Al's Photography Blog

Old Towering Clouds

2012-02-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

When digging through some photos from 2004, I came across this late-day photo of towering clouds (taken with my old point-and-shoot digital camera) that I wanted to put up for Skywatch Friday. So here it is!

Ice, Ice

2012-02-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

I went out yesterday morning to take some photos in the yard for Our World Tuesday, and also for Tina's PicStory theme of shadows. We've been cold the last week, and an overnight freezing fog had just lifted. This fog left pretty ice petals on everything, and that's what you see here. This is not snow!

These photos had no definition straight out of the camera, so I had to play with various settings and curves in GIMP to get them to show the delicacy of the ice formations. That's rare for me, usually I post my photos without editing them.

Holei Sea Arch (Hawaii)

2012-02-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Continuing with my 1997 Hawaiian vacation, here's the Holei Sea Arch on the big island of Hawaii.

Vancouver Harbor at Dusk

2012-02-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

For this week's Scenic Sunday post we're going back to the exact same spot we visited last week, Vancouver Harbor. This time the photos are taken at dusk (all handheld as I didn't have a tripod - it can be done if you've got a fast lens, even with a low-end DSLR like mine). The lights on the hill in the back of this first one is a ski area, although it wasn't operating in the summer.

Here's the gas station for boats.

You can see the Lion's Gate Bridge lit up in the middle of this one.

And finally, I enjoyed seeing the seaplanes here - that's not something I'll see in my part of the world!

Red Rock, Blue Skies

2012-02-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

For the Skywatch Friday meme, here's a photo taken on a hike this past Sunday with Socks in Red Rock Canyon.

It's hard to judge the size of the rock, but notice the fully-grown pine tree in the bottom-left of the photo to get a sense of the scale.

Bellevue Bridge

2012-02-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

Tina's PicStory theme this week is "B", so I thought this railroad Bridge in Bellevue (Washington) would be appropriate. And I'm also linking it with Sunday Bridges.

Snow in the Park

2012-02-05T11:13:00.002-07:00

Here are some fresh photos (within the last hour) of our recent 11 inch (28 cm) snowfall - first looking at our yard.

But drive a couple of minutes to the local park and then the snow's beauty really comes to life. I don't think anybody will be using this picnic table today!

I saw cross-country skiers and snowshoers - I'd love to do both of those things one of these years.

And of course those incredible Colorado blue skies.

This is the way our weather usually goes around here - brief but sometimes intense storms, but once they move out the blue skies are back. And that's my (early) entry for Our World Tuesday this week.

Hanauma Bay, Hawaii

2012-02-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

I plan to make a habit of posting old scanned photos most Saturdays, exploring one holiday trip for several weeks in a row. For this week's old photo, I'm starting on my first trip to Hawaii, taken with my wife back in 1997. This is Hanauma Bay, on the island of Oahu. This, and all the upcoming shots of Hawaii, were taken with a simple point-and-shoot film camera and scanned at home; compared to the ancient scans I've been posting these have held up very well.

Vancouver Harbor

2012-02-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

For this week's Scenic Sunday entry, here are some shots of Vancouver's Harbor, right next to downtown and the hotel in which we stayed.

I love the fuel station in the middle of the harbor!

Multiple Lightning Flashes

2012-02-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

Although it's similar to a couple of photos I've posted before, this is actually a different capture of three different lightning flashes in a single long exposure. It's taken from my front yard, and it's obviously for Skywatch Friday.

Downtown Bellevue Evening

2012-01-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week's part of Our World is in the early evening in Bellevue, from our visit last summer. I also chose these for Tina's PicStory theme of "evening mood." First is a pleasant path I found just outside downtown.

Next is a fountain inside the Microsoft building, with water running down a tall sculpture. This was next to the amazing glass sculpture I posted a few weeks ago.

And finally, a street at dusk. It wasn't too lively, despite being near a major shopping area. But it was still an attractive city.

Cloudy Garden

2012-01-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

For Scenic Sunday, here are some less than perfect shots from a cloudy day in Garden of the Gods.

The colors come alive in the sunshine, but that wasn't to happen on this particular day.

Simple Blue Skies

2012-01-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a set of simple blue skies for this week's Skywatch Friday entry. These were all taken over the last couple of weeks on short hikes with Socks, the first in Pulpit Rock park, and the last two in the nearby Black Forest Regional Park this past Saturday. These are the skies we see most of the winter - we're lucky as the mountains shield us from most bad weather.

Stanley Park

2012-01-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week's theme at Tina's PicStory is "A Walk In The Park," and I think one of the best city parks I've ever seen is Vancouver's Stanley Park. So here are a couple of shots of rainforest growth that I took on a trail in that park last May. It's also a wonderful part of Our World Tuesday.

This is a large and varied park, and I've got more photos to come.

Corsica's Mountains

2012-01-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here are my last worthwhile photos of Corsica. Much of the island is mountainous, and I remember getting very carsick on this bus trip, so I believe my father probably took these shots with my camera.

