Salton Sea, California

Salton Sea, California

Located in the extreme southern part of California in the Coachella and imperial Counties, this very salty lake is located directly on the San Andreas Fault. It is a vital refuge for endemic and especially migratory birds.

Sunset on the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Sunset on the Okavango Delta, Botswana

Africa’s vistas and skies are only rivaled by its amazing wildlife, for beauty and inspiration.

Chichen Itza, Tinum, Yucatan State, Mexico

Chichen Itza, Tinum, Yucatan State, Mexico

This site is a pre-Columbian Mayan city, with a sports arena and pyramid on display.

Balinese homes with rice paddies

Balinese homes with rice paddies

Like much of the Indo-Pacific, rice paddies are replacing native forests in Ubud, Bali. Indonesian forests are also being reduced for their timber, other forms of farming and development. An unfortunate result of this development is the loss of habitat for the world's wild animals, birds and plants.

 

Bayon Stone Faces, Angkor, Cambodia

Bayon Stone Faces, Angkor, Cambodia

The Bayon is a late 12th or early 13th Century Khmer temple in Angkor, near the famous Wat with the same name.

Rainbow at the Virunga Volcanoes Resort, Rwanda

Rainbow at the Virunga Volcanoes Resort, Rwanda

At the top of a volcanic mountain, the Virunga Volcanoes Lodge is an amazing place to view lakes and  volcanoes and to visit the forests inhabited by the Mountain Gorillas that the area is famous for.            

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, South Africa

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, South Africa

One of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls, Victoria Falls straddles the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Zambezi River drops 355 feet, forming a deep gorge that is famous for white-water rafting, (or infamous..we called the rafting excursion the ‘Death-ride" on the Zambezi”, though we all survived!). The much more placid Zambezi, above the Falls, harbors Hippos and Elephants and High Tea can be had on Livingston Island, near the edge of the Falls.

Sunset at Sipadan Water Village, Mabul, Borneo

Sunset at Sipadan Water Village, Mabul, Borneo

A glassy sea mirrors a beautiful sunset in this Malaysian paradise.

Boga Boga Village, Papua New Guinea

Boga Boga Village, Papua New Guinea

This little island was the site of the B-17 Flying Fortress "Blackjack" crash landing in World War II. Local villagers were able to save all of the American crew members, before the plane sunk in 157' of water just off the shallow reef in the foreground.

First light in Papua New Guinea- Smoking Volcano

First light in Papua New Guinea- Smoking Volcano

We were awakened very early by a crew member, telling us to see the volcano near our dive boat. 

Catarata del Toro Waterfall, Costa Rica

Catarata del Toro Waterfall, Costa Rica

This beautiful waterfall is in the Catarata del Toro Private reserve, on the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica. It is the biggest and possibly the most beautiful. The reserve is a paradise filled with many scenic wonders and dozens of birds and animals. The visitors' center is home to many beautiful hummingbirds and butterflies.

Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California

Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California

Drake's Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore

Drake's Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore

Acknowledged as one of the cleanest beaches in California, Drake's Beach lies within the Point Reyes reserve, which  contains wild coastal beaches, headlands, estuaries and uplands and is a glimpse of what California probably looked like before Europeans developed and farmed it. It is home to many shorebirds, raptors and Tule Elk.

"Tunnel View", Yosemite National Park

"Tunnel View", Yosemite National Park

Probably one of the most photographed spots in North America, this scene that greets visitors emerging from a tunnel through the mountains that opens to Yosemite Valley is breathtaking, no matter how many times you see it.

Upper Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California

Upper Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California

Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park

Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park

When the lake has water and the light is right, this is one of the most photogenic spots in Yosemite. Mirror Lake is a remnant of a large glacial lake that filled much of the valley during the last Ice Age. It is directly between North Dome and Half Dome, making an ideal spot for photographs, especially at sunset.

