A very big tree

American Sycamore Tree

American Sycamore Tree

I really prefer most trees when they have their foliage: when they are fully dressed in green. There is one exception - the American Sycamore Tree. I have always loved the look of the sycamore when they are fully visible, without foliage. 

The Sycamore grows to be very large, not just tall, but big! The following is from Wikipedia

A sycamore can grow to massive proportions, typically reaching up to 30 to 40 m (98 to 131 ft) high and 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft) in diameter when grown in deep soils. The largest of the species have been measured to 51 m (167 ft), and nearly 4 m (13 ft) in diameter. Larger specimens were recorded in historical times. In 1744, a Shenandoah Valley settler named Joseph Hampton and two sons lived for most of the year in a hollow sycamore in what is now Clarke County, Virginia near the junction of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, George Washington recorded in his journal a sycamore measuring 13.67 m (44 ft 10 in) in circumference at 91 cm (3 ft) from the ground..

They also stand out visually as the bark flakes off and leaves patches of white, gray and brown. A very cool look!  They are very common in Ohio. 

By the way, I love the ladder that is leaning against the lower branch in the photo. It appears to be the place of a future swing. Picture this: a rope, some wood .. and a child. Perfection! 


Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2017 Rick Cartwright

Never forget ...

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I took this photo yesterday afternoon: Veterans Day 2017. I am so thankful for the men and women that serve our nation. Freedom is so fragile. I am free to take photos like this, and to write my thoughts and share them openly because of the men and women that have served or currently serve our nation. Let us honor those that ‘put it all on the line’ for freedom. Many paid the ultimate sacrifice. Let us never forget! 

~ Rick


Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2017 Rick Cartwright

It’s not how far you travel ...

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You don’t have to travel far to capture nature’s beauty. I took this while on a short walk in Piqua. I was standing at Lock 9 park, looking out over the Great Miami River. It was sunrise, and the water was perfectly still, giving way to a reflection of the sun and clouds. A special moment. You really don’t have to travel to exotic or far away places to experience nature at it’s best. 

~ Rick


Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.

©2017 Rick Cartwright

A second spring?

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus 

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus 

I took this picture while hiking last Saturday. The light cloud cover and beautiful blue sky combine with the red, yellow and greens to make this such a beautiful scene. Photos like this take my mind back to a time when things were less complex and not as busy. It’s good to just take a few minutes each day to relax, breath and see the beauty around us.

My recommendation: Unplug for a few minutes, and take a walk outdoors. Perhaps you can go to a local park, or a nature preserve. Find a place where you can soak in the beauty and let your mind go.  Enjoy nature, the cooler weather, and most of all, the second spring!  

 ~ Rick


Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab. 

Just take the picture ..

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We took a car ride and then a long walk yesterday. Fall colors are gaining momentum, but it’s moving slow. Teresa took the photo above, and I took the other shot. We took these on North Rangeline Road, north of route 36 and west of Covington, Ohio. I’m sure we looked funny, stoping the car and trying to frame a good shot.

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When you are trying to photograph animals, you don’t always have time to setup the perfect picture. Prior to taking these photos, while we were walking, we saw this beautiful male cardinal. Perhaps the largest one I have seen. He was  gorgeous. We tried for a long time to get a picture of him. He was not going to let that happen, so we moved on.

While taking pictures of these horses, I caught myself saying to Teresa, “Take the shot, we can fix it in post.” Driving home, then early this morning, I came back to these words. Sometime we find ourselves waiting for the ‘perfect’ time to make a change, or to take some action. We ‘waited’ and didn’t get any shots of the cardinal. Teresa took the shot and while we didn’t get a perfect picture, but we did get a meaniful, beautiful picture of the horse. There is value in patience, but sometimes you need to ‘take the shot’ and move on. 

Something to think about.

~ Rick


Prints are available for many of the photos on this site on canvas, metal or glass. They are stunning and you can purchase them for a wall at home. Click the link or the ‘prints and such’ tab.