These are also just about the last of my ancient, discolored prints. From here on any scans I post are either from slides, or from more recent prints that are in much better shape. A couple of years ago I spent a couple of weekends scanning in every photo I've ever taken, so I've got lots of them!

Monument Rock

2012-01-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite local hikes is Monument Rock. A couple of days ago I posted the sign at the trail-head, and here are the rest of my photos from that hike last summer for the Scenic Sunday meme. First, I found this barbed wire right next to the trail.

I enjoyed this sunny meadow.

I'm not sure what these few remaining wooden planks were part of.

I loved the shape of this tree against the sky.

And in contrast, these rows of trees were obviously planted.

Here's the obligatory shot of Monument Rock, this time reflected in a muddy puddle.

And finally, a cocoon with caterpillars still inside.

It's amazing what you can find on a short, nearby hike if you keep your eyes open!

Mountain Lions?

2012-01-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

Signs, Signs is an interesting idea for a meme, although I've not participated before. But when I saw this sign at a local trail-head, I had to take a photo and link it there. I'll post the rest of the photos from this hike later this week.

It didn't stop me from hiking with my dog Socks, and we both survived. I've seen bears (mama with two cubs within 30 feet of me on a trail), coyotes, and I'm pretty certain that we encountered a mountain lion this summer although it quickly moved off the trail. We've even had a bear walk through our front yard. It's a wild area in which I live!

Wynn, Las Vegas

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

For this week's view of Our World Tuesday, and for the theme of "Last Year" on Tina's PicStory, here are the last of my photos from last year's trip to Las Vegas. This time, it's the very upmarket Wynn Hotel and Casino, with lots of waterfalls.

I'm surprised they even let me in there, as I'm definitely not an upmarket guy!

Calvi Citadel (2)

2012-01-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

For this week's Sunday Scans entry, here's a close-up view of the imposing walls of Calvi's Citadel, on the island of Corsica, taken back in 1974.

Office Owl

2012-01-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

An owl has been hanging around our office in the daylight hours. There's an owlprint on one of the windows, so we think he flew into a window and got injured. He's doing much better now, and is flying around properly again. Hopefully he will remember that he's not supposed to be out in the daytime!

I'm keeping an eye on you!

He's landing on top of the building. I wish I'd caught this a split-second earlier and had his whole reflection.

All these photos were cropped and slightly sharpened using the free GIMP photo editing software. It's been a while since I've entered the Camera Critters meme, but this seems like a perfect entry for it.

Strange Summer Light

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week's Skywatch Friday post captures a couple of strange skies on one evening back in July - these photos are cropped, but in no other way edited, and were taken from our back deck. The colors and clouds really were this strange.

My White World

2012-01-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

From a recent trip to north Denver (actually Westminster) to visit family, here are some snowy photos. I thought they'd work well for Our World Tuesday, as well as a perfect fit for Tina's PicStory theme of "White".

Calvi's Citadel (Corsica)

2012-01-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

For Sunday Scans, here's a shot across the water to the Citadel at Calvi, on the island of Corsica, in 1974.

Lions Gate Bridge Views (Vancouver)

2012-01-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

My first Scenic Sunday post for the year takes us back to Vancouver, for some views taken while walking on and near the Lions Gate Bridge. First, I'm looking towards the ocean.

Next, I'm looking back over Stanley Park towards downtown Vancouver.

And finally I'm looking towards the port. I'm not sure how scenic this is, but I thought it was interesting.

Some of my favorite shots of Vancouver from last year's vacation are still to come, so stay tuned!

Moontree

2012-01-04T07:30:00.001-07:00

When I was taking Socks for a walk on Sunday in the Red Rock Canyon open space (on the edge of Colorado Springs), this juxtaposition of a lone tree on top of the rocks, and the moon in that lovely blue sky, caught my attention.

For more skyward photos, visit the fantastic Skywatch Friday meme.

Airplanes

2012-01-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

I love airplanes, so it's surprising I haven't taken many photos of them. For Our World Tuesday, as well as for Tina's PicStory theme of "A" this week, here are a couple of photos from the Wings Over The Rockies museum in Denver. First is a B2 bomber, mounted outside the museum. My ultrawide lens makes it appear much smaller than it is - this is huge!

And here's an overview of some of the planes inside the museum, which basically consists of one large hanger.

One of the unusual things about this museum is that you walk right in among the planes, so you can look right into the engines, bomb bays, and get some great closeups. I've got several more shots from here that I want to post.

Calvi, Corsica

2012-01-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Continuing with my photos from a 1974 trip to the Mediterranean island of Corsica, here's the beautiful harbor of Calvi.

And that's my first Sunday Scans entry of the year - there are plenty more to come!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T16:10:00.000-07:00

A very Happy New Year to all my readers and followers - best wishes for a great 2012. You're the reason I keep writing this blog - I love knowing that people are enjoying my photography.

