Chippies

We’re going through a bit of a drought on big animals.  We’ve been to the rim a number of times, leaving early in the morning to catch good action.  But they must be hiding someplace else.  I hear bugling in our own neighborhood… but no elk to be photographed.

With no elk in sight, it’s time to turn the camera down.  When given chipmunks, shoot chipmunks.  I’ve had bad luck shooting chipmunks in the past.  The smaller the animal the more fearsome it is.  Since it’s prey, it doesn’t hang around long.  They are very skittish.  But I was determined to get a shot, so I set up my camera and waited.

I got a couple bunnies that weren’t too concerned about me, happily munching away on the plentiful grass the rain has brought.

bunnyupPSi.JPG

bunnydwnPSi.JPG

Finally I got a couple chipmunks together in a little love bite, at least that’s what I’ll call it.

chips songPSi.JPG

chipkissPSi.JPG

chiprockPSi.JPG

Gray skies build character

fogmistPSi.JPG

When we lived in Phoenix I just don’t recall those gorgeous sunsets and amazing skies.  Surely we had them, but with the backdrop of asphalt and buildings, it just wasn’t the same.  A forest, craggy trees, moldy rocks, and deep canyons make for great foregrounds for those cool skies.

Storms bring entire new meaning up north where we get rains from July to September (if we’re lucky) that bring rain and stormy clouds, fog, lightening, and fantastic character.  Bring ’em on!

craggymist2PSi.JPG

A little help from my friends

We all have to start someplace.  I like to say, it starts with a hope and a dream.  To be successful at anything requires passion, ambition, and determination.  For me personally, I have embarked on this path to better my photographic talents.  I take at least one course / year, either at the local community college, online, or via workshops.  I’ve travelled to Phoenix, San Diego, and Las Vegas for various Photography Workshops to learn particular topics.  I don’t read a lot of novels, but I do read Photography books and magazines to further my education.  I practice as much as I can, going out taking landscape and wildlife photos whenever possible.

All that education, knowledge, and determination is lost without the support and encouragement of my friends.  It reminds me of that Beatles song, ‘A little help from my friends’.  It’s those friends and neighbors who have purchased my prints and hang them on their walls in their homes, that have given me the hope and drive to continue down this path, and with their positive feedback and confidence that allow me to share this great news.

Earlier this year I posted my exciting news of my small inset photo in the AZ Highways 2017 calendar..https://kritterspix.com/tag/arizona-highways/.  These calendars can now be purchased at Costco of all things!…and that’s my photo.  Woohooo.

Today marks my debut for photographs in a local gallery in Cottonwood, AZ, Hearts of Arizona Art Boutique (name change in the works).  So now I have a small space in this local  art shop where you can view and purchase my photos.  How cool is that?!

Thanks to all my friends for their love and support.

display vert_Ssi.JPG

 

 

Grand Canyon: North Rim

red-sunset-pan_NIKii.jpg

park-lit-rocks_Ssi.jpg

Grand Canyon has been on my mind.  I wrote a blog about the exciting new publication of my friend, Dave’s new book, A Year in the Grand Canyon….  https://kritterspaw.com

It reminded me of our own trip with Dave to the Grand Canyon, and camping at Crazy Jug Point, so I thought I would reminisce and resurrect some of my favorite pix.

craggy-tree_Ssi.jpg

sc dave clos_Ssi.JPG

We were fortunate enough to benefit from Dave’s amazing knowledge of the Grand Canyon, as he shared his special spots with us and we chattered around the campfire.

johnfire1_Ssi.JPG

It was a fantastic and memorable time.  Hey, Dave… We should do it again!  Can you fit us into your busy schedule?

dave camps.JPG

thunder-trail-pan-Ks.jpg

OMG! It’s a BEAR!

John and I often go out to the Mogollon Rim for dinner, sunsets, and in search of a bear.  I would so love to get a photo of a bear.  Little did we know when we sat down to dinner this evening we would get more than we bargained for…. dinner and entertainment.

For whatever reason, we decided to have dinner in our dining room.  So here we were enjoying a lovely meal, chattering about our day, when we looked out our window and saw a bear on our front concrete pad.  This ‘little guy’ was standing on two feet getting into our bird feeder.  OMG!  It’s a BEAR!  He was maybe 30 feet from us.  OMG!  It’s a BEAR!  Holy cow, errr BEAR!

We watched him (or her) from the comfort of our window until he just sauntered off toward our neighbor, where he again stood on two feet and got into their bird feeder.  Finding them both empty he cruised down to our neighbor down the hill, hoping to find more success.

“Quick, call Pat!  I’m grabbing my camera” … and with that I was chasing this bear through our neighborhood.

bearwalkPSi.JPG

He didn’t go far.  He found Pat’s feeding trough just right as he lied in it and wallowed, shoveling food into his mouth.

bearwallowPSi.JPG

beardribblePSi.JPG

These pix aren’t going to win any awards, but OMG!  It’s a BEAR!

