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”

 

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"

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 7^th & 8^th most viewed Blue Lion Photos of 2011.

Wyoming Skies

One of my favorite spots on earth is the northwest corner of Wyoming where you'll find two gems of the US National Park System. Both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks offer the visitor a tremendous wealth of stunning sights from the waters of their lakes and rivers to the brilliant colors to be found in the skies from dawn through dusk. This week's SKYWATCH FRIDAY & SCENIC SUNDAY post is a view of the godlight at sunset from my perch up on Mount Washington looking toward the west in Yellowstone National Park.

Wyoming Godlight ~ Yellowstone National Park

This week's second image is taken from the banks of the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park looking up at the early morning light kissing the peak of Grand Teton Peak.

Teton Dawn ~ Grand Teton National Park

Click in either image to view in their original gallery

Artist Point - Yellowstone National Park

Today's Scenic Sunday post is of the iconic view of the 308 foot plunge of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River from Artist Point. The spot has been a photographic pilgrimage of sorts since Ansel Adams made the Lower Falls famous with his 1941 image. These are my two favorite views taken from Artist Point.

Lower Falls of The Yellowstone River

Click in image to view in its original gallery

Lower Falls of The Yellowstone River

Click in image to view in its original gallery

All Mine!

This photograph was taken near Daisy Geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park.  My family and I were hiking throughout the geyser basin and we stopped to talk to two young women who were unpacking their lunches as they awaited a geyser eruption. In the midst of getting their lunch ready this golden mantled ground squirrel snuck up and laid claim to both their apples!

ALL MINE

Click in image to see it in the original gallery

Click here to see other entries in the Camera Critters Meme