# Havasu National Wildlife Refuge



## abraxas (Jul 2, 2008)

A couple shots from a canoe trip into this reserve by the Colorado River, Topock Arizona.  Not much wildlife that day, a heron, a couple grebe and the usual grackles, etc.  But what a way to watch the sunrise way back in the secluded marsh.


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## Fox Paw (Jul 2, 2008)

Beautiful.


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## abraxas (Jul 2, 2008)

Thanks.  One of my more memorable adventures.


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## MarcusM (Jul 2, 2008)

Very nice.

So, I have to ask...how is it that you get to do so much traveling to all these beautiful places to photograph?

Hope I'm not being nosy!


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## abraxas (Jul 2, 2008)

MarcusM said:


> Very nice.
> 
> So, I have to ask...how is it that you get to do so much traveling to all these beautiful places to photograph?
> 
> Hope I'm not being nosy!



Thanks MarcusM.  I don't mind telling about my path at all.  I'll run through the tiny-size version.

Blah, bla, bla,... which brings me to the point where, what I do is basically a Mojave Desert avocationist/naturalist.  I study and promote the desert through the publication of photos and information about the 24,000 square mile desert and bordering ecoregions and other stuff I find near-adjacent which is cool (Great Basin, Sonoran, Colorado deserts, Colorado Plateau, Sierra Nevada and Transverse mountain ranges, etc.). I've been working on my ~project~ since 1996.


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## Dmitri (Jul 2, 2008)

Beautiful as always! Wish my shots came out 10% as good as yours do!:study:


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## abraxas (Jul 3, 2008)

Thank you Dmitri!


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## Senor Hound (Jul 3, 2008)

Good stuff.  I love the sharpness in the mountaintops in the first photo.  Do you do a mirror image to get that strong of a reflection, or is that all natural?  Either way, its very cool.

But, where are the photos of the Havasu partiers?  Instead of wildlife, you could be posting WILD LIFE!


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## abraxas (Jul 3, 2008)

Senor Hound said:


> Good stuff.  I love the sharpness in the mountaintops in the first photo.  Do you do a mirror image to get that strong of a reflection, or is that all natural?  Either way, its very cool.
> 
> But, where are the photos of the Havasu partiers?  Instead of wildlife, you could be posting WILD LIFE!



The reflections are all natural.  Very rarely do I ever crop or clone, and I can't remember but only one instance of compositing (other than HDR, which I'm leaving by the back door for awhile).  The trick to clear reflections in this particular case is moving slow and steady.  I had my grandaughter with me during this sunrise piloting the canoe--I've trained her since she was 5 to work with me taking photos.  I'm very proud of her.  She's going to Florida to study underwater photography this summer. So, with her around, no WiLD LiFE that trip!

That does remind me- About a zillion years ago- the late 70's, me and four of my brothers were hiking across Catalina Island.  We started in Avalon, and the thing that burned in my mind were three, proudly drunk, buxom girls in radically tight skirts, hair built up and cat's eye glitter-sunglasses ready to break hearts and take willing souls.  Interesting.  So we spend the next three days hiking and wandering about the hills and brush, and on the last day we run into a ranger.  We had heard wild turkey on the island during the nights.  Sounded like somebody really loud and goofy getting goosed, continually.  Seriously disturbing.  I had heard about ferral boar on the island and wanting to see all the wildlife I could while we were there, I innocently asked, "where can we see the wild pigs?"  The ranger looked at me, smiled, and then said, "You should have checked out the Sand Bar in Avalon while you were there."  Of course the image of the ladies in the form-fitting-knit-wrapping came to mind. I blushed and my little brothers had a big laugh.  So that's what I think of when someone mentions, "wiLD LifE."  Thanks for reminding me of that


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## rjackjames (Jul 3, 2008)

Awesome great composition.


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## abraxas (Jul 3, 2008)

Thank you.


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## Miaow (Jul 3, 2008)

Great pics


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## Roger (Jul 4, 2008)

lovely tranquility in these pics abraxas....also a cool, clarity.


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## abraxas (Jul 4, 2008)

Roger said:


> lovely tranquility in these pics abraxas....also a cool, clarity.



Thank you Roger.  The day was like that too.


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## abraxas (Jul 4, 2008)

Miaow said:


> Great pics



Thanks.


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## Bifurcator (Jul 5, 2008)

Oh My... there are gorgeous! 

Great framing, composition, and post. Just excellent!

-- 
Looks like there might be a touch of magenta noise in the water but I only mention it because I think it might show up too much you you print these - at least I think it would on my ink-jet.


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## icassell (Jul 5, 2008)

I've lived in AZ for 9 years and haven't made it there yet ... now I see that I must! Very nice!


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## Alex_B (Jul 5, 2008)

I like them.. in particular i like horizontal the layers of different colour!


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## mmcduffie1 (Jul 5, 2008)

Two nice shots. I'd like to see the first one with less foreground and more mountain.


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## Alex_B (Jul 5, 2008)

mmcduffie1 said:


> Two nice shots. I'd like to see the first one with less foreground and more mountain.



but he shows all the mountain there is!

and the foreground is calm and beautiful anyway .. guess everybody sees things differently when it comes to landscapes.


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## abraxas (Jul 5, 2008)

Bifurcator said:


> Oh My... there are gorgeous!
> 
> Great framing, composition, and post. Just excellent!
> 
> ...



Thanks.  I doubt these or other shots taken on my old 990 will ever see ink.  Most are being prepared for presentations as slides, so I don't worry too much about certain details.  



icassell said:


> I've lived in AZ for 9 years and haven't made it there yet ... now I see that I must! Very nice!



It's taken me 20 years to see most of the California Mojave.  That's only about half the size of the area I'd like to see in Arizona.  Pick a spot and have at it.  I got to start driving faster if I want to see it all.



Alex_B said:


> I like them.. in particular i like horizontal the layers of different colour!



Thanks Alex.



mmcduffie1 said:


> Two nice shots. I'd like to see the first one with less foreground and more mountain.



Thanks. Sckootch up closer to the screen. 

or like this?








Alex_B said:


> but he shows all the mountain there is!
> 
> and the foreground is calm and beautiful anyway .. guess everybody sees things differently when it comes to landscapes.



Thanks again Alex.  For me it's all about being there- getting to shoot it.


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## MarcusM (Jul 6, 2008)

That newest shot is really nice. It looks like one of those beautiful earth-like planets from the old Star-Trek episodes that they explore.


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## abraxas (Jul 6, 2008)

MarcusM said:


> That newest shot is really nice. It looks like one of those beautiful earth-like planets from the old Star-Trek episodes that they explore.



Thanks Marcus-  Sometimes it is very beautiful and earth-like here  

BTW, the newest shot is of the 'Needles', south of Topock Az. along the Colorado River.  It took me 4 trips and trys to get the shot the way I wanted. Note the -boat- in the water, for scale. 

The Mojave has had countless movies made throughout. I know a couple guys whose hobby is to go find and match scenes and reshoot. They can be pretty exact too.  That reminds me, I need to make another trip out to Vasquez Rocks with my new cameras, where quite a few of Star Treks (and others) were shot.


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