Explore the Elements

Fire (Pu'u O'o Crater Erupting) This was taken in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park early one winter evening after hiking to the crater site (I believe the trail is now closed due to all the recent eruptions). The exposure was about 20 minutes on (ready for this?) Kodak Ektachrome film. I lugged in a Bronica SQ-A and the lens was a 50mm. I met a trio of hikers just before this was shot and one guy started walking out on the barely cooled lava. Before he could qualify for a Darwin Award, a nearby tree suddenly exploded into flames from fresh lava hitting it, and the he dashed off the lava. He no doubt realized he was about to go up in fire himself.

Earth (lava balls, Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument, Utah) My wife and I camped with a small group below the butte in the background. As I understand it, these lava balls came here from miles away during an explosive eruption many, many centuries ago. Shot with a Canon 5D and 28-70mm lens.

Water (Havasupai Falls, Grand Canyon National Park) In a previous life, I was a Sierra Club leader co-leading a backpacking trip to the falls and beyond. To get there, one has to hike down into a canyon for 10 miles, passing on the way a small town accessible only by horseback, foot or helicopter. Most people photograph the falls from above, but I liked the juxtaposition of smooth water (two-second exposure) and the rough, moss-covered rocks. Taken with a Canon 5D and 28-70mm lens.

Air (Sharpsteen Ranch, Calistoga) My ancestors bought a ranch encompassing several hundred acres in Napa Valley, California, near Calistoga in the late 1800s. Some of it has been sold off and the rest went into a conservancy to protect the natural state of the land. My wife and I were visiting the ranch for a few days, walking along the roads there when I came across this circular patch of light and shadows of the leaves above. I've always thought of this shot as being a little ethereal, as if the image of the leaves was really just floating in the air, ready to go poof! at any time. Shot with a Canon 5DmIII and 24-70mm lens.

This is my entry into the Thomas Cook "Explore the Elements" blogging contest. I'm also nominating five other bloggers who deserve attention. They are:
Valerie Millet, photographer http://valmillett.blogspot.com/
Michael Frye, photographer/writer http://www.michaelfrye.com/landscape-photography-blog/
Dan Kraus, photographer http://dankrauss.blogspot.com/
Victoria Watts, photographer/writer http://seattlestravels.com/
Liz Carlson, photographer/writer http://youngadventuress.com/

Anyone interested in entering the Thomas Cook Explore the Elements blogger contest should go to http://www.thomascook.com/blog/holiday-competitions-deals/explore-the-elements/#comp_rules for all the details.