Hey, where did you come from?

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While not the best cardinal photo in my collection, the story is interesting. Earlier this week, I took a morning drive. I was trying to get a good sunrise photo. I was also trying to learn the hunting patterns of our local eagles. After several sunrise photos, and some time watching the eagles nest, I stopped to take a walk along the river.

After a few photos, I was getting cold so I headed back to the car. As I was just about to leave the trail, I looked up, and there he was ... just watching my every move. I had my large lens on the camera which helped me to capture this shot. I kept thinking, pleased stay there for a few more seconds. I was having focus issues with all the tree limbs. Snap ... got it. Even got two of them before he flew off.  

I am always grateful for every one of natures creatures that stops long enough for me to take a photograph. I think the tree makes the shot extra cool. A special moment with nature.  

~ 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.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

Snow happens

Black and White landscape shots of a freshly fallen snow are great. I love the detail in this photo! 

Black and White landscape shots of a freshly fallen snow are great. I love the detail in this photo! 

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The first day of spring was beautiful, but the second day was a little different. After the beautiful sunrise photos I posted earlier this week, this was not what I expected. I think we had about four inches of snow overnight. I took this photo later in the morning. It was not a sunrise, but it was beautiful.

Freshly falling show tends to make everything look new. By this time of year, we are all ready for the snow to stop, the temperatures to start climbing, and natrue to awaking. The reality: this is how nature works. I was looking at a photo from 5 years ago today. Guess what ...  snow. We are at the time of year where we are in transition. The temperatures go up and down, and sometimes, it snows.  

That is not that much different than how life works. We have our ups and downs. We can’t control nature, but we can control our response. Walk outdoors and take a deep breath today. Enjoy what nature has to offer you, and make it the best day you can.  

~ 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.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

Red-bellied Woodpecker

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I really love woodpeckers, and this little guy is so cool. This is a Red-bellied Woodpecker. I guess the red-belly is not very visible in this shot, but it’s there. I not only saw her, I heard the pecking as well. 

This species does not migrate. They are monogamous, and solitary nester. It is certainly a small woodpecker. 

This was the 1st time I haves seen one of these around this area. Later the same day, I saw a nest and a second one, about 3 miles upriver. I’ll capture a shot of that when I go back. Now if spring would just return. 

~ 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.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

The colors of sunrise

I photographed the sunrise yesterday (March 19). While these photos were not taken from the same exact location, it was the same sunrise, over a 20 to 30 minute period. I was trying to find the best spot to photograph the sunrise. Once I was able to review the photos, I was amazed at the color shifts. Any one of these shots would be a great photo to frame, but as a set, they are extra stunning. Enjoy, I did (other than it was darn cold out).  

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I took the 1st two on a country road in the middle of nowhere. I just stopped, and shot them out the window. I captured a bird in the shot above, but focus was not on her. 

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This shot was taken from Garbry Big Woods. I don’t like capturing utility poles / wires in my photos .. drives me crazy. In this case, I wanted to capture the trees. I may do some edits and remove the poles:). 

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Another side road near Big Woods. The sun was out, and the clouds were clearing. Again, the colors are so different. 

 ~ 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.

©2018 Rick Cartwright

A river or a creek?

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Last week I posted a few photos that were taken at Greenville Falls State Nature Preserve. There is a lot more to this preserve than I previously knew about. I’m hoping to get back this week and explore. This is one of my favorite photos from the overlook. This is Greenville Creek .. It sure looked like more than a creek in this photo. If I took this photo in September, you would understand the naming.

Have a great week! 

~ 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.

©2018 Rick Cartwright