The Solitude of Self Nocturnality

The Solitude of Self Nocturnality, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

A self-portrait of me "piering out" over East Lake at Newberry Crater National Volcanic Monument in central Oregon (I'm the shadow figure at the end of the pier, easier to see on the large view).

I often spend hours after dark perfecting settings for my night photography, that time gives me plenty of opportunity to experience a pure feeling of solitude. I virtually never see another person (save for my patiently sleeping wife off to the side on our cot) and am left to soak in the sensory elements of sensations from the night.

Christmas With the Snow!

Christmas With the Snow!, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

We got our first real snow in Fort Collins, yay!!!

From our snow globe home to yours, wishing you a very warm & happy holiday season!

Strobist Notes: handheld bare SB800 with a warming gel. I fired the strobe at full power twice pointed at the falling snow once and once bouncing off a snowy bank. All of our xmas lights are LED. I also double-processed the RAW file.

And if you want to listen to one of my favorite Christmas tunes, check out "Christmas With the Snow" by Marah, great stuff! ;-)))

Here on Earth

Here on Earth, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

A light pollution glow from the city lights of Pueblo, CO competes for attention with the stars of Orion and others (46 min exposure). Speaking of which, this month's National Geographic has a fantastic light pollution article entitled, Our Vanishing Night. Check it out!

Penetrating Through the Fog

Penetrating Through the Fog, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

I was so excited when the moon finally broke through the fog helping to create this dreamy ethereal mood. The show was over minutes later with the moon fading back into invisibility once more.

Morning Rounds

Morning Rounds, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

This impressive bull elk at Rocky Mountain National Park seems to have some grasses caught up in the ole' antlers. He had quite the harem close by.

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I guess we could say that this Bear Lake scene from Rocky Mountain National Park points out it's fall. ;-)))

Tetonic Moonshine

Tetonic Moonshine, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

And here is my third night take on Jackson Lake at Grand Teton National Park.

Native Flow

Native Flow, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

I am a native Coloradoan that found my passion for nature at an early age thanks to beautiful spots like this. West Creek Falls are just inside Rocky Mountain National Park and also are within the West Creek State Natural Area. West Creek below the falls serves as habitat for populations of the threatened native greenback cutthroat trout (Onorhychus clarki stomias).

Olympic Pacific Coast Last Light Catchers

Olympic Pacific Coast Last Light Catchers, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

A 30 second exposure (f/5.6 @ ISO 400) captures a purple fog produced by the lapping waves ephemeral presence along the line of an advancing tide. The longer exposure also allows the last of an already set sun to paint rocks on the beach with a warm glow. Colorado rules, but these here ocean things sure seem pretty nifty....

Reflecting on Grand Prismatic

Reflecting on Grand Prismatic, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Clouds reflect in the foreground while Grand Prismatic Spring's rising steam picks up a rainbow of Rasta colors. It was so hard to leave Yellowstone to continue on our trip to the Pacific Northwest when gifted such perfect conditions! ;-)

Those fantastical colors are completely natural. The vivid colors result from pigmented bacteria in microbial mats that line the edge of this third largest hot spring in the world. The blues come in part thanks to how deep and pure the water is here.

Dipping into Cascadian Memories at Newberry

Dipping into Cascadian Memories at Newberry, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

A moonlit view of Newberry National Volcanic Monument featuring the Big Dipper reflecting into East Lake (Oregon). This is an area somewhat akin to Crater Lake, but Newberry can claim one of the largest collections of cinder cones, domes, lava flows, and fissures in the world. It is a truly fascinating place to visit.

Orbital Motion

Orbital Motion, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

This was taken out at Pawnee National Grassland in northeastern Colorado. The brightest streak is Jupiter, while the sunset colors are actually light pollution from Fort Collins, CO.

Last Light on the Range

Last Light on the Range, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Can't See the Universe for the Trees

Can't See the Universe for the Trees, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

North Park Meander

North Park Meander, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Universal Camping

Universal Camping, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Energy Transfer

Energy Transfer, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Oxbow Bend Silken Glass

Oxbow Bend Silken Glass, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Choose Your Metaphor

Choose Your Metaphor, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

This transcendent moment of morning perfection was gifted to me by Lake Tahoe last Thursday.

Evening Vespers in the Rockies

Evening Vespers in the Rockies, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Pyromania Conflagration

Pyromania Conflagration, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

I think the wind might have blown up this particular farmer's weed burn east of Fort Collins, CO today. When I saw the pillar of smoke billowing in the sky like a fractal, I knew I had to capture it. ;-)))

A Symphony of Sunset Silhouettes

A Symphony of Sunset Silhouettes, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

Continuing the Night Theme

Probing Deep Space Under a (near) Full Moon, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

One from our magic night after the full moon at the VLA astronomical radio observatory in New Mexico.

Orion Watch Over Me

Orion Watch Over Me, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

From our trip out to the great wide open prairie last weekend. Here, the constellation Orion takes stock of Pawnee National Grassland in northeastern Colorado (note the abundant light pollution below).

Trails in the Laramie Foothills

Trails in the Laramie Foothills, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

I recently went for a drive north of Fort Collins with a friend to do some night photography. We found below freezing temperatures and 35+ mph winds. Knowing the odds were stacked against me I persisted and came up with this result.

I used an SB-800 strobe handheld and manually popped off a few on full power to illuminate the foreground a bit and hopefully add some definition to combat blur from the wind. I am glad we stayed, it was an invigorating and fun wind! ;-)))

Gazing GBH at Bosque

Gazing GBH at Bosque, originally uploaded by Fort Photo.

A photograph from my new Nikon D300 of a Great Blue Heron at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico. If it's been awhile since I've posted to my blog and you wonder what I've been up to be sure to check my photostream on flickr where I update most often.