Grand Canyon Through a Grand Lens

In preparation for our upcoming African safari, I rented a couple of super-telephoto lenses for the weekend and headed up to the Grand Canyon.  Granted, the HUGE Grand Canyon wasn't necessarily the best place to try out the Canon 100-400mm, but the Sigma 50-500 was "amazeballs"!!  Again, not that I really needed the 500mm's for the Grand Canyon, but I was lucky to see a peregrine falcon, some elk, and an osprey (that we first thought was an eagle) where I was able to push it to it's limits!

This was my 3rd visit to the Grand Canyon and I feel as if I can never quite capture the true beauty of it.  The colors and the massiveness of it just do not convey.  I hope you enjoy the photos, but do yourself a favor...if you haven't been, go see this natural wonder of the world!

This was actually along the way to the Grand Canyon at a lookout stop

Little Colorado River

First view of the Grand Canyon

Love the clouds

The next few photos are of the Watchtower (there is a DMB cover song called All Along the Watchtower...just sayin')

Partial wall adjacent to the Watchtower

Looking up at the structure by architect and designer, Mary Colter

The Grand Canyon and the Watchtower

Taken at another outlook, you can still see the Watchtower in the distance

 

Using my Sigma 50-500 to capture a peregrine falcon perched inside the Canyon

Falcon looking back at us

You can see the Colorado River snaking through the canyon

A little squirrel came to say hello, Lisa Sandbo!

All the reds...so beautiful

At another lookout point

See the man on the ledge?!  And the river visible between the rock formations

In person, this was one of the most beautiful views I have seen of the Grand Canyon

Peaks and valleys

 

Bored of these yet?

Okay then, last one.  :0)

And then we saw the female elk...which to me, looked like a horse

Hungry girls!

And then, on the ride home, Eric somehow spots this nest high up in the tree on the side of the road.

And I get to put my Sigma lens to it's best test yet!

Now, at the time we thought this was an eagle...

But after Googling, we are 99% sure it's an osprey

She started singing

And then looked me right in the eye!  Great ending to a great day!

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." ~Albert Einstein 

Ranch at Fossil Creek

We took a little road trip this weekend to Pine and Strawberry and made an obligatory stop at the Ranch of Fossil Creek...best...goat cheese...ever!

Actual RAIN drops!

We made a pit stop along the way to let Cy play in the water

 

Playing fetch

A man and his dog

We arrived at the Ranch to a cute little trumpet player!

There was a purse making class going on...pretty cool!

 

Alpaca wool purse

 

Goat milk lotions and soaps

 

Homemade jellies and pickled veggies

 

Goat milk fudge - coworkers...you'll have some of this tomorrow!

Farm

I had some posers!

Cute crooked teeth!

Llama!

Hungry boy!

 

 

"My goats are not contemplative, accepting, or introspective.  They are the Greek chorus of my farm, sometimes of my life.  They watch me closely and remind me that I am foolish."  ~Jon Katz

 

 

 

Photography Class

I recently took a 6 week photography class that allowed for a couple of excursions around Phoenix.  We first did a trip to Arizona Falls.  If you haven't visited, it's an historic site dating back to the late 1800's that SRP has updated as part of their renewable energy program.  It sits on the canal so you can ride your bike and stop to take in the beautiful waterfalls.

Arizona Falls with Camelback Mountain in the background

Moss covered rocks

Sunset through the waterfall

Moonlight on the water

Another excursion was to the Phoenix Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix near the campus of ASU.  You may recognize it by the sculpture that I call the tornado.  It's actually called 'Her Secret is Patience' by artist Janet Echelman.

The sculpture just before dusk

Playing with lines

LED light columns

Light reflecting in the glass

The sculpture consists of multicolored fiber nets suspended up to 145 feet in the air

Some people call it the jellyfish or the vagina.  !!

Art over the city of Phoenix

New Phoenix bike rentals

Really cool urban art on the walk back to class

Overall it was a fun class that I got to enjoy with a great friend.  We learned some new things, freshened up on some old things,  and got some fun photos!

 
"There is only you and your camera.  The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are."  ~ Ernst Haas

"Photography shows others the way I see the beauty of my world, in a way I could never express in words."  ~Brittany Wright