A drive up Mount Evans Scenic Byway in Colorado usually produces a few mountain goats. The harder part is finding great light and clouds. On this occasion, I was lucky enough to be greeted by low lying clouds settling into the valley below as a goat stepped out into a shaft of light.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 800, f/6.3 at 1/2000th of a second

When in bloom, pasque flowers have either broad white or purple petals with a yellow interior. They can be quite striking when blanketing the alpine meadows of Mount Rainier National Park, mixing in amongst the bluebonnets, lupine, indian paintbrush and daisies. That being said, I much prefer the furry, “Cousin It” looking balls of hair they become after the petals drop.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/400th of a second

Here’s a rare non-nature post from my neighborhood in Brooklyn. I’ve posted shots of the Statue of Liberty before. In this one, I liked the motion-blurred effect of the passing party cruise boat and its blue neon lights, while the streak from a helicopter can be seen above.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/11 at 2 seconds

As an avid Denver Broncos fan, I’d be remiss not to post a wild mustang, or a horse, or a bronco, or whatever you prefer to call our wild equines. This mother and her foal were ranging free in Monument Valley National Tribal Park in Utah.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 200, f/9 at 1/200th of a second

Yesterday I posted a shot from the La Jolla cliffs in southern California. At the other end of town in La Jolla is a spot called Hospitals Reef, also known simply as the Potholes. Many craters in the rock provide great opportunities for beachscape compositions. I was so excited to shoot in this location that I forgot my tripod back in the hotel and had to improvise by placing my backpack on the ground and nestling my camera on top of it. There was a high surf advisory in effect and even though it was only an hour until dead low tide, a few huge waves caught me off guard, including on this exposure. Luckily, I was able to get the backpack and camera off the ground before finding myself up to my knees in surf. Due to the less that stable conditions, I was shooting at a higher shutter speed than I normally would have in such a situation. It ended up helping on this shot as I was able to somewhat freeze the crashing surf.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/11 at 1/100th of a second

Just back from a work trip to San Diego followed by a few days of rest and relaxation (which, of course, at least partly included a long lens and a bit of wildlife). I returned to one of my reliable hotspots in La Jolla, about 25 minutes north of San Diego. It’s a great area for seals, sea lions, and pelicans. There are also quite a few other shorebirds, including Brandt’s cormorants that nest on the steep cliffs on the north end of La Jolla’s waterfront. In this image, I was also able to catch a Western gull as it flew in front of the backlit cliffs in early morning light.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/500th of a second

This mountain goat looks a bit spent after climbing to the top of the mountain. All I had to do was drive. Mount Evans in Colorado is the highest paved road in North America, and also happens to be one of the best places in the country to reliably see mountain goats.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/2500th of a second

Here’s another kind-of-Christmass-y shot. When you enter the town of Olney, Illinois, you’re greeted by a sign that says welcome to the home of the white squirrels. The little guy above is one of those famous locals. I actually saw quite a few of them running around Olney’s suburban streets. This guy was munching on some twigs and berries in a park in the town center. You can see that he has blue eyes and isn’t a true albino, but rather a color variant of the grey squirrel.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/400th of a second

Here’s another one with a bit of a nod to Halloween. This is a least chipmunk. Very common, but can be difficult to photograph because they rarely stop moving. I caught this little guy enjoying a nut — and looking a bit evil — at a campground parking lot in Yellowstone.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second

Seemed an appropriate time of year to post this Halloween pennant dragonfly. In Florida, these guys can be found year round. This one was photographed in Everglades National Park a few years back.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second