Today is the first in a series entitled "The Story Behind the Photo ".
Burrowing owls can make a network of holes in a large swath of land. They are not always active during the day certainly not out of there burrows waiting for a person to take there picture. You also have no idea what burrow they could be in. So I have gone and spent several hours with not a owl in sight. This day I waited in my bird blind aka Tiny the Sprinter van and selected 1 of 45 + holes with my camera and long lens set up on my bean bag in the driver's side window. Had my drink and some snacks. I was far enough away with my long lens for it to not be affected by my stake out. About an hour later I saw a head just peeking out of the hole. Game on! Another 45 minutes half the body could be seen. A short time later full body out. My heart was pumping and my excitement was off the charts. You could tell it was surveying every angle checking for predators. The head would rotate up, down, left, right and behind. Challenge was in all of this head movement capture a photo looking forward. Done! Time elapsed 30 minutes.
Now to wait and see what happens next. Does it fly off or better yet does it have a mate waiting to come out? About 90 minutes went by and he moves over and I see another head just starting to peek out. Oh my I thought. Now the biggest challenge was hoping that in all the head moving of both owls I might hit the jackpot and get both looking forward at the same time. It was like dropping quarters in a slot machine. It took patience and time but eventually it happened. Total time frame for the final photo approximately 4 hours.
Loved every minute of the experience.
New Photo Gallery Design
On the main page there is a main gallery photo that now links to several photo galleries in that subject category.
Example: Main photo for Utah Parks will include links to Canyonlands National park, Arches National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Dead Horse State park, Monument Valley, Goblin Valley State Park and Bryce Canyon.
International Dark Sky Week
INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK
International Dark Sky Week is a week long celebration of the night. This year, IDA is encouraging people around the world to come together online to celebrate the night and engage with authors, creators, scientists, and educators whose works have been vital to the movement to protect the night from light pollution.
Learn About Owls at my Pinterest Page
You will find information about Great Horned Owls, Burrowing Owls, Western Screech Owl, Barn Owls, Northern Pygmy Owls and the Eurasian Eagle owl.
https://www.pinterest.com/francescascalpi/learn-about-owls/
Virtual Sale via PayPal Invoice - 25% Metal Prints 40% off Photo Prints
I sell my work through art shows, museum events and local galleries. Because of the Covid-19 epidemic all of my shows are cancelled. Art galleries and museums are closed.
I will be selling my work virtually and offering you a 40% discount on photo prints and 25% off metal prints. I will pay the drop shipping charges. I will only sell my work through PayPal invoice. I do not accept checks, money orders, Western Union, Bank Checks or cash.
Select a photo from my website and email me at fscalpi@gmail.com the image, format and size and shipping address. I will email you a secure PayPal invoice where you can pay via credit card. You do not need a PayPal account. I will send you the tracking number from the printer.
METALLIC PHOTO PRINT ONLY NO MAT, SHIPPING
8X12 $40 - $24
11X14 $60 - $36
12X18 $85 - $51
16X20 $135 - $81
16x24 $140.00 - $84
METAL PRINTS, SHIPPING & FLOAT FRAME
10X20 $120 - $84
12X18 $175 - $130
11X14 $110 - $82
8X12 $80 - $60
8X10 $75 - $56
METAL PRINTS, SHIPPING & INSET FRAME
16X24 $300 - $225
16X20 $300 - $225
Sunrise at Dead Horse Point State Park in Moab, Utah
Dead Horse Point SP
From the prominence of Dead Horse Point, 2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River, where vertical cliffs meet with canyons carved by ice, water, and wind.
Sunrise at Marlboro Point, Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah
Marlboro Point is located in Big Flat, an area between Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky). I hired a photography guide Dan Norris to take us out to this point for a sunrise photo. You not only needed a high clearance vehicle but someone skilled enough not to get stuck.
As the sun started to rise in the east it cast a glow on the beautiful red rocks below. The sky that morning was devoid of clouds but had a dusty glow.
For more photographs check out my photo gallery of Canyonlands National Park.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Located in central Death Valley near Stovepipe Wells. Although the highest dune rises only about 100 feet, the dunes actually cover a vast area. This dune field includes three types of dunes: crescent, linear, and star shaped. Polygon-cracked clay of an ancient lakebed forms the floor. Mesquite trees have created large hummocks that provide stable habitats for wildlife.
Zabriskie Point and a Women in an Orange Dress
During my travels through the Southwest last fall I found it difficult to photograph many popular site do to crowds of people. On this occasion at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley I took advantage of the crowds and framed this photo. The women had a beautiful orange dress with dark flowing hair. It added the right splash of color in a desert scenery of browns.
Congressman Don Clausen Fish Hatchery
I had fun visiting The Congressman Don Clausen Fish Hatchery by Lake Sonoma. You can observe the operation of the hatchery and see displays which describe the life cycle of the coho salmon, steelhead and chinook. The hatchery was built to replace and enhance salmon and steelhead spawning grounds.
3288 Skaggs Springs Road, Geyserville CA, 95441
A TEETERING GIANT
Balanced Rock, one of the most iconic features in the park, stands a staggering 128 feet (39m) tall. While this formation may appear to be an epic balancing act, it’s actually not balanced at all. The slick rock boulder of Entrada Sandstone sits attached to its eroding pedestal of Dewey Bridge mudstone. The exposure of these two rock strata layers are ideal for the formation of arches and balanced rocks.
Balanced Rock defies gravity but this won’t always be the case. Eventually, the 3,600 ton (over 4 million kg) boulder will come tumbling down as the erosional process continues to shape the landscape. In the winter of 1975-76, Balanced Rock’s smaller sibling “Chip-Off-the-Old-Block” collapsed, proving that there is no better time than the present to see this awe-inspiring giant.
PHOTO: During sunset a storm started to roll into Arches National Park. It was painting the landscape with colors indicative of a Maxwell Parrish painting. While this may look like a over processed photo it is not. The clouds were low and the sun had just started to set to the right of the image. Colors from gold to blue and pink colored the red rock and added a unique hue to the clouds. The magic hour delivered and 30 minutes afterwards the heavens let lose with a down pour with lightening in the distance.
Drop Shipped:
16x24 metal print with insert frame. $300 includes shipping in the lower 48 states.
(3/4" Inset Frames: Inset Frames are recessed from the edges of the print, so the print appears to float away from the wall when hung. In silver, with your choice of a French Cleat or Wire Hanger.)
12x18 metal print with float mount. $180 includes shipping in the lower 48 states.
(Float Mount Hangers are attached to the back of the print, and float the print 1/2-inch off the wall when hung. )
Payment: PayPal Invoice Only
Keeler Ghost Town?
Keeler is practically a ghost town. Many of the buildings are falling apart, the lake it sits on is dry, the mines the town was built to support have been played out, there is about fifty people live in the town. We visited this place on our way out of Death Valley into the High Sierras.
