Russ' Photo Journal

Rainbow Bridge

2011-08-23T08:20:00.003-06:00

Every time I see this majestic sight it is like the first time. I have been visiting this National Monument for 33 years and it never fails to move me. This year was especially memorable because the water level was higher than it has been in 11 years and we had a great Park Ranger who loves this place more than anywhere on earth guide us and tell us the history of the Monument.

Rainbow Sunset At Halls Crossing

2011-08-22T14:28:00.005-06:00

While at Lake Powell one evening, this incredible image appeared. The sun, distant rain, and clouds combined to form this beautiful setting. I took this while standing on top of a houseboat. I liked the other houseboat in the foreground to give a little interest and perspective to this photo. Lake Powell is still one of my favorite places on earth.

Lonely Violinist

2011-07-25T15:28:00.003-06:00

The other day my wife and I were at an outdoor shopping center near our home. There was this fellow playing the violin to anyone who would listen. Sad for him, there were few people there. Lucky for me, there were few people there so I was able to capture this pretty cool image. I love the long shadow and the silhouette created by the setting sun.

Another Puff Ball

2011-07-01T12:47:00.001-06:00

Have I mentioned that I like to photograph puff balls?

Alpine Loop Behind Timp

2011-07-01T12:25:00.003-06:00

We took a little drive the other day, just to get out of the house. I took this photo thirty minutes from our house from the side of the road. We really do live in a beautiful place!

Napali Coast - Kauai

2011-06-04T11:43:00.003-06:00

This is just one of the thousands of beautiful views one can experience on the trail around the North Shore of the Napali Coast on the Island of Kauai. This shot was taken years ago with a tiny film camera.

Road To Waimea Canyon - Kauai

2011-06-04T11:27:00.002-06:00

I love this shot on the old road to Waimea Canyon on the Island of Kauai. The lines of the winding road say to me, "Stop! Get out of the car and take a picture of me!!!" So I do almost every time. This is one of my favorit shots of this view.

Haleakala-Maui

2011-05-23T19:07:00.002-06:00

I was looking at some old 4x 6 prints from a trip we took to Maui in 1992 and came upon this gem. I scanned the print to post it here. What a beautiful place. I'd like to go back and photograph it again.

Mt. Timpanogos at Sunset

2011-01-22T15:38:00.002-07:00

I get to look at this beautiful mountain almost every day. I have taken hundreds of photos of it at all times of the day (and night). This one was kind of special because of the color of the setting sunlight on the snow. Hope you like it.

Epcot Center-Spaceship Earth at Night

2011-01-20T16:19:00.003-07:00

Disney World at night is extraordinarily beautiful. Add Christmas decorations and it almost becomes color overload. Bring on the color! I can take it.

Pans & Company

2011-01-19T20:32:00.002-07:00

I just liked the colorful sign for this sandwich shop in Barcelona.

Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona

2011-01-19T20:15:00.002-07:00

I loved this beautiful theater we walked by one evening on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain.

Houston Airport

2011-01-19T20:06:00.002-07:00

Walking through the Delta Terminal at the Houston Airport, I noticed the cool lines in this image. Did I mention that I love lines?

Deer Creek In Winter

2011-01-19T07:04:00.005-07:00

Driving by Deer Creek Reservoir on a freezing winter afternoon in January yielded this shot taken from a car window by the side of the road.

Fall Color

2010-10-24T09:09:00.002-06:00

Sometimes, (actually most of the time) a beautiful photo presents itself for just a moment. I don't know how special this photo is, but the color is beautiful. I was watching a football game on TV on a rainy day and happened to look outside and see that the sun came out for just a second. That's when I snapped this.

Stainless Steel Cobra

2010-10-22T15:45:00.002-06:00

This is the interior of a genuine Stainless Steel Shelby Cobra. It was on Main Street in Park City, Utah. It was a Mustang show and the whole street was filled with quite awesome vintage cars. This was one of my favorites.

Poster Wall at Pike Street

2010-10-22T15:19:00.002-06:00

This is a really cool wall used for posters at Pike Street in Seattle. Great texture, color, and lines.

