My year behind the viewfinder, part one

Was a good year personally for photography. Over 30k snaps. Visited a lot of cool places with my wife, with Ken and by myself. Found the right work/play balance and pushed it at every opportunity. Thought I should do a backtrack with some shots that you may have never seen.

Sandhill cranes

Started out in the cold of New Mexico's Bosque del Apache at New Years.

Geese and cranes flying north

 Tooled over to Saguaro National Park near Tucson for a nice sunrise.

Back to Oceanside for a long exposure sunset.

Really can't believe how much I managed to grab.

Had several good outings at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area, where I caught this red shouldered hawk camouflaged in the near barren limbs.

And another buteo skimming the surface.

Wasn't all birds of course. Managed to grab a postcard like sunset at Grandview.

Played around with my portrait lenses too.

Hung a large format portrait show in the Library.

Starless trip to Joshua Tree with Ken and Fred. If you ever go out to shoot with preconceptions, they can never match what manages to come down the pike. The unexpected is what usually delivers the goods.

Marine Corps' Stearmans at Torrey Pines.

Yellowstone and the Tetons. Will never forget the beautiful red fox.

They want to start mining near Yellowstone. With the new administration, who knows? Enjoy the wild while it still exists. Hard to feel optimistic about the future right now at least in terms of maintaining some sense of sanctity in our environment.

to be continued...