The photo was taken last July 4th, but seemed right to put up today.

Bellevue's Ferns

2011-12-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

For my last Scenic Sunday entry of the year, here are some photos of ferns taken in Bellevue's Mercer-Slough Park back in May.

I loved the vibrant green of the ferns (not something we see in the dry climate where I live), and the sunlight in the second shot (not something we saw much of when we visited the Seattle and Vancouver area).

Crackling Lightning

2011-12-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I put up a really good lightning shot, so here's one of my favorites from last July.

As is common in my lightning photos, the streaks of light at the bottom of the photo are cars. And of course, it's my Skywatch Friday entry for the week.

Venetian Hotel

2011-12-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

For this week's Our World Tuesday entry, here are a few photos in and around the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas. Notice the construction in the first photo, as there was a lot of building going on when we were there.

And finally a photo from the tram that connects the Mirage to Treasure Island - the photo doesn't really belong in this post but I don't want it to be forgotten.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

Here are wishes for a very Merry Christmas to all my readers!

The photos are of our Christmas tree, taken yesterday evening.

Fox Run Park Lakes

2011-12-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

This week's Scenic Sunday post finds us very close to home, in Fox Run Park, where I regularly walk my dog Socks. It's a series taken back in May around the lakes.

And from the same walk, one of my favorite views of Pikes Peak. You'd hardly believe you're in the middle of Colorado's most populated county!

I will never tire of taking Socks to this park, although with the recent heavy snow it may be several weeks before we go again.

First Day of Winter

2011-12-22T08:00:00.003-07:00

I believe this is the first official day of winter. It certainly looks like it outside - here are some photos I took just a few minutes ago. The first is looking out of our front door.

And this is our driveway - notice the almost covered lights. I measured from 6 inches (15cm) to 12 inches (30cm) of snow over the driveway, depending on where I was.

And it's supposed to snow for several more hours! I'm linking this to the "Snow Parade" on Tina's PicStory blog - what a great idea for a one-time themed meme, so visit it to see more snow-themed photos!

Sky Through Trees

2011-12-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

From a recent walk in Fox Run Park near sunset, I tried this shot through the trees towards the sun filtered through light, high clouds. I'm not sure it's successful but here it is anyway - one of my experiments!

Visit Skywatch Friday to see more sunny and cloudy skies.

Dog Contrast

2011-12-19T07:30:00.001-07:00

This week's theme on Tina's PicStory is contrast, so I took a photo of my black dog Socks against white snow. The only good way I've found to photography him is against a light background, preferably with a shallow depth of field, as I did here.

And he's important part of my family's world, so I'm linking this to Our World Tuesday too!

Calvi, Corsica

2011-12-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

My next set of Sunday Scans will be from a 1974 family to the beautiful island of Corsica in the Mediterranean. Here is a view of the city of Calvi.

Mercer Slough Plants

2011-12-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

With all the plants where I live dormant for the next several months, I'm revisiting our late-spring visit to Bellevue to post some lovely green plants and wildflowers found in the Mercer Slough park. I've posted several shots from here before, all taken on a mostly cloudy visit.

Visit Scenic Sunday for more beautiful vistas from around the world.

One Summer Evening

2011-12-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm going back to July 22 for this week's Skywatch Friday entry, posting a series of photos taken that evening.

The line in the sky in that last shot is a plane, and the light reflecting off the clouds is from distant Denver.

Rocky Mountain Memorial Grove

2011-12-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hiking near where I live in the Monument area I ran across the United States Forest Service's Rocky Mountain region memorial grove.

It was established in 1920 to honor those employees who died in World War I. It has now been expanded to honor all employees and former employees who have passed away. Plaques are mounted on the bronze sculpture to recognize them. And that's my Our World Tuesday post for the week.

Rudesheim

2011-12-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

For this week's Sunday Scans, here's a photo that I think was taken in the beautiful German town of Rudesheim, way back in 1974 when I was a kid, although it may be from another town since my records aren't perfect going back almost 40 years.

That's all from this Germany trip, but I have photos from other trips to Germany that I need to sort through. Next week we're off to the Mediterranean!

Vancouver Hotel Views

2011-12-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

I thought some photos I took from our hotel room in Vancouver back in May would qualify quite nicely for this week's Scenic Sunday post.

I was very pleased with the views from our room, but even more pleased with what we saw when we left the room, some of which I've posted already.

Blue Sky & Trees

2011-12-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

Again I've learned more about one of my photos thanks to my knowledgeable commenters - this time Lesley and snowwhite both recognized Siegfried and Roy, and one of their lions, as the subjects in Monday's statue - thanks for the information. I should have known that myself, especially considering the statue's location!

Here's a photo I took on a recent late-autumn hike for both the Skywatch Friday meme, as well as for Tina's PicStory, whose theme this week is trees. It shows scrub oak in the foreground (more a bush than a tree), which has long-since shed its leaves, as well as some of our common pine trees, and our typical mostly-blue skies.

