Everyday Wonders
Destination Sunset
Something that I most enjoy about photography is finding beauty in industrial scenes. The freight train carries oil, corn, and soy through my small town in Iowa several times a day. This boca effect was captured naturally. I love the way the sun gleams off the rails, and disappears into the distance, like a promise.
industrial photographyfun with trainstrain tracks into the distanceIowa railroadstrain photographysunset
Throat of an Iris
This macro treatment of a blue bearded iris shimmers in the sun, both because its petals are naturally iridescent, and because the photo was taken after a gentle spring rainstorm.
Bloom at the Zoo
I snapped a photo of this delightful pink and cream bloom at the zoo. I love the colors of the beautiful spring blossom.
white and pink flowermacro flower photowhite flowerspink and cream bloomsspring flowers
Goslings on the Mississippi
These baby Canada geese were swimming in the Mississippi River one spring day near East Moline, Illinois. If you look closely you can see their webbed feet underwater. It was the perfect water droplets on their downy feathers and the incredible color contrast that drew me to snap this photo.
Baby geesegoslingsCanada geeseWild geeseEast Moline wildlifenature photographyanimal photographybirds
Budding Peonies
I love the pleasant round shape of the peonies, just before they bloom. They make a compact and interesting photo subject.
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Pretty Pink Peony
An overcast sky intensified the colors in this beautiful peony, a flower that is almost prettier than a rose, in my humble opinion. A little bit of Lightroom love helped, too.
macro flower photoblooming peonypink flowermacro photographybotanical
Outdoor Air Conditioning
My son decided to stay cool by stepping in front of this giant, man-sized spray mister at the local zoo on a hot summer day. The hazy summer light shining through the mist makes this an everyday wonder.
Staying cool at the zooOutdoor misterConcept photographyEveryday wonders
Surprise, Arizona: A Sense of Scale
Monsoon season in Arizona is always a magical time for photography. This is possibly my all-time favorite image because of the way it captures the awesome openness of the Western sky that inspired painters like Maynard Dixon. Notice the trees at the bottom of this picture. They are each about 20-30 feet tall.
ArizonaArizona cloudsArizona monsoonArizona sunsetdate palmslandscapeSurpriseSurprise Arizona landscape photography
Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
We saw this Peanuts-themed jack-o-lantern glowing at the Halloween Parade in Nauvoo, Illinois, just days before the 2016 election.
HalloweenNauvooIllinoiscute jackolanternHalloween paradeCharlie Brown and SnoopyjackolanternSnoopy jackolantern
Milkweed Prismatic
The interesting fall coloring of the rushes provide a colorful backdrop to these milkweed plants near my rural Iowa home.
autumnfall colorIowa plantsmilkweed plantsnature photographyeveryday wonder
Popping the Question
The brilliance of my friend's diamond almost, and there, I said it--almost, outshines these beautiful orange and yellow blooms. They added a bit of colorful drama to my friend's engagement shoot. I think it would have been a delightful way to pop the question.
engagement ring in flowerswedding ringdiamond ring in blooming flowersdiamond ring in bouquetPopping the questionwedding photographyromance
Iowa Prairie Grass
I couldn't resist the golden tips of this prairie grass growing in Iowa. The sun was setting and every little detail was glowing in the evening light, one summer day.
WalcottWalking Pathprairie grassbeautiful botanical photosIowabotanical photographygrassluminance
Fishing With Dad
I saw this father and son fishing on a mid-morning walk last Spring. The boy seemed mesmerized by the flock of Canadian geese swimming on the water.
father and son fishingfather with toddler boyfishing at the lakeSpring in IowaCanadian geese fishingfishing at lake
Children at the Aquarium
This large freshwater aquarium was open at the top, allowing me to take a picture from the vantage point of the turtle looking at the children from the inside.
children at the aquariumaquarium animalsturtle in the tanklooking from the inside outpoint of viewconcept photographychildrenmuseumsMississipi River AquariumDubuque
Train Tracks at Sunset
The hazy summer sunset turns the tracks in this photo into a line of gleaming, molten metal. I love the contrast with the industrial gears and metal components on the train car. The journey looks exciting.
