Mackinac Island It can be a cold endeavor standing still in the dark Mackinac Island is a small island near the bridge that takes you from Northern Michigan to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is a very dark place, especially in the winter when I took this photograph. There are challenges with shooting photos at night […]
Adirondack State Park The few faint lights on the bottom are campsite lights along the water’s edge When you think of New York you don’t think of a dark place good for shooting astrophotography. However, Adirondack State Park in remote northern New York is an excellent place for shooting the stars. I took this photograph along […]
Acadia National Park You can see a shooting star in the top center When you live up north, summer is the best time of year to shoot the stars. The nighttime temperatures are bearable, and your camera batteries don’t cold-crash. I took this photo in Acadia National Park in Maine last summer while camping. If you look closely, […]
Spotted Scorpionfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern You can generally get very close because this fish trusts its camouflage Scorpionfish are masters of camouflage. They have numerous cirri covering their body (mainly head). Cirri are the fleshy appendages that are used for sensing and camouflage. This scorpionfish is facing to the right. The red eye in the top […]
Porkfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern With the proper exposure and lighting, a photograph can reveal interesting details Porkfish is a funny name for a fish, especially for a fish that humans generally don’t eat. Porkfish are a member of the grunt family. Like other grunts, porkfish can grind their teeth to make a pig-like grunting […]
Bandtail Searobin – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern With the proper exposure and lighting, a photograph can reveal interesting details This month we are highlighting “close up” photography, also referred to as “macro” photography. This is my favorite type of photography when it comes to shooting underwater. I enjoy this because as a diver you often can’t […]
Silvery Checkerspot Caterpillar – Butterflies and Moths of North America Silvery checkerspot caterpillars are typically black with yellow lines and spots This family of caterpillars (Nymphalidae) are known for their branched spines. If you look at the silvery checkerspot caterpillar from above, these spiked spines are easier to see. Silvery checkerspot caterpillars are typically black with yellow […]
Yellowstone National Park [Opal Pool] can eject water up to 70 feet in the air! This lesser-known hot spring in the Midway Geyser Basin is called Opal Pool. This hot spring sits at roughly 132 degrees Fahrenheit. It is classified as a fountain geyser. Although its eruptions are rare and random Opal Pool is still considered active. Typically, the […]
Black-Tailed Deer – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern I was hiking Kestner Homestead Trailhead when I came across this black-tailed deer You have probably heard of white-tailed deer, but did you know there is a black-tailed deer? These deer are found in the coastal areas of western North America. I saw this black-tailed deer in the Olympic […]
Sawfly Larvae – More Info These groups of eggs are referred to as pods or rafts What is a sawfly? Sawflies are a wasp-like creature. However, this photograph shows sawfly larvae, which is the worm-like stage of this animal. This is what a sawfly looks like after hatching from an egg, but before metamorphosis transforms this caterpillar-looking creature into […]