The Hop of the Scrub-Jay

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay ( Aphelocoma woodhouseii)

When I am photographing wildlife, It usually feels like I am hunting ... I normally have to find the wildlife.

This Scrub-Jay was different. Yes, we were driving the scenic route in Kolob Canyons. I had pulled over to take a photo of the mountains. Before I opened the door to get out of the car, I looked and saw this beautiful bird hopping around. I photographed him in mid-hop (in the photo above). He proceed to hop even closer to the car. I guess he wanted to be photographed. 

I guess sometimes the bird comes to you.

~ Rick

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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.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

And so it begins, again ...

It was the last day of 2017, and we started the day in a hotel room in St George, Utah. It was fitting that we find ourselves in St George on this day. I had always dreamed of retiring to St George someday. Now I am ‘retired’, but I don’t have any plans to move.  

We left the hotel shortly before sunrise and found our way to Quail Creek Reservoir. I had scoped out the reservoir and state park on the map the previous day, and we wanted to capture the sunrise over the mountains and water. This location had the makings of a great photo.

We drove north for a time, then took the Hurricane exit. Finding this in the dark was no easy feat. I should have used the GPS, but we just drove until we found a dark body of water, and a place to park. We were early, so we waited for over an hour. Sunrise was shortly before 8A. 

The photo above was one of many we took, but the sun remained hidden by the early morning cloud cover. This cool photo was taken by Teresa. 

A new day, a new year ... a new start. Happy New York Year. Make 2018 the best year, ever. 

~ Rick

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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.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

Virgin River Gorge

Some people may look at this photo and see rocks and mountains. I look at this view and see grandure and beauty. Teresa and I drove through the Virgin River Gorge yesterday. Every time I take in this drive, I am overwhelmed by the the size and magnitude of it all. It’s majestic. 

~ Rick

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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

Paradise or Grand Cayman ...

 

I took this photo while Teresa and I were having Dinner, on a beach, while at the Grand Cayman. I think this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. Seven Mile Beach is just amazing, as is the rest of the Island. We even went to Hell and back:). 

~ Rick

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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 sunrise surprise

This sunrise photo is one of my favorites. It was early on a fall morning and I had decided to try to capture a few photos of the sunrise. As I was driving on a narrow country road, I had already taken several beautiful photos, and was about to head home. At that instance, I saw this view out the corner of my eye. I hit the breaks, backed up a few feet, and this is what I saw.   

When you photograph a wedding or take portraits, you need to spend a great deal of time planning. Lighting, posing .. it’s more like conducting an orchestra.

I love the moment when a shot ‘happens’ and the outcomes is a surprise. You see the image with your eyes, then through the camera ... at some point, you feel the shot. The results are not always what you expect. When you are dealing with nature and landscapes, you can’t plan every detail.

That is what excites me about the next few days ... photos to follow soon! 

 ~ Rick

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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