Ants!

 As the weeks go by, I am still working on a lot of photos from my summer in the parks.  In Grand Canyon one night, I noticed a tree covered in ants.  It seemed as though two rival colonies were attacking each other, and so we watched for the better part of an hour. 

 These ants were tiny, most could fit on the tip of a pencil.  Chuck, Federico and I took turns with a special macro lens, the MPE-65, to take such detailed shots.  We also lit the scene with flash units.  The ants went on all night, and when I woke up in the morning, you could see little curled carcasses still stuck to the tree!

 

The Great Finally

There really isn't much to say, except that I am home, and no longer on the road. The emotions are mixed, since being in New York City again is so different from the National Parks. I am going to miss getting into the little details of things, waiting for the light, and a breeze empty of sounds and artificial smells. It is over, so from here on out, I am back to the streets again. I'm going to miss more than the breeze, more than the colors, the heat, the air.








There is a special experience, being in nature, if only as a tourist, that we are starting to lack in daily life. When inside the hustle of the cities, we have taken nature into our own hands, the umbilical to the rest of the living world severed, kept around only to suit our needs and hungers. There will be a time one day where I retreat, and try a more peaceful life out in the mountains or desert. But until then, I must spread the word, and share the importance of these things, and these places. If only some will listen, if only a few minds are changed, then it will be worth it.