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Lone Tree at Elk Lake

I have this list in the back of my mind when I'm out taking photos. One of the things on it is any kind of lone tree. Of course I see lovely trees all the time but rarely alone. I was just about to leave Elk Lake near Victoria BC when I turned around and noticed this tree, ...alone! Needless to say I was a little excited. To get this I had to walk around a bit to get just the right composition, but in the end I was please with the result. Truth be told there are other trees just off camera, but from where I was standing this tree had the whole picture to itself. If trees have feeling, then this one should be a little proud.

I have this list in the back of my mind when I’m out taking photos. One of the things on it is any kind of lone tree. Of course I see lovely trees all the time but rarely alone. I was just about to leave Elk Lake near Victoria BC when I turned around and noticed this tree, …alone! Needless to say I was a little excited. To get this I had to walk around a bit to get just the right composition, but in the end I was please with the result. Truth be told there are other trees just off camera, but from where I was standing this tree had the whole picture to itself. If trees have feeling, then this one should be a little proud.

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Skippers Canyon Ridgeline

While in New Zealand I was with a group that hiked down Skippers Canyon road not far from Queenstown. When we started in the morning it was chilly but by the time we hiked back the layers were peeled off as the sun rose above the mountains. This ridgeline was opposite the road we traveled and from this vantage I could begin to get a sense of the scale. Just behind this ridge was an extreme mountain bike trail and while I didn't see anyone on it, I could tell that on a scale of one to ten it was an eleven. The only thing more exhilarating might be bungee jumping which by the way was available at the bottom of the trail. And if that wasn't enough you could finish the day with a raft ride down some class three rapids. Lets just say Kiwis know how to have a good time.

While in New Zealand I was with a group that hiked down Skippers Canyon road not far from Queenstown. When we started in the morning it was chilly but by the time we hiked back the layers were peeled off as the sun rose above the mountains. This ridgeline was opposite the road we traveled and from this vantage I could begin to get a sense of the scale. Just behind this ridge was an extreme mountain bike trail and while I didn’t see anyone on it, I could tell that on a scale of one to ten it was an eleven. The only thing more exhilarating might be bungee jumping which by the way was available at the bottom of the trail. And if that wasn’t enough you could finish the day with a raft ride down some class three rapids. Lets just say Kiwis know how to have a good time.

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Fort DeSoto Lifeguard Stand

This is another shot from the northern tip of Fort DeSoto Park in St Petersburg Florida. For me sunset is the best time to be at the beach, yet usually there are only a few people left. That's just fine because you feel you have the whole place to yourself. And then finally when all the colors fade, the last stragglers walk back to their cars and leave, knowing the best was saved for last.

This is another shot from the northern tip of Fort DeSoto Park in St Petersburg Florida. For me sunset is the best time to be at the beach, yet usually there are only a few people left. That’s just fine because you feel you have the whole place to yourself. And then finally when all the colors fade, the last stragglers walk back to their cars and leave, knowing the best was saved for last.

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Kennedy Lake

When you drive through the mountains to the west coast of Vancouver Island you pass Kennedy Lake. There's not a lot of places to stop here and from what I understand the lake is mostly used for hunting and fishing. What caught my eye midday was how calm the water water was. I just had to pullover to capture this scene. I think that's kind of theme with me, must be some meaning in there somewhere.

When you drive through the mountains to the west coast of Vancouver Island you pass Kennedy Lake. There’s not a lot of places to stop here and from what I understand the lake is mostly used for hunting and fishing. What caught my eye midday was how calm the water water was. I just had to pullover to capture this scene. I think that’s kind of theme with me, must be some meaning in there somewhere.

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Sunshine Skyway Bridge

All ships coming into Tampa Bay pass under this bridge. Knowing that, when they built it about thirty years ago they made it fairly tall at about 130 meters. Now it turns out it's not tall enough for the new mega ships which has planners scratching their collective heads. One idea would be to take the bridge down and build a tunnel under the bay. I don't think that will ever happen but that's just me, you never know. Once I took a cruise out of Tampa and stood on the top deck as we passed with what looked like only a few feet of clearance. And that ship was small as compared to the

All ships coming into Tampa Bay pass under this bridge. Knowing that, when they built it about thirty years ago they made it fairly tall at about 130 meters. Now it turns out it’s not tall enough for the new mega ships which has planners scratching their collective heads. One idea would be to take the bridge down and build a tunnel under the bay. I don’t think that will ever happen but that’s just me, you never know. Once I took a cruise out of Tampa and stood on the top deck as we passed with what looked like only a few feet of clearance. And that ship was small as compared to the “mega” ships. Boggles the mind.

