I was within a few miles of the Missouri River (and Lake Oahe) when I saw the low sun lighting up this wheat field. One of the reasons you don't let the sun hit your lens is "lens flair," which is apparent in this photo. Lens flare is caused by the sun reflecting and refracting off of interior lens elements. But sometimes it can enhance a photo.
I don't know if the flare helps this picture. But for me the picture is enough: an expansive field of golden wheat on a sunny summer day.
Canon 1D 1/125s f/18.0 ISO200 20mm
I have discovered that pale yellow flowers are hard to photograph and this is probably the best I can do. I hope you have a well-adjusted monitor!
Such is the deep drop-off at Lake Oahe that I can use 
I apologize if you've been lured to my blog this week thinking that "A Week In Paris" would offer a series of spectacular views of the great monuments and buildings in this amazing city. Those shots have been posted (more or less). Two of my favorites: 
This is the most famous street in the world, as seen from the Arc di Triomphe. The Champs-Elyssee has some of the most exclusive stores and restuarants in the world: Chanel, Hugo Boss, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, to name a few. But there is a MacDonalds, too.
There is a long history of risky French architecture. For example, the Eiffel Tower was widely criticized when it was built. So, too, was the new entrance to the Louvre, which is what you are looking at in this photo. It was designed by the Chinese American architect I.M. Pei.
There is much that is captivating about a Gothic cathedral like the famous Notre Dame of Paris. The beautiful stained glass and the lofty interior space must have been truly awe inspiring to the 12th century Parisian. They certainly are to me.
Napoleon, who conquered much of Europe, died at age 51 on the tiny island of St. Helena, where he had been exiled. Even today St. Helena is one of the most isolated places on earth. 
Yes, another self-indulgent photo! And you wouldn't know that this is Paris, would you? It could be our local Mini-Mart. But check out the the wine section of this petite store. Only in France would you see something like this.
I learned a couple weeks ago that a former student of mine, Erin H., is looking at the blog from time to time. Given that there are other former students who also see this blog, this might seem unremarkable. But it turns out that Erin is in Paris for a year, and there's something special to me about having someone there checking out my blog. :-)
You could just see this another wall with ivy growing on it. Or you could see it as a deeply symbolic photo representing the conflict of "man vs. Nature," and our attempt to impose structure and pattern on a universe that is as random as the ivy's vine creeping across a red brick wall.
I found these brightly colored leaves in the heart of downtown Seattle. I had wandered out of the conference I was attending during my lunch hour to look for a few photo opportunities. I found this tree in a courtyard of an office building. After I had taken a few photos, I noticed two armed security guards walking my way and they weren't smiling. They told me to stop taking photos. I said that I was only taking pictures of leaves. But that didn't matter. They told me I was on private property and that I would be charged with trespassing if I didn't leave the property. So I left.