I was almost lying on the ground to get this angle, I'm sure my little dog Socks wondered what I was doing!

Las Vegas Statue

2011-12-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

For Our World Tuesday this week, here are two photos of a statue on the Strip in Las Vegas. The first is taken during the daytime, the second using the illumination at night (no flash).

I don't have any more details on the statue, but I do have a handful of photos still to post from our April visit to Vegas.

Rudesheim & Grapevines

2011-12-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

In my last Sunday Scans photo we saw a view of the German town of Rudesheim back in 1974. For the first December entry we move a little closer to the town, showing off some of the vineyards for which the town is famous.

Join me next week when we'll visit the town!

Portland's Hawthorne Bridge

2011-12-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

For both the Scenic Sunday and Sunday Bridges memes this week, here are a few photos of the Hawthorne Bridge that crosses the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.

The span I'm standing on in this photo lifts to let ships pass.

It doesn't show very well in this photo, but the counterweights that help lift the bridge are huge! (And these are some of the few blue skies we saw in our week in the Pacific Northwest.)

I like bridges, and can't resist photographing them when I'm nearby.

Triple Lightning

2011-11-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

First, thanks to the commenters on my last post, pointing out that the glass sculpture is by Dale Chihuly - I'm sure they're correct. Dina was the first to notice it, and Sylvia, Sonia, Lesley, Snap, Marilyn also figured it out; it's great what you can learn online.

Now it's time for another Skywatch Friday entry. This time it's a triple-lighting strike from back in July, captured in a 34.5-second exposure looking north from my front yard. The streaks of light in the lower-right are the cars on a state highway.

I do love capturing lightning! With the exception of a couple of thunder-snowstorms, I'll probably have to wait until late in the springtime before we see more thunderstorms, but I've got several shots still to post.

Glass Sculpture

2011-11-28T07:30:00.001-07:00

As I was trying to find a photo to use for this week's theme of "glass" on Tina's PicStory, I realized that this one was perfect, and it's also a very cool part of Our World!

This astounding glass sculpture is suspended above a shopping area, in a building which also houses Microsoft, in Bellevue, Washington. The photo doesn't show the amazing scale of the glass. I wish I could find more information about this sculpture but I'm not having any luck.

USFS Trail 715

2011-11-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

On Monday I posted about the United States Forest Service memorial grove. I found it near this trail, simply called USFS Trail 715. It was overcast most of the hike, as shown by this very ordinary photo.

I tried to find things that might be interesting in the very flat light, such as this long-dead tree.

I imagine a bike rider was very unhappy when he lost his chain!

And finally, some sunshine brightened everything up.

It's not the most beautiful hike in the area, but it's nearby and sometimes that's a good thing. And it's my Scenic Sunday entry for the week.

Reeds

2011-11-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

We have a little water on our property, enough that reeds grow in places (this isn't common where we live). For this week's Skywatch Friday post, here is a lovely Colorado blue sky taken through these reeds, back in the summer.

River of Aspen

2011-11-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

For this week's Tina's PicStory theme of "leafs" as well as my weekly Our World Tuesday post, here's a photo from the middle of October showing a river of bright yellow aspen leaves, taken on a hike above the Palmer Lake Reservoirs.

Of course, these bright colors are long-gone.

Rudesheim, Germany (View)

2011-11-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

For Sunday Scans, here's another old photo from Germany in 1974. This time we're moving to the town of Rüdesheim, on the Rhine. Here's a view from above the town; we'll get closer to the town over the next couple of weeks.

Portland Convention Center

2011-11-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

For this week's Scenic Sunday, here are a couple of photos of Portland's Convention Center, possibly the city's most recognizable building.

Although we spent less than one day there, I thought Portland was an attractive city.

Special Sunrise

2011-11-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

On Friday we had one of those incredible sunrises.

I was putting the laptop in the car to head to work, but I just had to fetch my camera and wait to take some photos of the spectacular skies - I'm lucky that I don't have to be at work at a specific time. I'm sure you'll find some more beautiful sunrises if you head over to Skywatch Friday.

Fashion Center

2011-11-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

The people have spoken, and I'll leave the format of the blog alone! And on that note, here's a new post with a couple of photos. Right on the main Las Vegas strip is a fancy shopping area called the Fashion Center. It looks like something from out of this world.

And that's a small part of Our World this week!

Heidelberg

2011-11-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

From a driving vacation to Germany back in 1974 (I was a kid living in Holland back then), here's a photo of Heidelberg.

And that's my second Sunday Scans entry for the month.

Palmer Reservoirs Trail

2011-11-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Leading up from the town of Palmer Lake is a trail that leads past a couple of reservoirs. I've posted photos from here before, but earlier this summer I tried to find another trail that leads around a mountain between the reservoirs, instead of staying on the wide, crowded main trail. This side trail leads up just to the left of this rocky gully.

There's a real trail, but it isn't always great and has some trees down across it.

