"The last spring," New Jersey, April 2011

Spring, finally, originally uploaded by DC Products.

I took this photo in the spring on my walk to the train. The tree in full bloom with the cloud-dusted sky and the church steeple -- not to mention the late-afternoon light -- just caught my eye. It was a beautiful sight, a wonderful opening to spring and the promise of the weather to come.

On my walk today, I neared the church and felt something was amiss ... and then I saw it. Or, rather, didn't see it. The tree; it's gone. It's the second tree from in front of the church that has disappeared since we moved to the block, the first one cut down after half of it was damaged in a wind storm. I hadn't noticed any recent problems with this one, so I hope it was some sort of hidden disease or another problem not noticeable to casual passers-by and not simply because someone didn't want it there anymore.

"The less talk, the better," Arizona, March 2010

The less talk, the better, originally uploaded by DC Products.

"There is a deeper thing to express — the return of humanity to some sort of balanced awareness of the natural things — some rocks and sky. We need a little earth to stand on and feel run through our fingers. Perhaps Photography can do this — I am going to try anyhow. -- Ansel Adams

Today is Ansel Adams' birthday; he would have been 109 if he were superhuman. I was drawn in from the moment I first saw one of his black-and-white prints taken at Yosemite, so I thought I'd take a moment to tip my hat to the man today. The combination of his photographs and the crisp, exciting action shots I saw in Sports Illustrated are what drew me to the hobby.

The header on this blog, of course, also recognizes Adams, and for this day, I went back to find a photo taken out West, one that might have been taken by Adams (though in black and white) had he stood where I stood. However, I stood in a parking lot -- making sure to step forward enough so that the pavement did not encroach upon the view, leaving the contrast between blue sky and white clouds against the red rock and green desert foliage to speak for itself.

And, once more, I'll let Adams speak for himself:

"I hesitate to define just what the qualities of a true wilderness experience are. Like music and art, wilderness can be defined only on its own terms. The less talk, the better."

"Daybreak on the reservation," Arizona/Utah, March 2010

Daybreak on the reservation

I'm not sure I've experienced a place any more peaceful and spectacular as Monument Valley at daybreak.

"Peaks, valleys and the like," Colorado, May 2006

Peaks, valleys and the like

It's hard not to take a good photograph in the West. But sometimes it helps to mix up the views with a vertical landscape.

"Juniper light at Arches," Utah, March 2010

Juniper light

This became one of my favorite photos from out weeklong trip through northern Arizona and southeastern Utah. It was the end of a long day of hiking at Arches and we hoped to get one more loop in, out at the end of the park road near the big campground, hiking to Broken Arch and back to the car. But as we made our way along the path, we found ourselves alternating between dense sand and snow drifts up to our shins, even our knees. We grew tired quickly and decided to double back to the car, rather than finish the circuit.

But at least it got me this shot of the late-afternoon sunlight on the arches in the distance and the top of the tree in the foreground. If only I could drop everything now and go back out there ...

"Alone at Bass Harbor," Maine, May 2009

Alone at Bass Harbor

So many great places along the Maine coast, it's hard to decide which one -- or which locale -- to use. But Bass Harbor lighthouse is a gorgeous, remote, quiet spot I look forward to visiting whenever I'm on Mount Desert Island.

"Rusted in Jerome," Arizona, March 2010

Not much left but the wheel

The wheel on the truck hasn't gone 'round in quite a long time.

"The Watchtower," Grand Canyon, March 2010

Beneath the tower

In a 22- or 23-hour span, we saw much of what the Grand Canyon had to offer -- a snowed-in, cloudy cover of white and a bright, clear winter day along the South Rim. On our way out of the park, headed east along Arizona 64 on the way up to Monument Valley, we stopped at the Watchtower at Desert View for one last look. The tower itself was under renovation (and still open), but we passed on climbing the round, spiral steps. How much better can the view get when it's already so spectacular?

"Fiery sky," New Jersey, November 2007

View from Clifton

So often, I find myself walking to the train station in the late afternoon or evening just as the sky is putting on a hell of a light show.

