"Bell of Mushrooms"...

"Bell of Mushrooms"

When it rains in the summer, mushrooms abound. This one caught my attention with the wonderful, muted colors.

Photo # DSCF3790asq.
(c) Kelly Shipp

White-tailed fawn...

 White-tailed fawn enjoying a peaceful summer day.

Central Arkansas.
Photo # K05_3480sqbwsg.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

"Brothers", Study 1...

Here's one of multiple sequences of photographing these brothers sharing an afternoon grazing.
This is one of my favorites of the time spent with them so far.

White-tailed deer in a forest, central Arkansas.
Photo # K05_3262sqbwbs.
(c) Kelly Shipp
 

 

"Siblings"...

 "Siblings"

This is another from a series I've been working on. Hope you enjoy.

Photo # 0621_P1030069.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Special Moments"...

Occasionally, one is able to experience a moment in nature and you have one second to capture it. This was one of those special moments. I only have this one frame where the fawn greets her mother. The mother has twins, the other fawn was out of frame.

Near Conway, Arkansas.
Photo #K05_2894cbwsq2b.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Asia for a Day"...

This Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis) is a herbaceous annual plant in the dayflower family. It gets its name because the blooms last for only one day. It is native throughout much of East Asia and northern parts of Southeast Asia. In China it is used as a medicinal herb with febrifugal, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic effects. Additionally, it is also used for treating sore throats and tonsillitis. Recent pharmacological investigations have revealed that the Asiatic dayflower contains at least five active compounds.
I was surprised to find these growing wild near my home in Conway.

Conway, Arkansas.
Photo # DSCF1555-58.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Flower Mystery"...

Here's another from my wildflower series that I've been photographing lately.
This one is rather mysterious that the out-of-focus flower blooms in the background look more like fog in black-and-white.
The small insect is the tiny Bee Fly (Diptera-Bombyliidae-Poecilognathus).


Forest floor near Conway, Arkansas.
Photo # DSCF0171-3bws.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Angelic Bloom"...

This is the Butterfly Pea (Clitoria mariana), which displays lavender-pink, pea-like flowers. It may be one of the most interesting and beautiful ivy blooms I have ever seen in the wild in Arkansas. It is a dense, evergreen, perennial twining vine in the pea family that is native to the southeastern United States. It's mainly a ground ivy, not climbing and I have often found it mixed with poison ivy, which is likely why I have just now discovered it - not one to hike in/around poison ivy. It is capable of fixing nitrogen in the soil.

I'll post a color photo soon. I wanted to show how stunning it is in black-and-white form first.
Forest floor near Conway, Arkansas.
Photo # DSCF1041-91c2bws2a.
(c) Kelly Shipp

Wildflowers...

 Wildflowers, Study 2.

Forest floor, near Conway, Arkansas.
Photo # K05_1937-48bw
(c) Kelly Shipp

Soft Light...

 "Soft Light"

Photo # P1030020bw.

 

"Something In The Air"...

A white-tailed buck pauses to smell the air.

Central Arkansas.
Photo # K05_2013cbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Where Acorns Rule"...

When early summer approaches, I seek out micro worlds involving mushrooms. Surprisingly, there are approximately 14,000 species of mushrooms. I took my time and searched for several hours to find this scene. Rain was about to begin and mosquitos were swarming all over me. I had to pause every few minutes to pull them away from this scene. Nothing was contrived in this scene, the acorns were actually where you see them in front of this tiny mushroom. I could have moved elements, but I wanted the scene be to captured as nature wanted it.
Hope you enjoy.

Forest floor, near Conway, Arkansas.
Photo # DSCF3647_BR8S4a.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Landing in Another World"...

The temperature was about 20 degrees when I arrived before sunrise. It was as if I had landed in another world.  After creating a few photographs of the sunrise, I turned around to see my own shadow (and tripod), so I captured that moment.

Monument Valley floor.
Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, Arizona.
Photo # IM7_0344-46bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Water Expressions"...

A fast-flowing stream creates a visual perspective on how the water dances with the light.
I had a special guest also enjoying the flow of water. A damselfly is watching from a perch on the tree.

Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas.
Photo # DSCF1473bws.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Being Yourself"...

Lightning Bugs (Fireflies), as they are often referred to, are dancing mid-air at the edge of a forest in central Arkansas. You'll want to view this full-screen to see them better.

Central Arkansas.
Photo # DSCF1633-2441.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Love Roots"...

There are times when you're out in nature and you come across an interesting shape. These roots display an interesting heart shape.

Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas.
Photo # IM7_3117-22bbw2.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Stunning Microburst"...

 

"Stunning Microburst"

I've been known as a storm chaser for many years but in this case, the storm was chasing me.  As I was driving around Utah, I kept seeing this storm in my rear view mirror. Finally, I decided to stop for a while and watch the storm approach. To my surprise, I witnessed an impressive microburst. A microburst is a localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm, usually less than 3 miles in diameter. You can see this below the cloud, almost appearing as a mushroom shape.

Bluff, Utah.
Photo # IM7_2105-133cbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Layers"...

A long road to somewhere.
Somewhere in Utah.

Photo # IM7_2089-90bw
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Lady in the Wind"...

 "Lady in the Wind", vertical

This vertical perspective provides you a visual of the height and depth of the space inside the canyon.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ.
Photo # K04_3636.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Shadows and Sand"...

Sand on Monument Valley floor.

Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # IM7_1258cbw2.
(c) Kelly Shipp

A daylily dream...

 "A Daylily Dream"

This micro view of a daylily really caught my eye as it appears to be exploding from the center. The further you stand from the photograph, the more pronounced it becomes.

Photo # DSCF0331-3sbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Branches in Silhouette"...

Conway, Arkansas.
Photo # IM7_2636bws.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Eta Aquarids meteor"...

This years' Eta Aquarids meteor shower was a challenge due to all the rain and clouds during the shower peak.  Fortunately, I was able to capture one nice meteor on the peak date.  Hope you enjoy.  

Photo # K04_9771ac.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Another World"...

Canyons provide such an other-worldly perspective, it forces you to stop and wonder.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona.
Photo # IM6aa_0214bws.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

"The Grotto"...

The Grotto is a nice half-way oasis on the Seven Hollows Trail at Petit Jean State Park.
This trail is about 4.5 miles in length and forms a loop so you don't have to backtrack. Hiking during the wet season is the best time to experience nice streams along the way, as well as a nice waterfall at the grotto. I've hiked this trail several hundred times over the past 30+ years.


Photo # K04_9326bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Distance in Perspective"...

This is another perspective of the popular scene in the movie "Forrest Gump". Not only do you get the feel for the open distance of the highway, but you also get a feel for the wide expanse of Monument Valley.

Route 163, Near Monument Valley, Arizona.
Photo # IM7_0989-92bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Ear of the Wind"...

Ear of the Wind is a 134-foot-tall arch located in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
This photo, with people included, shows just how large this monument is. The reason you don’t see any pictures from the other side of the arch is that it isn’t visible; the arch opens upward, which is why it is called an ear.

Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, Arizona.
Photo # K04_4684-89h.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

"Solar Eclipse 2024"...

This is during the totality of the 2024 solar eclipse. This one was a longer exposure to capture more solar flares. If you look closely, you can also see solar flares at around 10:00, 4:00 and 6:00 (clock positions), with the largest at 6:00.
 
(c) Kelly Shipp
April 8, 2024. Conway, Arkansas.
Photo # K04_8424-8430c.

"Heavenly Beams"...

Clouds rolled in over central Ouachita Mountains on the day before Easter.
I've photographed many panoramas like this one, but I found the number of beams of light astonishing on this day.
Even on the cloudiest day, the light from the sun can easily be as beautiful as a sunny day.

Ouachita Mountains (central Arkansas; Mt. Nebo is just right of center of this panorama).
Photo # IM7_2479-2488bw3s.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Sunrise, Ear of the Wind"...

Ear of the Wind is a 134-foot-tall arch located in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
I like how sunrise strongly divided the landscape visually and adds more depth to the photograph.
The reason you don’t see any pictures from the other side of the arch is that it isn’t visible; the arch opens upward, which is why it is called an ear.

