“Rain Over Loch Leathan” — A rainy and cloudy day at Loch Leathan on the coast of hte Isle of Skye.
On the first full day of our recent visit to the Isle of Skye we headed up the island’s east coast, eventually reaching its tip before looping back. There are a number of worthy and well-known sites along this route, among them the famous “Old Man of Storr” formations. We planned to do the hike up to the feature, but as we arrived the heavens let loose — as they often do in Scotland — with very heavy rain and strong winds. We suited up and started the hike anyway.
“Lake Michigan, Autumn” — Lake Michigan with autumn clouds, Chicago.
Last November we visited Chicago for a few days. This was mostly an urban adventure — walking around The Loop, going out to eat, visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, taking in performances of the Chicago Lyric Opera and the Chicago Symphony. But if a natural subject is to be found, I am going to photograph it!
One afternoon we took a long walk through the “Magnificent Mile” section of the city, eventually passing beyond the tall downtown buildings and coming to a… beach! Beaches don’t seem to be particularly popular places in Chicago in November, for good reason. But we wandered out toward the water’s edge, where I was able to photograph this panorama of of the water and a fascinating cloud deck.
“Winter Fog and Trees” — Thick tule fog in a thicket of trees, Central Valley.
TWinter is the season for migratory birds in California’s Central Valley, and I try to get out there as often as I can. This region is also the site of extraordinary tule fog — frequently thick enough to make driving quite challenging. My ideal day of bird photography In the Valley starts with early morning fog that begins to thin after dawn. But sometimes the fog does not thin.
This was one of those persistently foggy days. I could hear birds around me, but I could rarely see more than a hundred feet or so into the murk, so bird photography was not happening. That’s my signal to revert to landscape photography, and fortunately the fog produces a moody and mysterious effect on the landscape.
“Winter Desert Sky” — Evening clouds fill the winter sky above Death Valley.
We were in Death Valley just before Christmas 2025. Winter weather there is often beautiful, but it can change rapidly and difficult conditions are also possible — dust storms, rain, and even cold! This was one of those days. We woke up to gray skies and a forecast of rain arriving later that day. We had almost given up on our primary photographic objectives when we looked up and saw light on nearby peaks! There was apparently a brief break in the incoming clouds.
We sprang into action, heading out immediately and stopping at the first opportunity to photograph light on nearby peaks. We saw that it was even clearer to the north, so off we went in that direction. There the enormous desert sky was broken by cloud patterns as the last light gently lit distant mountains.
Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.
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