closely resembling a (well used) golf ball, this is actually a super closeup shot of a Zinnia's flower petal. the petals have a cool pattern of dimples each measuring about 1/1000th of an inch across. we then focused a ultra-tiny spotlight so that the shaft of light was the size of a human hair (smaller than a laser beam). as the highly focused light bled out through the relatively flat petal (see inset), it created the shading effect of a round ball.

two female bears resting on a sandbar in the middle of a lake (Aleutian Islands).

Banyan forest growing in swampland

Although barely blue on their top-side when the light reflects just right, I saw these "Blue & White Longwings" in the light jungle regions just outside of Iquitos Perú (north-eastern Perú). Their lengthy wings flap rather slowly and gracefully (less fluttery than typical-proportioned butterflies), and they almost appearing to be flying in slow-motion and not fast enough to stay in the air.

an up-shot of the large clusters of dates on this Phoenix dactylifera in Kauai

we scouted for days along the Oregon coast, looking for the right balance of rock mounds in combination with the right moment of setting sun light.

This cute little fella was raised on a large pond not too far from the studio. Never more than a few inches from Mom, the adorable youngster was swimming about, getting its share of seaweed from just below the surface. They both tend to stay away from the shore (probably for safety) and I haven't managed to coax them much closer. So this shot was captured through an 800mm lens to bring in the detail and expression of the young bird without disturbing the mom.

sunset over the many islands in northwestern Washington