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Little Skimmer Boys

I took this a week or two back at Bean Point which is at the very tip of Anna Maria Island. It's a remote spot that feels about as tropical as you can get in the lower forty-eight. When I head out here I never know how the light will look so there's a lot of luck involved. When I was about five minutes from here I saw a big funnel cloud in the overhead cloud layer and when I finally got here a crowd was watching the last remnants of the waterspout. These boys refused to call it a day with their skimboards, waterspout or not, they were squeezing every last moment out of the end of this most awesome day.

I took this a week or two back at Bean Point which is at the very tip of Anna Maria Island. It’s a remote spot that feels about as tropical as you can get in the lower forty-eight. When I head out here I never know how the light will look so there’s a lot of luck involved. When I was about five minutes from here I saw a big funnel cloud in the overhead cloud layer and when I finally got here a crowd was watching the last remnants of the waterspout. These boys refused to call it a day with their skimboards, waterspout or not, they were squeezing every last moment out of the end of this most awesome day.

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Tofino Ice House

Tofino is cool little town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes, it's a haven for artists, surfers and people like me just getting away from it all. Some of the residents are commercial fishermen and I imagine that not too long ago packed the fish in ice from this ice house. Now its a local eating establishment and a cool place to watch the boats and seaplanes as they travel in and out of the small harbour.

Tofino is cool little town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes, it’s a haven for artists, surfers and people like me just getting away from it all. Some of the residents are commercial fishermen and I imagine that not too long ago packed the fish in ice from this ice house. Now its a local eating establishment and a cool place to watch the boats and seaplanes as they travel in and out of the small harbour.

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Emerson Canopy

From a little park known as Emerson Point which has trails through the canopy of trees draped with Spanish Moss. About 10 minutes later the sun would set and the canopy became much darker. I usually linger to watch the sunset on the water over to the left and then walk back through these trees to my car. During the day and weekends there are a lot of visitors, but I typically come here at dusk and have the whole place to myself. If I ever get lost in the canopy on my way out, you'll know where to find me.

From a little park known as Emerson Point which has trails through the canopy of trees draped with Spanish Moss. About 10 minutes later the sun would set and the canopy became much darker. I usually linger to watch the sunset on the water over to the left and then walk back through these trees to my car. During the day and weekends there are a lot of visitors, but I typically come here at dusk and have the whole place to myself. If I ever get lost in the canopy on my way out, you’ll know where to find me.

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Still Water

I woke up early to capture this while the water was still calm and the fog was deciding how long it might linger. Ever notice how when you first wake up it feels a little like this? In art, photographs or whatever we try to take meaning and sometimes look for metaphors. I think I do that. Reflections, mist, space, calm. I wish I could take this feeling with me during the day. Maybe I can, just a little bit.

I woke up early to capture this while the water was still calm and the fog was deciding how long it might linger. Ever notice how when you first wake up it feels a little like this? In art, photographs or whatever we try to take meaning and sometimes look for metaphors. I think I do that. Reflections, mist, space, calm. I wish I could take this feeling with me during the day. Maybe I can, just a little bit.

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Ucluelet Lighthouse

While here I visited the lighthouse several times looking for different angles and light, but my most memorable time was the first day. The locals call the month after July

While here I visited the lighthouse several times looking for different angles and light, but my most memorable time was the first day. The locals call the month after July “Fogust” and for good reason. It could be clear and within thirty minutes everything is blanketed and then maybe an hour later it goes away, thus the lighthouse. So there I was climbing on the rocks just past the “do not climb on rocks” sign and the fog started to roll in. I’m fifty meters in front of the lighthouse contemplating the beautiful mist when out of nowhere the automated fog horn sounds. Those horns can be heard for miles, and possibly a few of the swear words I uttered in response as I grabbed on to a rock to keep from falling over. Yup, that’s me, stoo-pid tourist.

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