Eventually it crosses the stream. I didn't go too much further than this before turning around, so I didn't find my way to the second reservoir. But later in the summer I approached the trail from the other side, and was able to find the whole way around.

Of course, I'll post more photos from that other hike later. In the meantime, visit Scenic Sunday for more scenic shots from around the world.

Daily Photo Blog?

2011-11-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

I'm considering changing my blog from its current format, where I post several related photos in each post, usually three or four times a week, to a daily-photo format, where I'd post one photo every day, probably posting the related photos over the course of several days in a row. But I'd like some feedback from my readers first - do you like the current format, or would you prefer a single, short post every day? If you have a preference, please vote in the poll on the right.

In either case, I'd still post older photos frequently because I don't have time to get out and get photos every day.

Summer Sunset Clouds

2011-11-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm going back to July for this set of Skywatch Friday photos, of some clouds that caught my eye at sunset. These are all taken from my yard - it's nice living almost a mile and a half above sea level, as the clouds seem different up here! (That's over 2 km above sea level for most of the world that uses metric.)

I'll never tire of the unending drama in the skies.

Paris Casino

2011-11-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

The last Las Vegas photo I posted was a nighttime shot of the Paris Casino's replica Eiffel Tower at night. For Our World Tuesday, here are some more photos of that same place, during the daytime.

There is a nice cafe inside where we had a couple of very enjoyable meals. I didn't move anything to set this next shot up, I just liked the way the menu was laid on the table so shot it with a very wide aperture.

Even though I don't gamble, I still enjoy spending an occasional couple of days in Vegas as it's such a unique environment.

Bruges, Belgium (2)

2011-11-05T19:00:00.000-06:00

For November's first Sunday Scans entry, here's another photo from the city of Bruges, Belgium, from the early 1970s.

I wish I could do more to clean up these old prints but I don't have the time or skills to improve them very much. But hopefully you can enjoy them for what they are, a snapshot into the past! I plan to publish them more often from now on, and I've got several from Germany ready to post next.

Mercer Slough Bridge & Canal

2011-11-04T07:30:00.000-06:00

This week's Scenic Sunday post also includes a bridge specially for Sunday Bridges. It's at the Mercer Slough Park in Bellevue, Washington, where a footbridge crosses the canal.

Despite the generally flat skies, the view of the canal was still very pretty.

I still have some more shots of this great park, so if you're enjoying these stay tuned! These shots (including the previous post's) were all taken back in May, so that's why everything's so green. I'm so far behind on posting my summer photos it could still take me months to catch up! But I have to save some for the winter, when I don't get as many good shots.

Mercer Slough Skies

2011-11-02T07:30:00.000-06:00

For this week's Skywatch Friday entry, here are some more shots from Bellevue's Mercer Slough Park that I introduced on Monday. The foliage here was so lush and beautiful, but the skies were rather dull when I was there.

I've still got lots more photos to come from this park.

America the Beautiful Park

2011-10-31T07:30:00.000-06:00

For this week's Our World Tuesday, here's a piece of my town, Colorado Springs - in this case, it's America The Beautiful Park, just outside of downtown. My Town also happens to be the theme of Tina's PicStory meme this week. The park entrance has two large obelisks.

There's a plaque explaining the naming of the park - the song America The Beautiful was inspired by the view from Pikes Peak.

There are views of this Pikes Peak from the park - this was the middle of the summer so there's no snow.

Parts of it are designed to look like the uplifted mountains...

...and the switch-backing trails that cross those mountains.

The most famous part of this park is the fountain, but I've run out of space for this post so you'll have to come back later to see that. But as a bonus, here's a photo of a bush taken yesterday evening in my yard, showing some of the last of the leaves. I'm surprised there are any left this late in the year, after two snowfalls with more on the way this week.

Portland's Waterfront Park

2011-10-28T07:30:00.000-06:00

For this week's Scenic Sunday, here are some photos from Portland's attractive Waterfront Park.

I don't have details on these but all these spots struck me as scenic as I was walking around.

Rainy Lightning

2011-10-26T07:30:00.000-06:00

It's been a few weeks since I've posted a lightning photo, so here's another one, taken through a sheet of rain. As with almost all my lightning shots, this was taken from my yard. If you're interested in how I get my lightning shots, read the end of the post.

And that's my Skywatch Friday entry for the week.

I often get questions on how I get my lightning shots. It has nothing to do with good equipment or timing - here's how you do it.

1. Most importantly, stay safe. Most of the time, the lightning is in the distance for my photos, but a telephoto lens or cropping make it seem much closer. Remember, lightning kills, something we're reminded of literally every year where I live.

2. Live in a place that gets lots of thunderstorms. It's typical for us to get 40 or more days with thunderstorms a year, and a good year can have 60 or more days. Some of these days will have several thunderstorms. Preferably a good view helps - we have views on three sides of our house. This is the most difficult part of the whole process!