Canoeing on the Okavango Delta

Canoeing on the Okavango Delta

One of the best ways to explore the Delta in Botswana is by raft or canoe. As you slowly move through the placid waterways, you can often see birds, elephants, crocodiles and hippos.

McWay Falls, Big Sur, California

McWay Falls, Big Sur, California

You can travel all over the world and still find many places in California that are unrivaled in their beauty. This iconic spot at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Beach, with its unique waterfall into the ocean, is one of those places.

Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley, California

Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley, California

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

The Yellowstone River cuts through the rocky cliffs of the park and falls, thundering hundreds of feet,  to the delight of visitors. This is one of the many places in Yellowstone National Park that makes you want to pull out you camera and shoot!

The icy Yellowstone Lake

The icy Yellowstone Lake

This shot was taken in late spring. The ice-covered surface of Yellowstone Lake made me think I was in the far North; Alaska or the Arctic? I liked the clouds and the ice,  complimenting each other.

Rafting the Colorado in the Grand Canyon

Rafting the Colorado in the Grand Canyon

One of the best 8 days I've enjoyed in a long while, exploring the Grand Canyon from Lake Powell to Lake Meade is a an incredibly beautiful and interesting journey.

Bryce Canyon Amphitheaters

Bryce Canyon Amphitheaters

Although the National Park is called "Bryce Canyon", it is really not a true canyon, but a number of "amphitheaters", which boggle the mind in their scope and beauty.

Colorado River, near Havasu Creek, Grand Canyon

Colorado River, near Havasu Creek, Grand Canyon

The mineral-laden waters of Havasu Creek give the river a vivid blue-green color.

Havasu Creek, Canyon Canyon

Havasu Creek, Canyon Canyon

Unbelievably blue water rushes between the ancient red rocky canyon, attracting hikers looking for a cool break from the desert heat.

Island Paradise, 'Wakatobi', Indonesia

Island Paradise, 'Wakatobi', Indonesia

A premier dive destination in Southwest Sulawesi, this archipelago is named after the four main islands; Wangiwangi, Kaledupa, Tomea and Binongko. The owners of the resort have enlisted the local population to restrict fishing in the area. They benefit with tourism income from visiting SCUBA divers from around the world.

Virgin River, Zion National Park, Utah

Virgin River, Zion National Park, Utah

This shallow river in Zion National Park is a popular destination for river waders that explore the ‘Narrows’, the narrowest portion of Zion Canyon. Its walls are a thousand feet high with a gorge that narrows to only twenty to thirty feet.

Fairy-tale Castles, Bryce Canyon, Utah

Fairy-tale Castles, Bryce Canyon, Utah

Formed in sedimentary rock, hoodoo shapes are affected by the erosion of hard and softer rock layers. The name given to the rock layer that forms hoodoos at Bryce Canyon is the Claron Formation. This layer has several rock types including siltstones and mudstones but is predominantly limestone.

Red Rock Castles, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Red Rock Castles, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

The red and yellow sedimentary rocks create unlimited formations in one of America's most beautiful parks.

The Pond Cat, Sequim, Washington

The Pond Cat, Sequim, Washington

Okay, I admit this is not a "wild" destination.  I'm pretty sure the cat isn't too wild, either. I just liked the quiet beauty of this spot in Sequim, pronounced "skwim", and the cat demanded some attention.

Lucky Photographer at Sardine Lake, California

Lucky Photographer at Sardine Lake, California

My wife, Deanna, took this shot of me, while we were exploring the little jewel in the Sierras, called Sardine Lake. Apparently the lake got its name from a mule named Sardine that drowned in it, during the old mining days of Northern California. The lake is a favorite of fishermen and the area is great for hiking and bird watching.

Hermosa Beach Sunset, California

Hermosa Beach Sunset, California

I think I remember seeing the "green flash" right after I shot this. The pelicans and gulls were circling around, looking for their last meals of the day and places to roost for the evening.