scenic coastline of Maui

a moment during a fireworks display that reminded me of palm trees.

graduated sunset colours behind a silhouette of winter trees

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.

yes, this is real. i was hiking through a desert (with a load of camera gear of course) and saw this little cactus growing on top of a rock. it was too unique and charming to pass by without taking this photo opportunity.

closeup of a tortoise emerging as desert temperatures become more tolerable just before sunset in Arizona

these are either a batch of eggs that will eventually develop into full-grown candy-canes, or this is a super closeup shot of a red gladiolus flower petal and these juicy 'eggs' are the plant cells that make up the flower's beauty and shine. each cell measures about 0.0015 inches across which is the thickness of aluminum foil in your kitchen (the thin/economic type; not the heavy duty) and what appears to be a bubble inside each cell is the cell nucleus (averaging around 1/1200 of an inch).

while returning home from a long bike trip, i noticed some cumulus clouds blowing by as the sun was getting low. Predicting a scenic sunset in the making, i rapidly peddled to find a good vantage point. It seemed the sun was setting abnormally quick, colours were coming and going quickly as i was searching about to gain a few extra feet in elevation. No time to climb a tree or gain access to a rooftop, so a nearby fence post was my only resort. It was at least four-inches square but cut at a slight angle so staying on top with fatigued legs was a bit of a challenge. Wiggling about, i managed to establish a light reading as my balance failed and i fell to the ground. While i was on a more stable surface, i set my exposure time and climbed back up the post. This time i managed to set my focus and adjusted my lens for a good composure before falling off again. Third time up, everything is set and only seconds to spare, big breath out to steady my body as much as possible to capture this beautiful sunset image before falling back to the ground. The streaming rays of light withdrew and the colour faded almost as quickly as it began; the spectacular event was certainly over but at least it was now preserved for lifetimes of enjoyment.