Blog Archives
Working Again
Dear Friends, this ten-petal mentzelia is growing out of the red rock in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, locally the red rock is called scoria, but the real term is porcelainite (sp) , made from clay layers being baked by a burning coal layer, if you drop a piece on a hard surface it will ring like a china cup, hence another local name, clinker. the white flower of the mentzelia is only present in late summer near sundown and before sunrise. til Tomorrow MJ
Ancient Stump
Dear Friends, this looks like a wooden stump and 60 million years ago, it was wood, now it is stone, Petrified wooden stump in the badlands of North Dakota, on a hot and sunny day. At a certain elevation in the badlands, these stumps appear as a remnant of an ancient tropical ecosystem. til Tomorrow MJ
Day 4 : Black and White
Dear Friends, this black and white was taken in the badlands of North Dakota. This storm chased us back in the vehicles but never did rain on us. I am not a lover of black and white photography probably because my career was spent at an electron microscope and in a traditional black and white darkroom. All work was done in black and white, but i accepted the challenge so this is the work for this week. til Tomorrow MJ
Sunset
Dear Friends, Day 3 of 5 day Black and White Challenge. This sunset in the rain was taken in the North Dakota Badlands, on top of Buck hill in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Juniper and cedar trees are prevalent in these landscapes, but one can usually see the sky, hence many sunrises and sunsets. Black and white??? til Tomorrow MJ
Wet Day in the Badlands
Friends, a wet summer in the North Dakota badlands leaves saturated colors and a dark sky. A little different than we usually see in August out there. til Tomorrow MJ
Bison Couple
Friends, these bison are a male and female during the August breeding season. He is roaring his disapproval of another bull who is daring to venture near his girl. She could care less, and looks totally bored with all the hoopla, a typical male has been rolling in the mud and her hair is nice and tidy, til Tomorrow MJ
A Web
Friends, this tiny spider is trying to spin a web in a thistle plant, a prickly job at best. Maybe he will catch a honeybee, til tomorrow MJ
Badlands Macro-Lichens
Friends, i love the little landscapes of the badlands as well as the big landscapes. These lichens challenge my macro skills when i have only the big zoom with me on a hike. They are very colorful if you look closely enough. See what is there. til Tomorrow MJ
Looking Up
Friends, in my heart i am always in the badlands, when i can’t sleep at night, i count the erosion patterns that run down the slopes into the Little Missouri River. Guess that is why this image appeals to me and why i am sitting low and looking up. For my friend, kirk and his family, keep looking up. In the journey ahead keep looking up, til Tomorrow MJ
Sagebrush Goldfinch
Friends, I often struggle with backgrounds that conflict with my subject or are too distracting. This little goldfinch is a good example of this problem. All the little branches and twigs were helpful to describe his habitat but distracting cause they all lead out of the frame. So I am using a sepia toned background to dull the background and bring the little bird and his dinner plate as the undisputed subject of the image. Do you like? til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 