Deep canyon landscape

Spent maybe a little too long this morning playing in the archives, but I couldn’t resist. This sunset desert landscape is a panorama stitched from three photos.  The sun had just slipped behind mountains to the west, and only the faintest glow remained, caught by the buildings of Boyd Deep Canyon research center and a sliver of the distant Salton Sea.  The colors of the desert rocks and varnish are always surprising, but something about the softer winter light and clearer air of December seems to bring out even more dramatic color across the mountains.

I will be posting a great deal of landscape photography this year.  It has always been a favorite subject area, and I have quite a collection of untouched images from last year’s travels.  Landscapes figure quite largely in who we are and what our lifestyles and cultures have become, and as I find it difficult to separate myself from my environment, I am looking forward to studying it further.  That it can be so magically beautiful and glow with amazing colors is simply a bonus.

Of course, this image is much better viewed larger – click through for the lightbox view and some bonus info.

Early spring flowers

A little sneak peek Saturday…

My knees are still damp from kneeling in the garden to capture this early blooming crocus.  The tulips and hyacinth are close behind, with a general frenzy of blooming bulbs happening under nearly every tree.  This is one of the more literal, rainy spring day and flower shots, with many more extreme macro and abstract shots to follow.

the language of flowers

It so often catches me off-guard, working through routine beauty shots of flowers, when a certain image resonates a little further than expected. In this case, I wanted to document the stunning bronze orchid blooms just brought in from the garden, and the morning light was reflecting off of the kitchen table just-so. A few contextual shots, a handful of close-ups, and that was it.

In editing, this image struck me as a little more. The structure of the flowers and the way that they are gracefully balanced only compliments their beauty further. The color is so unusual too, an almost painted bronze and deep red that seems to glow from the shadows.  Some adjustment to the contrast and curves, and a bit of added vibrance, and the dramatic flowers really came to life, just as they’d first caught my eye from across the room.  (View large, on black.)

This flower photo and many more are available for purchase as high-quality framed metal prints – custom sizes and arrangements available, simply inquire!