Bolivar Peninsula, Texas

Martin Refuge, Texas

The Rio Grande Valley is well known amongst birders and wildlife photographers as a hot spot for a large variety of bird species, some of which are unique to this area. The Martin Refuge provides a secluded experience to photograph the unique fauna of the Rio Grand Valley in a 300 acre facility of thick brush habitat. [martinrefuge.com; John or Audrey Martin 956-381-1264]

Professionally designed photo blinds, amply accommodating several photographers, offer water features and feeders to help attract birds, mammals, reptiles and ‘critters’ into a closer proximity. Some of the blinds are ‘sunken’ giving the photographer an eye-level view of a subject. One blind is Raptor-specific and is a huge draw for Crested Caracaras and Harris Hawks. Blinds may also be chosen for morning or evening lighting preferences and have a variety of perches. The images chosen were obtained in a shoot during May of 2013.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass a spectacular mountain environment, with abundant wildlife and many alpine lakes and streams. Trail Ridge Road crests at over 12,000 feet and offers scenic overlooks to alpine and subalpine areas. Photos from August 2011 and July 2014.

Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park is located in Montana just south of the Canadian border adjacent to Waterton Lakes National Park. The park encompasses over  a million acres and includes parts of two mountain ranges (sub-ranges of the Rocky Mountains) and over 130 named lakes. This collection of images was captured in July of 2011.

 

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is home to more than 500,00 species, making it amongst the countries with the highest biodiversity in the world. More than twenty-seven percent of the country’s land has a protected status as national park, wildlife refuge, or forest preserve.  National Geographic called it the most “ biologically intense place on Earth.”  These images were taken in January of 2013 (Hotel Bougainvillea Gardens, Arenal Lodge, Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, and La Paz Waterfall Gardens) and February of 2014 Hotel Bougainvillea Gardens, Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, Selva Verde Lodge, and Bosque de Paz Lodge).

San Juan Mountains

The San Juan Mountains represent the most extensive mountainous region of the Rocky Mountains – rugged, remote and wild. They lie in southwest Colorado and contain 328 peaks over 13,000 feet, 14 over 14,000. Undoubtedly they are Colorado’s finest mountain range with unsurpassed beauty and enough peaks, lakes, waterfalls, and open meadows to nourish one’s mountain climbing, 4-wheeling, backpacking and photography desires. Add in ghost mining towns and hopefully some wildflowers and the photographer’s venue is complete. Our trip to the San Juans (and other locations including the Maroon Bells) in July of 2012 lacked the typical volume of wildflowers, but the weather was great and the scenery was beautiful.