15 Featured Arkansas Photography

Moonset in the Boxley Valley on the Buffalo National River

Taken with a Canon 5D MK2, Canon 24-70 lens at F5.6, iso 400 for 40 seconds.

This photograph was taken in early January 2009, back in the good old days for me at least, (if you know me well, you know what happened in February of 2009). I was on a trip to photograph Elk in the Boxley Valley and this was my first field use of my new Canon 5D MK2. Before I purchased the Canon 5D MK2, I had been using my older Canon 1ds MKII, which just did not have a very good higher iso range. On this morning, I came around the last bend of Hwy 21 as it drops down into the western end of the Boxley Valley and saw this view of the moon setting over one of the larger mountains that surround the valley. What caught my eye was how the shadows played with the fence row in the foreground. The old oak tree provided a nice touch also as I framed the shot between the branches. You can see just a very light layer of clouds or fog that was starting to rise up over the mountain in the background.

When you view this photograph up close, you can also see all the frozen dew drops on the grasses and fence posts. If you have never taken a trip to the Boxley Valley, which is on the western headwaters end of the Buffalo National River, it’s well worth the time.

07/14/12 Featured Arkansas Photography–Butterfly and Thistle in the Boxley Valley

Butterfly and thistle in the Boxley Valley, Buffalo National River

Taken with a Canon 5D MKII, iso 1250, Canon 100-400 zoom lens @ 400mm, F6.3. Sometimes you find subjects that you don’t expect to find. On this day, I was working around the Boxley Valley, near Ponca Arkansas along the Buffalo National River. The day was overcast and I was waiting for the local elk to make their evening appearance. While leaning up against a fence post, I noticed a lone butterfly that was working some thistles out in the field. He was about 15 yards away but I was still able to get a good series of shots at 400mm hand held with the aid of Canon’s Image stabilization. This photograph is crop from the original and is about 1/3 of the full sized file. The Bokeh of the Canon lens at this focal length was very nice.

07/02/12 Featured Arkansas Photography–Monarch in the Boxley Valley

Monarch Butterfly working in the Boxley Vallery

Monarch Butterfly working in the Boxley Valley

Taken with a Canon 5D MKII, 100-400 Zoom lens @ 300mm, F11, iso 100, with image stabilization. On this day I was up in the Boxley valley to photograph the 5 tame swans that tend to populate the old mill pond. For some reason on this day the swans were nowhere to be found, but as I was walking around in the scrub bushes, I found a group of Monarch butterflies that were working a plant at the edge of the pond. I still don’t know what this plant is, but they were all over it. In fact they were so interested in the plant, that they let me get within 4 feet of them before spooking. I spent over an hour photographing them and most of the wait was on good light. That day the sun kept going behind the clouds.