2013 Blue Lion Year in Review- Part 1 of 6

As 2013 winds down and I review my photography of the year, I have been enjoying spending time looking over the images I have produced this year. 2013 allowed me to explore my true love of nature photography through my amazing trip to South Africa and the Ngala Game Reserve in July as well as more local spots such as the Hagerman National WildlifeRefuge in North Texas, and the jewel that is the Texas Discovery Gardens in Dallas. I was also able to “shoot” some people in 2013 as I explored more Civil War reenactment photography at local events in Texas. Thanks to my wife’s love of theater, I have also started to dabble with doing cast images and some head shots of local community theater productions here in the Dallas Metroplex.

For this year’s review, I have selected 30 images that represent a combination of my personal favorite shots as well as my most widely viewed images on my website (http://www.bluelionphotos.com), social media such as my Facebook page and my Twitter account (@BlueLionPhotos).

This review will occur in six parts with this post being my 10 “honorable mention” images. The remaining top 20 images will be divided into four more postings until the final image in revealed in a posting all by itself.

 I hope you enjoy this journey through my photographic year – I welcome your comments below as I savor getting to know how my images impact you the viewer! Each of the images is viewable and available for purchase by clicking on the image here, which will take you to my website. 

Young Lioness ~ Ngala Game Reserve, South Africa

Perching Owl Eye ~ Texas Discovery Gardens, Dallas, TX

Watchful Cheetah ~ Ngala Game Reserve, South Africa

"Fence Sitting" ~ Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX

Young Male Lion ~ Ngala Game Reserve, South Africa

Northern Harrier Hawk ~ Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX

Spring Blue Bird ~ Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose ,TX

Hedwig  - I was thrilled to meet one of the actual "avian actors" who played the part in the Harry Potter movies.

Ellies at Sunset ~ Ngala Game Reserve, South Africa

Blue on Blue ~ Hagerman NWR, Sherman, TX

Continue exploring the next five images in my 2013 Countdown - http://bluelionphotos.blogspot.com/2013/12/2013-blue-lion-year-in-review-part-2-of.html

Three of a Kind

Click in the image to see a high resolution version. 

This photo, "Three of a Kind" is currently the most popular photo at Blue Lion Photos. Several years ago when the school where I teach was preparing to demolish the main building as part of a large campus face lift, students found these three bunnies "abandoned" in the grass of the main quad. Being a science teacher, I was quickly brought over to help. To our dismay, mother rabbit was not around and I knew the odds of these three surviving without her were slim at best. Another teacher and I gathered then up so they would not be accidentally stepped on as they were literally inches off a main pathway. As we were moving them by hand from the quad grass to a box someone had fetched, I took this image. I love what it says about the power of humanity. These hands have the ability to make or break the lives of these little fellows. It seems a nice metaphor for our relationship with all life on Earth. Do we act as protectors or destroyers......that question confronts us as a species on a daily basis.

We were lucky enough to encounter mother rabbit a few hours later and she and her litter were relocated to a spot away from any dangers posed by the impending construction of two new school buildings on the quad where they had been found. In the end. all was well with these adorable lil' bunnies.