The guy behind the lens

Saturday, December 31, 2011

THE TOP TEN BLUE LION PHOTOS OF 2011 - THE WINNER!

DRUMROLL PLEASE………………..


With many thanks to all of you who have been friendly and faithful followers of Blue Lion Photos this past year, I am proud to present you with this years most viewed image.

NUMBER 1: THREE OF A KIND.

Three of a Kind
These three baby bunnies were discovered by students at my school one morning as they were crossing the quad. The bunnies were “frozen” in their protective state and were easily gathered up by my middle school students who brought them to me with pleas to save them. Luckily, we found Mama Rabbit shortly afterward nervously seeking them. Since our school was undergoing significant construction at the time, the campus was no longer a safe haven for this family. In order assure a happier life for them, they were given to a friend with a ranch in East Texas where they are happy working at overpopulating the outskirts of Tyler, Texas.

I am genuinely grateful for all your visits and support. Looking ahead to 2012, I have many more images to share as well as looking toward expanding the offerings here to include more content related to helping educate people about nature and biology in a way that is very different from your stinky high school Bio class!

May the New Year bring you and your loved ones peace, prosperity, and great happiness!
CHEERS,
John

Friday, December 30, 2011

THE TOP TEN BLUE LION PHOTOS OF 2011 - Post 5 of 6



NUMBER 2: “FOCUS” 



The second most viewed Blue Lion Photo of 2011 was taken in Awendaw, South Carolina at one of my favorite places. The Center for Birds of Prey is an amazing organization that has rehabilitated close to 6000 raptors over the past 20 years as well as providing the Charleston, South Carolina area a world-class educational facility supporting these impressive birds.

“Focus” features a Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) which is an eagle that is found throughout African and Southern Asia. It is primarily a carrion feeder, although it will also take small reptiles and mammals up to rabbit size. Thankfully, Tawny Eagles are not threatened, and are rated as a “Least Concern” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Please return tomorrow to view the Final installment of this series where I will share the most popular Blue Lion Photo of 2011!

 Previous Installments:




Thursday, December 29, 2011

THE TOP TEN BLUE LION PHOTOS OF 2011 - Post 4 of 6

Welcome to Installment 4 of the Top Ten most Viewed Blue Lion Photos of 2011. Today you get to see the 3rd and 4th most popular images of the year.


NUMBER 4: “Shark Bite”
 

This image is from one of my two visits to the South African town of Gansbaai. This town is world renowned for its shark diving and I was lucky enough to go out twice to see the Great White Sharks that encircle Seal Island. In the presence of these might fish, you truly understand their power, but you also appreciate they are NOT the man eating machine of movie lore.  

NUMBER 3: “Popping Poppy”
Popping Poppy

What better sign of impending Spring than to see the prickly bud of a poppy actually pop! Those prickles help protect the nutritious bud from falling prey to winter starved herbivores while providing a fascinating dichotomy of harsh and thorny to beautiful and welcoming.

Please return tomorrow to view the fourth installment of this series where I will share the 2nd most popular Blue Lion Photo of 2011!

Previous Installments:

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

THE TOP TEN BLUE LION PHOTOS OF 2011 - Post 3 of 6

Welcome to Installment 3 of the Top Ten most Viewed Blue Lion Photos of 2011. Today you get to see the 5th and 6th most popular images of the year.

NUMBER 6: “BeeBonnet”
BeebonnetAllen, Texas


This image of a bee pollinating a bluebonnet in Allen, Texas is one of my personal favorites as it evokes memories of one of my favorite, secret bluebonnet patches. I enjoyed many visits to this patch until I discovered the city of Allen recently built a “Hydropark” on this very spot. This coming spring I will just have to spend some extra time trying to discover another “secret” bluebonnet patch close to home!



NUMBER 5: “My ‘Bluebird’ of Happiness”



The most common statement I hear when people see this image is, “That’s not REAL is it?” Of course it is real. It’s a Lilac Breasted Roller I had the great fortune to shoot when I was in Botswana along the Chobe River. These beautiful birds are relatively common there, but that does not take away from their stunning coloration. I always love that this image helps to educate people about a creature they often never imagined could exist!

Please return tomorrow to view the third installment of this series where I will share the 3rd and 4h most popular Blue Lion Photos of 2011!

Previous Installments:

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

THE TOP TEN BLUE LION PHOTOS OF 2011 - Post 2 of 6

Here in the second installment of the 2011 Blue Lion Photos Top Ten list, we have the 8th and 7th most viewed images from Blue Lion Photos.

NUMBER 8: “Buttonbush”


As a Biology teacher, I find a great deal of fascination in many aspects of nature. However, this flower is one of my all-time favorites. I enjoy it because it is so unusual in its shape and intricate detail. It also is an unusual flower in that it thrives at the most inhospitable time of the year – the dog days of summer in Texas (albeit in swampy locations).


NUMBER 7: “Eagle Pride”

Eagle Pride

I am always secretly pleased when people see this image and ask how I was able to capture BOTH the flag and eagle in the same shot. I then gave to confess that this is a compilation of two shots. I find pleasure in being able to have merged these two complementary subjects into one thematic piece. The greeting card version of this image has proven quite popular with both Veterans as well as friends who wanted to give a special gift for a Boy Scout who earns the rank of Eagle Scout. I am honored that folks would consider sharing my work with such worthy recipients.

Please return tomorrow to view the third installment of this series where I will share the 6th and 5th most popular Blue Lion Photos of 2011!

If you missed the first installment, please click HERE.

Monday, December 26, 2011

THE TOP TEN BLUE LION PHOTOS OF 2011 - Post 1 of 6

    Now that the rush of the Christmas season is over and I have some time to start reflecting on the year that has been 2011, I thought I’d share with you the most viewed images from the Blue Lion Photos website this past calendar year. A major aspect of this year has been the growth of members of the Blue Lion “Pride” from all over the globe. 2011 saw visitors from 108 different nations representing 2847 cities look at the posts here on the Blue Lion Blog.
In addition to the geography of those visitors, social media has given me four audiences. While there is overlap between them, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Networked Blogs allow me to offer each audience a unique mix with the images I post to each platform. As such, different Blue Lion followers may have seen different combinations of the photos I am presenting here as the “Top 10” photos of 2011.
I shall be posting these images in pairs until I reach the top two. These will be presented individually, culminating on New Year’s Eve with The most viewed Blue Lion Photo of 2011.

NUMBER 10: “Pretty in Pink”
 Pretty in PinkFort Worth Zoo

This Pink Flamingo was photographed at the Fort Worth Zoo. Their pink color is due to the presence of carotenoid pigments in their diet. These same pigments cause shrimp to turn pink when they are cooked. Flamingos living in areas without much carotenoid will have a much paler color.

NUMBER 9: "Artist Point at Yellowstone Falls"

Yellowstone Falls from Artist Point

This is the famous view of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River as seen from Artist Point on the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Ansel Adams made this location famous when he photographed it in 1941. Back then, Ansel had the chance to get closer than park visitors can today, so modern takes are slightly different!

Come back tomorrow for the reveal of the 7th & 8th most viewed Blue Lion Photos of 2011.