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Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

She looks better large. Click anywhere in the photo to see it larger. To see it on black Click once more after being redirected to the larger view.

A closer look at her face.

Have a lovely week-end everyone!

My first shot of 2011 was this beautiful Coyote just a short distance inside the park. Dali (DD), Tj, Alex, and I spent the first week-end in 2011 in Yosemite National Park. We had hoped for some great winter landscapes, and were thrilled when Tj spotted her laying in snow across the road. We pulled over and she came over to the car and acted like she expected us to throw out something for her to eat. She hung around long enough to realize we weren’t going to feed her and other passing cars spooked her so she gave up and went into the forest.

Nikon D90| Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8@ 170mm| f4| 1/100 sec| ISO 200| Hand-held

Yosemite National Park; California; Coyote; Wild Animals

Copyright © 2010 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

It looks much better large. Please click anywhere in the photo to view it in Large.
This is another photo from my road trip to Arches National Park last Nov.

This is part of the sliprock trail you must climb to get up to Delicate Arch. Where it is wet it’s slippery, and this is on the a slant which made it worse in some places. It’s a mountain side your scaling. The trail looks like a long faint scar going up this part of the mountain. Made by the many feet that have gone up and down this sliprock to get to Delicate Arch.

It was here, or very near here that I realized I hadn’t seen a cairn for awhile. This is just a few feet from the top of this mountain. You can see the top here. I paused to look around and take this photo of the clouds with those radiant light beams, and the La Sal Mountains behind them then Theresa and I back-tracked to find the last seen cairn. I had missed one that veered to the left. This was the only cairn I missed I’m happy to say. The cairns are spaced a good distance apart in places.

It’s a pretty rugged trail with no shade or water, it’s steep and there is a narrow ledge on open cliff face you hike up without any barriers just before you get to Delicate Arch. I don’t suffer from vertigo, or a fear of heights, but this had me in Mother Mode! 🙂 I think I pulled Theresa a little closer to the wall several times. It’s worth the effort to get up here. Do it if you can!

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 17-35mm @ 20mm| f10| 1/250 sec| Manual Mode| Hand-held

Total miles hiked 3+
Total ascent 480 feet

Copyright © 2010 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

Click anywhere in the Photo to see it Large.

I’ve been so blessed to have been able to visit so many wonderful parks and places last year that I’ve fallen behind with my photo editing and developing.
This is from a road trip I took back in Nov. 2010.
Theresa and I hiked up to Delicate Arch after our sunrise hike out to Landscape Arch.
This hike was a strenuous 3 mile hike over open slip rock, no shade, and one part was open cliff face with no barrier. Along the open sliprock there are cairns marking the trail, but I missed one and we hiked up about 1/4 mile before I realized I hadn’t seen a cairn in some time so we turned around. Sure enough I missed one. I’m glad we decided to do this hike after sunrise rather than in the dark.
Having now done this hike I feel confident that I would be able to find my way up here again with my headlamp and torch.

The young woman here doing the Yoga pose Warrior 3 was fantastic. She recited poetry, and she and a friend later sang a duet standing under the arch just there. Oh, it’s so long ago now I can’t remember all the words, but it was about the simple things that make you happy. It was such a wonderful and spiritual experience being up here. Those of you who have climbed to high places or sat near the sea, or been deep in the forest know what I’m talking about I am sure.
Though I have forgotten the words to the song I will never forget the feeling of peace, and happiness I felt on this morning. I am grateful for the gifts of song and poetry she and her friend gave those of us who hiked up the sliprock to Delicate Arch on the morning of November 7, 2010.

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 17-35mm@ 20mm| f18| 1/60 sec| Manual Mode| On a Tripod
Total Hike 3 miles
Ascent 480 feet

Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

To see this photo large click anywhere inside the photo. Thank you!

I spent the day in San Francisco photographing several different locations with Dali, and Alex. We ended the day here at St. Ignatius Church. I have wanted to photograph this church since I first saw it all lit up from a top Twin Peaks last year. It was worth the wait! It was another great day spent with friends with fantastic weather, in one of my favorite cities in the world.

For the History buffs:
St. Ignatius Church. This is the 5th such church to be built in San Francisco. This present day church was built in 1912 and dedicated in 1914. It is located on the campus of University of San Francisco.
The present church’s architecture is a mix of Italian Renaissance and Baroque elements, and its floor-plan follows that of ancient Roman basilicas. Though Saint Ignatius Church survived the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake unscathed, it was recently renovated and seismically reinforced. One of the city’s largest churches, its location on a hilltop as well as its twin spires and dome makes it a prominent San Francisco landmark.
~Wikipedia

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 17-35mm@ 17mm| f13| 25 seconds| ISO 160| Manual Mode| On a Tripod| Triggered with a Remote Release Cable

Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

I was standing on a point on the North Shore looking south. Lake San Antonio gracefully winds and bends its way though this valley while twilight baths the lake and wildflowers in its lovely warm light. This is one of those times I was so grateful to have my camera and friends who share this hobby with me. When outdoors taking photos it gives me the opportunity to slow down and enjoy the moments that so often pass by without the luxury of lingering over them, and appreciating them to their fullest.

Nikon D90| Nikkor 17-35mm @ 25mm| f8| 1/5 sec| ISO 200| Manual Mode| On a Tripod

Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

While driving around the park to go somewhere on the other side we passed this pond and I thought it was lovely, but didn’t ask Dali to stop, but the 2nd time around it I did. There were 3 ducks swimming in icy pond just out of view on the right side, and it was gently snowing. One duck was quacking I thought happily. It echoed through the valley sounding very much like the Penguin in the Batman movie and it made me laugh.

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 17-35@ 35mm| f7.1| 1/250sec| ISO 400| On a Tripod

Yosemite National Park; California

Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

This is another iconic Tourist shot when one comes to Yosemite National Park. At some point you come up here. The view is never ho-hum. On this day we had sun and clouds covering El Capitan on the left, and the Dome of Half Dome. The snow flocked trees lining the valley floor was pretty.

That’s Bridalveil Fall there on the right under Cathedral Rocks. It was chilly and icy up here. If you wanted to drive any higher you had to have chains on your tires, or show the Ranger who was on guard duty outside the tunnel that you had chains for your 4×4.

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 17-35@ 17mm| f8| 1/30sec| ISO 200| Manual Mode| On a Tripod