3. Timing has nothing to do with it - unless you're superhuman, you can't react quickly enough to lightning to capture it. Once it's flashed and you've reacted, it's already gone. You'll be taking long exposures and hoping for lightning in the capture; the one above was a 20-second exposure. If your camera has a bulb setting (i.e. one that allows you to press the remote once to start the exposure and again to end it, without presetting the length), use this, as you'll usually want to end it after a good flash, and you can't predict how long this will be. I find that using ISO 100 and an aperture within a couple of stops of 8, something between 15 and 60 seconds usually gives me a good result depending on the ambient light and the closeness of the lightning bolt, but you'll have to experiment. This is assuming night-time photography; during the daytime, you'll almost certainly need a neutral density filter to darken the photo and allow you to take long exposures, or lots of luck. (I had both when I captured lightning hitting a nearby tree.)

4. Because you're taking such long exposures you'll need a tripod. Mine is a cheap tripod, but it works fine. If you're on a tripod and your camera works with a cordless remote, that's worth getting - the remote for my old Nikon D40X costs less than eating one meal out with my wife.

5. Take the photos on the highest-quality mode, since you'll be cropping almost all of them. I use the free program GIMP to crop (and also sometimes sharpen them too).

Good luck! And remember the first item, stay safe.

Paris at Night

2011-10-24T07:30:00.000-06:00

Ok, this isn't really Paris. This week's PicStory theme is "gold or silver" and I thought this shot of the Paris Casino's replica Eiffel Tower lit up at night would fit the bill. It's also a part of Our World Tuesday.

Palmer Park Views

2011-10-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I posted some photos of rocks from Palmer Park. Here are some views taken on that same hike, all from a single overlook. You'll have to excuse the photo quality, as I don't have a very good telephoto lens. First is a wide-angle view of the sprawling city and the distant mountains.

Next is a telephoto view of Pikes Peak. This is the mountain in the center-right of the previous photo.

Here's a close-up of the downtown area of Colorado Springs. I know this doesn't look like a big city, but the area is home to 500,000 people.

Mining has created some scars on the mountains, here's one of them.

And finally, this is the Garden of the Gods seen from a distance.

And that's this week's tour of my adopted hometown, posted for Scenic Sunday!

Aspen Skies

2011-10-19T07:30:00.000-06:00

A nearby Saturday hike to the Palmer Lake Reservoirs this past weekend yielded some photos of changing aspens at the lower elevations (around 8,000 feet, or a little over 2,400 m above sea level).

And that's my Skywatch Friday entry for the week. I'll probably save the rest of the fall photos for later in the winter when I'll be wishing for those colors!

Mimmu asked how high the park is where I took those snowy photos last weekend. That park is slightly lower in elevation than our house, which is at 7,500 feet (2,286 meters) above sea level. We're high enough that most sea-level visitors get a little out of breath simply climbing the stairs in our house.

Bellagio (Las Vegas)

2011-10-17T07:30:00.000-06:00

Going back to Las Vegas for this week's Our World Tuesday meme, here are some photos of the impressive Bellagio Hotel and Casino. I think these also qualify for the Watery Wednesday meme.

Normally that huge pool in the front has an impressive choreographed fountain display, but we didn't get to see it this time. Hopefully we'll be in Vegas again and I can get some photos of it then, or maybe I'll dig out some old ones.

Mercer Slough Trail

2011-10-14T17:00:00.000-06:00

For Scenic Sunday, here are some shots of a trail in Bellevue's beautiful Mercer Slough Park. I hope you're not getting tired of my photos from this area yet!

This one makes me think of a trail you might find in the Lord of the Rings.

They even have boardwalks over the swampiest areas!

If you've got some extra time in Bellevue, I recommend spending a morning or afternoon exploring this park.

Snowy Skywatch

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

I have a hard time believing that today is my 4th blogging anniversary, but it's true. Thanks to all my followers and commenters, I love knowing that people are enjoying my photography! For Skywatch Friday, here's one more photo from our snowy weekend - if you want to see more, look at the post from last Sunday evening.

Mercer Sough Reflections

2011-10-11T07:30:00.000-06:00

This week's theme at Tina's PicStory is reflections, which matches the Watery Wednesday meme, so this photo is for both. I thought it a good time to introduce Bellevue's Mercer Slough Park, which I visited when we were in the Seattle area this summer. This large park includes a waterway, swampy areas, and lots of great trails. But first up is a simple reflection taken in the park.

I've got lots more photos to post from this beautiful park which I'll post over the next few weeks.

Snow in the Park

2011-10-09T17:00:00.000-06:00

If you saw my blog yesterday you'll know we had some snow; we ended up with about 7 inches, or almost 18cm of the stuff. In the afternoon the clouds cleared up and we had some blue skies, so I took our 4 wheel drive to our local park for some photos. I was pleased to see that the aspen trees still had some leaves, making for some wonderful color.

This is the same place where I posted last week's photos, and it's my entry of Our World Tuesday.