Bush in Snow Canyon

2010-10-21T21:43:00.002-06:00

We were on a walk in Snow Canyon, just outside St. George, Utah when the weather suddenly turned windy and stormy. I noticed this bush and the smooth sand so naturally got on my stomach to take its picture. Isn't that the normal thing to do?

Car Wash Neon in Seattle

2010-10-21T21:35:00.002-06:00

I loved this neon sign in downtown Seattle. It was taken just before sunset when the golden glow was on the buildings.

Roman Fleet

2010-10-21T21:26:00.006-06:00

I noticed this unusual fleet of vehicles while walking down a street in Rome. They don't look like they would set any speed records.

Autumn Night

2010-10-21T12:22:00.003-06:00

Last night I took this shot of a golden tree which was being backlit by a city street lamp. The time was 11:00 PM and there was a full moon lighting the mountain backdrop. The outer leaves of the tree are blurry due to slight movement because of a breeze. Camera settings were ISO 400, F5, 30 second exposure. I took the same shot 12 hours later. See the next post. Isn't light fun!

Autumn Day

2010-10-21T12:16:00.004-06:00

This photo was taken 12 hours later at 11:00 AM. The settings were ISO 400, F9, 1/320 sec. Quite a different result with sunlight! I like them both.

Hummingbird

2010-08-26T16:46:00.002-06:00

I caught this shot of a hummingbird at sunset the other night while standing very still next to our hummingbird feeder on our back deck. I used a very fast shutter speed, high ISO, and telephoto lens to "freeze" the motion. I never knew what hummingbird wings looked like!

Glowing Sunflower

2010-08-17T10:50:00.003-06:00

My wife pointed out this flower to me while we were on a little walk around a beautiful resort in Midway, Utah. I liked how the sunlight made it seem to glow. I also like the unusual angle of shooting it from behind. Pretty flower--pretty colors.

Bird on a Canopy

2010-08-06T10:31:00.004-06:00

This morning I noticed this bird perched on top of the canopy on our back deck. I was very quiet as I sneaked up on him to take his picture. When I was through, I wanted him to leave---not such an easy task. It finally took a broomstick to get him to fly off! Disclamer--no harm came to any bird during or after photographing him for this blog.

Backlit Street Light at Canada Place

2010-07-11T20:54:00.002-06:00

Walking on the upper level at Canada Place in Vancouver, BC I noticed this street light. I liked the "pointy things" on top that keep birds from perching on it. The setting sun behind it gave it a glow as well as kind of a silhouette effect.

Drain Pipe Design in Seattle

2010-07-11T20:32:00.003-06:00

We were walking back to our car from Pike Street Market in Seattle when I noticed this creative design made of black drain pipe on a brick building. It also had plants growing out of it! I loved the contrast of color and shape against the brick.

Kirtland Temple

2010-07-11T20:16:00.006-06:00

This is just a "postcard" shot of this beautiful building in Kirtland, Ohio. I walked around for almost an hour taking different angles of the Temple until I got this one. I like that there are just the beginning of leaves emerging from the trees so the building was not obscured.

Kirtland Temple--Rear View

2010-07-11T20:14:00.003-06:00

This is a different perspective of the rear of the Temple. The shadows of the trees on the wall make this shot interesting to me. You rarely see photos from this view.

Mountain Cabin in Norway

2010-03-28T08:54:00.001-06:00

This beautiful little cabin is in the mountains above Skien, Norway. I love the colors and how the green doors and shutters match the grass and leaves perfectly. My daughter, Kerry, uses this photo as a Christmas decoration because of the red and green.

Crystal Balls

2010-03-26T17:51:00.004-06:00

We were walking through the Miracle Mile Mall Shops at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas when Colleen pointed out these beautiful lit crystal balls hanging from the ceiling. She saw it, I shot it. Good eye, honey!

Chocolate Fountain

2010-03-26T17:47:00.003-06:00

This is the world's largest chocolate fountain. It is in the Belagio Hotel in Las Vegas. It is mesmerizing to stand and watch it flow.