Gas Station Magic
What is more magical than the glowing reds and whites of my small-town gas station, silhouetted against this small lake. It gleams like the Vegas strip and looks so pretty. Small wonders in small town Iowa.
symmetry photographywater reflectionsnature meets industryIowaWalcottCasey'ssmall town Iowa
Brilliant Blue and White Iris in Bloom
At my house we call irises "flags". We have a collection of iris in our front yard. And for about 2 weeks every spring, they flaunt their flowery stuff, ruffles, beard, and all.
Blue bearded irisirisbotanical photographyiowa garden photographyspringtime flowers
Winter Sunset in Rural Iowa
This photo was captured in late February as a dramatic sunset was turning into a promised lunar eclipse. The clouds and the road seem to meet at the same point in the distance. The blues in this image capture the cold of early spring in Iowa, but the setting sun hints at warmer days to come.
Snow Leopard Swimming
I love, love, love the way this beautiful snow leopard's eyes match the cool washed-out aqua of the water she is swimming in.
snow leopard at the zooleopard swimmingbig cat swimmingwhite and black catexotic catanimal photography
With This Ring I Thee Wed
My friend's engagement ring looked stunning against the soft natural beauty of fresh cut flowers.
Engagement ring in flowersengagement ring photodiamond ringring with pink flowersring with mauve flowersWedding photographywedding ringmacro photography
Purple Succulent From My Garden
The little hens and chicks plants that grow in my garden remind me of the huge agaves that grow in the Sonoran Desert where we used to live. I love the beautifully symetrical rosette-like quality of these plants that have recently become such a popular decorator phenomenon. I can say "I knew you when."
hens and chicks plantsucculent garden plantsmacro photography of succulent plantIowa garden photographybotanical
Those Whiskers
My daughter is obsessed with jaguars, leopards, and all manner of spotted big cats. I love this guy's whiskers and his beautiful big blue eyes.
Put a Bird On It
We were visiting the town of MacGregor, Iowa, nestled on the Mississippi next to towering, tree-covered bluffs. This huge, Texas-sized flag was flapping in the breeze. After I snapped the photo and took a look at home, I saw the shape of a bird, probably a bald eagle, in the background. I later learned that eagles are commonly known to nest in the area. It was poetic.
American flagStars and stripesOld gloryJuly 4thPatrioticWaving flagFlag with eagle soaring in background
Gazebo at Dusk
The periwinkle and golden ivory hues in the sky show the last light from the setting sun as the trees and other plants become shadows. I enjoy taking photos at dusk when the changing light and dramatic shadows change from moment to moment.
WalcottIowaPrairie View ParkGazebo at DuskReflectionsSymmetry
What is It?
This unusual seedpod was growing in a ditch near my home in rural Iowa. I'm not sure what plant this is, but I can stop looking at it. It is one of my favorite everyday wonders.
What is itSeed podAutumnPlants in the fallIowa nature photos
Milkweed in Autumn
These milkweed plants were ready to lose their seeds in the last cool days of autumn. Photo taken in rural Iowa.
milkweedAutumnFall plantsbotanical photographyIowa nature photography
Boy Meets Yorkie Part II
When my friend's toy yorkie stuck her tongue out at him, he said "Hey, you're not supposed to do that!"
children with petsyorkshire terrierschildren with small dogs
Swallowtail Butterfly Feeding
One summer afternoon I walked along the Mississippi River looking for the perfect view of the amazing white water lilies near Nauvoo, Illinois. I found this lovely swallowtail butterfly feeding on these unusual flowers growing next to the MIssissippi river. If you know what these plants are called, please leave me a comment!
swallowtail butterflymacro photography butterfliesinsectsmariposaNorth American ButterfliesprobiscusMississippi RiverNauvooIllinoisBeautiful NauvooGreat River Roadnature photographyRiver sceneSunsetSlough of Mississippi River with water lilies
Iowa Reflections
The sweet light of sunset can make the most mundane items, like this park bench at Prairie View Park in small-town Walcott, Iowa, look magical bathed in afternoon light. In February, when the light takes a vacation and the world turns an oppressive, dreary gray, I look at this photo taken at the height of summer and remember that the sun will shine again.
Walking Pathpark benchsummer lightWalcott IowaIowa park bench
