Havasu National Wildlife Refuge

abraxas · Jul 2, 2008

A couple shots from a canoe trip into this reserve by the Colorado River, Topock Arizona. Not much wildlife that day, a heron, a couple grebe and the usual grackles, etc. But what a way to watch the sunrise way back in the secluded marsh.

Fox Paw · Jul 2, 2008

Beautiful.

abraxas · Jul 2, 2008

Thanks. One of my more memorable adventures.

MarcusM · Jul 2, 2008

Very nice.

So, I have to ask...how is it that you get to do so much traveling to all these beautiful places to photograph?

Hope I'm not being nosy!

abraxas · Jul 2, 2008

MarcusM said:
Very nice.

So, I have to ask...how is it that you get to do so much traveling to all these beautiful places to photograph?

Hope I'm not being nosy!

Thanks MarcusM. I don't mind telling about my path at all. I'll run through the tiny-size version.

Blah, bla, bla,... which brings me to the point where, what I do is basically a Mojave Desert avocationist/naturalist. I study and promote the desert through the publication of photos and information about the 24,000 square mile desert and bordering ecoregions and other stuff I find near-adjacent which is cool (Great Basin, Sonoran, Colorado deserts, Colorado Plateau, Sierra Nevada and Transverse mountain ranges, etc.). I've been working on my ~project~ since 1996.

Dmitri · Jul 2, 2008

Beautiful as always! Wish my shots came out 10% as good as yours do!:study:

abraxas · Jul 3, 2008

Thank you Dmitri!

Senor Hound · Jul 3, 2008

Good stuff. I love the sharpness in the mountaintops in the first photo. Do you do a mirror image to get that strong of a reflection, or is that all natural? Either way, its very cool.

But, where are the photos of the Havasu partiers? Instead of wildlife, you could be posting WILD LIFE!

abraxas · Jul 3, 2008

Senor Hound said:
Good stuff. I love the sharpness in the mountaintops in the first photo. Do you do a mirror image to get that strong of a reflection, or is that all natural? Either way, its very cool.

But, where are the photos of the Havasu partiers? Instead of wildlife, you could be posting WILD LIFE!

The reflections are all natural. Very rarely do I ever crop or clone, and I can't remember but only one instance of compositing (other than HDR, which I'm leaving by the back door for awhile). The trick to clear reflections in this particular case is moving slow and steady. I had my grandaughter with me during this sunrise piloting the canoe--I've trained her since she was 5 to work with me taking photos. I'm very proud of her. She's going to Florida to study underwater photography this summer. So, with her around, no WiLD LiFE that trip!

That does remind me- About a zillion years ago- the late 70's, me and four of my brothers were hiking across Catalina Island. We started in Avalon, and the thing that burned in my mind were three, proudly drunk, buxom girls in radically tight skirts, hair built up and cat's eye glitter-sunglasses ready to break hearts and take willing souls. Interesting. So we spend the next three days hiking and wandering about the hills and brush, and on the last day we run into a ranger. We had heard wild turkey on the island during the nights. Sounded like somebody really loud and goofy getting goosed, continually. Seriously disturbing. I had heard about ferral boar on the island and wanting to see all the wildlife I could while we were there, I innocently asked, "where can we see the wild pigs?" The ranger looked at me, smiled, and then said, "You should have checked out the Sand Bar in Avalon while you were there." Of course the image of the ladies in the form-fitting-knit-wrapping came to mind. I blushed and my little brothers had a big laugh. So that's what I think of when someone mentions, "wiLD LifE." Thanks for reminding me of that