Bellagio Ceiling

2010-03-26T17:45:00.004-06:00

I always enjoy visiting the Bellagio when we are in Las Vegas. The ceiling in the lobby is incredible.

Bottles on a Shelf

2010-01-13T21:53:00.002-07:00

We were waiting for our tortilla soup at Sundance when I noticed this image. I photographed while waiting. The soup was good and I liked this shot. Win/Win!

Funiculaire in Paris

2010-01-13T19:58:00.005-07:00

This is the little trolly that takes you up the hill to visit the Sacre Coeur Cathedral in Paris. It was "out of service" the day we visited, so I photographed it instead of riding on it.

You gotta love the lines!

Fall Colors

2009-11-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

Just some beautiful fall colors in American Fork Canyon.

Zion Canyon At Dusk

2009-10-17T08:37:00.002-06:00

A couple of years ago, we attended the St. George Marathon. That evening, we went for a quick trip to Zion Canyon. The subtle, yet bright colors of the canyon are stunning.

Tree On A Cliff

2009-10-09T08:54:00.000-06:00

I was taken by this single tree seemingly growing out of a rock on top of a cliff near Box Canyon Falls in Ouray, Colorado. I liked the silhouette it created against the clouds and blue sky.

Pine Valley Chapel

2009-10-09T08:53:00.003-06:00

This beautiful little chapel was constructed in 1868 in Pine Valley, Utah. It is still in use today. I liked the symmetry of this photo.

Autumn Colors

2009-10-08T22:57:00.003-06:00

I found this beautiful sight in American Fork Canyon looking back at the setting sun through these trees. I like the many colors of the leaves against the dark trunk and branches of the trees.

Chipmunk

2009-10-05T10:16:00.003-06:00

I chased this little chipmunk around near the entrance to Box Canyon Falls in Ouray, Colorado. Finally he stopped near these leaves so I could take this shot.

Chipmunk Closeup

2009-10-05T10:14:00.003-06:00

Here's another shot of this little guy sitting and staring at me.

Delicate Arch Through A Window

2009-10-04T11:38:00.002-06:00

Here is an unusal shot of the beautiful Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. I took it through a rock window a few hundred yards before reaching the arch itself.

Yellow Aspen

2009-10-01T09:48:00.003-06:00

We went on a drive over the Alpine Loop the other day. I was struck by this bright yellow aspen among some others that hadn't turned yet. The sun was perfect for this shot.

Balcony House in Mesa Verde

2009-09-14T23:37:00.004-06:00

The most memorable tour we took in Mesa Verde National Park was Balcony House. This dwelling, perched on a cliff, is unbelievable. I took this photo of the ruins through an opening between the rooms.

Delicate Arch

2009-09-13T23:29:00.003-06:00

We almost got to Arches National Park too late in the day to make this hike, but decided to press on (in some very questionable weather) to see if the sun would drop below the clouds and illuminate the arch as you see here. I'm sure glad we did. This shot is different than most, as I walked around the arch and shot back into the sunlight. It makes for some dramatic lighting.

Shivwits Indian Cemetery

2009-08-31T08:30:00.005-06:00

I love to visit and photograph cemeteries. One of the most interesting I have ever visited is the Shivwits Indian Cemetery in Southern Utah. It is almost totally unimproved with no grass of any kind. On many of the graves, odd items have been left in memory of the deceased (money, bottles, toys, flags, military helmets, etc.). It all seems to remain untouched. It's like taking a step back in time.

Isolated Grave at Shivwits Cemetery

2009-08-31T08:26:00.003-06:00

This is an isolated gravesite on the edge of the cemetery. No fence, no grass, just a final resting place.

Child's Grave at Shivwits Cemetery

2009-08-31T08:19:00.003-06:00

A closeup of a child's grave at the cemetery.

Slot Canyon

2009-08-28T17:14:00.004-06:00

This shot was taken on the way out of Smith's Fork at Lake Powell. It illustrates how tall the canyon walls are in relation to the people walking in this photo. I can't describe how awesome it is to hike in these narrow canyons.

