Monday in Nature Weekly Photo Nov. 18, 2013

<p>Lake Wanaka and Mount Aspiring in the background, New Zealand, with Nikon D800E and 24mm lens.</p><div></div>

<p>Eleven pointer in the Great Smoky mountains on a very frosty and cold morning.</p><div></div>

<p>Great shots, everyone!</p><div></div>

<p>Gordon, I believe that is the most beautiful Pleurotus image I've ever seen. I trust the meal was good also. With the recent warmth and a bit of rain we may get a few things, but fungi in our area have pretty much shut down with the exception of species like Crepidotus.</p>

<p>AJ Bart, welcome to MiN. You're in good company looking for the last color before winter sets in.</p>

<p>Shun, what a great patch of yellow (lupins maybe?). Are you heading to the mountains in the distance?<br>

Jonathan, looks like a a little flush of the genus Mycena, but a few species look pretty much like that.<br>

Robert M, that is an amazing shot of the gull. It almost has that "now what?" expression.<br>

The week is off to a great start.</p>

<p>A wonderful variety of of pictures as usual. I can't believe it has been 26 weeks already. I didn't get out to get any new pictures this week. Here's one from 2012.<br>

<img src="http://akgosdenphotos.smugmug.com/Other/Avalon2012Scenic/i-5pbgm5s/1/700x700/IMG_7312-700x700.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<strong>Canon XSi, Tamron 70-300 vc @300</strong></p>

<p>Granite Mountains in the heart of the Mojave desert, where I was collecting soil samples for work this week.</p>

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<p>Laura, those must be Lupines.</p>

<p>A curious White-tailed Deer.</p><div></div>

<p>Roadside opportunity on a country drive...old horse drawn cultivator surrounded by nature.<br />Canon FD 50-135/3.5 @ 50/8.0, ISO400, 1/320 on a Sony NEX-7</p>

<p><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/roundball/PHOTOGRAPHY/MISCELLANEOUS/CanonFD50-135mm3580ISO400HorseDrawnCultivator1691C-1G_zps497c00dd.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" /></p>

<p>I'd like to gently remind contributors to Monday in Nature that nature photography minimizes hand of man elements, and in the strictest sense excludes them entirely. We had discussions about this early on, but we may need to revisit the idea from time to time. Please note that this is in the basic guidelines at the beginning each week. We all understand that nature climbs on the front door, fence post, windshield, or other structure built by people. Those photos have been about the nature itself and that is what counts. Please, ask yourself if an image is focused on nature, or about a human made subject. Let an editing eye and common sense be your guide.</p>

<p>Laura, please feel free to delete my post, thank you.</p>

<p>Bill, deleting the post is not necessary, or desirable. I don't possess that ability. There have been a few posts recently that have leaned more toward a landscapish direction. I think your image is quite nice. It is, as you say, telling a story of nature reclaiming. When we have these opportunities there are different ways to tell the story. This is they way you chose to tell it. It is probably a very good example of one end of a spectrum, where pure nature is at the other end.<br>

At some point it might be a good idea to have some guidelines on what constitutes nature photography. Where does nature photography begin to be something else? I'm not trying to make an example of you, or chide you in any way. If you sense that, then I apologize, as it is not my intent or desire.</p>

<p>Happy half-anniversary everyone. Glorious images this week, as ever.</p>

<p>Here is the ubiquitous, unassuming, blue periwinkle <em>Nodilittorina unifasciata</em>, always present in huge numbers, waiting to greet the visitor to any southern rocky shore.<br>

60D, 24-105 (wish I'd had the macro with me!), 1/40 @ f/9, ISO 200</p><div></div>

<p>Actually Goeff I really like the abstract nature of the shot. I don't think a macro image would have picked it up as well.</p>

Thanks, Douglas, I know what you mean. But with a macro I could have got this image and closer ones, too!