despite it's appearance, this is not a coral reef growth, nor anything under the ocean. it is actually a closeup shot within the center of a daisy. we were surprised to discover that the flower's fuzzy brown cone was made up of these finger-like structures that looked so much like something under the sea. the photo captures 0.036 x 0.054 inches (about the thickness of a DVD) of the flower's center cone.

the extremely popular Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge happens to be the second tallest in the states, and is very easily accessible - just off the highway. This convenience allowed me to return many times to study how the moving sun dramatically changed the whole area's appearance. Most of the time, part of the falls are very brightly lit with direct sunlight and other parts are in significant shade, which makes for a terribly unbalanced exposure. Persistence paid off one day, when i arrived and the trees had a lovely pattern of light shining through and the entire upper & lower falls were evenly illuminated.

When one gets a camera close enough to a drip of water, the whole surrounding world can been seen within. This makes for a rather unique and interesting image that is sure to start conversation. Seeming to be an eternity, I v-e-r-y carefully moved my camera around to capture the surrounding patch of daisies and early morning sky inside this water-lens without the slightest disturbance to the delicate drop. After a few micro-adjustments to the position just right, the sun glistened on the edge of the drop and made a wonderful sparkle highlight.

I particularly liked the lines in this image; the way trees and shrubbery were growing up the sides matched the angle of the peaks. The mountain walls were exceptionally steep (nearly vertical) which made it easier to capture the grassland foreground and keep the mountain peaks crisp and close. The sun was still early and somewhat low which pronounced the roughness and magnitude of this shear wall of rock.

funny-shaped sandstone monuments in Utah wilderness

growing in Poipu, Kauai

abstract shot of dichrolam film in bright sunlight