Slot Canyon 2

2009-08-25T08:21:00.004-06:00

A beautiful "slot canyon" at Lake Powell (Smith's Fork). No enhancement of colors--this is how it looks. It's an effort to get there, but worth it.

Lizard

2009-08-24T12:51:00.001-06:00

I chased this little guy into the bushes on a hike at Lake Powell. I was happy he stopped and looked back at me for a second so I could capture this image.

Dragonfly

2009-08-24T10:59:00.003-06:00

We were on a hike up Smith's Fork at Lake Powell when I happened upon this beautiful blue and black dragonfly. He posed on this rock long enough for me to compose, focus, and shoot. He was very cooperative allowing me to get this beautiful shot.

Sunflowers

2009-08-13T20:58:00.003-06:00

We stopped in Heber City, Utah the other night to eat dinner. This grouping of sunflowers was in a vacant lot next to the parking lot where we parked. Luckily I had my camera in the back seat. I grabbed my camera and snapped this on our way into the restaurant.

Footprints on Secret Beach

2009-08-13T20:25:00.003-06:00

After walking from the end of Secret Beach in Kauai back towards the path up the hill, I paused, turned around, and looked where I had just walked. This is what I saw. There are few places as perfect.

Alley in Sorrento

2009-08-11T08:42:00.001-06:00

Just a little alley in Sorrento, Italy. Everywhere you look is a beautiful photograph just waiting to be taken.

Hercules Shopping Mall

2009-08-11T08:30:00.001-06:00

A shot of the inside of the Hercules Shopping Mall in Skien, Norway. I just like the lines.

Two Thistle Flowers

2009-08-10T08:21:00.002-06:00

We were at this beatiful little campground called Shingle Creek on the way to Mirror Lake (in Utah) when I noticed these two perfect flowers only a few feet from the campfire. I played around with a few different angles, and settled on this shot.

Solitary Leaf

2009-08-04T10:40:00.003-06:00

I was hiking on a very brown and dusty trail up South Fork of Provo River when I came upon this leaf in the middle of the path. I didn't move it--I just photographed it exactly where it was. I liked the contrast of color and the stark outline of the leaf against the brown dirt.

Inflating a Hot Air Balloon

2009-08-03T11:52:00.003-06:00

The Freedom Festival on July 4th in Provo, UT is always a fun event. We get up every year at 6:00 AM to go to the "Balloon Festival." Being up-close to the balloons as they are inflated and watching as they launch is what is the most fun. Well--actually taking pictures at this event is the most fun for me.

Green Leaves

2009-08-03T07:38:00.004-06:00

This backlit photo was taken by the side of a beautiful lake in Asker, Norway late in the afternoon.

Fire Engine

2009-08-02T16:34:00.004-06:00

This old fire engine is sitting outside the Gunlock, Utah Fire Department. I'm not sure if it is still in use or not, but I think it actually is!! I stood close and used a wide angle lens to distort the image as much as possible.

Giraffe

2009-08-02T16:23:00.002-06:00

I like this simple photo of this gifaffe against the solid green background of leaves and trees. I was on a moving truck at Animal Kingdom in Disney World.

Pisa Tower Entrance

2009-08-01T08:49:00.002-06:00

This closeup of the base and entrance to the Leaning Tower of Pisa really gives you a sense of how much it is tilted. It is an eerie experience to climb it in the enclosed spiral staircase.

Brown Derby

2009-08-01T08:40:00.002-06:00

Just another cool neon sign. This one is the Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant at Disney Studios in Florida. I remember driving by the original in Hollywood when I was a little boy. Great food inside--grapefruit cake is to die for.

Pidgeon in Luxumbourg Gardens

2009-08-01T08:32:00.004-06:00

This shot was taken in Luxumbourg Gardens in Paris, France. What I liked about it is the color of the flowers in the background as will as the irridescent color of the neck feathers.

Floor Pattern in Versailles

2009-08-01T08:18:00.004-06:00

Just a cool geometric pattern of a floor in one of the many beautiful buildings in Versailles, France.

