Photography – Page 66 – Wandering Dawgs

Lens-Artists #119: Hideaway

October 24, 2020January 23, 2024Posted in National Parks, National Wildlife Refuge, PhotographyTagged Denali National Park, Everglades National Park, Favorite Quotes, hideaway, Lens-Artists, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Photo Challenge14 Comments

For this challenge Ann-Christine has asked us “where or what is our hideaway”. Her description of hideaway says “A Hideaway, is a place to which a person can retreat for safety, privacy, relaxation, to seek seclusion or refuge.”

When I am at home I can hideaway for a few moments by getting out in nature or by reading a book. But for me, a true hideaway is a wilderness area far away from civilization, somewhere with no robo calls, internet, or other interruptions.

Three of my favorite destinations immediately came to mind – the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in south Georgia, Denali National Park in Alaska, and Everglades National Park in Florida. Although these are three unique protected wilderness areas, what they have in common is that they are miles away from civilization and the wildlife is free to roam.

Of these three areas, the closest to my home is the Okefenokee Swamp. When we get to the end of the 17 mile road from the main highway and arrive at Stephen C. Foster State Park I feel like I am in another world. This image and the one at the top were both taken in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge near Fargo, Georgia.

Mount Denali in Denali National Park, Alaska

To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world.
John Muir

Sunrise in Everglades National Park in Flamingo, Florida

There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Thanks to Ann-Christine for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #119: Hideaway.

Bird Weekly Challenge #18: Birds starting with “A”

October 13, 2020October 11, 2020Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged anhinga, birdweekly, Photo Challenge16 Comments

A is for Anhinga.

From the Audubon Field Guide: “A long-necked, long-tailed swimmer of southeastern swamps. Often seen perched on a snag above the water, with its wings half-spread to dry. Can vary its buoyancy in water, sometimes swimming with only head and neck above water (earning it the nickname of “Snakebird”). Often solitary when feeding, it roosts in groups and nests in colonies. Looks rather like a cormorant when perched, but not in flight, when the long tail may be spread wide as the Anhinga soars high on outstretched wings. Anhingas are silent at most times, but around nesting colonies they make various croaking and clicking sounds.”

Thank you Lisa. for this Bird Weekly challenge. Her original post is Bird Weekly Challenge #18: Birds that begin with the letter “A “

Lens-Artists #117: A Photo Walk

October 9, 2020Posted in Photography, WildflowersTagged Lens-Artists, Photo Challenge, photo walk16 Comments

For this photo challenge Amy has asked us to share a photo walk. I chose a selection of images from three walks made in the same place.

We made a few trips to middle Georgia this spring and summer. We like to spend time on the land where my grandfather had a dairy farm almost 100 years ago.

I always enjoy walking around the property and love to see how the landscape changes with the seasons.

The above images were on a walk in early spring when the bunnies were out and the honeysuckle was blooming.

Many wildflowers bloom in the summer and the wild blackberries are ripe enough to pick.

In early September the fruit of the sour oranges (not good to eat), persimmons, and winged sumac were ripe and wildflowers were blooming around the edges of the woods.

Thanks to Amy for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #117: Photo Walk.

Bird Weekly Challenge #17: Macros or Close Ups

October 6, 2020Posted in Birds, Nature, PhotographyTagged anhinga, Bald Eagle, birdweekly, Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Photo Challenge20 Comments

For me, getting a closeup of a bird is usually a real challenge. Most of the time, the bird is too far away or it flies away if I get too close. Occasionally, I’ll luck out and come across a bird who is not interested in me and I can get the shot I want.

The Bald Eagle in the above photo was sitting in a low branch of a tree in Chilcoot Lake State Park in Haines, Alaska. As I set up my tripod and aimed the camera at him I kept my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t fly off. He ignored me and I was a happy photographer.

Most Great Blue Herons I have seen are spooked by humans and will not let me get too near them. This one was hanging around the fishing pier at Ft. Pickens National Seashore in Florida. He was much more interested in getting an easy meal than he was in me.

This Anhinga was right beside the path in Shark Valley in Everglades National Park. We watched for a while as he struggled to swallow his fish. We didn’t stay around long enough to see if he succeeded in eating it.

Cormorant, Everglades National Park, Florida

This Cormorant was next the trail and didn’t move when I stopped to take his picture.

Thank you Lisa. for this Bird Weekly challenge. Her original post is Bird Weekly Challenge #17: Macro/Close Ups.

Lens-Artists #116: Symmetry

October 2, 2020Posted in Butterflies, PhotographyTagged Lens-Artists, Photo Challenge, symmetry20 Comments

For this photo challenge Patti has asked us to explore symmetry in our images.

The image above is an example of vertical symmetry. The road divides the image vertically so the branches appear to meet above the middle of the road and the trees appear to be exactly the same on both sides.

St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland

These images show how vertical symmetry can be used in architecture. The designers of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland used symmetry both inside (left photo) and outside (right photo.