North Park Exploratory Mission

We began to follow a Facebook group called North Park Eagles. We had no idea there were Eagles there. Growing up in Pittsburgh we were more familiar with the city Parks and South Park than North Park. So we decided to search for the Eagles realizing we would probably not find any. We didn’t but we now know the park a little better and where o search for them.

Still it was a beautiful day and we had a great hike and found one curious young buck that left his group in the tall grass to check us out.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Smithsonian Candidate #11…Death from Above

I am thinking of entering the Smithsonian Photo Contest even though I have zero chance of winning. I say that not to denigrate my ability as a photographer, but each category already has over 50,000 entries. Sure a lot of them are crap but some, well follow the link above and see for yourself. Also you can only submit work from 1/1/2016 until the present and all works with people must have a model release.

If you are familiar with any of my work (e.g. Moment and Souls) you probably realize I don’t have a lot of model releases.

Fortunately I do have some images that may qualify in other categories and will be publishing some here to see if you feel they quality. Please comment and let me know your thoughts. This is an entry in the nature category and is an image of the death throes of a gecko in the grasp of a blue heron.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Death from Above

Smithsonian Candidate #1…African Butterfly

I am thinking of entering the Smithsonian Photo Contest even though I have zero chance of winning. I say that not to denigrate my ability as a photographer, but each category already has over 50,000 entries. Sure a lot of them are crap but some, well follow the link above and see for yourself. Also you can only submit work from 1/1/2016 until the present and all works with people must have a model release.

If you are familiar with any of my work (e.g. Moment and Souls) you probably realize I don’t have a lot of model releases.

Fortunately I do have some images that may qualify in other categories and will be publishing some here to see if you feel they quality. Please comment and let me know your thoughts. This is an African Butterly photographed at The Tucson Botanical Garden.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

African Butterfly

The Squirrels of Quintana Roo

During our second walk through the Jungle on this Mexican Odyssey my wife noted that we had never seen a squirrel in the Yucatan. I think she is right although I am no expert. What you do see, almost as much as you would see squirrels, are Iguanas

They are not nearly as annoying. They don’t run around like crazy irritating every dog on the planet. They don’t throw crap at you when you are setting up a tent. They have mystique because thanks to Ray Harryhausen we think of them as dinosaurs and for some reason we all love dinosaurs.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

The Squirrels of Quintana Roo

Turtle Line Up

I first noticed this behavior in Florida when I would see turtles near alligators. I thought it was some sort of turtle defense system. But these turtles were hanging out at Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden without a predator in sight. Maybe it is just a form of social communication. I don’t think there was any hanky panky going on.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Turtle Line Up

Duck

We came upon this little guy at The Los Angeles Arboretum outside Glendale, California. I am not a duck expert but I never saw one before that had this blue stripe badge on its side. I thought it unusual and hope one of my followers can educate me on what type of duck this is.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Duck

Log with Eyes

Jimmy: Mommy that log just blinked at me.

Mommy: Don’t be silly Jimmy you have to have eyes to blink and logs do NOT have eyes.

Jimmy: But mommy look that log has eyes!

Mommy: Shit Jimmy run for god sakes run!

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Log With Eyes

Log With Eyes

Pittsburgh Giraffe

These long legged animals are amazing and unique. No other animal comes close to being this tall or having such a log neck. You might confuse a panther with a cougar, a wolf with a coyote but Giraffes are unique among all the mammals. This one was taken in the habitat at the Highland Park Zoo in Pittsburgh PA.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Pittsburgh Giraffe

Pittsburgh Giraffe

Coin Toss

This is not a good picture of an alligator. I am publishing it as a comment. Lettuce Lake State Park in Tampa Florida has been the subject of some of my posts. There are miles of boardwalks leading through Florida wetlands and swamp an lookout tower over the lake. People canoe and kayak and many different species of birds and other animals live there. I have take a lot of good photos there.

People were gathered around looking at this alligator. He was sunning himself next to three turtles. One of my friends pointed to the coins laying in front of him. Apparently some idiots found it amusing to throw money at this animal to get him to move. I kinda wish he had run up the bank and bit the jerks that did that. Sometimes I like Animals Better than People

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Coin Toss

Coin Toss

Greeting the Rising Sun

As a photographer I have risen frequently to greet the morning sun. I am always struck by the birds. If you are going to take a sunrise picture you want to be on the scene before the sun rises. If you are real early in the eerie light you can hear the birds waking up but can’t see them. Then you will begin to see them perched and stretching their necks,fluttering their wings and then as the sun begins to peek out flight.

Taken in Mexico off a beach near Cancún.

To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.

Greeting the Sun

Greeting the Sun