arizona.
Navajo Nation’s Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is in Arizona. The valley is made from sandstone monuments that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet. This photo is from the road looking back into Monument Valley after rain.
We were on our way to national parks in the area and drove through a storm. I looked back into the valley hoping to get a photo of a rainbow over the valley and did not see one. We did not enter the Tribal Park since we did not have time to do so, and we could see many of the monuments from the road.
Monday, 12/08/2025: Posted photo — Patterns in the Snow.
As I left my car this morning on my way into the office, I liked how the sun was reflecting off the patterns in the snow. I also like the color of the snow.
The topic for one of my photo projects this week is nature. I do not know how many opportunities I will have this week to take nature photos due to the lack of sun during the week. I took this photo just in case I could not take a photo on Saturday due to weather.
Tuesday, 12/09/2025: Posted photo — Roses.
Information on the color of roses and their meanings. I have posted rose photos in the past and will do so in the future. I will be using this blog post as the basis of some of my comments.
Common rose colors and meanings:
Red: True love, romance, passion, desire. White: Innocence, purity, new beginnings, reverence, spirituality (great for weddings/funerals). Yellow: Friendship, joy, caring, remembrance (evolved from jealousy to platonic love). Pink: Admiration, elegance, gratitude, joy (lighter pinks for admiration, darker for thanks). Orange: Enthusiasm, desire, fascination, energy, excitement.
Wednesday, 12/10/2025: Posted photo — Abstract.
This is a fill in photo that I took this week. I wanted to try something artistic.
Aialik Glacier is in Kenai Fjords National Park and is in the Harding Icefield. You can find the Aialik Glacier a little over 15 miles from Seward and it is the largest glacier in Aialik Bay. Aialik Bay is in Kenai Fjords National Park.
We visited the glacier a few years ago as part of an Alaskan cruse.
Friday, 12/12/2025: Post photo — Star on Tree.
Here is a photo of the star that is on top of our tree. My brother-in-law made it for us.
Saturday, 12/13/2025: Post photo — Lights on our Tree.
Lights on our tree. Did a slight abstract photo.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Sumens imagines consolateur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per camera mean.”
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“Today everything exists to end in a photograph.” — Susan Sontag
Thank you for all the new views and likes from last week, it helps keep me inspired.
This is a repost from four years ago. I have been busy looking through all the wedding photos that I took last weekend.
Sunday, 10/12/2025: Posted photo — Lakeside.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/125 s, 32 mm.
Today we took the dock out of the water at the cottage. The water was cold when first going into it, and then it did not feel so bad. We need to go into the water to lift part of the dock off its foundation to bring it in. Many years ago, the tires on the bottle of the support legs on the dock fell off so we manually need to lift the dock out of the water.
Before the dock was removed, I went out on it to enjoy the foliage from out in the water. I took this photo shortly before the dock was removed from the water.
The day is always a fun filled day with family and friends.
Monday, 10/13/2025: Posted photo — Trees in the Sun.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/125 s, 50 mm.
This is the backside, or inlet side, of the falls at Round Meadow Pond. You have seen a few photos of the water flowing over the dam since that is one of my favorite spots to photograph. I took this photo because of the bright colors of the foliage, and I liked the way the light was reflecting off the trees.
Tuesday, 10/14/2025: Posted photo — More Foliage.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/160 s, 50 mm.
Not much to say about this photo. The foliage is starting to get to peak in this area, so I am taking as many foliage photos as I can.
One thing I can say about this photo, and my other foliage photos, is that they look very bright. The histogram looks good for these photos, but the photos look bright when viewing on some screens. It might be because I use calibrate monitors to edit my photos and the other monitors are not calibrated.
Time to do some research into this issue. Maybe I should get one or two of them printed to see how the colors come out.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/250 s, 72 mm.
I was going to post another foliage photos today but decided to post a photo of the morning dew. This photo was meant to show the dew and to break up my trend of foliage photos. Too much of a good thing is not always good.