Magic Kingdom

2009-07-25T22:08:00.002-06:00

The first image you see when you enter the Magic Kingdom at Disney World is this train station. I've taken dozens of photos of it, but I like this totally symmetrical shot with the American Flag against the deep blue sky best. It was taken during the holidays. Notice the Christmas garland on the train.

Tree at Sunset

2009-07-24T11:41:00.001-06:00

This is just outside St. George, Utah at sunset. The natural colors there are unbelievable.

Basic Basketball Hoop

2009-07-24T11:29:00.005-06:00

My brother-in-law took me on a drive to show me this basketball hoop on a street in a tiny town in southern Utah. It doesn't get any more basic than this.

Tractor

2009-07-23T15:09:00.001-06:00

This old tractor was in a field in the ghost town of Grafton, Utah. It has been there so long, the wheels have sunk into the ground.

Zion Tunnel View

2009-07-22T21:44:00.005-06:00

It's not that difficult to get a beautiful photograph in Zion National Park. It is pretty difficult, however, to get a photo from this view from inside the tunnel. We were the last car in a group so we could slow down, and I was ready with the camera out the window to take this shot.

Puffball at Sunset

2009-06-28T22:21:00.003-06:00

I love puffballs. They are, I learned this evening, especially beautiful at sunset. I was trying to get a shot of Mt. Timpanogos with the golden light, but was not in a very good location to do so. I gave up and was walking back to the car when I spotted this puffball being backlit by the setting sun. All I had to do was lie down on my stomach and snap away.

Bergen Panorama

2009-06-22T17:01:00.004-06:00

This "panorama" photograph is actually 4 digital photos (handheld, of course) that have been stitched together on my computer. It is at the top of a train that goes to this beautiful overlook in Bergen, Norway. I had only five minutes to experience the view because I had to catch the next train down. I looked, but spent most of my time taking pictures so that I could preserve this incredible memory. The photo is so small here--you have to click on it to enlarge it and get some idea of what it looks like.

Tri Color Beech Tree

2009-06-22T16:56:00.004-06:00

I was looking for something interesting to photograph this afternoon and didn't have to go farther than my own back yard! This is our favorite tree. The leaves are really this bright and colorful. I got under the tree and shot up towards the blue sky and let the sun do the work of saturating the color from behind.

Glass Tulips

2009-06-20T20:42:00.002-06:00

I was in a gift shop in the late afternoon. The sun was shining brightly through the front window of the store. This image is a closeup of a glass dinner plate that was on a display shelf in that window. The sunlight illuminated it from behind. If you look closely, you can see the outline of the stand that it was sitting on.

Green Field

2009-06-20T20:23:00.003-06:00

Driving in Norway yields many opportunities to photograph beautiful green fields. This was taken near the town of Asker, only a mile or two from the main highway leading into Oslo. The clouds and the late evening sunlight make the colors look even more beautiful.

Red Flowers

2009-06-20T10:31:00.002-06:00

Some pretty, red flowers. This was somewhere in Florida--I can't remember exactly where. I love color. I love flowers.

Townhouses in Bergen

2009-06-17T08:37:00.001-06:00

Another beautiful example of color on some old buildings in Bergen, Norway.

Shadow

2009-06-14T12:58:00.003-06:00

A few months ago I posted a similar photo of a plane's shadow taken in Orlando, Florida. This one is more interesting in my opinion because of the framing of the airplane window, the deep green colors of the trees, and the late afternoon lighting. This is in Sandefjord, Norway.

Rainbow

2009-06-11T21:25:00.004-06:00

Last night I looked out the window and noticed this beautiful light that was developing as the sun was setting. I walked out in my front yard to see if there was anything interesting to photograph and saw this. Sometimes you just get lucky!

Aalesund, Norway

2009-06-08T11:36:00.002-06:00

This was taken from a little restaurant overlooking the coastal city of Aalesund, Norway. I don't really need to say more. It was a breathtaking view. The open-faced shrimp sandwich and fresh seafood soup wasn't bad either!

Ship in Bergen Sunset

2009-06-07T07:50:00.004-06:00

While walking back to my hotel in Bergen, Norway at 10:15 PM, I saw this incredible light behind a ship at the other end of the harbor. I zoomed in, cropped close, and just recorded the beautiful image that I saw. Here it is!

