Crystal Ball

This "crystal ball" was hanging

in our front flower bed this last summer.

I loved the way it captured and reflected

all the colors around it.

I then used Photoshop to 

give the photo a stained glass effect.

It worked out well, bringing

so many various colors

that were being captured

by my crystal ball.

Rustic Barn

I love photos of old barns,

as any of you who have spent time looking

through my blog could see by now.

This is a photo that grew on me.

I wasn't thrilled with the results at first,

but over time came to really

love and appreciate

the rustic barn,

the corn field,

and the cloudy sky.

This barn is near Ledges State Park.



Santa's Elf

I was at a community Christmas event

earlier this week and in walked this elf.

I swear he just walked out of Santa's workship.

He was dressed from head to toe

as an elf, including elf shoes, elf ears,

the whole shebang.

I took this picture, which I think

is truly adorable, and I caught his smile.

"You caught me," is all he said

before handing me a candy cane.

It was a nice Christmas event,

and this elf straight from the North Pole

made it even better.

Thanks Mr. Elf.

Cardinal

Part of photography is luck:

being in the right place

at the right time

with the right lighting

under the right conditions.

This was a lucky shot.

Everything listed above fell together

and the cardinal cooperated.

It's one of my favorite photographs

I've ever taken.

It looks very nice matted;

we have the photo hanging in our entryway.

Contact me if you'd like to buy a copy

as it'd make a very nice Christmas gift.

Sunset at High Trestle Trail Bridge

Another, but different, shot of the

High Trestle Trail Bridge. I took this as

the sun was setting and there was

light peeking through the clouds,

reflecting off the water in the

Des Moines River below.

This was taken in July of 2011,

when there was much more water

in the river than what we had

this past summer or currently.

Ledges Steps Early Fall

High Trestle Trail Bridge

High Trestle Trail Bridge

Madrid, Iowa