First Snow

2011-10-08T11:09:00.002-06:00

Here's the view from my deck this morning. I always love that first autumn snow.

Snow isn't unusual at our altitude this time of year. But once the storm moves out, those beautiful blue Colorado skies should return for the whole week!

Under the Lions Gate Bridge

2011-10-07T07:30:00.000-06:00

I'm going back to the Lions Gate Bridge Vancouver for this week's Scenic Sunday, this time viewing it from underneath. Obviously I'll also be linking this to Sunday Bridges.

I like finding unusual views of well-known places!

Sunset

2011-10-05T07:30:00.000-06:00

This week's PicStory meme has as its theme Sunrise or Sunset, so I thought I'd combine it with the Skywatch Friday meme and post a recent sunset photo taken from my back deck.

I do love the sunrises and sunsets we sometimes see here!

Local Fall Color

2011-10-03T07:30:00.001-06:00

I wasn't able to get into the mountains to see the fall color this weekend due to work. But I did get to walk around our local park, so here are a couple of shots from there taken on Friday evening.

And that's my part of Our World this week, and also my post for Watery Wednesday. Thanks to Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, and Sandy for running this fabulous meme!

1970s Bruges

2011-10-01T19:00:00.000-06:00

For this month's Sunday Scans entry, here's an early 1970s photo from Bruges, Belgium.

I can't tell you more than that.

Palmer Park Rocks

2011-09-30T07:30:00.000-06:00

For Scenic Sunday this week, I'm focusing on some rock formations in Palmer Park, one of the many parks in Colorado Springs.

I love looking up at the spires.

I also love the contrasts of color between the rocks, the sky, and the pine trees.

And when the sun hits them, the rocks themselves can come alive with color.

This is a nice place to walk around in the winter as it's relatively low-altitude, at least for this area. In fact, these shots were taken last December.

Forked Lightning

2011-09-28T07:30:00.000-06:00

I can't go too many weeks without posting a lightning shot for Skywatch Friday, so here's one I rather liked.

And there's lots more still to come!

Air Force Football

2011-09-26T07:30:00.000-06:00

I was recently at an Air Force Academy football game.

It's always a fun thing to see, even though I'm not particularly interested in watching sports. There are interesting traditions, such as cadets doing push-ups whenever Air Force scores, one per point. In a game like this where we scored over 30 points, that's a lot of push-ups!

And of course military bands and the like are always a pleasure to watch (and photograph).

And that's part of Our World this week, and all the colors make it my entry for PicStory's "color" theme this week!

Newcastle Beach Trail (Bellevue)

2011-09-23T07:30:00.020-06:00

Last week for Scenic Sunday I left you at Bellevue's Newcastle Beach Park. This week I'm showing you a nature trail next to that beach. It was typical Western Washington, with lots of green vegetation. It ran near the lake for a while.

After a short distance it turned inland among the trees.

It was typical Western Washington, with lots of green vegetation.

If you end up at the beach, this short trail is well worth exploring.

Mammatus Clouds

2011-09-21T07:30:00.000-06:00

Going back to the archives (August of 2004) for this Skywatch Friday photo, here's a shot of some very distinctive mammatus clouds from several years ago, underlit by the sun, taken with a Canon Powershot. I've got lots of interesting shots from that camera, my first digital camera, when I run out of newer photos.

Mirage at Night

2011-09-19T07:30:00.001-06:00

For this week's Our World Tuesday entry, I'm going back to Las Vegas for a couple of night shots taken in front of the Mirage.

I liked the upwards illumination of the palm tree on the sidewalk near where I took the above photo.

Newcastle Beach Park (Bellevue)

2011-09-16T07:30:00.022-06:00

Newcastle Beach park sits on Lake Washington in Bellevue. Since I don't see many beaches in my part of the world, while my family was shopping I took a short visit there and came back with some photos! I liked the trees that lined the path to the beach.

Although the weather wasn't perfect, I loved the large expanse of water. And the solitude, as the place was empty.

And there was real sand!

Next week I'll show you some photos from a short nature trail next to the beach. But until then, visit Scenic Sunday, where I'm sure you can find more beach photos.

Partly Cloudy Sunset

2011-09-14T07:30:00.009-06:00

Here's a Skywatch Friday sunset photo. I liked the colors and patterns in this photo formed by the various types of clouds, taken from the deck on the back of our house,

Vancouver's Olympic Cauldron at Night

2011-09-12T07:30:00.003-06:00

Coming up with a yellow post for this week's PicStory meme, as well as for this week's Our World Tuesday post, I'm returning to Vancouver. This time it's the Olympic Cauldron at night. The lights change color, and as best as I can tell the second shot caught it when it was yellow. (I'm not very good with colors so don't blame me if it's not quite yellow, as I have particular trouble with yellow and green.)

Vancouver's Olympic Cauldron

2011-09-09T07:30:00.012-06:00

Today's Scenic Sunday post highlights some city scenery, this time in Vancouver. The most recent Winter Olympics were held there, and here are a couple of photos of the Olympic Cauldron, in the downtown area by the waterfront.

