Things I've seen while "Looking Throught My Eyes" early 2014....

It has been awhile since I posted some photos and I was just going through a folder of pictures and decided I'd better post some...  I don't think I've posted any of these before (however, in case I have, I hope you will forgive the duplication).....  

 

1927 Dodge truck - located in historic Bodie (Ghost Town) California.  This is an area I keep going back to and each time I see something different and new (well, really old if you look at the age of everything)....

This next picture is of a really swinging guy.  These one of the primates at the Oakland Zoo (Oakland California)....  What I like about this zoo is the fact that there are so many animals you can photography without having to look through bars or into cages.  They've done a good job over the past few years making this zoo very accessible. 

 This next shot is of the Modesto Nuts home field in Modesto, California.  The title of this picture is:  Bases Loaded and the Outfield is Ready"...  If you look closely you will see that in fact the bases are loaded and the outfield really is ready to try to stop the Nuts from scoring.  Well, the Nuts did win this game (at this point of the game the bases were loaded, there were no outs in the Nuts inning, and shortly after this picture was taken two runs came in and there was a man on first and third (still no one out)...   Great game!!!   Go NUTS!   (Panoramic photo)

          Nature photography (in case you are new to my blog) and Landscape photography are my two most favorite types of photography.  I like to travel and spend hours picking out and photographing sights not only in California but all over the United States, Europe, and now Central America.  This photo is of the "Court of the Patriarchs" in Zion National Park, Southern Utah. 

 On a recent trip to Costa Rica I shot this Giant Forest Owl Eye Mariposa (Butterfly in Spanish).  You can see why they call it "Owl Eye"...  On the folded inside of the butterfly's wings you'll find a metallic-sky blue color.  While fluttering around in the forest, while they are moving you will see flashes of this metallic blue reflecting off their wings.  Once they land on a tree or other vegetation... this butterfly is almost impossible to see.  In this photo the butterfly is feasting off some rotting local fruit.  Blow the photo up and you'll see the head of the butterfly sticking into a piece of rotting fruit that is covered with tiny fruit fly's.  The butterfly's proboscis is elongated into the fruit sucking up the oozing juices.   Costa Rica has so many interesting insects and mammals...  I hope to be sharing more soon along with some birds and flowers I shot.

 Here is another interesting creature I was able to photograph...  It's a Costa Rican Green Iguana (more golden than green).  They are all over the place and when they want to be, they can be a fierce and aggressive as this one looks.  Shortly after I took this photo it came toward me (it must have smelt the food I was trying to eat) and it's amazing how quickly they can move (and climb).  Yes, it did get part of what I was eating (one bite and it was gone)....

 This next charming happy go lucky fellow is a "Hamadryas Baboon"...  Yes, they really are not a happy lot, and yes, they do like to look you eye to eye.  When you look at their eyes it is almost as if you are looking into human eyes.  This beautiful creature was another animal that the Oakland Zoo has and is easily viewed (well, easily if you're shooting with a lens 750mm at 100 feet.)  I don't think I'd want to be on the other side of the barrier as they move very fast (they are Omnivores but good for us they normally eat fruits, seeds and insects). They can weigh up to 65+ pounds....  Hamadryas baboons often appear in ancient Egyptian art and they were considered by the Egyptians to be sacred to Thoth. Thoth was depicted as a Baboon...  and was considered to be wisest of all the Egyptian gods.  Wise?  Maybe not so much... but I'd hate to have to match wits with this guy.

         Back to Costa Rica - Sunset and Moonset. 

Cat Stevens back in the 1970 wrote a song about moon-shadow.... that went like this:  "Yes, I'm being followed by a moonshadow....Moonshadow, moonshadow. Leaping and hopping on a moonshadow...Moonshadow, moonshadow".  Well, it was an interesting song and this photo kind of reminded me of that song.  

The final photo is of a red Passion Flower I took in Costa Rica...  The rich colors and large size of these flowers make them pop out at you as you walk by.  I'm trying to grow some of these here in Modesto.  If I'm successful, I'll be posting pictures of them later.

That's it for now.  More soon. 

AMERICAN GRAFFITI 2014 Modesto

This video is titled "American Graffiti 2014 Modesto"...  it's about the car cruise that inspired the movie by George Lucas (who grew up here in Modesto, California) and continues to this day.   I took these photos at the beginning of June 2014.  All the photos are photos I took and the song are songs I sang.  Hope you enjoy this. 

Getting into "FACES".....

