Ranches and Vistas
Wandering around I found several area ranches and backroads they border. I asked permission at the Kleffner Ranch to shoot some photos there. There was also anther place I'd been wanting to get permission from that I finally was able to get into. That's where the wagon and parts thereof were taken. Others from surrounding areas.
The Capital and the American Bald Eagle
You might almost think it was the 4th of July! Well, soon enough it will be. The eagle was kind enough to pose for me on the side of the road where he/she had been feasting on a road kill. You can find more interior photos of Montana's Capitol building above.
Montana Grizzly Encounters
I recently visited the Montana Grizzly Encounters and found that these bears are quite the models for any photographer. They are rescued bears that have come from different parts of the country. The sanctuary is located in Bozeman and your admission is good for the entire day so you can leave and go back again. Visit them at
http://grizzlyencounter.org/
January Snows
I haven't been inspired and lost some of my motivation for taking photos. I keep looking at all the fabulous photos that people who call themselves amatures are taking and I can't even come close to the quality, composition, and down right beauty of their photos so I find myself glum. We got some cold temps with the snow so I only went out for five minutes to catch some snow photos. The couple here are it!
Too much work!
I finally got away from work yesterday and almost forgot how to use the camera! I was so desperate to get out and play after putting in a bunch of overtime at work. Unfortunately it wasn't the best day for shooting, but it was the getting out I needed. Happy holidays to everyone.
Fall Art Walk
Wow, what an extrodinary turn out for the art walk! Thank you to everyone who stopped in and took an interest in my photography. It was so great to hear all your comments. I hope you will continue to follow my work as it progresses. Feel free to leave a comment here! Thanks again!
Fall days
The cooler weather has been great - I was out fishing with family and caught no fish but captured some photos.
First Snow and cars race
Bozeman's Rocky Mountain racing club spent the day buzzing around the Helena course with the first snow having fallen in the surrounding mountains. Looks like a short fall.
Summer endings
Fall is trying to push summer out as the temps are falling. Smoke from fires around the state are keeping me from wanting to get out and shoot anything with the sky in it...I'm actually anxious for winter. I've placed a few photos up from the last several weekends. Hope you see one you like!
Summer outing
Helena Symphony under the stars ended with fireworks (shown above) and an impulsive trip south this weekend to Bannack Ghost town held a surprise - Bannack Days. An annual event, I just happened to catch the end of the gathering on Sunday. It was really too bright to shoot anything, but I did anyway. I plan to go back this fall, early winter for what will I'm sure be more productive for photos.
Montana Wild Flowers
On a drive not too far from home I found a nice surprise...wild flowers and lots of them! A few old buildings and a delapicated mining operation was snapped as well. Check out the album and comment on your favorite!
Spring finally ends
I'm getting behind on uploading photos. Either that or I've been taking too many, I'm not sure which. One day at the Archie Bray yielded many photos, too many to post so I've whittled them down to only a few hundred, lol. Then at the local fairgrounds I found some picnic tables and a few buildings that had some flooding from the rains that never seemed to quit until recently.
Hyalite Canyon
A trip south of Bozeman yielded some rain and water and lots of lichen, rocks, moss and some interesting other shapes.
California in bloom
I recently visited San Diego and found lots of flowers blooming. Met up with my son and his family and had a great time. The SD album is a small sampling of the 1000 photos I took, although they were mostly of the grandkids. =)
Extraordinary experiences
Seeing the annual migration of snow geese as they take a rest stop near Fairfield Montana has topped the list of my personal best experiences. I had seen several large flocks of geese on Friday afternoon and spent the night in the back of my canopied truck to try for some photos the next day.
I woke up to a low cloud cover, fog and a dozen or more cars waiting to see the geese fly out to the fields. When they fly-in or out they all lift off in unison, looking like a giant group of bees buzzing off somewhere. They did their lift off at daybreak but promptly sat back down on the water. They did this four or five times before it became apparent they weren't going off the lake.
