Castle and Heather
Eilean Donan Castle, nestled into lush heather and set against the misty Coille na Totaig, shows a more playful version of ‘dark and stormy’.
Photographer: Rain Hayes
Dandelion Anatomy
A common, familiar weed resembles an array of alien limbs, or possibly a bouquet of sparklers. [Note to judges: Apologies if I’ve miscategorized this image. I wasn’t quite sure where it belonged.]
Clematis Poof
A clematis seed, when dried, transforms into a festive puffball.
California Buckeye
A short trek up a steep hill rewards us with a California Buckeye in full bloom.
Strawberry Mochi
The hills are alive just north of San Francisco…and I can’t remember where I parked the car.
Blue Lagoon
A shroud of fog protects a secret archipelago inside North America’s oldest wildlife refuge.
Springtime Valley Oak
A valley oak unfurls the first leaves of spring amid a swirl of fog and sun.
Valley Ridge with Waxing Gibbous Moon
Day transitions to night as a rising, nearly-full moon peeks over a ridgeline trio of oak trees in Northern California.
The SS Point Reyes
A worn and weathered fishing boat rests against a sandbar on Point Reyes Peninsula, California.
Golden Hour is Golden
Late day sun illuminates coast live oaks along California’s Diablo Range foothills, providing a perfect moment of escapism.
Detour
A narrow road winds through rolling hills of alternating brightness and shadow. Valley oaks and wild oats rustle in the warm, dry breeze.
Pelicans at Rest
A cliffside pelican rookery in Point Lobos, California creates some of the most delightful coastal scenery anywhere.
