Color-BONUS...

Idaho the land of agriculture!

Right now the wheat is only about eight inches high.  Pheasants everywhere.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  Until I realized there is no way to approach them.  The Boise area is very flat.  No hills to hide behind.   This photographer found himself in an irrigation ditch waiting for the bird photographed above.   Made for some real funny looks from the farmers driving by.  Probably thinking."dumb tourist, the birds are everywhere!"

The colors on these birds is almost unreal

My travels put me in the northwest area of the Boise valley.  The bird above and below are real common.  They dig the cat tails.  Until today I wondered why. There is seeds in the middle.  Food!  Figures...

A lot of property frontage is irrigation canals and ditches.  The plant below caught my eye.  The photo is not enhanced.  I pushed the contrast slightly and shot it at -1/3 ev.  Incredible color.  It's like a cross between a maple leaf, purple cabbage and a fern.  While shooting the plant the home owner came out and asked what I was doing.   Let's see,  I have a large camera to my eye and it's pointed at this real weird plant.    I told her I was photographing the plant.  Her response.."what for?"

One of the few times I've been speechless.  How does a big fat guy with Utah plates taking pictures of weeds from outer space respond to that?   Simple as.. "I have an assignment to shoot colors".  Without a response she turned and walked back to the house.  

"Thanks"  

I'm not sure if she heard me.  No doubt I was the topic of conversation  at the dinner table tonight.