Help me pick photos for my 2014 water theme calendar… and maybe win a calendar?

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

I want to thank everyone who gave me such positive feedback on my post earlier this week regarding themes for my 2014 photo calendars. Today, I’d like to showcase a selection of water theme photos and ask you to choose which ones should make it into the calendar. It might be easier to tell me which ones you’d really want to see, and which ones I should definitely keep. Just give me your honest feedback and help me make great choices.

Now, here’s the catch. Everyone who comments on one of my 2014 photo calendar related posts will be entered in a drawing to win one of my calendars (you can pick your favorite theme). The only requirement I have for the winner is to be located within the U.S., mostly because the calendar will contain U.S. holidays and it will be more helpful to that person. For every calendar post that you comment on, you will earn one drawing entry (one entry per blog post, not per comment). I’m planning to give away one calendar to a lucky winner, and possibly another one to the person who comes in second, depending on the number of participants.

Sell me which photos I should include, or not, in this water theme 2014 photo calendar. You can click on any photo below to open the slideshow and view everything in a larger format. Please include your comments into the post comment section directly, not on individual photos, to make it easier for everyone to see your feedback. I know some of the photos are in portrait instead of landscape format, but I’d go back to the original and crop it the right way if it’s a favorite.

Are you ready? Go!

Wordless Wednesday: bat-eared fox

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Wordless Wednesday: bat-eared fox
Wordless Wednesday: bat-eared fox

New photo challenge: festival of leaves – week 1

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Today I’m taking part in a new photo challenge called Festival of Leaves (this is week 1). You can click on each photo for a larger view.

If you like what you see, I encourage you to subscribe so you can enjoy the new photos I post a few times a week.

The leaves haven’t started to change colors here in San Diego. After all, it’s only the end of September and many trees will still have leaves on until mid-November.  And that’s not counting the many trees in the region that never lose their leaves.

So here are a few selections from last fall, until I can start photographing the colors of this fall.

We have a lot of Sycamore trees in the area. The leaves just turn brown in the fall before dropping to the ground, nothing fancy. Sometimes the summers are so dry the leaves start drying up even before fall starts. If you can catch that brown in the sunlight, it becomes a lot more interesting to the eye.

Festival of Leaves - Sycamore tree leaf
Festival of Leaves – Sycamore tree leaf
Festival of Leaves - Green and brown Sycamore leaves in the fall
Festival of Leaves – Green and brown Sycamore leaves in the fall

There are a lot of poplar trees by the San Diego river. I love their golden yellow leaves in the fall, especially with the sunlight shining through them.

Festival of Leaves - Yellow poplar leaves in the fall
Festival of Leaves – Yellow poplar leaves in the fall

Fortunately we don’t have to wait for the fall to enjoy beautiful leaves in Southern California. The red leaves of this ornamental plum tree brings a flash of color even before fall starts.

Festival of Leaves - Ornamental plum tree with red leaves
Festival of Leaves – Ornamental plum tree with red leaves

Macro Monday: close-up of pink grass and its seeds

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Today I’m taking part in the Macro Monday photo challenge. You can click on each photo for a larger view.

If you like what you see, I encourage you to subscribe so you can enjoy the new photos I post a few times a week.

I love the look of pink grass, with its long hairy stems and its bright colors. I’ve featured pink grass before but today I wanted to show you a few close-ups. Here’s what decorative pink grass (and not pink) looks like as a whole. This is technically called Pennisetum setaceum ‘Fireworks’ (Variegated Purple Fountain Grass).

Macro Monday: pink grass
Macro Monday: pink grass

And here it is closer. Best use I’ve found for it? Tickling people’s necks. Works every time.

Macro Monday: close-up of pink grass
Macro Monday: close-up of pink grass
Hairy pink grass seeds
Hairy pink grass seeds
Pink grass seeds
Pink grass seeds

WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Today I’m participating in the WordPress weekly photo challenge and this week’s theme is “from lines to patterns”. You can click on the photos below for a larger view.

If you like what you see, feel free to subscribe and receive nature photography updates a few times a week.

I love the saturated colors that nature displays all around. Close-up shots help focusing on that saturation. Enjoy the show!

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - Bottle brush tree flowers
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – Bottle brush tree flowers
Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - Red hibiscus flower
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – Red hibiscus flower
Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - pistils inside a yellow rose
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – pistils inside a yellow rose
Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - iceplant blooms
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – iceplant blooms
Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - Orange Picotee tuberous begonia - begonia tuberhybrida
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – Orange Picotee tuberous begonia – begonia tuberhybrida
Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - green junebug beetle
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – green junebug beetle
Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - yellow lemon against blue sky
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – yellow lemon against blue sky
Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Saturated - purple and white wildflowers with morning dew
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Saturated – purple and white wildflowers with morning dew