vast amounts of water flowing over Horseshoe Falls (Canadian side of Niagara Falls)

some picture-perfect stalks of Imperial Fritillaria (lutea maxima) just waiting for someone like me to come by and capture them on film.

when a large mass of lava cools very slowly, it can create column-like fissures during it's cooling. then, over the years, water and ice push the columns apart and the outer pillars topple giving you a scene like this one. there's only a handful of places on earth where conditions were just right for these strange rock formations to form.

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.

resident of Indiana wetlands

appearing to be some seaweed gently swaying under water, this is actually an above-water decorative grass (green foxtail) that has those fuzzy tops resembling caterpillars. this is a closeup shot (capturing 0.1 x 0.16 inches) of the seeds and fuzzies that dance in the wind atop this tall grass. the seeds can be seen as large light-green pods with dark-green stripes (like a melon), and the fuzzy strands can be seen in light-green branching off the main stem in the middle, and eventually fade to brown as they reach their end.

Delicate Arch, one of the most photographed natural arches in the country, and is even the state icon appearing on nearly everything throughout Utah. It is quite massive and resides on the edge of a steep canyon wall that quickly slopes more and more, making the hiker uncertain just how far beyond this landmark they can travel before footing will give way.