In 2009 I was very fortunate to have had some incredible photo opportunities. Selecting my best photos from this past year was much more difficult than choosing my best photos of 2008 and 2007. After taking the time to review the best of the tens of thousands of photos I took this year I narrowed my choices down to the best 50, then best 25 and finally down to these 10 best photos. To view higher resolution versions
The diversity and relative abundance of wildlife here in Northern California is one of the many qualities of this area that attracted me to call this location home. With the thought of “abundance” in mind I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend with family sharing good food and creating lasting memories. Even at this time of year birds have their feasts, rather than being feasted on, as is eviden
The only time California Sea Otters seem to take a break from eating is when they’re resting in a raft. While sea otters will eat independently they will cluster together when they rest. This photo is a perfect example of this behavior. Joining in a raft provides them the ability to groom, sleep and warm their hands in feet. As you finish eating your Thanksgiving dinner this weekend make like the Sea Otters
On a drive through Wyoming I had the great fortune of watching and photographing Pronghorn in a near by field. Much of the Wyoming landscape is fenced off and mostly with barbed wire fences. This photo is a great example how high a healthy buck can jump easily clearing such a partition. Unfortunately I’ve seen some rather gruesome photos of Pronghorn and other migratory species getting caught on such fences and
I’m going to be returning to Yosemite National Park in the next few weeks as part of my coming Yosemite photo tour and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been a while, but the great thing about Yosemite is that it’s a location that offers so much to photograph. As a result it’s one of the most inviting locations for photographers… the valley is always a gracious host to those w
In case you missed it this past week it was reported that the Brown Pelican is being taken off the Endangered Species List. Here in California you might not know they’re endangered, as they’re a relatively common sight flying along the coast. From what I’ve read their population is still of concern in some gulf states. While I’m happy to hear that a species has been making a comeback I’m
Sloths are one of the oddest creatures I’ve encountered, but they always have a smile on their face. While their smile is easy to take note of, if you look closer you’ll find their fur is green from algae and is home to its own ecosystem of insects. This mobile ecosystem develops as sloths move so slowly. In this photo you can see the green in the fur of the adult sloth, but the baby looks quite brown. [t
Working with a long lens you never know what might squeeze into the narrow field of view when photographing masses of animals. I was very lucky on this one morning in Monterey finding these huddling California Sea Lions in a symmetrical pairing as they interacted with each other. Watching sea lions never gets old and I’d imagine the experience of seeing them underwater where they’re far more nimble would