Rock

Same—this one is never far from my mind when I am out in it.

A landscape photograph in black and white. The frame is dominated by two vast expanses — a snow-covered plain filling the lower half, and an open sky filling the upper half. The sky darkens dramatically from pale gray at the horizon to near-black at the top edge, as if the atmosphere itself is pressing down. Across the middle of the frame, a flat horizon line stretches unbroken from edge to edge. At its center, a single snow-laden pine tree stands alone — the only vertical form in the entire image, the only interruption of the horizon, the only living thing visible. In the foreground, wind has flattened dry winter grass into the snow, leaving thin blades and small clumps scattered across the white surface, suggesting cold and exposure. The overall feeling is one of immense silence and space, a world reduced to its essential elements — sky, snow, one tree.

"Nothing"

One must have a mind of winter
And have been cold a long time
For the listener, who listens in the snow, And, nothing himself, beholds Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.
— Wallace Stevens

#imageandverse #ClassicMono #Leica #EastCoastKin #ECK #PhotographersofBlueSky

Haha--didn't realize. Photography in Ireland is amazing. Ok. I'll reach out in the morning my time tomorrow and get you a summer. If you want to DM some contact info I can package up the options. Also you can dm me any ideas you'd like to feed into that discussion

Jaycee and I are gonna chat this evening around 7 eastern ish. We could make it three. I’m doing some brainstorming now. Let me know what the best way to engage with you is. I’m totally open.

I started photography about 18 months ago and am really having a ball. So I have a lot to learn and that’s been the best part. I think I’ve been on blue sky for about 10-12 months and really love the engagement more than IG or Vero. Lots of good people here—talented people.

Hi Jason. Nice to meet you. Happy to engage on this thought experiment. Shall we bat around ideas async or shall we get together for a convo?

I free up a bit later this afternoon. Shall we set up some time to chat live. I can send a gmeet invite or FaceTime or something. Or if you prefer we can just get a dm going and brainstorm async

Yeah. Happy to.

Hi Loretta! Same

That was my reaction too when I composed it. 😂

Thanks Breezie. I shot some video too that is really cool. But I have no idea what to do with it. 😂

🙏🙏🙏

It wouldn't be Monday without a view of my Colorado Mountains!
#mountainmonday
#blueskymonday
#eastcoastkin
#colorado
#rmnp
#morainepark
#photography
#nikon

Gorgeous

Thanks Laurie. I appreciate you taking a moment to share. 🙏

A wide drone panorama shows a series of connected backwater lakes near Parachute, Colorado, fed by the Colorado River. The water curves around low islands edged with winter grasses and leafless cottonwoods. The surface is smooth and reflective, mirroring streaks of orange and pink cloud illuminated by the setting sun against a deepening blue sky. Mount Callahan rises on the right, its upper slopes lightly dusted with snow and fading into shadow. Low mesas stretch across the left horizon, with scattered homes partially screened by trees in the midground. The structure of the image is horizontal and symmetrical, organized by reflection. Warm cloud color sits between expanding fields of blue, and the mountain anchors the right third without dominating the frame.

"Lakes at Sunset"

Wide panorama of backwater lakes off the Colorado River--reflecting high clouds lit by the setting sun beneath Mount Callahan.

#EastCoastKin #Photography #LandscapePhotography #MountainMonday #dronephotography #BlueSkyMonday

I'm guessing you can see how I spent my weekend.

Thanks 🙏 and have a great Monday!

Thanks so much Janet. Happy Monday!

Thank you!

A drone photograph looks across the layered hills and canyon walls near Parachute, Colorado. In the foreground, a rounded butte rises in pale tan, rust, and muted red bands, its face etched with vertical erosion lines and scattered stones. Several slender utility poles stand along the slope, their straight lines contrasting with the organic contours of the terrain. Beyond it, successive ridges recede into the distance, each marked by distinct strata—cream, ochre, and gray—tilted diagonally across their faces. The upper cliffs form a pale escarpment catching warm sunlight beneath a sky of textured blue-gray clouds. Sparse shrubs and low vegetation dot the dry landscape, reinforcing the scale and openness of the setting. The image emphasizes geology and form: repeated ridgelines, angled sediment bands, and the interplay of light and shadow across eroded surfaces. The elevated drone perspective clarifies how the land folds and layers into itself.

"Parachute, Colorado"

Late light tracks across banded sediment above the Colorado River corridor.

#EastCoastKin #Photography #LandscapePhotography #MountainMonday #dronephotography #BlueSkyMonday

Good morning Susan. Definitely needing the Java this morning. Got up at 4 and drove home from the mountains this morning--gonna be a long day 😏

A drone photograph looks upstream through a narrow canyon at blue hour. A dark, glassy river fills the foreground, reflecting the cool tones of the evening sky. Rocky banks line both sides, scattered with rounded stones and sparse winter shrubs. In the midground, a small bridge spans the river, its metal framework silhouetted against the fading light. Beyond it, layered mountains rise steeply, their slopes etched with diagonal bands of red and pale stone, with a light dusting of snow on the higher ridges. The sky above is streaked with soft, bluish clouds that deepen the cool atmosphere of the scene. The composition emphasizes structure and tone: a central channel of water, converging banks, a horizontal bridge, and diagonally banded geology. The elevated vantage point clarifies the relationships between land, water, and sky without dramatizing them.

