Behind the Image: Lake Nakuru

This is my second post regarding the story behind the image.  As a photographer we struggle to capture an image that tells a story so the viewer can understand what is was that we saw when we tripped the shutter.  A few years ago I was traveling to the Masai Mara to photograph wildlife with a special target of the Widebeast migration, one of the many wonders of the world. On the way, our guides took us through Lake Nakuru in Kenya.  We came upon a large group of Baboons and we stopped to, observe their interactions.  They seemed oblivious to our presence and gave us a lot of time to capture some images of these interesting creatures.  We were shooting from inside a land rover where the top opened up allowing us great access to the wildlife in the area.  Our guides were very diligent in watching for any trouble in case we needed to move fast.  This particular image was one of the first captures of the trip and has always been in my portfolio.  It appeared that this guy was one of the elders of the tribe as he patiently sat in this tree watching the younger ones frolic in woods near the lake.  Since Lake Nakuru was our first stop on our 6 hour drive from Nairobi to our camps in the Masai Mara, it turned out to be the kick off of a great week witnessing the lives of the inhabitants in the environment here near the border between Kenya and Tanzania.  Enjoy!.

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Story behind the Bridge

This is one of my recent images from Vermont.  Called the AM Foster Bridge, it actually is located in a field.  Apparently at one time there was a road through this portion of the property.  We made two stops to see this covered bridge in Cabot, Vermont.  The light on the bridge during our first visit was fabulous.  It was a quiet evening and allowed us to move around the bridge capturing many different aspects of the fall colors around it.  Our second visit was later in the evening as we had an idea for a sunset image on the backside of the bridge that had a great refection in the water.  However, this visit became a little challenging as this location is often times used for Senior, Engagement, and wedding pictures.  Several portrait photographers were in and around the bridge with their clients and made it difficult to capture images without people standing in the way.  We did our best not to ruin the clients photos and were able to work around them for the evening.  The sunset image we were looking for did not appear but we enjoyed our last visit to the am Foster bridge.  Remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  Comments are always welcome.  Enjoy!

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I had a great opportunity to travel to Vermont last week for the fall colors.  I was not disappointed.  This was my first excursion since the pandemic followed by my cancer surgery.  It felt good to be back in the field and hats off to my traveling partner, Bill Yetz and his dog Jackson, for driving and providing great company.  Our first morning found us along the north shores of Lake Willoughby in Northern Vermont.  A foggy morning but a few opportunities presented themselves as the sun burned off some of the fog.  Although the fall colors were at their peak this past week, this image just screamed Black and White.  Check back for more images as I will be updating my blog on a more frequent basis.  Also watch for a revamping of my website.  Enjoy

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Farm Country

Living in Hillsdale county allows for a little bit of Americana as we drive throughout the county.  Farms abound and it is fast becoming harvest time.  There are many barns and other farm related structures that present themselves for a nice photo opportunity.  I have driven past this farm just about weekly as we circumnavigate the beauty that is Hillsdale county Michigan.  We live close to the borders of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.  I look forward to this fall as the leaves changing colors will brighten up the many farming scenes we can see just around the corner.  Enjoy!

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Great Evening!

Two nights ago while cruising the lake we found many photo opportunities with our shore birds.  Egrets, Sand Hill cranes, Great Blue Herons, and a Cormorant.  It was a time where the light was good and the sunset was just around the bend and added itself to some great images.  The earliest stop was for three Sand Hill cranes. Mom, dad, and junior were wading in the grass preparing for their nights rest.  Here is one of the male Sand Hill cranes among the shoreline here on Cub Lake.  Enjoy!

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Back to the World!