"To the horizon," Wyoming, May 2006

To the horizon

"If you've never stared off in the distance, then your life is a shame," Counting Crows, "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby"

"Emerging from the storm," Ohio, July 2009

Emerging from the storm

I'm pretty sure this was in Ohio. We came across this dramatic storm cloud on I-80 as we headed west to Cleveland. It was so-so in color, but I found the black-and-white treatment gave it another layer.

Day 361 of 365

Pennsylvania winter road

U.S. 220 near Bedford, Pa., as we made our way home from Johnstown to New Jersey through a Currier and Ives countryside -- red barns and white farmhouses set in a snow-dusted field among the undulating hillsides.

Day 332 of 365

Dusk in the trees

The sun sets in Monmouth County on the last Saturday of November.

Day 326 of 365

Light and shadow

Yeah, I've used it before, but this scene today driving west on Route 36 had me singing Springsteen in my head:

Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun
Oh but mama that's where the fun is

-- "Blinded by the Light"

Day 318 of 365

Signs of the Strip District

Just one view I saw as I waited outside one of the stores for the rest of the gang to finish shopping.

Day 310 of 365

A winter sky

This was the first really chilly evening of the season. I relented and pulled out the heavier winter coat and wore a knit cap and a scarf for the first time, too.

Day 306 of 365

Gansevoort moon

What an amazing sky on this night with the moon peeking through the clouds. It made for some interesting sights.

Day 298 of 365

Gorgeous sunset

We often get sexy underwear ads on top of that building at 14th St. and Ninth Ave. It used to be David Beckham's crotch up there, which I'm sure was a big hit in Chelsea.

"Rocky Mountain stop," Colorado, May 2006

Stop for views

There's always that dichotomy in a visit to a national park -- at least those grand, expansive Western national parks that were established to preserve the vast wilderness. How much of the park are you truly experiencing if you don't get too far from the car?

When my former college roommate and I went out West on a weeklong road trip to mark our 30th birthdays, we devised a grand loop that began and ended in Denver and went as far north and west as Yellowstone and Idaho and as far east as Billings and Cheyenne and that little southwestern corner of Nebraska.

After spending the first two nights in Boulder, we drove through Rocky Mountain National Park on our way north into Wyoming. We stopped at parking areas and vistas, spent a little time walking along the ridges and gazing into the valleys, but we didn't truly leave the car behind and traipse down a mountain path to truly get a feel for the place, the way we did on a college trip to Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

On the one hand, I would've preferred to spend more time -- more quiet time -- in the Rocky Mountain NP, but on the other, we wouldn't have been able to do and see as much as we did if we'd allotted more time for any of our stops. We would've had to cut something out of Boulder, Rocky Mountain NP, Jackson Hole (and the Tetons and Yellowstone), Little Bighorn National Monument, Cheyenne or our last night in Denver. As it was, we didn't get to actually enter Teton NP or detour to Devil's Tower (I definitely have to get back to that one).

But in the end, I think I'd rather spend a little time at more places on the first visit and come back a second time to experience a place more fully. And then someday, when I'm independently wealthy or comfortably retired, I'll simply be able to do whatever, wherever, whenever, for however long I'd like.

Or so I can dream...

Day 279 of 365

Gold in the afternoon

Resumed my annual autumn tradition of a trip to Sussex County, which usually involves High Point State Park. After last year's trip came too late to get the leaves at peak color (but it wasn't a total loss), I decided to consider several trips over two or three weeks rather than setting aside one day to try to pinpoint the peak.

Today was nearly perfect. The weather, that is. The foliage is still spotty, but the scenery still starred in and around the park. I had good light, pleasant breezes and plenty of autumn splendor to behold.

As far as this shot goes, I didn't intend to shoot at this angle, but to get the golden tree into the frame, I had to because I was at the edge of the trail with my foot as far as it could go before stepping onto the loose, gravelly, steep slope. I could've tried to descend a few feet to get under the tree more and bring it closer to the monument, but I was in sneakers (I'd left my hiking boots in the car, hoping the monument would be open for a climb to the top, but it wasn't -- weekends only after Labor Day) and didn't want to get a few feet and then slide down the hill in a gravel-slide. I think it turned out OK, though.