The health of pollinators is critical to our environment and ecosystems. Each pollinator plays an important role in transferring pollen and enabling plants to produce fruits and seeds. It is through this pollen transfer from plant to plant that genetic … Read More

There’s something magical about the Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus)—often called the “Desert Cardinal”—that makes encountering one feel like discovering a well-kept secret of the American Southwest. For me, this was the first time seeing one. With the right camera settings, I … Read More

There is a specific kind of magic that only exists before the rest of the world hits the “snooze” button. I call it the Morning Glory—not just because of the flowers that bloom with the sun, but because of that … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #388: Your Journey in 5-10 Images Anne-Christine asked us to consider these questions for this week’s challenge about a trip we took: “What were the highlights, what are the memories that will stay with me forever? Maybe the big … Read More

There is a specific kind of magic that happens in the high desert of Big Bend Ranch State Park when winter’s grip begins to loosen. It’s a landscape defined by its “hardness”—rugged volcanic rock, heat-shimmering horizons, and plants that have … Read More

There’s a specific kind of magic that happens when the sun hits the water at just the right angle, turning a river into a basin of liquid gold. It’s in these quiet, shimmering moments that the Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) … Read More

This shot captures the “flame” in Flame Acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii). Before the pollinators arrive, the plant stands out with its architectural, fire-colored blooms. The narrow, tubular shape of these flowers is a neon sign for hummingbirds and long-tongued … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #387: Shadowed Instead of diving into my archives for John’s creative Shadowed challenge, I am using photos I captured just last week while visiting Big Bend Ranch State Park (not to be confused with Big Bend National Park). … Read More

The saying may not come from this perennial shrub, but I can certainly see that it would apply to a Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) shrub. Even though this shrub may look a bit like a weed for some people, the round … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #385: Unusual Crop Photography rules can help create a balanced photo. However, the old saying that rules are written to be broken should be kept in mind if a photographer wants to blur the lines and show creativity. … Read More