Winter Blues and Grays

Winter blues and grays were found at Geode State Park today.  A mild day for January 1st, high 30s’s maybe even 40.  Most of the lake was covered in a thin layer of ice.  The light danced across the lake as the sun tried to shine through the thick billowy clouds in shades of blues and grays.  Dozens of Canadian Geese made an almost deafening sound as they took flight a short distance away.  Then for a brief moment, pure silence and the air still.   That moment blissful, no noise, just a beautiful winter scene of blues and grays.

Winter blues and grays at Geode State Park
Winter blues and grays at Geode State Park

As I drove away from the park it was the golden hour and soon the first sunset of 2017.  Mother Nature was teasing me with clouds moving and the sun trying to peer through.  As I headed west it looked as if there would be a chance of a pink sky just after sunset. The clouds were moving and illuminated with just a hint of sunshine, my hope for a pink sky heightened.  I found a location that I was hopeful to see if the sky would indeed turn pink.  The clouds were low and seemed too thick, but I was patient and waited.  Then slowly, a portion of the sky turned from gray to pink.

First sunset 2017 in Southeast Iowa
First sunset 2017 in Southeast Iowa

I continued to wait hoping the entire sky would explode in pink.  Only a portion turned pink, but a stunning pink for the first sunset of 2017 and leaving the rest of the sky filled with winter blues and grays.

First sunset in Southeast Iowa 2017.
First sunset in Southeast Iowa 2017.

Favorite Images 2016

It is the end of another year.  It is bitter cold in Iowa as I write this post and choose my favorite images of 2016.  A good day to stay inside and reflect on the year through my photography.  This year is such a diverse set of images, interesting how my photography changed this year.  So many of my images this year were spur of the moment and unplanned.  The images this year were made using three cameras, my Nikon P7000, Nikon D7000 and my iPhone 6s.  The images made with my DSLR Nikon D7000, were made with only two lenses, my 50mm 1.8D and my 105mm macro lens.

I took a look back at previous years to see my favorite images from 2013, 2014 and 2015.  How different they are from this year.  I cringed when looking at my images from 2013 as it seemed I was trying too hard and concerned with making images that would please others.  It was all about macro photography and finding my style and path in 2014.  And 2015 was a gallery of images from Arizona and Iowa and I see the personal struggle in my images of trying to figure out where I should be.

And here we are at the end of 2016 and the images I chose as my favorites.  Several of the images were not shared in previous posts.  You may click on any of the images below to view a larger size.  Did you look back at previous years?  If so, drop me a line and let me know what you see!  For now, enjoy my favorites images 2016!