An Up-Close Photographic Look at the Garden of the Gods

Yesterday, my daughter Cristina and I hiked along the trails of Garden of the Gods in Southern Illinois' Shawnee National Forest.  It's known for spectacular cliffs and rock formations.

My daughter Cristina takes in the sights of Gardens of the Gods. The views behind her are typical of this part of the Shawnee National Forest.  You can click on any photo in this blog for a larger view.

Garden of the Gods is a great places for hikers, nature lovers, and those who love to scramble among the rocks.  For my photography, I didn't concentrate so much on the distant giant rock formations, but rather on the those that were up close to me.  I've seen hundreds of landscapes taken taken at Garden of the Gods, most of them with similar views, and I wanted to do something different. 

The circles and swirls in the rock formation are called liesegang bands.  They are the result of geologic processes that started in a shallow ocean about 320 million years ago.

The red in the liesegang bands comes from iron that mixed with ground water when the stone was forming.  The stone is in multiple layers, some harder and some softer. They have weathered unevenly, leaving the swirls as one of nature's works of art.

More liesegang bands.

You can view my photogaphy website at:  www.tombellart.com.

Updated Website Alert!

Several of you have asked me when my photographs of Holy Week in Spain would appear on my website:  www.tombellart.com.  Well, they're now there -- along with new fine art photography in the galleries United States and Other.

Below are a few of the photographs I've added. You can click on any photograph for a larger view.

Early in the morning, Holy Week procession participants head toward the church of Santa Nonia, to discover that the procession has been postponed due to rain.

Elvis serenades a window washer early in the morning. León, Spain.

An old farmstead near Nashville, Illinois

A Ford among the honeysuckles.

Setting up an order of drinks in a tapas bar - León, Spain

There are many more new photographs on my website.  Please feel
free to take a look:  www.tombellart.com.

Photographing American Pride for the Fourth of July

There are many proud Americans who demonstrate patriotism and love-of-country in the days surrounding the 4th of July.  Red, white and blue flags and banners wave off mailboxes, porches, and flower boxes.  People celebrate with barbecue and Budweiser and fireworks.  They remember the sacrifices our ancestors made to forge a new country, and those that every generation since have made to secure liberty and freedom for the most exceptional of nations.

My hometown of Makanda, Illinois is one small village where patriotism is alive and well. Each 4th of July, I'm always impressed by the efforts made by the owner of an old abandoned house at the entrance to  town.  It appears that the roof of the house is caving in and moss covers much of it, but because of its location, an American flag and a window box with flowers and a patriotic theme are on display and highly visible  to everyone leaving the Makanda boardwalk and heading back to the civilization of Carbondale or beyond.

The boardwalk of Makanda is a tourist stop and setting for artists' studios. It has an amazing history which you can view here.  You may click on photographs in this blog for a larger view.

Every year before the 4th of July, an American flag appears on this abandoned house.

Look closely and you'll see an American flag in the flower box. Maybe the frog on the bicycle is that great American hero, Kermit.  If you remember The Muppet Movie, Kermit was quite the cyclist.

I hope you all have a happy 4th of July.

You can view my photography website at:  www.tombellart.com.

The Detour to Fine Art Photography Revisited

About 11 months ago, in this blog I presented some photographs I took of an old house near Nashville, Illinois.  I discovered the old house when I took a detour due to major delays on the Interstate.  Yesterday, after dropping  my wife at the airport in St. Louis, I revisited the site of the detour, as it was only about a mile out of my way.  It had been raining heavily for most of my trip back into Illinois until I got close to Nashville.  There were dramatic clouds back to the west, but the rain was holding off.  I was richly rewarded by views of the same old house, this time surrounded by golden cut straw or wheat rather then corn.

You can click on images for a larger view.

You can see the photographs of this old house from last year here.

You can view my photography website at:  www.tombellart.com.