It has been over a year since my last post and what a year it was.  The pandemic limited my travels to capture new images for my portfolio and just when I thought the worst was over, I received news that I had cancer.  So after several treatments and eventual surgery I am on the mend and getting back to the world once again.  Recently we relocated to our Lake home in Hillsdale county Michigan.  The lake has a small population of shore birds, swans, an eagle and sometimes an Osprey.  Last evening we were finishing up our meal when my wife spotted two birds across the lake.  We jumped on the pontoon and headed out onto the lake using caution as to not bother them.  As we got closer I realized there were two great egrets on the lake.  I had not seen them this year so far so they are a new addition.  as we cruised nearby I was able to capture many images of these magnificent birds.  This is one of my favorites as I was able to capture the image in flight.  A new camera with bird ID focusing helped me to get a sharp image as you can see.  New technology and a great spotter, my wife, and I am back at it.  Please stop by as I add more of my images on this blog.

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Tufted Titmouse

Taking advantage of the few days where we have warm weather here in South East Michigan.  Backyard birding during this time of the year can be extremely rewarding.  You can put out a few feeders and wait until the migration towards Canada begins.  Once again, the Biggest Week In Birding has been effected by the Covid-19 pandemic.  I am going to have access to the Magee Marsh boardwalk for two hours next Monday.  I’m praying for dry weather.  Even though some of the area hot spots are closed, there are many park openings that will allow for great birding.  I am fortunate that the Toledo-Lucas County Metroparks system is within a few miles of my home in Ohio.  As the migration continues through the month of May, I will have more than enough opportunities to provide you with more images of warblers, shore birds, and others.  Stay tuned here on face book or follow me over on Twitter!  Enjoy!

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White Breasted Nut Hatch

White Breasted Nut Hatch.  The birding season has begun here in Northwest Ohio and South East Michigan.  As the bird migration continues we look forward to capturing many images near our parks, refuges, and even our back yards.  The above image was captured here in Michigan in a setup that my wife and I arranged on our Lake property.  Its just the start of the season and a handful of birds have arrived.  The Sand Hill Cranes are already settled in the area as well as geese, Great Blue Herons, and an occasional Swan or two.  My long lens and steady hands captured this Nuthatch around one of our feeders.  As the weather warms up, we can take the pontoon onto the lake and find even more photo opportunities.  Stay tuned as the season progresses, Enjoy!

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On the Way Home.

As we left South Florida for the drive north, I squeezed in a stop back at Ding Darling for a morning shoot.  I found many Pelicans, White Ibis, and Cormorants.  I grabbed some shots as the sun was rising and will post a few in the coming days.  I packed away all my gear and prepared to leave the refuge for the long day of driving.  As we wound our way to the exit, I spotted this Anhinga perched in a tree watching for a potential meal.  In addition, there were several Great Blue Herons also standing by with their eye on the water.  I quickly opened my pack, grabbed my tripod and slowly moved to the edge of the water.  Several clicks later and I was very happy for that last minute photo opp.  I was hoping to see this bird diving in the water for some food, but he was not cooperating and time was an essence as the sun was climbing into the morning sky.  The lesson for the day is always keep your eyes open for potential images.  You never know when one might sneak up on you while you are in a hurry to get on the road. Enjoy!

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It has been a while since my last post.  The pandemic has had an impact on our lives that we did not anticipate.  My photo opportunities have certainly been curtailed and when I tested positive for the Virus in early November, we were quarantined until early December where we traveled to South Florida to try to get away from the confines of our home up north.  South Florida has many photo opps.  From the many birding sites to magnificent sunrises, I have quite a few images to post.  This first image, recently posted to my website, is of a pair of Pelicans at Ding Darling wildlife refuge.  As we drove through the refuge it started to rain quite heavily.  I spotted a cluster of birds in one of the ponds located in the refuge.  I thought the drive was going to be a waste because of the weather, but as we exited the refuge the rain stopped and the sun was sneaking out form behind the clouds.  We opted for a second trip back through and found great photo opps until the sun popped out totally and cast a harsh light on our subjects.  This demonstrates the need for patience as a nature and wildlife photographer as you never know when the weather will cooperate and give you that golden light we always look for in the late afternoon. Enjoy!

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March 2024
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