David's Images of the Day Photoblog
Travels around the world
I stopped in Roswell, New Mexico to spend the night. Just outside of the city is Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. This is one of the stops that Sandhill Cranes make during their annual migration. They leave every morning to feed, and then return in the evening. There were literally thousands of the birds and the wildlife refuge — and they make a lot of noise.
The Park Service recovered all of our belongings from the tent-cabins in Curry Village. We then checked into various Yosemite hotels and lodges (gratis). Much higher end lodging than the sparse tent-cabins. Before dinner, Michael Mariant as a special treat after all the weeks commotion took us for a walk along a quiet and peaceful section of the Merced river. The diffuse and sublime lighting made for some great images.
Merced River Walkabout (Color Version)
Merced River Walkabout (Monochrome Version)
Merced River Walkabout (Photographer Ghosts)
Prior to leaving Sedona, we spent the morning photographing the morning sun lighting up the red rock buttes. I set up a Nikon D4 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens to record a time-lapse video. I managed to walk in front of the camera a few times.
After Jerome, we visited the “tourist attraction” of Gold King Mine and Ghost Town. Or how to make money off a dump. Lots of derelict old cars and mining equipment, along with displays for paying tourists visiting a ghost town. It even boasts an old-time desert rat riding a Harley Davidson (for a fee).
Our van spent the morning in Jerome, a historic copper mining town. We then spent some time at the nearby King Mine and Ghost Town. The mines are no longer active, with tourism supporting the economy of the region.
