Now there’s a tongue twister. I’m not adding any photos to this blog since I don’t want to detract from this inspired article. Take a moment to enjoy it.
Frank
Uncategorized
29
Apr 10
Springtime in the Rockies
Spring time brings idyllic visions of verdant meadows redolent with wildflowers and butterflies skipping along warm breezes while flutes and harps play in the background. It’s a nice image, but it isn’t springtime in the Rockies. In the high country spring resembles a battlefield between summer and winter with the pounding canon crescendo of the 1812 Overture hammering in the background.
Summer strikes a blow with a sunny 70 degree day. Winter retaliates during the night, sending temperatures plummeting to 20 degrees followed by 6 inches of snow that literally drop kicks summer into next week. That’s what happened last week while I was shooting the pasque flowers. Winter struck back with 8 inches of heavy, wet snow that sat on the flowers like concrete. The early bloomers were mashed flat. The few that found shelter under trees found themselves to be the only available browse for hungry deer.
The beginning of a 70 degree day in the foothills.
It's a good day to be a pasque flower.
Fear not, summer will strike back with its own blast of sunny warmth. Winter is doomed to lose this battle. And the pasque flowers, they’ll also be back. The early bloomers are lost, but those that sprout later will benefit from the moisture provided by the snow that crushed their over-anxious brethren.
This was the next day.
Winter is making another attempt to hold off summer a little longer today. But it is a much weaker effort—only a light dusting of snow that the sun quickly melted during a brief appearance before the clouds closed in again.
The high country is, by its very nature, dramatic. And the changing seasons match the landscape with their own drama. Whether you’re a photographer, artists, poet or just a nature lover, this is a glorious time to be in the high country.
Enjoy
Frank
22
Apr 10
Happy Almost-Belated Earth Day
I have to hang my head in shame. The day is almost over and I had totally forgotten that it is Earth Day. A friend sent me an email gently reminding me of my oversight. (Thanks, Terri). Here is the best excuse I could come up with for my shamefully poor memory.
I was ‘celebrating’ Earth Day because I was too busy actually communing with the earth. I was rolling around on the newly rain-washed earth photographing the earth’s new crop of pasque flowers, not only in spite of, but because of the rain. I wound up with some nice shots of water drops on pasque flowers. Between my excitement over the images I’d created and trying to dry out, I completely forgot it was Earth Day.
My deepest apologies to all of you and especially to Mother Earth. So here is my belated Earth Day to all of you from someone who was really getting down to earth.
Rain-jeweled pasque flower
Enjoy.
Frank
18
Apr 10
Casting a Long Shadow
The blue shadow of Mt. Evans is projected into the sky by the rising sun.
When conditions are just right, you can see more than just fuzzy pink to blue-gray line demarcating the earth’s shadow (see How Big Can A Shadow Be?, April 13, 2010). You need dry, clear air, a tall mountain peak with a lower elevation, clear horizon. This combination of conditions does exist in many places. One of the best places is along Colorado’s Front Range. In this particular photo just west of Denver, the mountain peak is 14,264-ft high Mt. Evans. Twenty five crow-flying-miles directly to the east, the Great Plains wash up against the base of the Front Range at an elevation of less than 6,000 feet.
When the rising sun breaks the much lower eastern horizon, the curvature of the earth actually allows the sun to hit the peak before it hits the lower elevations to the east. The result is that the shadow of Mt. Evans is projected in to the western sky, while Denver, 25 miles to the east on the low-lying plains is still in darkness.
And if you look really, really close, and squint your eyes just right, you might even see my shadow on top Mt. Evans’ shadow way out there in the western sky.
Enjoy
Frank
16
Mar 10
Crane Spectacular
I slipped out of town right behind the snowstorm we had Sunday night heading for the San Luis Valley for one of springs mystic rituals. Mid-march marks the annual migration of the sandhill cranes through the San Luis Valley. Every year the entire Rocky Mountain population of about 20,000 sandhill cranes migrates through the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge en route to their northern breeding grounds. I’ve seen an incredible number of cranes, but I don’t know if I’ve seen all 20,000 since I quit counting at 100.
Sandhill cranes, Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge
These are large birds, 3-4 feet tall with a wingspan of 6 feet. Seeing the sky filled with thousands of these birds reminds me of the flying monkey scene in the Wizard of Oz. They’re literally everywhere. And their tooting call reverberates across the valley, particularly right after sunrise.
Sandhill cranes
If you live in Colorado and have never witnessed the crane migration, you truly are deprived. This mass migration is one of nature’s spectacles that lift the spirit. And it is but a fraction of what it was before the valley was settled. What an indescribable tragedy it would be if it were lost.
The cranes will probably be here for another week or two, then they’re gone until next year.
Enjoy
Frank
15
Feb 10
Valentine Faux Pas
Somebody pointed out to me that posting a frozen, frigid, frosty image on Valentine’s Day was, well…let’s say, insensitive. In my own defense, I can only say that that photo warmed my heart. I was excited about it.
I don’t mean to imply that my heart is so cold that a frozen image is heart warming. Quite the contrary, my heart…
(sigh)I think I’m just digging myself in deeper (head hanging in resignation). I truly hope that everyone had a warm and wonderful Valentine’s Day in every way possible. Even though it’s a day late, please accept this humble offering that I’ve titled “The Hug”. From me to you, a warm Colorado columbine “Hug” for Valentine’s Day.
The Hug
2
Feb 10
Welcome to Frank Weston Images
I’d like to invite you to join me in some interesting discussions, not just about photography, but also about a lot of the great places. Places where you’ve been, whether you’ve photographed them or not, and places you’d like to go.
I will mostly be speaking about the Rocky Mountains because that is the area with which I am most familiar. I cannot help but include some photo tips, since that is what I do.
But I also think it is beneficial to talk about how we can protect our favorite places. Many of our favorite places are disappearing due to population pressures, and recently, due to budget cuts. Arizona has recently closed a large number of their state parks due to budget constraints. While I understand the need to balance the state budget, I’m also appalled that these parks, some of which have great natural and historic significance may be lost. Here in Colorado, so far only one park has been closed and will likely be dropped from the State Park system. And there may very well be others. No doubt, many of you have had some of your favorite places closed or availability curtailled.
Please drop in and share your thoughts on nature, the environment, photography, great places, unique nature experiences, etc.
Frank Weston