Tulips and Raindrops

Quickly becoming a series of its own, here is another tulip shot for your enjoyment. It rained again today, and I'm just hooked on these tulip/rain photographs.

A town about forty-five minutes from my house has hundreds, if not thousands, of tulips that pop up each year. I'm considering driving out there tomorrow morning - you know, since this blog has so few tulip shots.

This one on Etsy.

Stormy Homestead

Quickly becoming a series, I love this scene. This barn is on my favorite "scenic route" on the way home from work. Any time the light strikes me as particulary interesting, or if I'm just in the mood to try to capture a great photograph despite the light, this is the way I go. Tonight, I was drawn in by the thunderstorms.

So, does it make me a coward that I was continually looking from one window to the next for funnel clouds? I swear I was going to try to get a few shots before speeding away.

On second thought, maybe that makes me an idiot. So be it.

Hey, go check out my Etsy shop, why dontcha?! This photograph is there, along with one other from the Homestead series.

Good Morning, Kansas

My favorite of my photographs, I just love this one.

Last August we had a couple days in a row where the light was hazy in a few places on my drive to work. As I often do, I spent a good deal of time thinking through what I should do to capture this fantastic light.

On this particular morning, I was smart enough to leave the house a bit early, so when I got to this spot, I was able to hop out of the car and snap a few shots before getting back to work.

This was one of those situations when I got the shot I had in mind - doesn't always happen that way, to be sure.

Buy this one for your wall at my Etsy shop!

Tulip Detail

A companion shot to the tulips posted a couple days back, I thought it might be nice to take one of the shots I got that day and really focus in on the water droplets. This has a very spring-like feel to me. Calm, peaceful, gentle rain.

I love spring.

Available on Etsy.

Dead End

This is the kind of scene I would miss if I moved out of the midwest. I love driving down gravel roads and searching for rustic views, images that look like they could have been taken years and years ago. This fence has seen its better days, but it is still being used.

What's down the road?

Available on Etsy.

Lone Horse

Before I shot the dandelion, this was "the shot" from my portfolio. I took this one a number of years ago, when I went for a drive early one morning after a fresh snowfall. I had my trusty film camera with me (this was way before I had even heard of digital cameras) and I shot up a roll of black and white film.

I found this horse alone in an enormous field, and he was kind enough to model for me for a few minutes. I have always enjoyed the geometry of this shot. One of the cardinal rules my mother taught me when I was learning to shoot was never to put things in the middle, the whole rule of thirds thing. So it brought me great pleasure to have a shot that so blatantly broke that rule but still worked.

Currently the only old film shot available in my Etsy shop.

Tulips

Tulips after a warm spring rain. It's wonderful to be married to a person who loves plants.

Hey, have you checked out my Etsy shop yet? This photograph is there, along with many of its closest friends.

Magnolia

Alright, so I think this is a Magnolia tree. I should have asked Heather before posting, but I just have no patience for that sort of thing.

I took about a bazillion shots of this tree last night, located on the campus of Kansas State University. I got a number of "Um, I think you're supposed to stay off the grass" looks. The results weren't exactly what I was looking for, which so often happens, but I do like this one.

At Etsy.

Pear Blossoms

Spring is fantastic. I had the pleasure of spending an hour or two today photographing some of the wonderful flowering trees that have exploded with color over the past few days. This is from a tree on the campus of the school where I teach.

Order this photograph on Etsy.

The Circle of Life

Another shot from the archives.

Last summer I got to be somewhat addicted to taking pictures of dandelions (see below). Late in the summer, this fantastic plant called Goat's Beard appeared. I had never noticed this plant before - never even heard of it - but I'm told it's around every year. In any event, they're basically *huge* dandelions.

So one day I had the idea to try to capture "dandelion" seeds flying through the air. I grabbed my camera, went outside, and proceeded to repeatedly throw Goat's Beard seeds into the air while clicking away with my trusty little camera. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, but I really like this shot.

Not too shocking - available in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for reading.

New Leaf

Spring is without question my favorite time of the year. Each winter, despite the fact that I know the plants are only dormant and not actually dead, I miss the green. Our house is surrounded by gorgeous plants, because Heather has a green thumb, so spring is always very colorful.

This photograph is of our stunning quince (I am told). I find the "baby" leaf inspiring. It's nice to know that all of the plants are about to explode with new leaves. Green will return to the prairie.

Warning: to those who might venture to photograph a quince, be aware that they contain thorns. I always forget.

If you would like to have this photograph for yourself, it is available as an 8x10 print in my Etsy shop.

Sunset / Dandelion

My iconic image. My avatar. The dandelion.

Currently available as a print in 20x30, 8x10, 5x7, and 4x6 - also as a notecard and an ACEO (the sellable, highly collectable, perfectly addicting version of Artist Trading Cards). Also considering offering a magnet.

Heather almost had a picture of me taking this picture. If I recall correctly, she was making fun of me a little bit. That happens around our house from time to time. Something about a grown man holding a camera inches away from a dandelion that struck a funny bone.

If you have the time and the inclination, come take a look at what I have to offer at my Etsy shop - lots of cool stuff - and it can be on your wall! Yes, really!