Category Archives: Photography

Capturing my last 12 months

After taking thousands of photos and traveling throughout the United States, these twenty-five photos resonated with me the most from 2018-2019. Some capture beauty, while others remind me of stories from my journey.  For example, I stumbled on to the little town of Ferndale in California. After enjoying a peach scone and a coffee at the local cafe, I found a map to the black sand beaches of California’s “lost coast”.  The long slow drive over the coastal mountains brought me to a wide open view of the ocean – and cows. They surprised me.  I surprised them.  The photo captures our mutual interest.  The beaches of black rock were stunning.  At the conclusion of the drive, I ended up in a Redwood Forest of Humboldt State Park.  I took hundreds of pictures – but I ended up cutting the best of the tree photos.  Ironic I think.

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A few stops along the Russian River – Wine Country California

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August 1, 2018 · 11:59 am

The Final Frontier – Alaska

I managed to make it to Alaska to visit my 50th state in the U.S. during my 50th year.  The near 24 hours of daylight and the perfect weather hovering around 75 degrees provided the perfect escape from the intense heat and humidity of the Midwest.  I am told that I am lucky to have spent a full day basking in the majesty of Denali’s peak.  The drive up hwy 3 from Anchorage to Denali is sublime.  The crushed rock of hwy 8 (the Denali hwy) provides even greater beauty, and the drive through Wrangell-St. Elias to McCarthy wraps up the perfect trifecta. As of right now, I have been to 41 out of the 60 U.S. National Parks.  I think Glacier Bay ranks in the top 3.  The Bay, woods, ponds, wildlife, lodge, cabins, trails, sunsets, and exhibits create a world you won’t want to leave.

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Mt Denali on a clear day

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Solitude on the Denali Hwy

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Rushing rivers into the plain

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two beavers swimming

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perfect summer weather

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Wrangell-St. Elias NP

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Mountains, Glacier, River – Alaska

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Beaver dam

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The sentry

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America’s Best Idea

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Tlinglit culture in Glacier Bay

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Margerie Glacier

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Solitude part II

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Looking for a moose, but found this

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summers provide unending beauty

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cormorants all lined up

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A grizzly patroling the shore

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A black bear looking for dinner

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the blue glacier

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a pseudo sunset

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solitude pt III

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The moose-less pond

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Where to now?

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Porcupines love Cottonwoods

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Exit Glacier

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in Seward

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King Crab in Seward

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Photos from all Seasons

Every year I sort through thousands of photos and choose my favorite twenty or so to turn in to a little art show in my classroom at school.  Then I turn them into cards and mail them home to students.  These are my selections from June 2017 – May 2018.

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First Ice

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West Side Market – Cleveland

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Battlefield Warriors

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Mysterious Path

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Boone Plantation

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Sullivan’s Island

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Charleston

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Botany Bay

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Edisto Island Sunset

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Remnants of Hunters in MO

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Fall Sunset

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Ice Daggers

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On the Missouri River

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The Master at Work

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Solitude before the camera

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Birthday Cranes

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Smoky Mountain Peace

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Last Gasp

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Fall in Illinois

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Soul Survivor Fort Sumter

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Power and Beauty

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Ice Stalagmites

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My 50th State Park

I have been slowly visiting all the State Parks and Historic Sites in Missouri.  There are a total of 52 State Parks and 35 Historic Sites. In one weekend I managed to visit 11. During this trip, my favorite locations were the Battle of Island Mound and Watkins Glen Historic Site.

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Squaw Creek Wetlands

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Bottle Brush

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Around the lake at Wallace State Park

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Watkins Mill House

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The homestead

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At the factory

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Weston Bend looking into Kansas

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Along the trail at Crowder S.P.

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Small town america

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The town is named after the librarian

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Western Missouri Prairies

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at the Battle of Island Mound

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Robert Ford killed Jesse James here

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The Confederate soldiers prayed here

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from the church

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Battle of Lexington

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Lexington

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Serenity in the West

In March 2017, I spent some time exploring the National and State Park lands of the American West.  We drove 4000 miles and visited 9 states. These photos are some of my favorite because of how peaceful these locations were in the off season.  We made it to Chimney rock right at sunset and had the place to ourselves, and we visited Scottsbluff National Monument early in the morning before others arrived. Most people go south for spring break, I went North and was rewarded with rustic quietness.

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Chimney Rock


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Niobrara River of Nebraska


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Spearfish Falls


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Valley of Scottsbluff


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River Running Black Hills


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Moon Set at Scottsbluff


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Coffee with the Presidents


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Scottsbluff Summit

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Ice Webs – Wind Cave NP

Wind Cave National Park ranks highly among the US Parks.  I stumbled on to these beauties while driving through the backroads of the park.

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Just an ordinary Saturday…

I traveled across Missouri for a Science Olympiad Tournament, stumbled on to a state park, and discovered a little coffee shop. Not a bad day. 

Knob Noster gets its name from a few hills (called knobs).  Noster means ‘our’ in the indiginous people’s language from this area. 

Hiking in the winter means no ticks, no mosquitoes, and no other people.  Peace. 

Discovery Trail

Knob Noster State Park

Found Art

One of several lakes.

These are not the correct knobs.

This stream floods the road often

Friendly, welcoming place

The coffee passed the test. Excellent

Pastries. I tried the kolache.

The Wright Stuff

Tower Building

Hovercraft

Burnt Ends just like butter

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Missouri State Parks 

Missouri has 91 state park sites, and I have visited 54 of them.  I plan on exploring some each month in 2017 to visit them all.  I got an early jump on the project.  December 2016. I particularly like the black and whites.  It’s a little strange to me mixing the b/w with the color, but why not.  

Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site

Historic Downtown Blackwater

Rural roads of Saline County

Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site

Three Former Governors ‘Rest’ Here.

Outside of Boonville

Iron Kettle of Boonslick Saltworks

Boonslick State Historic Site Salt Creek

Sandy Creek Covered Bridge Historic Site

Governor Dunklin Grave Site SHS

Bat box at Dunklin Grave Site on Mississippi River

Van Meter State Park bottomlands.

Scott Joplin House SHS

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Christmas at Six Flags

Six Flags introduced a new holiday season. Some nice moments…

Red poo emoji?

S’mores were available in s’mores land

Santa’s cabin

Charming areas around the park

Welcoming

Candy Cane Land

The call him, Mr. Freeze.

The Palace and light show

Away in the manger.

Angels lead the way to Santa?

Two iconic images

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