I attempted to capture the light off the dew on the grass. Please leave a comment to let me know how well I captured the light and to give me some tips to improve.
Thursday, 10/16/2025: Posted photo — Lightning at Sea.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 100, f/5.6, 15 s, 48 mm.
15 second exposure looking out to see in Jacksonville Beach, FL a few years ago.
During a past vacation, my family rented a condominium on Jacksonville Beach. My wife has relatives that live in both Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach, so we travel to the area relatively often. Most of the time we rent a house or condo not on the beach.
A common occurrence in Florida is a storm out to sea at night. It is such a great sight to see the lightning in the distance. On this night, I decided to put my camera on my tripod, set the exposure time to 15 seconds, to capture the storm. After looking at the photos, my only regret was that I did not leave my shutter open for 30 seconds.
There will always be another trip back to the beach.
Here are a few camera settings for photographing daytime and nighttime lightning that I have picked up over the years:
Camera settings tips for photographing daytime lightning photos:
Set up camera on a sturdy tripod.
Turn off any image stabilization you might have. If image stabilization is on, the camera will think it is moving when the shutter engages, even though there is not camera movement.
Focus camera lens on infinity or on an object in the distance.
Set the aperture of the lens to f/16 or smaller. This will close the iris inside the lens, allowing a longer shutter speed to be used.
Set ISO to lowest it will go, for example use ISO 100.
Take a test exposure using the slowest shutter speed allowed to see if the image is exposed correctly and your focus is correct.
Set your camera on manual or bulb.
Use a remote timer/intervalometer to fire the shutter continuously.
Here is an example of a daytime lightning photo. This photo was handheld since the storm arrived quickly. For your information, we did not hike down into the Grand Canyon that day.
Camera settings for photographing night-time lightning
Set up camera on a sturdy tripod.
Turn off any image stabilization you might have. If image stabilization is on, the camera will think it is moving when the shutter engages, even though there is not camera movement.
Focus camera lens on infinity or on an object in the distance.
Set the aperture of the lens to a medium value, such as f/5.6 or f/8. This will allow a longer shutter speed by bringing in more light and improve image quality at the same time by allowing the use of a lower ISO value.
Set ISO to lowest it will go, for example set your is to ISO 100. You may have to increase your ISO to ISO 200–ISO 400 depending on the lighting in the area. I prefer my ISO set at ISO 100 for all my lightning shots.
Set your camera on manual or bulb.
Set the shutter speed to between 5 and 20 seconds. You can set it up to 30 seconds if you are in a dark area.
Take a test shot to see if the scene is exposed correctly, remembering that if a strike does happen in the field of view it could light up the scene considerably, depending on how big the strike looks in the photo.
Use a remote timer/intervalometer to fire the shutter continuously.
Friday, 10/17/2025: Post photo — Clouds.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/1250 s, 37 mm.
Today I am posting a photo of a cloud. I took many photos today, but this one was the only one that I liked.
Saturday, 10/18/2025: Post photo — Aster.
Settings: Canon EOS 60D, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/320 s, 106 mm.
I went to my mother’s house today to make sure everything was fine at the house. I also collected some of the wood from the tree that fell on her house about a year ago to bring home to burn. Earlier in the day, I took photos at Leominster State Forest. I went hiking at Leominster State Forest last night and went back today to get some more photos. I will be posting the photos I took in this blog for you to see what I did not post for my 365 project.
When I was at her house, I noticed a lot of asters. I also saw that there was an abundant number of bees flying around the asters. What a great photo opportunity. The aster flowers (Aster spp.) add color to the autumn landscape while offering beauty with little work when caring for asters.
That is all for now. Until next week, be safe.
“Quod scripsi, scripsi. Ingeniarius sum, non scriptor.”
“Sumens imagines consolatur et inspirat me. Pulchritudinem mundi video per cameram meam.”
Photo by Joseph Ciras 