Monument Valley used to be submerged in an ancient sea. After millions of years of sediment being deposited, tectonic forces pushed these layers up. Erosion via wind, water, ice, gravity, and other forces of nature slowly chipped away at the rock. This is how Ear of the Wind was formed in DeChelly sandstone; the soft interior rock was eroded, leaving just the hard exterior rock.

Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, Arizona.
Photo # IM7_0371-377bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Navajo County"...

The sun peeks through the snow storm clouds to give light to this mountain range.
It was actually snowing while I was photographing this scene. The wind was gusting so much, I had to keep one hand above the lens to keep the snow from the lens. The tree trunk (far right), being used as a fence post, stood out to me in the landscape.

Kayenta is the only "township" existing under the laws of the Navajo Nation.
Kayenta, Arizona.
Photo # IM7aa_0058-64bbwg.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Personalities"...

Can waterfalls have personalities?  One may argue this when looking at this group of waterfalls.  Each one seems to have its own flow, behavior, noise, and brightness.

Cornelius Falls creek, Heber Springs, Arkansas.
Photo # K04_6962m1cbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"The Sound of Silence"...

For some, nature's sounds are quiet sounds. The sound of water can be so peaceful that it tends to go silent.
Cornelius Falls is a nice waterfall that is approx. 40 feet high. This is a peaceful place since the hike here is a little challenging to get to, so it keeps some of the footprints lesser. Like most waterfalls in Arkansas, the water level varies during the wet season, so the experience can vary as well.

Heber Springs, Arkansas.
Photo # K04_6942-47h3bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Between Storms"...

I found myself mesmerized by the small white clouds that seemed to be floating on their own. To the right, there were rain and sleet storms that had passed earlier. To the left is a snow storm coming. You can see snow-capped mountains in the background.

The back highways, somewhere near the Colorado and Arizona borders.
Photo # K04_5516-39bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"The Open Range"...

A snow storm approaches (from the left) as wild/range horses graze.  The white horse, presumably the alpha, chases another keeping others in line. He would occasionally stop and look directly at me.

Near Arizona/Colorado border.
Photo # K04_5451cbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Canyon Souls"...

One thing I discovered while exploring not only these Lower Antelope Canyons but also much of Monument Valley, is that there are faces personified in almost everything I see. Even as I viewed this scene through my viewfinder, I could see multiple faces extending from the canyon walls.  Again, the colors that dance from these walls are amazing.

Lower Antelope Canyon, AZ.
Photo # K04_3208ac.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Soft Textures"...

The light can be so amazing in the slot canyons. This photograph shows how soft and textured the light can be on the stone as the light bounces through the canyon.

Lower Antelope Canyon, AZ
Photo # K04_3522.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Sleeping Dragon"...

A natural formation eroded in sandstone, located in the far south-east area of Monument Valley, is known as the "Sleeping Dragon".
Starting at the far right of this photograph, you see the body of the dragon, and if you follow the body, to the left, as you near the center of the photograph, you'll see a dip and narrowing through the neck, and the head is near center ending with the nose.

Sleeping Dragon Butte, Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # IM7_1065-74bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"The Turning Point"...

Half-way during my 4-mile desert hike, I paused to view the north side of the East Mitten Butte and take a break.  It was an extremely windy day where the wind was blowing over 20mph from the east-to-west direction (left-to-right in this photograph). What worried me was the rain storm, from the East, being carried by this front. At the time, I estimated that it was going to run into me before I finished the 4-mile hike.  What I didn't know is that the wind was already changing direction, to the North. While resting, I decided to take a long-exposure photograph of my view.  Soon afterwards, as I continued my hike, I then realized that I was walking against the wind - it indeed had changed to the North, moving the threatening rain around my return path. I was so happy and relieved that I wasn't going to walk into that storm.
What surprised me about this photograph is that it accurately shows the change in the wind direction. You can see on the left-hand side of the photograph how intent the wind was moving left-to-right, but the right side began to move more south-to-north, almost mid-point over the monument.

