Blog Archives
Scoria Point in the Snow
Friends, this is Scoria Point on a September morning when we had an overnight dusting of snow. The next day it all melted, but the day was perfect for photography. The saturated reds of the rock, golds of fall grasses, and greens of cedar trees as well as the fall foliage made for a delightful day. I have visited these hills at least once a year since I was nine years old, and the landscapes never cease to amaze me. My love for this country is very deep within me, I hope i can share it adequately. til Tomorrow MJ
Mountain of Red Rock-Scoria Point
Friends, this is a formation called Scoria Point located within the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. This red rock or scoria appears many shades of red, from pink to purple and all the oranges in between and the shade is dependent on the light. The day this image was taken, the light was slightly diffused through some clouds and the color appears a rusty orange with pink accents. But in the evening with a setting sun, the hill appears a bright orange and in the snow with cloud cover, the rock appears a very deep almost iridescent red. I haven’t yet captured the spirit of this rocky scene, but i keep trying. til Tomorrow MJ
Badlands Red Rock
Friends, this red rock is fragile and will break like any good china cup. The formation process is similar to producing bricks or fine tiles. A clay (bentonite) is baked by a coal vein that is burning underground. The coal is a soft lignite and may be spontaneously ignited or the vein may be lit by grass fires whipped by the wind. These fires may burn trees and then travel down the roots to the seam underground. When the various clays are baked and glazed by the igneous process, they are a form of porcelain or as it is locally called, scoria. When a chunk of this light rock is dropped, it clinks on a hard surface, and it is often called North Dakota Clinker. I know i am at home when i see the scoria peaks at sunset. til Tomorrow MJ
Badlands-The land
Friends, This image illustrates the two formations that make up the Little Missouri Badlands in North Dakota. Sediments layers that were deposited after the demise of the dinosaur were eroded by wind and water to form the rugged topography. The hill nearest is topped by a red rock deposit, locally called scoria, that was formed by coal burning under a layer of bentonite clay. When Lewis and Clark traveled through these badlands, they saw many of these burning coal veins. As a child, i remember walking on the warm clay and peeking down through the cracks of an actively burning vein with great wonder. So we begin a journey into a land lit by the setting sun and ancient fired formations. til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge:Distorted
Friends, when i hear the word, distorted, i immediately think of the sandstone formations throughout the western US, where wind and water have carved holes in the rock. These small holes in red rock sandstone were found in sinagua country south and east of the Grand Canyon, the very large hole eroded by wind and water. I love the textures both small and large that are still being carved, as we stand in the wind taking the photos. Larger forces at work than mere humans. til Tomorrow MJ
Typical tourist photo
Friends, last summer we had the opportunity to travel the road on the south rim of Grand Canyon. Yesterday i showed you what the raven saw, but today i show you my view of the Grand Hole as i like to call the Grand Canyon. What a magnificent place, words cannot describe my wonder at the sight. I like this photo because the warm colors come forward and the cool colors recede, just like we are taught in painting classes. I shot this photo at f/16 but you can see the focus range ran out before the back wall was reached. til Tomorrow MJ
Red rock in black and white
Friends, working again on my black and white renditions. This is Bell Rock just south of Sedona. We visited near sundown and the face of the rock was still lit, but the trees in the foreground were just going into evening shadows. The original image is in color, but too many shades of red made a monotonous statement. So in an effort to simplify the colors, a black and white conversion seemed the right thing to do. I think that the topography of the rock is more vivid in black and white. I can also bring the shadows to pure black to further define the roughness of the landscape. Practicing my Ansel Adams styles. What do you think? til Tomorrow MJ
Hole in the Wall-near Sedona
Friends, this hole in the wall opens all kinds of questions for me. Has this been a former hide-out for Butch Cassidy and Sundance? Probably not, no place to park the horses. Does a mountain lion live in the dark recesses of this cave? Not likely as the cave is very near downtown Sedona. Maybe a giant bird makes this cave a home with a giant nest and eggs. Stories to tell the grandchildren about mythical beasts and birds. Again more questions than answers. I love warm red rock and lots of it in Sedona. til Tomorrow MJ
Red Rock-Garden of the Gods
Friends, this red rock place is named, the Garden of the Gods and is located in Colorado Springs. This photo was taken early in the morning just as the sun was rising. I was enchanted by the red rock and as we walked the paths, I shot hundreds of image (thanks to digital capture), but this is one of my favorites. No saturation adjustment was needed, the sun was the warming filter and sunshine the light source. This place was magical, so enjoy. til Tomorrow MJ
Balanced Rock
Friends, this balanced rock sits on a slant in the Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs. Someday it will probably crash from its pedestal into the valley below, but in the meantime the rock reminds us to keep my life in balance. Family ( including a loving husband) , friends and especially grandchildren are first on my list. After that i rank my photography and writing second in my priorities. So WordPress becomes for me an important link to others of like minds. Thank you to all those who are following my blog and sharing my photos. I now have a purpose in retirement, to provide some color and maybe help you to lighten your load. Stay balanced my friends. til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 