cactus – Page 4

Head on a Swivel

Normally I set up the tripod at the edge of the trail but to frame the owl between the arms of the nearby saguaro I had to be smack dab in the middle. I kept my head on a swivel, not so much for riders coming uphill as they’re usually huffing and puffing pretty good at this point, but for riders coming downhill where gravity is their friend. The owl did the same as it had two young charges nearby, mostly it was looking away from me, perhaps keeping an eye out for the family of hawks that live in the distance. Luckily for me I had the trail to myself and had plenty of time to wait for it to swivel its head back into view.

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 12, 2024

Megaflora

Two old giants keeping me company on my favorite trail.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-70 f/4
🗓️: August 7, 2022

The Living & The Dead

A cactus wren perches on the carcass of a dead saguaro while behind it an old giant still reaches for the heavens.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 7, 2024

Desert Shadows

A different take on a favored scene, deliberately adding my shadow to the desert’s own. I can’t remember if Bear’s shadow mixed in with mine or if his was too short even for this wide view, but I loved hiking this trail with him this past winter and spring.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 13, 2024

Coming Down the Mountain

A quick snap of a favored view as Bear and I were on our way back to the trailhead, surrounded by saguaros and wildflowers with mountains in the distance. I had been back at work for a couple of months and missed our daily hikes, but these days I’d settle for even weekend walks as I haven’t been able to get up early enough on my days off to beat the heat. We did go swimming yesterday for two hours lest you feel too sorry for us.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 13, 2024

Damp Defenses

One of the many nice things about my leave of absence this winter is that if we got a gentle rain I could step outside and soak it in, instead of driving home in it or even worse coming out at the end of the work day and seeing it had rained while I was trapped in the bowels of the building.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 105mm macro
🗓️: January 7, 2024

The Royal Court

This cactus only blooms at night so you have to be quick to try and catch them before they close up for the day.

📷: Nikon Z fc | Nikon 105mm Macro
🗓️: August 28, 2022

Same Spirit, Different View

Whether walking Ellie in our old Portland neighborhood or hiking with Bear in the desert, I value quality but compact and light camera gear so I can keep my focus on our time together rather than photography. I love the mementos of these treasured times, even if you don’t see Ellie or Bear in the picture, I do. If the spirit behind why I take pictures hasn’t changed, the view certainly has.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 7, 2024

A Balanced Rock But Not The Balanced Rock

I love this little scene near Granite Mountain, Bear and I have passed it a number of times on our hikes.

📷: Nikon Z 7II | Nikon 24-200
🗓️: April 7, 2024

The Joy of the Familiar

While I enjoy scenic views my favorite part of hiking is seeing animals and plants, so I love visiting trails over and over and over and over and seeing friends both new and familiar. On this occasion a Scott’s oriole singing atop the flower buds of a saguaro, I had seen it in the area on previous hikes. Nothing exotic about the location, I’m standing on the path between the parking lot and the trailhead structure. But what beauty there was to be seen!

📷: Sony A6700 | Sony 100-400mm | Sony 1.4X
🗓️: May 29, 2024