Being over 1,000 feet high, the summit of East Mitten Butte is 6,226 feet in elevation.
East Mitten Butte, Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # K04_4989-5037hdrbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Snow Clouds and Horses"...

Traveling the back highways of Colorado, it was easy to run into snow storms in the high passes. If you look closely, near lower-center of the photograph, you can see three wild/range horses.

Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado.
Photo # IM7_2398bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Sun breaks on Monument Valley floor"...

You can see the dramatic mix of clouds and sky in this photograph. I braved the 4-mile desert hike in sustained 20 mph winds, gusting to 40 mph, all while praying the rain wouldn't reach me during the hike. Over a mile into the hike, the sun broke through the clouds and provided a wonderful, dramatic view of the East Mitten Butte.
Being over 1,000 feet high, the summit of East Mitten Butte is 6,226 feet in elevation. The rocks of the valley are mostly sedimentary, dating from between the Permian to the mid-Jurassic.

East Mitten Butte, Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # IM7_1526-36bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"The Distance"...

This part of Utah and Arizona offer many infinity highway views. This particular location may be recognizable from the Forrest Gump film. It's surprising how long it takes to travel these distances as they appear closer than they are. The monuments in the distance are those on the Navajo Nation Reservation, in Monument Valley.

Route 163, Near Monument Valley, Arizona.
Photo # IM7_0980a.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Monument Valley - ground level"...

There are many views of Monument Valley from higher elevations, but the view from the valley floor is impressive. The sense of wide expanse seems to be even stronger. The rain was chasing me this day on a very windy, 4-mile hike, as you can see from the sun striking the distant monuments.  If you look closely, you can see the snow-capped mountains on the horizon.

Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # IM7_0648-59bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Rock on Fire"...

The light in slot canyons are constantly changing and are often very mesmerizing. There were moments I just had to pause and enjoy the view as it would soon change.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona.
Photo # K04_3480r.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Lady in the Wind"...

I could spend days here. This is a dramatic photograph of the formation called "Lady in the Wind". If you look near-center, you can visualize a profile of a lady, facing right, with long hair flowing behind her. Her curves all follow the same flow. The lady formed by millions of years of exposure to wind and water stands beautiful and strong, yet full of soft curves and detail.


Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona.
Photo # K04_3632.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Ute Mountain Horses" # 2...

As I was traveling the back highways of Colorado, near the New Mexico border, I found these wild/range horses as I was photographing the area. Snow and sleet was just off to the West (right of this photograph) and coming this way. The horse in the foreground is the same as in my previously posted photograph. This horse was very curious of me, as the others kept their distance.

Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado.
Photo # IM7_2428bwsk.
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Ute Mountain Horses"...

I was traveling the back highways of Colorado, near the New Mexico border, as a snow storm was approaching. I found some wild/range horses and one of them approached me as a was photographing the area. The monuments at Ute Mountain Reservation are impressive alone, but shrouded by snow, rain and sleet, provide such a mysterious perspective. In my back road travels, it was rare to get up close to these horses.

Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado.
Photo # IM7_2412bw
(c) Kelly Shipp

"Monument Valley"...

An iconic view of Monument Valley.  I took some time to shoot this panorama with the ever-changing weather this time of year.
Comments welcome.

Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # K04_4079-95.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Milky Way Meteor over Monument Valley"...

Arizona skies are amazing at night. On this particular night, I was photographing the Milky Way Galaxy (on the right) as it was rising and moving more south. At the bottom-left, you'll see Right (East) Mitten and to the right of that, you'll see Merrick Butte. The rare moment of this photograph is the random meteor that came over the Milky Way Galaxy (lower-right).

Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # K04_4302cbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp

 

 

"Where Worlds Collide"...

Slot canyons are mesmerizing to the creative eye. As I previewed this perspective through my lens, I was swept away. Some of you may ask - why isn't this in color? When I was shooting the canyons, I photographed some perspectives in color and some in infrared. What you're seeing in this photograph is a slot canyon that appears as an other-worldly landscape. The infrared captures tones and textures that are above and outside the visible spectrum. The textures and color gradations are impressive. Hope you enjoy.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona.
Photo # IM6aa_0123bw2n.
(c) Kelly Shipp