Sometimes it’s the little things in nature that really catch my eye. This lichen was growing on the side of a very large pine tree. I approached the tree to get a closer look at something else when I noticed the tiny, bright red blooms on the lichen. Who knew that lichen actually bloomed?
Rooster
Melt Off
Steaming Stump
Dark-Eyed Junco 1
The dark-eyed junco is a common bird in Richmond during the colder months. When the weather warms they will migrate to the Appalachians and Canada, not to return again until autumn. They make for tricky photography subjects as they are small, quick, and almost never still. I waited until this junco hopped into a patch of direct sunlight to get a shutter speed fast enough to catch it.
I would like to give some credit for this photo to Cornel Apostol. If you’re not familiar with Cornel’s blog, check it out at http://apostolcornel.wordpress.com. On several of his posts he’s mentioned throwing a sheet over his head to get closer to birds. That inspired me to rig up a simple blind which I used to capture this image.
Chihuly Boats
Seed Pod
Lazy Morning
Jones Run Cascade
This cascade along Jones Run in Shenandoah National Park provided an interesting photographic experience. My friend was smart enough to stay at the top. Despite my better judgement I decided to hike down a little farther from the trail. Just as I was thinking I needed to be careful on the leaves and wet rocks, I stepped on a patch of wet moss covering a large, flat downward sloping stone. As the moss gave way I began sliding down the rock face, watching my camera bounce off the stones beneath me and hoping I would be able to stop myself. Fortunately my slide came to an end before I got to the actual waterfall, about 6 feet beyond the point from which I took this picture.
Forest Sunrise After the Snow
Snow fell on Richmond Thursday night. A few inches accumulated but it was nearly all gone within 24 hours. I took the day off Friday and hiked through Pocahontas State Park. This photo was taken as the sun rose over the forest. The park was beautifully covered in snow and I had the place to myself. I hiked for 5 hours and never saw another person the entire time.