People left in search of other flocks as did I. The weather wasn't cooperating, but was beginning to warm up and melt the evenings snow. By 11 a.m. the fog began to lift. I knew my photos weren't going to be anything to get excited about and I was beginning to feel like I'd seen all there was to see.
Until that is I took a walk out on one of the dikes that ran a long ways out into the ponds. About half way out I heard geese over head and looked up to see one of the most incredible sites I'd ever seen. Thousands upon thousands of geese were coming into the area from Choteau, a town 20-30 miles away.
The sky opened up with patches of blue as I stood there feeling like the only person in the world that was being treated to a site that never ended. Geese as far as the eye could see; wave after wave. They just kept coming, until after an hour the last few flocks passed over head. It was a tremendous feeling of being one with nature, yet apart, unable to be swept along but for that hour in time.
It was an experience I'll never forget.
Saturday Adventures
I took a drive to Anaconda and Phillipsburg, following what is called the Pintlar Scenic Loop. It was a great trip and I found this awesome water geyser along the way. Heading into Phillipsburg led to a detour towards the Granite ghost town and nearby Kirkville. I was pleased to find a mining salvage area that afforded me many photo opportunites! It was a gorgeous day and one of the best I've had in a long time. Enjoy!
Water and Oil
Doing some more water experimentation, this time with oil and adding some misc. liquids for coloring. Also visited one of my favorite local spots for some machinery shots. I really like taking close ups of machines. Thinking about focusing on that from now on.
Water Experiment
Wow, you've got to look at my interpretation of Fluid Dynamics, lol. I wanted to try to capture a drop of water in mid drip, but it turned into something way more fun! Check it out!
Starting the new year
I was surprised I hadn't updated this for awhile. I've joined a local photography club, and have found another web site that I can link my photos to.
Both have a theme so photos on the main page will be to show for the Photo Sunday site, and I will start a folder for showing my submissions to the photo club.
I'm trying for more exposure and hopefully a little feed back including constructive criticism - so please! leave a comment.
www.daysray.com
November comes to an end
Tomorrow is the first day of December, 31 days until 2011. I can't believe it's almost here. Where did the year go? I think the best thing about pictures is that I can look back at the dates and see how many times I've went out looking for that special photo opportunity. The photos let me relive each day like it was just yesterday. Please feel free to leave comments, good or bad.
Sunday morning
Went out early to catch the sunrise Sunday morning and found myself wandering up to an area where I'd heard there might be some goats. When I found them I was disappointed I couldn't get closer and was wishing for a telephoto lens. On the other hand I liked the way I captured the morning light on the weeds so I guess beggars can't be choosers but...I'd sure like that telephoto!
Where the Buffalo Roam
On a recent outting I found myself in just the right spot at just the right time. These Bison broke over a hill at a full out run and I had the pleasure of getting to feel and hear what a stampede would be like. They ran the fence line and halted abruptly as another tourist walked up to the fence to take their picture. I jumped in the truck and moved further down the road to intercept them from a better angle. I no sooner got there when they were bering down on the spot I hoped to gain. As I neared the fence they started snorting and making aggressive sounds and I decided it would be wise to back off and forget about the picture taking. No barbed wire is going to hold a herd of buffalo on the charge. Didn't want to be tomorrow's headlines either. So the album contains the best of what I got. It was definitely exciting!
Montana's Capitol Building
My second visit to the capitol I brought the camera. I've seen others with more ornate decor but for being a state with so few people per sq. mile, it's not to shabby.
Hot pools, cold nights, and rutting elk
Visiting Yellowstone National Park makes you realize how vulnerable we are to the forces of Mother Earth. So many thermal pools and hot areas that are active and pose a threat to anything that dares to step in the wrong place at the wrong time. The beauty of the area not only lies in the danger factor, but the brilliant colors and primal sounds of heated, pressurized air and water make this one of the most fabulous places to visit in the Northwest. Add to it the abundance of wildlife and you're sure to have a great experience.
