LeggNet's Digital Capture

Road Trip Self Portrait, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

After spending the last week or so traveling around the west, we are headed back to Utah. Did you see the movie Cars? If so, then you probably remember the scene where Mack (the race hauler) makes funny faces at himself in the reflection of the tanker truck he’s following. Here’s my version of that scene (it was a monotonous drive yesterday).

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.

2,500 years ago, a tree was born, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

We spent time yesterday in Sequoia National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California. It was quite amazing to go from the relatively barren valley floor to the forest canopy created by these giants in such a short period of time.

In the area of the General Sherman tree, the world’s largest living object, there is a cross-section of a fallen tree that is estimated to be between 2,200 to 2,700 years old. Today’s capture is of the core of this cross-section. Just imagine what the world was like at the time this tree was a seedling.

2,500 years ago, a tree was born, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

We spent time yesterday in Sequoia National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California. It was quite amazing to go from the relatively barren valley floor to the forest canopy created by these giants in such a short period of time.

In the area of the General Sherman tree, the world’s largest living object, there is a cross-section of a fallen tree that is estimated to be between 2,200 to 2,700 years old. Today’s capture is of the core of this cross-section. Just imagine what the world was like at the time this tree was a seedling.

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicide Rock, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Suicide rock, in Idyllwild California, is a famous rock for rock climbers. The rock received its name from the legend of a Native American Princess who threw herself off the rock with her lover rather than being separated as the Tribal Chief had ordered.

We spent time climbing the area that can be seen between the trees on the far right of the capture. The granite slab, relatively mild weather and the remote location made for a great day.

For more info on Idyllwild, visit www.idyllwild.com.

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.

Desert Palms Motel, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Although most of the hotel rooms were booked as we passed through Mesquite last weekend, we did not have to stay in the Desert Palms Motel. Thankfully I had previously made reservations at a rather nice hotel, which is something I cannot say for several exasperated travelers at the check-in desk when we arrived.

I captured this street scene while on a late night ice cream run.

Tahquitz Rock, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Tahquitz, also called Lily Rock, is a rock climbing area near Idyllwild-Pine Cove, California. It has easy-to-difficult multi-pitch climbs on great rock on the way up San Jacinto Peak. Tahquitz has a tough approach hike leading to a roughly 1000 foot (300m) face. The downclimb is dangerous, especially at night. A second popular rock face, called Suicide Rock, lies across the valley.

It is named for Takwish, a mythological figure of the Cahuilla. A Cahuilla legend recounts how tribesmen chanted over the body of their fallen chieftan Tahquitz, or Takwish, who had been possessed by an evil spirit and killed his sweetheart. Suddenly his body began to glow like fire, and he rose and settled on Idyllwild’s Tahquitz Rock. According to the legend, Tahquitz is trapped beneath the rock with a rattlesnake and a condor for company, and when the mountain shakes and trembles, it is not an earthquake, but Tahquitz up to his evil tricks on Lily Rock.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahquitz

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.

Hitting the Road, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

We’re hitting the road today for a trip exploring the west. With planned stops in Idyllwild California, Sequoia National Park, and other places to be determined, we’re sure to pick up some great captures.

Since I am not too sure of what type of connectivity (if any) I’ll have for my MacBook, I’m posting this in anticipation of it being my latest update for a week or so.

Have a great week everyone – see you in August!

Matt and his little friend Pete, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

While I was reviewing the captures taken during last weekend’s hike/climb/rappel in Southern Utah, I noticed this one of an unintentional optical illusion. In reality, Pete and Matt are approximately the same height. Yet in this shot, Pete looks like he is MUCH shorter due to the rock Matt is standing on. It made me smile.

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Spur, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

This alleyway entrance to a bar in Park City proved interesting to me with the lighting transitioning from daylight near the street to incadescent at the rear. The lighting implies that the shot was made at night, even though it was captured mid-afternoon.

In the Belly, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I had the opportunity to spend some time hiking and climbing in southern Utah this past weekend. It’s been a several years since I’ve spent time in this area, and I had nearly forgotten just how stunning the color and formation of the rock is.

This photo was captured during a break between two of the rappels our group made as we followed a creek winding down through the rock. It is just amazing to see, how given enough time, the creek will carve its way into the mountain.

In the Belly, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I had the opportunity to spend some time hiking and climbing in southern Utah this past weekend. It’s been a several years since I’ve spent time in this area, and I had nearly forgotten just how stunning the color and formation of the rock is.

This photo was captured during a break between two of the rappels our group made as we followed a creek winding down through the rock. It is just amazing to see, how given enough time, the creek will carve its way into the mountain.

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.

Four of a Kind, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Just a simple capture of four ice cubes melting away on the top of a cooler. Ahhh, summertime.

Field of Dreams, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

I paid a price in capturing this photograph of a wheat field.

I was bending down to compose this shot and thought that I could get a better angle on the wheat against the mountain in the background by sitting down. Without taking my eyes away from the camera’s viewfinder, I sat fully down on the ground. It was at this time that I became immediately aware (ouch!) that I had just sat on ground that was literally covered in thorns and those little spikey ball things. I quickly made the capture and then hopped up and spent the walk back to the car pulling thorns out of the seat of my pants. The ride home in the car allowed me a chance to experiment with creative ways to drive without fully sitting on the driver’s seat.

Lesson learned: Look down before sitting on the ground when photographing (or anything else for that matter).

A Spoonful of Orange, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

What better way to celebrate Friday then with a splash of orange soda?

Have a great weekend!

Points in a Sea of Color, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

My nine year old daughter and I set out to create some photographs of Color this past Saturday. She gathered up numerous colorful items in the house as I prepared the camera equipment and we went to work.

This is one of my favorites from the photo session. We originally took this photo with a white background, but felt it could use even more color. To add the additional color, we spread out a box of crayons around the pencils and used a very shallow depth of field to create the blur. This created the colorful background we were after.

This capture has quickly became my most popular photograph of the nearly 1,000 I have on Flickr. In the past 5 days, it has been viewed over 1,600 times and 78 people consider it a Favorite.

Happy Birthday Dan, originally uploaded by LeggNet.

Today (July 3rd) is my brother Dan’s birthday. He passed away in 1999 and would have been 42 years old this year.

This capture (scanned from a 4×5 photo) was taken atop Phoenix’s Camelback mountain in January of 1989. In the capture Dan is overlooking the city of Phoenix. He moved there in 1982 to attend college (Arizona State) and never left. Dan loved Arizona.

Happy Birthday Dan.

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.