"South Canyon, Blue Hour"

Blue hour settles over South Canyon as the river reflects cold sky between banded red slopes and a quiet bridge.

#EastCoastKin #Photography #LandscapePhotography #MountainMonday #dronephotography

Mountain Monday with eastcoastkin

Remember to get your #mountainmonday photos ready to post on Monday.

Tell your friends!

#stunday #eastcoastkin #art
#mountainscape #mountain
@rjrock.bsky.social @laurinovakphoto.bsky.social @tripupstairs.bsky.social @jaycee-visionlogic.bsky.social

Thanks so much for the gracious review of the work. It’s one I am very partial too as well. I have a 17x22 I printed on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta and you are right that it holds up well..I did a smaller one on Pro luster but didn’t have the same impact. 🙏 for taking the time to share.

An older woman in a winter coat stands at the left edge of a snow-covered train platform, facing right toward a silver passenger train stopped along the tracks. Snow is visibly falling, dotting the air and collecting on the ground. Her short, light-colored hair is uncovered, and her expression is neutral as she looks toward the train cars. Other passengers in hats and heavy coats stand behind her under the station overhang. In the background, a pedestrian bridge crosses above the tracks, and a few distant figures move through the snowfall. Footprints and tire-like tracks mark the slushy surface of the platform. The image is presented in black and white, emphasizing contrast between the snow, the train’s metal siding, and the darker clothing of the waiting passengers. The photograph documents a routine winter moment at a train station, capturing the conditions, the setting, and the quiet posture of people waiting to travel.

"Winter Platform" (2025)

Passengers wait as snow falls beside a stationary train at the platform.

#EastCoastKin #Photography #StreetPhotography #Urbangaze #HumansofBlueSky #Colorado #Amtrak

Thanks June

Art Challenges: Feb 23–Mar 1 Monday, February 23 #BlueSkyMonday (anything blue) #MacroMonday (any macro) #MountainMonday (mountains) #MinimalMonday (minimalism) #ColorADay (#PinkMon) #FebruArty2026 (#few) Tuesday, February 24 #RockinTuesday (rocks) #TidesOutTuesday #TagTuesday (graffiti/street art) #AnimalArtTuesday #ColorADay (#BlueTue or #CyanTue) #FebruArty2026 (#flaw) Wednesday, February 25 #WaterfallWednesday #WindowsOnWednesday #WackyWednesdayArt #ColorADay (#RedWed) #FebruArty2026 (#flight) Thursday, February 26 #HumansOfBlueSky (people) #UrbanGaze (anything urban) #PalacesAndGardens (#LittleWonders)* #ColorADay (#YellowThu) #FebruArty2026 (#fake) Friday, February 27 #Scape (any kind of scape) #FishyFriday #ForestFriday #FoodOnFriday #FlyDay (critters that fly) #ColorADay (#BWFri) #FebruArty2026 (#fan) Saturday, February 28 #BNWmacro #ColorADay (#GreenSat) #SmallBirdSaturday #BlueSkyArtShow (#round) #FebruArty2026 (#fin) Sunday, March 1 #Stunday (stunning) #ImageAndVerse (photos with poems written by you or anyone) #BNWmacro #ColorADay (#OrangeSun) ALL WEEK #ArtYear (any art) #ArtOfSelfPortraiture #BirdOfTheDay (see Alan H or Rob Crank for daily prompt) #ClassicMono (monochrome) #MixedMedia52 (#acrylic)** #ShowHeart (hearts) #Abstractia (#vision) #AlphabetChallenge (#WeekHForHs)*** #SensoryArt (#OutOfPlace) *Little details **2 or more mediums ***Anything that starts with “H” Compiled by @handcranked.bsky.social Questions? @young-spartacus.bsky.social

Your art challenge cheat sheet for Feb 23–Mar 1 is here!

NEW: #ShowHeart (daily, hearts)

See comments for host list.

#EastCoastKin #PhotographersUnited #PhotographersOfBluesky #photography
#ArtYear #dailyart #art #traditionalart #painting #drawing #onlybeautifulthings #artchallenge #artprompt

Thanks! I was trying to capture the relationship between shadow and form.

Good morning Susan. Hope you are well!

Going to kick us off for another great #MountainMonday

“Midday in the Highlands”

Light breaks across the ridge while the lava field holds steady in the foreground.

#EastCoastKin #Photography #LandscapePhotography #MountainMonday #RockinTuesday #Fuji
#PhotographersofBlueSky
#PhotographersUnited