hiking through Waimea canyon on Kauai

the exotic blooms on this particular tropical vine last only a day. After just missing a couple of openings, a gardener friend and I was pulling shifts going to check on it's status twice a day. Finally, late one morning, the magnificent passiflora opened to display it's unparalleled details. Immediately, I load up an excessive amount of gear so that nothing would warrant a second trip and spent several hours more than adequately capturing the moment on film. As the day progressed and the sun started getting low, the entire wonder began to close only to fall off the next day; but on film it lives on.

okay, so this is really myrtle spurge (euphorbia myrsinites) and the first time i saw it, it truly appeared alien to me. It had such an amazing combination of unique shapes and unusual method of branching, that i was certain this was from another world.

Southern England

I found this young Great Horned Owl in early spring while it was still cool on most days. She took to me well and never seemed to mind my presence when I came by her section of woods. In this shot she's about six weeks old and loosing most of her puffy baby feathers. This is certainly my favorite of all animals and it was a pleasure coming across one in the wild.

This is a highly concentrated salt lake in eastern California that is known for its unique calcareous rock formations (tufas). These structures range from a couple feet to perhaps 15 feet tall and are quite rigid. Most of these structures form on the ground near the shore, but I really enjoyed this grouping when surrounded by water. Plus, the winds coming over a nearby mountain range, produce complex clouds rolling over this area and are usually quite interesting and often stormy in appearance.

There is a large park and garden area that I enjoy spending time at and often browse the area with camera gear hanging at my sides. I'm there often and known by all the groundskeepers and gardeners. On my way out one day, a gardener friend was excitedly waving me over to come see something. I run to where she was working and am shown the tiniest of frogs that nestled itself between the petals of a rose. The little guy seemed rather comfortable and ready for an evenings rest in his new secure home. It was early evening and less than ideal light but moments like this don't occur everyday. I bracketed several exposures, got a successful print, and donated it to my gardener friend. If it wasn't for her, the unique moment would have only been preserved in her memory and not seen by others.