Autumn Fire

With Fall in the throws of color, and me with little time on his hands. Here's a picture for Friday. Have a great weekend.

Nikon D800 Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 @ 48mm f/5.6 ISO 100 1/320 sec

Peaceful

It’s that moment that unchains the mind, body and spirit. For some, its reclining on the beach. For others, it’s immersion in a good novel. For others, its the quiet of their home after the din of the day has faded away. We all plow through our hectic days yearning for respite, feeling the aches and pains of daily existence etch away at our bones. Everyone needs a little solace, a place, or time, or state of being that relaxes the world’s grip on our lives. The holidays are fast approaching, dragging their obligations, expenses, and hurried commotion along with them. Savor the fleeting moments of peace. Tuck them away. Hide them close by. Remember them in the impending rush, for after the mania subsides peace will return.

Nikon D4 Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 110mm f/9 ISO 400 3 image HDR

Beauty?

It’s a real thrill to be hiking along a trail, when the forest you’ve been trudging through for the last two hours opens up to a spectacular view. Turning a corner and having your mouth gape open in awe over the scene that presents itself in front of you is a memorable experience. Does it matter whether it was planned or natural? Is the beauty diminished by the creation? Someone designed the foliage in the picture below. It’s in the middle of an office park. The trees were obviously planted at approximately the same time, they are all reasonably the same height and girth. The grounds are manicured and maintained. The colors liven up the drive. It’s a pretty sight. If I came across it walking in the woods I would assume someone created it, things don’t usually spring up like this. I suppose it’s much the same question about a beautiful woman. Does she need make up, lipstick and eyeliner to be beautiful? Of course not, but if she is beautiful with them does that imply that she is less without them? Or just different? Is a sunset beautiful beneath a barren sky, above an arid foreground? Or is there beauty in all things? I’ll keep searching.

NIkon D800 Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 140mm f/8 ISO 100  

#TravelTuesday Sedona, AZ

My wife texted me the other morning informing me that it was colder in Sedona, Arizona than it was here in Pennsylvania. A smile widened across my face. Not because I dislike the people of Arizona, but because it was evident that our time in Sedona was just as precious to her, as it was to me. We’ve been there twice, and it’s on my list of places I could retire to someday. The people are friendly and they’re enlightened as to how precious their surroundings are. It’s the kind of place where you can really feel the Earth’s majesty. Miraculous views are abundant and ever changing. It’s a place to appreciate how small we are and how astounding nature can be. The picture is from a balloon ride we took on our second visit. Breathtaking. We'll be going back.

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Nikon D4 Sigma 70-200mmf/2.8 @150mm f/8 ISO250 1/200 sec