V-22 Osprey

Ron NiebruggeAnza-Borrego, California, Photos, Travel 5 Comments

V-22-Osprey, Ocotillo Wells, California.

V-22-Osprey, Ocotillo Wells, California.

I have heard plenty about this unique aircraft in the news over the years, but had never seen one in action.  This winter, as we were driving to a location to photograph the burrowing Owls, we were surprised to see one of these planes fly in and land at a remote dirt airstrip near Ocotillo Wells.  It was fascinating to see an airplane take off straight up into the air!  Then, as you can see in this photo, the engines slowly began to rotate forward until they were eventually facing straight ahead like a typical aircraft, and it flew off into the distance.  It was definitely one of those unexpected events I had to stop to photograph.

Mountain Snow

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 6 Comments

Mt. Alice, Chugach National Forest, Seward, Alaska.

Mt. Alice, Chugach National Forest, Seward, Alaska.

I captured this from the house last night with a short telephoto lens at around 10:00 p.m.  I love how the mountains look this time of year – a winters worth of snow accumulation gives them a lot of character.

Ocotillo

Ron NiebruggeAnza-Borrego, California, Photos, Travel 10 Comments

An Ocotillo at sunrise in Borrego Palm Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

An Ocotillo at sunrise in Borrego Palm Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

In the almost 5 years I have been doing this blog, I must admit, the last couple of weeks have been about as inactive as I have ever been.  It may be that way for a few more weeks until summer hits here in Alaska as I try to get caught up.

Now that I have added some more tools to my bag of tricks, it seems like there is far more work to do when I get home.  Not only do we have to keyword and process photos like we did in the past, but now I’m spending a ton of time compiling time-lapses, muxing 3D clips and overcoming frustrating new challenges like removing flicker!

Our rule of thumb has always been that we don’t take off on another trip until the previous one is completely processed – so that is what I’m working on as hard as I can – but it just doesn’t make very interesting blog fodder.

Fountain Hills Phone Book

Ron NiebruggeArizona, Phoenix, Photos, Shameless Self Promotion, Travel 3 Comments

Tonto National Forest, Arizona.

Tonto National Forest, Arizona.

Here is another cool cover that came in the mail recently – this photo of Tonto National Forest was used on the cover for the Fountain Hills – Rio Verde – Tonto Verde phone book.

As most of you know, we just spent a couple of weeks just outside of Fountain Hills this winter.  Although this area does sell well for us, I think a big reason we talk ourselves into re-visiting the region is for the amazing mountain biking at the McDowell Regional Park.  If I had to pick just one place to ride – I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I would pick McDowell even over Moab, Utah.  Well, along with the mountain biking, the mild winter weather helps too.  🙂

The Chandelier Bar

Ron NiebruggeLas Vegas, Nevada, Photos, Travel 10 Comments

Chandelier Bar in The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Chandelier Bar in The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The first thing you see when you enter the Cosmopolitan from the Strip at street level, or from the pedestrian over-pass is the Chandelier Bar.  The Chandelier is very popular at night, and the subject of many visitor vacation photos during the day.

The Chandelier is a three story bar covered with a multi-million dollar, 65 foot tall chandelier made from some 2 million beaded crystals.  The top two levels, which you see in the top half of the above photo is completely enclosed in crystals.  Access to the middle level is gained from a small, inconspicuous stairway from either below or above, making it a bit of what the Las Vegas press called a secret room.

The top photo is from ground level looking up, the bottom photo is from the third level looking down.

Chandelier Bar in The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Chandelier Bar in The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas

Ron NiebruggeLas Vegas, Nevada, Photos, Travel 4 Comments

The Cosmopolitan along the Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Cosmopolitan along the Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada.

The main reason we took a quick detour over to Las Vegas was to photograph The Cosmopolitan.  The Cosmopolitan will be the last of the series of new hotel / casinos to open on the Strip for some time to come.  All of these of course were all started long before the Las Vegas economy tanked.

There are two more brand new towers on the Strip that were completely enclosed before construction was stopped a couple of years ago.  Even if construction was to begin again tommorow, they would be a couple of years out before being completed – and I don’t see construction on either one starting anytime soon.  So for now, they stand as stark reminders of the economic conditions in Las Vegas.

Fortunately I have no trouble avoiding the slots when I go to Vegas – so we are probably some of the few people who make money on our trips to Vegas.  🙂

Fabulous Alaska and Yukon

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Denali, Photos, Shameless Self Promotion, Travel 6 Comments

Ulysse travel guide to Alaska and the Yukon.

Ulysse travel guide to Alaska and the Yukon.

I haven’t hit you with any shameless shelf promotion in awhile, so I figured it was ok to work this one in – the cover of the Ulysse travel guide to Alaska and Yukon!  If you look close, you can see that Janine barely survived the crop on the right.  Even at the time I captured this photo I had hoped to place Janine a little more in front of the mountain, but with the land climbing sharply to my right, and Janine being in an area where you aren’t allowed off the trail – this was about as close as I could get.

Long time subscribers here may remember another cover we did for Ulysse.

It is a really nice looking guide book, that is if you speak French.

Alaska Aerial

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 5 Comments

The tracks of the Alaska Railroad can be seen cutting through the valle heading south to Seward, Alaska.

The tracks of the Alaska Railroad can be seen cutting through the valley heading south to Seward, Alaska.

I captured this from the plane on my way to the NAB conference in Las Vegas.  It is fun to pick out places I have been from such a high altitude.  Here I can see where the Alaska Railroad cuts through the Grandview area, hangs a right to Trail Lake, and off in the distance at the top of the frame is the very head of Resurrection Bay and Seward.

Seeing this from the air just reminds me of what an amazing place I live – from this elevation it almost look inhabitable, but of course I know otherwise.

After a number of long days in a huge, crowded conference, I am able to appreciate this even more!

The conference was really valuable, made lots of great contacts and learned a ton.  James Cameron was interesting, and pretty much everywhere I looked there was something to do with 3D.   There was 3D footage aired at every presentation I visited including during Cameron’s opening address, and pretty much at every vendor booth there was talk about how they are incorporating the capability.  My head is still spinning with ideas as I try to process everything I learned and saw.  I know one thing, I think I’m at the right place to mentally process all this information.  🙂  Now, I’m off for a quick, spring cross-country ski!