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Polar Vortex

I found myself in Chicago last week just as the “Polar Vortex” was on it’s way out. Mind you it was still well below freezing but to the folks that made it through the worst it seemed downright balmy. On Saturday I managed to walk around and captured this of the lakefront. There was so much ice everywhere it was a little bit stressful as I tried not to slip into the lake while standing on the ice covered concrete wall. I promise never to complain about the chilly whether in Florida where I live, …promise.

I found myself in Chicago last week just as the

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San Juan Street Party

One of many things that impressed me about the old town section of San Juan was how much the residents like to hang out and shoot the breeze. This was one of many such gatherings I noticed as I walked through the cobblestone streets on a Saturday afternoon. Old world charm and sense of community is tangible here. As I shot this an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens came barreling down the street towards me so I stepped out of the way. As it passed I realized it was a actually a van advertising a fruity rum drink. OMG, only in San Juan!

One of many things that impressed me about the old town section of San Juan was how much the residents like to hang out and shoot the breeze. This was one of many such gatherings I noticed as I walked through the cobblestone streets on a Saturday afternoon. Old world charm and sense of community is tangible here. As I shot this an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens came barreling down the street towards me so I stepped out of the way. As it passed I realized it was a actually a van advertising a fruity rum drink. Only in San Juan!

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Banff National Park

This is a rock face that rises about a mile out of Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park. I was in awe at the size and mass as this towered over me. Years ago I used to rock climb and so when I see something like this I instinctively start planning an imaginary route. My camera has a full frame sensor and the resolution of this is such that I can zoom in on my screen to work out the details of the route. It’s always good to have one or two alternates in case the climb turns up something I didn’t expect. In any case, (still) in my mind I’m now on the summit munching a chocolate bar and enjoying the view before I head back down.

This is a rock face that rises about a mile out of Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park. I was in awe at the size and mass as this towered over me. Years ago I used to rock climb and so when I see something like this I instinctively start planning an imaginary route. My camera has a full frame sensor and the resolution of this is such that I can zoom in on my screen to work out the details of the route. It's always good to have one or two alternates in case the climb turns up something I didn't expect. In any case, (still) in my mind I'm now on the summit munching a chocolate bar and enjoying the view before I head back down.

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Robinson Preserve Dusk

Robinson Preserve is in Bradenton Florida and serves as a sanctuary for all manner of migratory birds and waterfowl, not to mention eagles, osprey and all manner of critters. I like taking photos at dusk however the park closes at 6:00pm this time of year and they insist you get out. That gives me about 20 minutes after sunset to get my butt out of the park, which at over 600 acres is easier said than done when on foot. So I strap on my camera, lenses and tripod, ride my bike to a spot, shoot a scene (like this), quickly ride back, throw everything in the back of the minivan and drive out just as the electric gates are closing. I’m a little crazy, I know. Also, the critters know very well when it’s closing time because as I ride back to my car I hear them all coming out and scampering about their evening routines. I get the sense that as soon as the last human leaves it’s one big critter party until the first light of day. Just one more thing I’ll never really know for sure.

This is a view of Robinson Preserve at dusk. Robinson Preserve is in Bradenton Florida and serves as a sanctuary for all manner of migratory birds and waterfowl, not to mention eagles, osprey and all manner of critters. I like taking photos at dusk however the park closes at 6:00pm this time of year and they insist you get out. That gives me about 20 minutes after sunset to get my butt out of the park, which at over 600 acres is easier said than done when on foot. So I strap on my camera, lenses and tripod, ride my bike to a spot, shoot a scene (like this), quickly ride back, throw everything in the back of the minivan and drive out just as the electric gates are closing. I'm a little crazy, I know. Also, the critters know very well when it's closing time because as I ride back to my car I hear them all coming out and scampering about their evening routines. I get the sense that as soon as the last human leaves it's one big critter party until the first light of day. Just one more thing I'll never really know for sure.

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Palmetto Pier at Night

This is the Palmetto Fishing Pier. It’s actually an old bridge that crosses the Manatee River but now only goes halfway. Not only is it a good place to fish, it’s a fun place to visit as it goes out about a half mile or more from the north shore. In the evening you have the lights of two towns on either side as it’s filled with joggers and walkers. This is another one of my favorite places to walk my two little four leggeds as they sniff every little thing the whole length of the pier.

This is the Palmetto Fishing Pier. It's actually an old bridge that crosses the Manatee River but now only goes halfway. Not only is it a good place to fish, it's a fun place to visit as it goes out about a half mile or more from the north shore. In the evening you have the lights of two towns on either side as it's filled with joggers and walkers out for some exercise. This is another one of my favorite places to walk my two little four leggeds as they sniff every little thing the whole length of the pier.