Stop by on Monday to see this at night, when it's illuminated very nicely.

Air Force Skies

2011-09-07T07:30:00.000-06:00

We went to an Air Force Academy football game on Saturday and I captured this image for Skywatch Friday during the flyover. If you look carefully you can see the flames coming out of the engines!

I've got more photos from the game that I'll post another time.

Dead Tree in Vancouver

2011-09-05T07:30:00.013-06:00

This week's PicStory theme is wood. While exploring Stanley Park in Vancouver one afternoon, I found this dead tree, held up from within by a metal framework, and I thought it would be a good wooden example.

To replace My World Tuesday, which was retired after its founder Klaus Peter passed away, Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, and Sandy have started Our World Tuesday. I intend to be a regular participant here and this is my first post for it.

The Hague Parliament Buildings

2011-09-03T19:00:00.013-06:00

For this month's Sunday Scans meme, here are a couple of old photos from when I was growing up in Holland. These were labeled as being the Parliament Buildings in The Hague.

Visit Sunday Scans on the first Sunday of each month and link up with other scanners!

Bellevue Botanic Garden Trees

2011-09-02T07:30:00.024-06:00

For Scenic Sunday, here's my last post from the Bellevue Botanic Garden, of some trees. Since I was limiting myself to my 50-mm lens for this whole garden (approximately 75mm equivalent in 35mm film terms) I found it quite a challenge to get some worthwhile upwards-looking tree photos. Nevertheless, I liked the deciduous and evergreen combination in this first shot, despite the dull grey (soon to rain) sky.

And I liked the shape of the primary tree in this second shot.

And that's all from the Bellevue Botanic Garden. But there will be more scenic photos next week! Maybe something closer to where I live. And thanks to Clytie for pointing out the giant heart in the first shot, and linking it to Guest Heart Thursday!

More Cloud & Ground Lightning

2011-08-31T07:30:00.001-06:00

In one of our many summer thunderstorms, I got several photos which included close cloud-to-cloud lightning and more distant cloud-to-ground lightning. I posted one of these a few weeks ago, and here's another. (In fact, this one includes two ground strikes, but one of them is rather faint.)

And from a more recent storm where I got several nice shots, here's some lightning flaring across the sky.

It's been a good summer for lightning photos - if you like them stay tuned because I've got lots more. And for more sky-themed photos, visit the awesome Skywatch Friday meme.

Dog Wash

2011-08-29T07:30:00.019-06:00

This week's PicStory theme is animals. And from my perspective what better photo this theme than a photo of my favorite animal, Socks? Here's a photo of him after a shower. This is a rare photo not taken by me, this was taken by my son while I was drying him. (That's me in the background holding him.)

He doesn't like showers, but he loves the blow-dryer. And he knows he gets his favorite treat when it's all done!

Red Rock Canyon Quarry

2011-08-26T07:30:00.013-06:00

For this week's Scenic Sunday post, I'm taking a break from Bellevue and going back to October of last year for some shots of the Red Rock Canyon quarry, taken right around sunrise during an early-morning hike. I started before the sun was up to try to capture that great early morning light.

This is a great off-season hike because it's lower in elevation, so it's generally free of snow, and in town, so it's close.

Grey Waterfront Fountain

2011-08-24T07:30:00.018-06:00

Here's another grey-sky shot from our Seattle trip. This is Waterfront Fountain, in Waterfront Park, in Seattle. For some reason, the F-shape makes me think of Facebook, even though I'm one of the few people on the planet who doesn't use it. And yes, this was taken in the rain, as were many of my Seattle photos this spring.

This is in memory of Klaus Peter, one of the maintainers of the Skywatch Friday meme.

Solar Light Pattern

2011-08-22T07:30:00.013-06:00

This post is dedicated to Klaus Peter, the founder of the awesome My World Tuesday meme, who recently passed from this world. Others are carrying on the meme. Events like this put things into perspective.

One night when I was taking some lightning photos I turned around and noticed the patterns cast by our solar light. I already had my camera and tripod ready, so I shot it and this is what I ended up with.

The tiny white spots are hot (bad) pixels on my old camera, and they're one reason I'd like to replace it. And that's a small part of My World this week.

Theatre of Dionysus

2011-08-20T07:30:00.013-06:00

For Sunday Scans this week, here's the last of my photos from Greece in 1973. This time it's the Theatre of Dionysus. There's so much to see here I'd love to go back again, as an adult with a clue about photography and a decent camera. But I have to admit that I'd be nervous about all the unrest and strikes, and I'm not sure I'd lay out the large amount of money to travel there at this time.

Bellevue Botanic Garden Trail

2011-08-19T07:30:00.008-06:00

Here are a couple more photos from the lovely (and free) Bellevue Botanic Garden, this time some very green shots from the trail. It's very rainy here!

For more scenery, wet and dry, visit the Scenic Sunday meme.