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Posts from the ‘Arizona’ Category

Jul 20

Monsoon Sunrise

Another favorite monsoon image from 2008. I had just started a morning walk when I saw this sky. I almost didn’t try to shoot it because it was still fairly dark and all I had with me was my little compact. It was so beautiful, though, that I wanted a memory so I set the camera’s shooting mode to “continuous”, held my breath and then held the shutter down for a few seconds hoping at least one image would be fairly sharp. No…it’s not SLR quality but it actually made a very nice print. Moral? Never underestimate the capability of a compact camera!

Jul 19

Monsoon

Lots of lightning last night continuing this morning which means the Monsoon is finally here. The first thing you learn when you move here is that the Monsoon doesn’t always produce rain. It does give us some welcomed humidity, though. Our desert plants have adapted to take in the moisture from the humid air so my yard is really happy. I’m also happy because humidity plumps up my skin a little filling in my increasing lines nicely 🙂

Is it hot here? Sure but with humidity of just 33 percent today, we don’t have the oppressive heat that other parts of the country are experiencing! Today’s photo is from two years ago as seen from my office window.

Jul 18

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Gray Hairstreak

I am so happy and excited when I see a butterfly in my yard because it means I’ve planted plants and shrubs they like! Here is a photo of a Gray Hairstreak on one of my Desert Lavenders which are blooming right now. Before I joined CAZBA, I never even noticed these and many other tiny butterflies. Now I grab my camera at the slightest movement which is what I did yesterday. (Canon 100mm with 25mm extension tube, ISO 800, 1/320th sec at f/11). For those who are new to macro and wonder how I achieved such a soft background with f/11, check out Understanding Depth of Field.

Jul 17

Tubercles

Update on Javelina Cafe…..the fence is working! I rescued many tiny Pincushion Cactus (some with bites out of them) and not only have they healed but they are thriving. Today’s photo is a composite of blooms that opened yesterday (you might have heard me squealing!) For those who live in this area, keep an eye out for them. They’re usually hiding under shrubs for protection. They will bloom for several days so you have some time to scout for them. What sets Mammillaria (species) apart from other cactus is their Tubercles.

 

Jul 16

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Open Wide!

As beautiful as wildflowers may be, their backgrounds are typically very distracting. Using a very large aperture can make backgrounds into big blobs of color such as with this tiny Fleabane. It can even make hot spots somewhat pleasing. So next time you capture a flower, open wide! (Canon 70-200 (f/4 non IS) Left image at f/13. Right at f/4)

Jul 15

Purple

This gorgeous flower was captured at the Flagstaff Arboretum. I’m usually diligent about writing down identities but I forgot this one. It appears to be a geranium (Purple Sticky, maybe?) but it’s not in any of my books so it must not be a native. Anyway….the background was on the gray side so I used Topaz to convert to B/W, added grain and then brought back a little color.

Jul 14

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Sego Lily

On my list of wildflowers to scout for while in Flagstaff was the Sego Lily so I was thrilled to discover this one on the Aspen Nature Loop. The wind had really picked up and the flower was in the shade so I knew I would need crank up the ISO to capture it while it was swaying. (ISO 800. Canon 70-200@98, 1/3200 sec@ f/10).

Jul 13

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Prairie Smoke

Wildflowers are coming out in force in the Flagstaff area and will continue through the summer. I hiked a fairly new trail with a friend yesterday called the Aspen Nature Loop which is accessed from the same parking area as the Humphrey’s Peak Trail. We found well over 30 species! I’ll feature some of my favorites during this week. Unlike the majority of our desert flowers, you don’t need a magnifying glass to see them. Prairie Plume (Geum triflorum

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