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Manatee River Sunrise

The Manatee River is not very long as rivers go, about 36 miles and serves mainly as a water shed. It runs into the Gulf of Mexico and so near where I live in Manatee County it’s not uncommon to see dolphins or manatees swimming by. At this point the river is about a mile wide and as far as I know it’s not that deep. A few of my neighbors that own boats are very cautious to avoid the bottom as they head out to the Gulf of Mexico. One neighbor used breadcrumbs in his GPS unit and engages autopilot as the boat drives itself out. Pretty soon I suppose we’ll be doing that with the Google cars, which leaves us more time to concentrate on texting while the car drives itself.

The Manatee River is not very long as rivers go, about 36 miles and serves mainly as a water shed. It runs into the Gulf of Mexico and so near where I live in Manatee County it's not uncommon to see dolphins or manatees swimming by. At this point the river is about a mile wide and as far as I know it's not that deep. A few of my neighbors that own boats are very cautious to avoid the bottom as they head out to the Gulf of Mexico. One neighbor used breadcrumbs in his GPS unit and engages autopilot as the boat drives itself out. Pretty soon I suppose we'll be doing that with the Google cars, which leaves us more time to concentrate on texting while the car drives itself.

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Sunrise on Deck

On the last day of our journey aboard the Jewel of the Seas I got up before sunrise to capture a few pictures around the ship. This is the top deck and running track which overlooks the pool area. In a couple of hours this would be full of folks catching some rays or enjoying water volleyball. But in the tranquility of the morning the sun rose behind a layer of clouds and cast these rays that I was lucky enough to capture. The cruise season is in full swing now and I suspect the economies of many Caribbean ports of call are doing quite well right about now.

On the last day of our journey aboard the Jewel of the Seas I got up before sunrise to capture a few pictures around the ship. This is the top deck and running track which overlooks the pool area. In a couple of hours this would be full of folks catching some rays or enjoying water volleyball. But in the tranquility of the morning the sun rose behind a layer of clouds and cast these rays that I was lucky enough to capture. The cruise season is in full swing now and I suspect the economies of many Caribbean ports of call are doing quite well right about now.

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Pink Mullet Dusk

This is one of those shots that I took with my iPhone while hiking through the mangroves near my home. This is Terra Ceia Bay which is full of Mullet and at dusk they begin a feeding frenzy and start jumping all over the place. If you look at the full resolution, you’ll see rings where mullet just jumped creating a cacophony of splashes as they grab every last mosquito. One of my favorite spots.

This is one of those shots that I took with my iPhone while hiking through the mangroves near my home. This is Terra Ceia Bay which is full of Mullet and at dusk they begin a feeding frenzy and start jumping all over the place. If you look at the full resolution, you'll see rings where mullet just jumped creating a cacophony of splashes as they grab every last mosquito. No wonder this is one of my favorite spots.

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Fishing Pier

This is one of the many fishing piers at Emerson Point State Park in Palmetto Florida. The water is crystal clear so it’s common to see the fish swim by. In any case, I’m no fisherman and so living here in Florida I’m like a fish out of water. Bad pun, I know. I’m one of the three people in Florida that doesn’t fish. Kinda like Facebook, until last year I wasn’t on Facebook, that changed however and now the only thing left for me to do is get a fishing pole. Ain’t gonna happen.

This is one of the many fishing piers at Emerson Point State Park in Palmetto Florida. The water is crystal clear so it's common to see the fish swim by. In any case, I'm no fisherman and so living here in Florida I'm like a fish out of water. Bad pun, I know. I'm one of the three people in Florida that doesn't fish. Kinda like Facebook, until last year I wasn't on Facebook, that changed however and now the only thing left for me to do is get a fishing pole. Ain't gonna happen.

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Harbour Sunrise

I captured this one morning in Vancouver at the start of a working day. The small boat at the lower left of the frame is a ferry that holds three hundred people, so it’s much larger than it appears. These ferries run across the harbor between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver. As a visitor to the city I recommend it as a great way to see the skyline from the water for just a few bucks. For the daily commuters it’s convenient, reliable and on time. However after about thirty trips most riders don’t even look up from their smart phones. But I’m from a small town so I’m always looking out the window at the cityscape, at least the first twenty-nine times. After that, same old same old.

I captured this one morning in Vancouver at the start of a working day. The small boat at the lower left of the frame is a ferry that holds three hundred people, so it's much larger than it appears. These ferries run across the harbor between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver. As a visitor to the city I recommend it as a great way to see the skyline from the water for just a few bucks. For the daily commuters it's convenient, reliable and on time. However after about thirty trips most riders don't even look up from their smart phones. But I'm from a small town so I'm always looking out the window at the cityscape, at least the first twenty-nine times. After that, same old same old.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.