Elk babies

lilteethPSi.JPG

I’m thrilled to report… the elk babies are back!  It’s that time of year.  Here on the mountain June / July brings babies.  Baby chipmunks, bunnies, wood ducks, heron’s,  fawns, and elk.  If we’re lucky we get a glimpse of them.

mombabPSi.JPG

lilsmomPSi.JPG

notsohard2PSi.JPG

On days that I get to see these beautiful animals and witness nature at its finest, it’s a GREAT day!  I feel so very fortunate to live in amongst these many animals… and be able to have such great photography fodor.  I just hope I can do them justice.

lilsniff2PSi.JPG

lilvert2PSi.JPG

 

Oh, Canada

peggycabPSi.JPG

takeoffPSi.JPG

You may have read my earlier posts here and here .  If so, you’ll know we just got back from a fabulous trip to Nova Scotia.  We enjoyed the seafood, the scenery, and the water.  We saw puffins, eagles, seal, grouse, pheasant, porcupine, deer, and caribou.

seagullcatchPSi.JPGseagulldinnerPSi.JPG

It’s so awesome just to watch nature in it’s climates and storms, it’s moods and sweeps…. we just love it.  We can spend time just watching it’s many facets, meeting people, and taking it all in.  Oh my, how we have evolved.

grenyelaPSi.JPG

greendockPSi.JPG

Becoming a photographer teaches one many things.  Not the least of which is juxtaposition, simplification, patterns and light.  It’s a joy to see something, capture it and make a seemingly ordinary commonplace item something extraordinary.  Not that a large lobster boat cast onshore is anything ordinary!

runagroundPSi.JPG

treeseaPSi.JPG

There is something about being on the coast.  It produces such moods and emotion.  It giveth and it take away; the sea can be peaceful or unforgiving.  Many lives are lost on the seas, caught in it’s moods.  We saw a great testament and monument to that in Lunenburg where marble pillars list the names of the lost.  It gives one pause.

singlefogPSi.JPG

singleyellaPSi.JPG

Yet, on it’s good days the sea is inviting in it’s beauty and allure… a peaceful serene place. It’s no wonder we crave it and constantly go back for more.

lshsclosPSi.JPG

eagletalon2PSi.JPG

In Lunenburg we enjoyed fabulous Adams & Knickles scallops, the seaside village, and surrounding Blue Rocks.

glenfernforPSi.JPG

moonboatPSi.JPG

potburstltPSi.JPG

The evening light on Lunenburg was spectacular, but it does take a long zoom and tripod to get the shot, as it isn’t up close and personal… it’s across the way at the golf course.

golfbayPSi.JPG

When we were there the flowers were blooming and the birds chirping, storms were brewing, and sun was still hesitant to shine through.  Yet the water was flowing and the animals active.  It was a quiet and fun time to be there.

eagleflexPSi.JPG

fallsltPSi.JPG

bridg waterPSi.JPG

3purpsPSi.JPG

Peggy’s Cove

peggyssunrisePSi.JPG

Anyone that knows us, knows that we love the water.  We always find the water where ever we go (that and food markets, but I digress).  Peggy’s Cove is a popular photography place with it’s iconic lighthouse and multitude of photographs littering the internet.  So we figured it was our turn to experience it for ourselves.

We planned a trip to Nova Scotia that included both Cape Breton Island, Peggy’s Cove, and Lunenburg.  Check out more here.

lobpotdockPSi.JPG

lobpotPS.jpg

We found Peggy’s Cove to be fantastically picturesque.  It was stunning to take in… almost like props were set there for photography.  The iconic lobster traps, the colorful lobster boats, and rustic docks overlooking the bay.  Wow!

peggysbayPSi.JPG

potlt3PSi.JPG

The weather cleared for us for 2 full days when we were in Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg… then the fog rolled back in.  It gave us just long enough to get some great sunset shots in this magical place.

2botPSi.jpg

boatrekPSi.JPG

2botbayPSi.JPG

I found the bay to be so much more picturesque than the lighthouse.  But thankfully I was the only one who thought so, as I had the bay to myself while hoards of tourists climbed all over the lighthouse.

potburstltPSi.JPG

lths-pudrtPSi.jpg

lthsclPSi.JPG

 

Milk Ranch Road

treeledgePS.jpg

treetilt farPS_PEi.JPG

Last I blogged, I spoke about the Mogollon Rim and it’s many faces.  We continue to explore it’s personalities and strive to find new places to capture it’s essence.  This week’s trip took us to Milk Ranch Rd, which is kinda on-the-rim-off-the-rim.  You still get those great views, but not the great winds (if you’ve been to Mogollon Rim you know what I mean, it’s always windy).

2agavePS_PEi.JPG

irePSi.JPG

We found a great spot and stayed overnight to get sunset and sunrise shots.    The sun casts shadows across the canyons creating dark lines, making it ever challenging to capture.  But I’m up for the continued challenge.

starburst hillsPS_PEi.JPG

sunonPSi.JPG

 

agaveset far_PEi.JPG

Unfortunately, on this particularly trip I forgot my tripod.  Pretty humorous that was an issue for me, as I have never been a tripod shooter.  It always seemed such a pain.  Now that I have embraced it, I can’t live without it.  I can set up the tripod and take those low light photographs (sunrise, sunset, stars) while maximizing my aperture to let lots of light in but still keeping my ISO low to avoid noise.  Star photos were a bit dicey though taken on a sweatshirt.  The glow of our fire cast a orange hue on the pine trees above.

treestarsPSi.JPG

treenightPSi.JPG