Off shooting birds around Pinedale, which made me think of ice!  Thought you might be interested.  At the peak of the Pinedale glaciation, about 25,000 years ago, the Yellowstone ice cap was 4,000 feet thick over Yellowstone Lake.  Mt. Washburn’s summit, 2,400 feet above Canyon junction, has glacial striations proving that the ice dome flowed from south to north across the top of the Washburn range.  Pinedale glaciers formed the numerous Blacktail plateau moraines, created the giant ripples near Gardiner, carved the ice marginal channel known as Phantom Lake, and deposited the glacial till that accounts for the productive grasslands and wildlife of the Lamar Valley.

Incubating birds, foraging bears, nursing canids, rambunctious bison calves, biscuit-root, sugar-bowls, shooting stars and a minutes-old Elk calf …. spring in Yellowstone is to witness the emergence of life. Just back from a productive and thoroughly enjoyable Custom Tour with Paul and Marie. What did Yellowstone show us? A cow Elk that for over an hour licked and encouraged her newborn to stand. A Coyote with young to nurse carefully carrying a goose egg back to her den. A Grizzly sow with cubs almost as large as her still investing quality time into preparing them to go out on their own. Harlequin Ducks in the whitewater, Sandhill Cranes feasting on worms, Ospreys on towering stick nests, verdant landscapes and snow-capped peaks. I could go on and on and on ..........

Nine frisky pairs of Harlequin Ducks observed on Mother’s Day along the Yellowstone River. Exceptionally strong swimmers whether in raging rapids or heavy surf, Harlequins are a plucky duck. Capable of diving and walking underwater, in Yellowstone they feed on aquatic insects found along fast moving mountain rivers. A beach bum, the male abandons the female once she is incubating the eggs and heads west to hang at the beach with his buddies for the summer. Once fledged, the female leads the young on the long journey to the coast where the family reunites for the winter before making the return jouney to Yellowstone the following Spring.

What better place to be on “Supermoon” weekend than in Yosemite Valley in anticipation of an epic moon-bow across Yosemite Falls. I joined fellow photographers Mark “Z” , Barry “Shrek”, Curt “Merely”, Ron “Elk” and Charlie “Superman” for a superb, round-the-clock photofest. With all the other like-minded photographers queueing up in the afternoon for front row tripod placement, it was almost a combat zone, but all the elbowing and the long wait were worthwhile. Actually, it was much like a regular tailgate with pizza and beer and lots of lawn-chair commentary. Other highlights included Bridal Veil Falls adorned with a vertical rainbow, Half Dome sporting a halo at sunset, blooming dogwoods and double toasted charcoal toast for breakfast.

Help!  What’s Happened??!!! I have compiled a list of the top ten Lightroom questions which I patiently and sweetly answer most often.  Over the next few weeks I will count them down from number ten. Question Number 10:  In Lightroom Library Grid Mode, my Flags, Labels and Star Ratings have disappeared from my filmstrip.  It only shows “Filter: and Filters Off “  How do I get them back?  

Late April and winging my way to Hilo with Tamra and Dale in search of lava, landscapes and tropical flora.  First up, a doors-off helicopter ride above the vast lava fields and macadamia nut orchards.  Whilst the chopper hovered low for photographs, the heat from the steaming lava just below was palpable.  The following afternoon involved a 7-mile trek across the hot and shade-less lava field in pursuit of molten lava flows. The smooth and ropy pahoehoe lava is mesmerizing.  Botanical gardens, black sand beaches, rain forests, volcanoes and the occasional loco moco at Cafe 100 made for a spectacular and fun week photographing on the Big Island.

Three sensational days this Spring in Wyoming at the home of Betty & Ross enjoying the early morning sounds and sights of male Sage Grouse holding court on their traditional display ground, a lek.  Each morning well before sunrise found us on the edges of the lek, snug in our bag blind, long lenses aimed into the darkness.  Headlamps off and the games began – the noise of wings from all directions, some sounding like Harriers, others conjuring up images of the Spruce Goose. 

April 18th, 2012 and I'm really excited!  It's been a lot of hard work by the team helping me and the guys at Digital Waxworks to get this website on-line, but it has all been worth it.  Thanks to everyone involved - you know who you are!  Like all new websites, it is likely to have its glitches in the first few days, and there are still a few images to upload, so please be patient.  I don't yet know quite what will appear in this Blog in the future, but I intend to keep you posted on events in Yellowstone; provide some photography and Lightroom tips; share with you my adventures and things that catch my eye; and anything else that I think might interest you. In the meantime, I hope you find what you are looking for, but if not, please contact me using the Contact Page.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Cindy.