Caps Ridge, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Clay, Aug. 24th

[forestgnome]

I'm in a zone! I've been stalking bogs for moose at sunrise on the way to dayhikes and doing well lately. This mama and calf were off Bear Notch Road and I was able to catch them as they browsed through a patch of joe pye weed and goldenrod.

three-month old calf on a well-worn moose trail...

I'm hoping to see a bull soon because they are shedding their velvet now. I've never seen that.


a beautiful day for hiking with a light breeze and late summer temp and humidity. I saw Bob'n'Geri for the second weekend in a row. I saw them on the Caps and then again on Mt. Clay. Very nice people.

I had Mt. Jefferson to myself for awhile. view toward Mt Adams with some lingering vally fog to the east...

alpine grass and sedge in late summer...

Bob'n'Geri's party approaching Mt. clay...

Signs of late summer were all around. Three-toothed cinqufoil gets a nice red color, and slopes to the north are barely showing that early yellow tinge

rose-twisted stalk berries are ripe now...

as are the bunchberries...

 

[forestgnome]

This was my first hike with my new camera so I was unsure about settings. I'll get used to it quickly.

a view toward the Northern Presidentials from Mt. Clay...

happy trails

 

[rocket21]

I really like the blues in the alpine grass and final Mt. Reagan photo - not sure what settings you used for those photos on your new camera, but they look great!

 

[arghman]

which camera? nice pictures!

(Mt Clay is a great place, isn't it!)

 

[bobandgeri]

Wonderful Photos as always! It was great running into you again. It was such a nice day - more of the same Sun and Mon coming up!

 

[NeoAkela]

Love the color contrasts in those photos - great reds and greens! Great how the sky comes out with that dark blue and white clouds without the foreground losing much brightness as well... I usually get either great clouds and dark mountains, or clear mountains with washed out white sky depending on my exposure setting.

How come I never,ever see a moose and you seem to see one on every hike? Biggest wildlife I saw all summer was a spruce grouse, and she ran off before I could get my camera out!!

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Gorgeous!

Love the Bunchberry shot!

KDT

 

[forestgnome]

Thanks very much, all! The camera is the Canon XSi, with a Sigma 24-70mm lens and a polarizer. The moose pictures do not have a polarizer, since light was very scarce.

NeoAkela, the color of the sky is greatly affected by the direction of your composition. The best color is exactly opposite from the sun. Notice the sky in the shot of the rose-twisted stalk, which is almost under the sun. In the shots of the Northern Presidentials the sun is at our back. It also helps to slightly underexpose.

happy trails

 

[Sasquatch]

The polarizer really made the dramatic contrasts, awesome pics!

 

[Doodles]

Great photos. Love the color contrast. Thanks for sharing.