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On the Appalachain Trail, near Tyro, VA, November 2017

This buck was hiding in the trees about 80 yards across the canal from me. Not sure how long it watching me before I looked up and saw him there.

© Ray Skwire

 

As I have the last several days, I've been heading to Camden each night for sunset to redo a particular shot that I got about a year ago. After yesterday's rain, it was kind of a priority to get out today because the window for this shot is almost closed. However, if you hadn't noticed today, there were really interesting clouds and rain shafts all over the place today with lots of structure and precipitation. So when I was pulling up at the waterfront and saw an incredible rain shaft just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge, I thought about chasing it, then decided against it, and then quickly changed my mind once more. Now, I've already posted a shot of this from later on in this chase and I will likely post some more of it finally moving away from me, but I actually fired off a bunch of shots of this while cruising because I knew there was a good chance that I simply would not be able to catch up with this and that with the sun starting to wind down, this was going to start falling apart. So, I'm glad that I did shoot out the window because this actually turned out well. I had to adjust the level and crop in because it was pretty cockeyed, and I did enhance the structure some because it was soft (shooting it at 20mm from farther away than it appears), but I can guarantee that's actually exactly how it looked - large swirling wisps of rain, mammatus, significant turbulence, and amazing structure. What a thing of beauty!

A piece of my stomping grounds.

© Ray Skwire

 

Out in southern New Jersey for a series of cells that moved through in the evening and during the overnight.

Perched on the rough bark of a decaying tree, this striking Dryad's Saddle (Cerioporus squamosus) stands as a small, elegant guardian of the autumn woods. Its broad, mottled cap, patterned with concentric scales of rich brown, catches the subdued forest light. The thick, creamy pore surface underneath contrasts sharply with the textured trunk it emerges from, a silent testament to the natural cycle of decay and renewal unfolding in the quiet, damp undergrowth.

Life is a journey up a spiral staircase; as we grow older we cover the ground covered we have covered before, only higher up; as we look down the winding stair below us we measure our progress by the number of places where we were but no longer are. The journey is both repetitious and progressive; we go both round and upward.

William Butler Yeats

© Ray Skwire

 

A better view of yesterday's line of storms producing a pretty mean looking front edge as it moved from Wilmington, DE across the Delaware River into Pennsgrove, NJ. This system produced magnificent mammatus out ahead of the approaching cell (just visible in the upper left), strong wind, heavy downpours, and frequent lightning. Later, as it moved through the area and lost most of its strength, a large and vivid rainbow appeared before a muted sunset cast tones of blue and magenta onto the higher levels of clouds.

© Ray Skwire

 

South Jersey Sunset

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As I was making my way towards the Wharton State forest fire on my way home last night, I got lucky enough to catch the sun sinking down over the smoke filled pinelands, which was both a beautiful and eerie site.

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I think this is a Paper Wasp nest. The "thread" is a very thin part of a Madrone branch. I didn't see any activity. Maybe they are hibernating??

An infrared shot of a foot path through daisies and tall grass using the converted Sony NEX-5.

Appreciating the little things on Thursday's walk in the park.

As the year draws to a close and the light begins to fade, this tenacious seed head stands tall, a relic of summer's bloom. Its once-vibrant flower has transformed into a spiky, defensive sphere, silhouetted against a sky painted in soft, cool hues of blue and rose. It is a portrait of resilience, a tiny, defiant orb holding its secrets and seeds high against the vast, shifting canvas of a late-autumn evening. It waits patiently for the wind to carry its legacy forward.

© Ray Skwire

 

An early morning storm brings some much desired structure and action to Philadelphia

I went on a quick drive into the Wasatch Mountains following a storm. The clouds were incredible; and then the sun shot out and highlighted the mountains and made the moment magical.

 

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Nikon D810 ISO160 ƒ/11 1/4000sec 160mm

© Ray Skwire

 

An early morning storm brings some much desired structure and action to Philadelphia

Inclement weather leads to interesting photography.

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. ~Theodore Roosevelt

 

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Vail Valley/ White River National Forest

In the rugged heart of the Lake District, the ancient stone wall of Kirkstone Pass stands as a silent sentinel, guiding the winding road up towards the misty heights. On a day veiled in soft, ethereal cloud, the world is muted to a palette of mossy greens and stoic greys. The road curves sharply, promising further ascent into the mountains, which rise in a series of sweeping, desolate flanks. A lone, wind-battered tree clings to the rise across the wall, a testament to the persistent wildness of this landscape. The sheer scale and raw beauty of the fells, wrapped in a cool Cumbrian mist, evoke a sense of profound solitude—a place where history, weather, and rock meet in a timeless embrace.

We took the 5R1East Slope *classic* Class 1 route to reach the summit of Quandary Peak on this perfect September day. From the TH at 10,940' we hiked west up the hillside. After crossing some old roads, our trail reached the east ridge near treeline at 11,700 feet. from there our trail allowed us to hike up a consistent grade for a mile or so to where the ridge angle moderates at 13,100 feet. we continued on west to the summit slope following a rougher trail which stayed near the south edge of a small, scouped east face untill we freached the summit ridge at 14,200 feet. Of all the 14ers my wife, son and I have climbed, the weather on this hikeday was perfect.

© Ray Skwire

 

As Above, So Below

A forest just above the fog line in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, Passwang.

Second in a series. I went on a quick drive into the Wasatch Mountains following a storm. The clouds were incredible; and then the sun shot out and highlighted the mountains and made the moment magical.

 

wp.me/P7JpRt-of

 

Nikon D810 ISO160 ƒ/11 1/250sec 70mm

Snow and ice are creeping into our altitude. White River National Forest will soon transform into its wintery beauty and this area will be inaccessible to all but snowmobilers. One thick snow and they’ll likely close these gates until late spring.

..winter without snow..

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