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posted by James on 01/23/12

Life in the Desert

How long did it take for you to discover the little mammal in this picture? At first glance, it isn’t noticeable. And that’s a good thing. I love pictures that are deeper than one look and include little things that pop out each time it is viewed. When I took the picture, however, I didn’t necessarily intend for it to be that way. It just set itself up.

During a family vacation to the Southwest in 2006, we stopped briefly at this scenic spot in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. There’s not much you can do photography-wise during a “brief stop”, especially at an easily-accessed and over-crowded iconic overlook late in the morning. But this didn’t mean that an opportunity couldn’t present itself, so I put the wide angle on the camera and headed out to see what I could see.

Bryce Canyon is an incredible place. Though definitely not as grand as Grand Canyon, it is geologically unique in it’s own way and is as colorful as it is diverse. As I stood awestruck, taking in the sweeping landscape spread out before me, this little ground squirrel came bouncing across the trail. I reckoned they weren’t too scared of people, seeing that there were so many people around at the time, but I watched it scurry up and onto this gnarled log to pose for a picture. It didn’t take me but a second to compose and take an initial shot, but I moved around and in a little closer to try to get a better angle while I could. I was glad I had my wide angle on: the singular combination of sweeping landscape and close-up focal point really helps to place the ground squirrel in it’s natural environment, where it’s supposed to be.

It’s not every day that a picture sets itself up for me without much effort on my part, so the extraordinariness of the situation was a factor in choosing this image as 1 of only 12 pictures used for Lenspiration’s 2012 Calendar.

Take advantage of the New Year Calendar Sell Out: for quantities of 10 or more, buy calendars at 75% OFF for $2.99 each, plus get FREE SHIPPING! Clearance available only while supplies last.

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posted by James on 01/21/12

Shadows of Approaching Evening

I find it ironic that flat, farmland states such as Indiana and Illinois boast parks that feature long, deep canyons carved in the otherwise bleak landscape. Whether at Turkey Run State Park in Indiana, Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio, or Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, I’ve observed straight trails going on the level in a field or forest come suddenly upon a sheer drop off into a canyon that plunges 50 feet down or more.

It was at just such a park where I took this image used for the month of June in the 2012 Calendar. After a time of hiking around in the twisting ravines of Starved Rock, I settled down for a meal in this large field close to the park entrance. The long, deep shadows impressed me as their long arms grew in synchronicity with the setting sun. Perhaps this seemingly unattractive place would yield a better reward than all those twisting canyons put together.

Treasure isn’t always where we expect to find it. There is that scatters, and yet increases; and there is that withholds more than is meet, but it tends to poverty (Proverbs 11:24). The ironic message of honor through submission softly interwoven in this image helps to give it’s rank as 1 among only 12 chosen for Lenspiration’s 2012 Calendar, now available for purchase online at Lenspiration.com.

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posted by James on 01/13/12

Looking Toward Heaven

Just about every flower is beautiful to look at, and for this reason are extremely common subjects for photographs. Hence, to capture a unique picture of a flower is not common, and not easy. That is what I was thinking when I pulled out the camera and walked down to Mom’s flower garden at our home in West Virginia. Flowers don’t last forever and I wanted to do some experimentation with these day lilies before something happened to them, like being “harvest” for display on the dining room table.

I’m never concerned about getting dirty when taking pictures. But as I lay on my back looking heavenward with the camera pressed against my face, I was grateful that it hadn’t rained too recently. Using the widest lens I had, I picked the most healthy looking bunch of flowers and circled them a few times before finding the perfect angle at which distractions were minimal, both bases of the flowers could be clearly seen, and the glaring, mid afternoon sun was completely covered by the foreground growth.

Many people have questioned me on the authenticity of the flowers, stating that they look plastic. While it is true that they do look fake, there is no question that they are as real as everything else God created. The surreal appearance is created by the sun shining directly through the partially transparent petals and leaves. Backlighting like this naturally increases vibrancy in a picture like nothing else, and was one of many reasons why I chose this picture to be 1 of only 12 pictures used in Lenspiration’s 2012 Calendar.

Take advantage of the New Year Calendar Sell Out: for quantities of 10 or more, buy calendars at 75% OFF for $2.99 each, plus get FREE SHIPPING! Clearance available only while supplies last.

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posted by James on 01/10/12

A Restful Afternoon

The afternoon was gloriously peaceful as I strolled along with my family down a country lane after a short hike to a quaint, yet picturesque little waterfall in the valley. We were visiting friends in Canada near Peterborough, Ontario. Down by the waterfall, the dense forest of northern conifers and hardwoods lent to a shadowy, almost mysterious ambiance; but up here, on the ridge of the hill, the late afternoon sunlight sent it’s golden shafts through the forest canopy, filling the atmosphere with a peaceful glow.

As we sauntered past a small clearing where this Thomas-Kinkade-like home sat bathed in light, I couldn’t help but notice the accented colors in the backlit scene. The trees broke the directness of the sun just enough to dissipate any glare from the sun while still letting in enough light to set the house aglow.

Setting up the camera and choosing an appealing exposure wasn’t difficult due to the generous amount of available light. This gave the image sharpness and clarity, adding to the vibrancy and hominess that were all factors in why I chose this picture to be 1 of only 12 images used for Lenspiration’s 2012 Calendar.

Take advantage of the New Year Calendar Sell Out: for quantities of 10 or more, buy calendars at 75% OFF for $2.99 each, plus get FREE SHIPPING! Clearance available only while supplies last.

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posted by James on 01/6/12

Butterfly Brilliance

I remember clearly the peaceful, bright Sunday afternoon in Gageum-ri, South Korea where this picture was taken. It was not necessarily the taking of the picture that I remember so clearly as it was the location at which I took it.

You see, after church on that spring morning earlier this year, the Moon family invited me to go with them on a field trip. And this was not your typical outing. It was an eye-opening, soul-stirring excursion to the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. As I stood gazing across the Han River marveling in the fact that I, an American with innumerable freedoms, honorable responsibilities and the independence to travel when and where I pleased could stand with overwhelming tranquility while looking on a land of complete oppression and poverty, I couldn’t help but remember the words of Scripture so applicably written: “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for He that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they” (Ecclesiastes 5:8).

The colorful flowers covering the landscape that so attractively complemented the lively swallowtails flittering about in their habitual routine stood in stark contrast to the poignant mood of the place. However, there is hope even for places like North Korea. As is seen in history, and as Abigail Adams pointed out in this letter to her husband during the early stages of the birth of freedom as we know it today, “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but the God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. Trust in Him at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us.”

And He wills to be a refuge for all. This message of hope was one of the main reasons why I chose this picture to be 1 of only 12 pictures chosen for Lenspiration’s 2012 Calendar.

Take advantage of the New Year Calendar Sell Out: for quantities of 10 or more, buy calendars at 75% OFF for $2.99 each, plus get FREE SHIPPING! Clearance available only while supplies last.

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