Seagull at Jomfruland

2009-06-01T17:25:00.004-06:00

I was sitting on the beach on this tiny island in Norway called "Jomfruland" when this seagull began flying around above me. I watched him for a minute or two, and then tried to catch a photo of him while in flight. I love this one because of the blurred background and the full wing extention.

Alley in Norway

2009-06-01T03:56:00.004-06:00

A little alley in Trondheim, Norway. What makes this shot more interesting is the fact that it was taken at 11:30 PM. Norway is the land of the "midnight sun."

Buildings in Trondheim

2009-06-01T03:30:00.004-06:00

While walking down a street in downtown Trondheim, Norway I noticed these colorful buildings build on pylons over the water. I thought the shapes and colors made for an interesting photograph.

Vatican Columns

2009-05-16T08:51:00.004-06:00

There are hundreds of columns in St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro) in Vatican City. Here is a photo of a few of them.

On Deck at Night

2009-05-14T07:22:00.002-06:00

This shot is a difficult one to get. It is a rare sight to be on this deck of the Disney Magic without any people. I took this late at night, obviously, just after a run for a cup of hot chocolate.

Spiral Staircase in Barcelona

2009-05-14T07:17:00.002-06:00

This staircase in in the amazing cathedral of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. We waited in line for an hour to go up in a tiny elevator and came down by way of these stairs. You can see why it is a "one-way staircase."

Waves At Secret Beach

2009-05-10T15:50:00.002-06:00

Another beautiful day at Secret Beach on the island of Kauai. I like the perspective of this shot with the beach on the horizon in the background. To get this angle, I hiked out to some rocks at the end of the beach and looked back at the sand.

Bumble Bee

2009-05-08T09:35:00.006-06:00

Outside the museum at Woolaroc in Oklahoma, I caught this busy bumble bee doing his work. There were several other bumble bees hovering around me as I took this photo. It made it difficult to hold still!

Owl Lamp

2009-04-30T16:14:00.001-06:00

I love photographing interesting light fixtures. This one is in the Wilderness Lodge at Disney World in Florida.

Serenity Bay

2009-04-30T15:34:00.001-06:00

Serenity Bay is on the Carribean island of Castaway Cay. It is the place I want to be right now!!

Christmas Entrance at EPCOT

2009-04-30T15:17:00.003-06:00

As you walk from Future World to World Showcase at EPCOT Center at Christmas time, you walk under this beautiful "light tunnel." A gorgeous, huge Christmas tree is at the end. The effect is magical.

Bird on a Rope

2009-04-28T08:27:00.002-06:00

We were standing on a pier waiting for a ferry when a bird flew over and landed on this rope right next to us. It was a bright, sunny day, so I used a fill flash to light the detail of the dark feathers. He posed, I set my camera, took the picture, and he flew away--just like I planned it!

Blue Truck

2009-04-27T08:06:00.003-06:00

I've taken at least 50 pictures of this truck over the last six years. It is in "Asia" in Animal Kingdom at Disney World. It is actually converted into a food stand where you can buy drinks and ice cream!

Monorail in the Afternoon

2009-04-27T07:51:00.002-06:00

I love photographing the Monorail at EPCOT Center. It is so sleek and quiet. I especially liked this shot with the late afternoon sun lighting the scene.

Tulip

2009-04-22T19:44:00.004-06:00

I'd like to say that we were walking in a park in Holland when I came upon this beautiful, open tulip. The truth is that this tulip was a gift from my son and daughter-in-law who bought it in Seattle at the famous Public Market. They brought it all the way home to us in their car, taking great care to preserve its freshness. This evening I took it outside on my back lawn and took this shot as the sun was setting.

Inside a Tulip

2009-04-22T19:41:00.002-06:00

A closeup of the inside of the same tulip. Isn't nature amazing?

Spring Snowstorm Through A Window

2009-04-18T16:12:00.002-06:00

We had this unbelievable spring snowstorm the other day. I took lots of pictures, but especially liked this unusual perspective looking out my kitchen window.