Another title for this blog post could be 'back to cool'. Shooting with weather in the 70s is always nice. Being with good friends adds to the 'cool factor'. Getting a photograph of an osprey with a fish, secure in its talons . . . well now that is really cool!

The fish is being carried parallel to the osprey's body.  I assume it is carried that way to minimize wind resistance. — The fish is being carried parallel to the osprey's body. I assume it is carried that way to minimize wind resistance.

This trip had us looking up, looking down and looking across. We arrived about midday and the light was terrible. But overcast skies can be great for flowers. And here are a lot of wildflowers up on the Rim.

We stopped at two lakes. Bear Canyon Lake is a 12 mile dirt road off of the Rim Road. I love it because it is quiet, peaceful, almost no people and the trees come right down to the water. The sky was overcast. The lack of a beach makes setting up a good composition a bit more challenging. We stopped at Woods Canyon Lake next and by then the sky had become filled with late monsoon clouds. Beach, people and boats make for more interesting compositions.

There are three nice viewpoints along the Rim Road. During the week there is usually plenty of parking spaces. You can actually hike along a very nice trail between the three points. We arrived in late afternoon and managed to get in just a few minutes of gold between the clouds.

We keep going back. Each time it is different. We started by turning into the road going to the Fish Hatchery, below the actual road, We shot wildflowers along the road and what we think is called Tonto Creek Waterfall. Then we drove up to the rim road where we took in some of the vista points before parking at Canyon Woods Lake for our picnic. The weather was perfect. The clouds photogenic.

In infrared processed in Silver FX Pro 2.

I cannot describe how happy and excited Doreen was to got so close to a pair of elk.  The encounter made her day. — I cannot describe how happy and excited Doreen was to got so close to a pair of elk. The encounter made her day.

Finally, there is always the trip home.  On this occasion we stopped several time.  There were great storm clouds to the north and the early golden light was illuminating the hillside. — Finally, there is always the trip home. On this occasion we stopped several time. There were great storm clouds to the north and the early golden light was illuminating the hillside.

I am always grateful to have great friends to go with me on photo trips. Doreen's exuberance for the ordinary and Kati and Doreen's gratitude for the miracle of creation we are privileged to capture . . . what a really great day!!

Rim Country

Along the Mogollon Rim

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