National Bison Range
Made a quick visit to the Bison Range and got a couple of shots of the buffalo. Unfortunately the sun was so high the pictures aren't the best. Hopefully I can return and try it again at a later date.
Archie Bray
I visited the Archie Bray Foundation a few days ago for a writing class I'm taking. After going I realized I had to go back with the camera. It's an awesome, inspirational place for any kind of artist I think. I photographed the buildings mostly and a couple of pieces of the art, but there were many more. Caution - some of the photos show some art pieces that could have come out of a nightmare. Open this album at your own discretion.
Spring time in the Rockies
Yippee, it's got to be spring if the pussywillows are in bloom right?!
The Rocky Mountain Front is fast becoming one of my favorite places to visit. Hope to find myself there quite often this summer. Check out the algae growing in the beaver ponds.
Happy New Year!
Already starting off 2010 with a bang! Caught my first rainbow of the year, hopefully not the last. Did a short hike on a cold -10 day or thereabouts, brrrr. Hope to do a lot more fishing! Stay tuned!
Winter once again
So far this year winter held off long enough to make the trip home for Thanksgiving. The latest photos are from the trip up to the Flathead Valley and back.
Shots after dark
I'm going to experiment with taking some photos after dark. The one above was the moon rising. It wasn't a full moon, missed that by one night. But I though it was kind of cool with the lights of town below it. The Crab apples on the right didn't turn out like I had hoped but with some adjustment it came a lot closer. I've put up another evening shot on the panorama page also. If you've taken night time photos and have any tips be sure to let me know!
Taste of Winter
Found some freshly fallen snow this last weekend up near York. I thought I might walk into the canyon there but after seeing the snow I decided against it.
Sunday Drive
Was lucky this time ~ got to catch a couple of Rams up close and found a few whitetails also. Walked through a small burn area. It always amazes me how you can smell so much of the "burnt" charcoaled wood and ground. This area is around Holter Lake and the game management area beyond it.
September in Ireland
Mom and I returned from our tirp to the green Isle, worn out but with great memories. Took close to a thousand photos so it will take a while to organize and select the better shots. The weather was perfect and everywhere we went the locals told us it had rained all summer; our two weeks was the first sunshine they've had all summer! We were lucky and told them we'd brought the sun with us. They loved us for it and thanked us over and over!
Last outing before Ireland
Sis and I visited Virginia City over the weekend. Lots of neat old stuff to look at including the player piano's that run by themselves, what are those called? Anyway, they were awesome. The tones carry so magnificently, I love it. Very cheerful. Was a good weekend to see that part of Montana. Also visisted Ruby Reservoir and found some garnets! They were small but there sure are a lot of them there. Fun times!
Middle of August
August is already half over and I still have a few places to visit before fall sets in. A trip to Ireland in September may set me back for those other places. Will certainly have photos from across the sea though. Thanks for looking today.
Calgary Stampede
Big Horses, miniature horses, spotted mules, and the rodeo ~ that's what I did on the 4th of July
Bear grass in bloom
Last weekend I visited the family in the Flathead. The trip up was by far the most beautiful thus far. The Bear grass blooming so prolific I had to stop for pictures. Of course, as usual, I got carried away. I don't think I got any really great shots but there all okay. You can at least get an idea of how many were in bloom.
Backroads to Augusta
Visited the Sun River Game range which sits on the edge of the Rocky Mountain Front. So beautiful, but it was raining and snowing and the poor sunflowers were getting mutilated. There were so many flowers out in the fields that it looked like that was what the farmers were growing. The sky was so beautiful also but with the new camera (a cheap one, but workable) I had most all my photos overexposed in the sky and underexposed on the land. I'll keep working at it and see if I can make it come out.
Sunday my friend Fred and I ventured out to the partially inhabited old town of Elkhorn. The Photos in the Album are taken around the area of Elkhorn and outside a small town named Basin.