There are times I wonder why I resist taking certain kinds of photos.  Mainly "FACES".  For some reason or other faces have been difficult for me.  As most who follow my posts know, I mainly photograph landscapes, general nature (animals, insects, and an occasional geographic formation that is unusual.  Recently I have been trying to force myself to face my resistance and taking photos of  faces (not just human, but animal faces up close, insects up close, and things that just jump out at me as being something humans recognize as a face.  

I think one of the reasons I've avoided taking pictures of the human face is because sometimes people just aren't very photogenic and I've had a "slight" fear of upsetting someones feelings.  I've been trying different techniques that has helped eliminate the problem of non-photogenic faces. Filters and other on camera tricks help somewhat, as do post photo computer tricks... however I'm trying to take photos that do not require "tricks" and just relying on natural lighting and expression of the person or thing being photographed.  Here are some samples of some of the photos I've taken while trying to become more of a "face photographer".  You'll probably be seeing more and more of these kinds of photos over the next months (along with my usual landscape, and nature scenes).    .

Footnote:  Here is a quote I read recently by Roald Dahl, The Twits.....“A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose... but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”  Maybe that is a reason I've avoided portrait of people....  I might have been looking at what the World considers a perfect exterior and not remembering that the true value (beauty) of a person lies within their good character.  Trying to keep up with what others would consider beauty really was difficult as we're bombarded so much in the photography world with perfection and not enough character in a face.  You can look at a beautiful face and feel emptiness... or see kindness and compassion in an old withered face that has experienced much.  Over the next few months I'm going to be working on rediscovering that beauty in faces I photograph.  One can only try....

INSPIRE130+ photos Oct. 2013

This is a video of 130+ photos that I've done and showed at a recent photography showing along with several of my finished prints.  Some of the photos I have posted before - however, the majority are new or never before posted.  I hope you enjoy these photos and the music.  If you have a comment I would really like the feedback so that I may improve my next photo video.  For older photos you can log onto some of my other blogs on photography... ie...http://bmoore3photos.blogspot.com/  or onto YouTube at  http://www.youtube.com/user/Bmoore1945/videos.

August 23, 2013

By now the world has probably seen, heard of, or read about the horrific fire that is destroying the Sierra Mountains just to the East of where I live and where I spend a lot of time photographing and just enjoying.   The Rim Fire crossed the western boundary of Yosemite National Park yesterday between Camp Mather and Eleanor Lake and left a path of destruction along Highway 120 North of Yosemite to Groveland.  The Rim Fire (as it is called) has grown to over 105,000 acres -- or roughly 165 square miles -- it is soon going to start it's day of burning largely out of control through steep, rugged terrain. It has destroyed many structures and home and threatens an additional 2,500 homes.  Our family spent a week at Pine Mountain Lake this summer and that area is being evacuated now.  We have friends who live in the Greeley Hill - Groveland area.  I don't ever recall a fire more devastating to California that this fire and I pray for the safety of the people who live and work in this area, for those fighting the fires, and for the fire to end before much more damage is caused.  The way it looks now that is a BIG prayer...the blaze is just 2% contained and the winds are fanning the flames in all directions.  Groveland, Pine Mountain Lake, Buck Meadows,and all the little 'you just missed it' spots along the fires path will need all our support when this fire is finally killed.  It will take a lot of our support to bring this part of California back to the beauty we have know.  Please, if you get a chance to support those in the fires path... please do so.   Thank you from a neighbor in Modesto...

Nightfall shot of Half Dome

Here is a shot I took of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park this summer.  I've probably been to Yosemite a dozen times in the past couple of years and I never get tired of it.  I started going there back in the early 1960's and each time I go I see something new and different.  I don't think I'll ever tire of visiting this beautiful park.... be it in the heat of summer or the cold of winter; or the new growth in spring or the colors of fall... the park is a photographers dream come true.  You quickly understand why people say if you don't like the view... wait a while and it will change.  One visit the sky is hazy, the next a deep blue or filled with billowing clouds; and the granite rock walls will be dark and drab then burning crimson from the rising or setting sun. The valley is a never ending display of color and form and a view to stand back, drink in, and enjoy.  

Yosemite Valley looking up... Beautiful sky and clouds. 

As summer wraps up I'm again finding myself getting ready for photo competitions again.  Having time away for competing in competitions give me the time to just get out at shoot just for the fun of it (it's all fun, but during the nine months where I compete does cause me to have to focus on specific fields of photography.  During the summer months I can just hang out and take pictures of whatever floats by me.  Here is a Swallowtail butterfly from my garden.  It was very cooperative and stayed around for over ten minutes resting on my six foot tall Zinnias...

It won't be long before these butterflies will be heading south for the winter.