Trolley Trail in Autumn

Another visit to the Clarks Summit Trolley Trail this past autumn, where this stretch at least passes through a fantastic stretch of hardwood forest that was fully ablaze with autumn color.

More Yellow Warblers

A few more yellow warbler’s from last summer’s profusion – I think this wraps up the photos I set aside to share, just about in time for this year’s migration to begin!

Red Milkweed Beetle

This head-on portrait highlights a red milkweed beetle, a ubiquitous resident on milkweed plants beginning in midsummer, and from that point onward I doubt there is a milkweed that doesn’t have at least one.  Their long antennae remind me of longhorn cattle, and I find myself thinking of them in their numbers as a sort […]

Painted Turtle

Oh, to be a turtle basking in the sun over still waters.  It seems an idyllic existence, although as with all idylls, reality is far harsher. I found this painted turtle while kayaking, and was able to capture a few quick shots before leaving him be.  Most often, I catch sight of turtles as they […]

Coneflower

The macro world unlocks all manner of details and secrets that go unnoticed, and offers a delightful range that includes semi-abstract art as well as scientific documentation.  This photo of a coneflower blossom is surely aligned with the former; at such close range it becomes a study in light, shadow, and color.

Autumn at Kennedy Creek Inlet

The places we keep returning to, in my case Kennedy Creek Trail at Lackawanna State Park.  I’ve written about it before, and walked it countless times.  This, then, is the record of another autumn visit during early evening, with the sun at the crest of the hill across the lake and blazing in through the […]

Glass Menagerie Promos

I recently had the opportunity to work with the cast of Scranton Fringe’s upcoming presentation of The Glass Menagerie, where we took fresh actor headshots and then staged a promotional session.  I’ve not yet seen the show, but as it was explained to me it focuses on family dynamics largely through the lens of memory.  […]

A Profusion of Yellow (Warblers)

Naturalists talk about “mast years” in relation to trees and their seed production; a “mast year” for oaks results in an uncommon profusion of acorns, similar to how we use the term “bumper crop” for times when our gardens overflow with tomatoes.  I’m not certain that the concept applies to fauna, but this past summer […]

Dutchman’s Breeches

As the sprig beauties hid their midway point is roughly when the next round of wildflowers appears in the woods, with an accelerating spread of green across the forest floor.  These distinctive white and yellow blossoms are Dutchman’s breeches, a native species that prefers the partial-shade of the forest before the trees leaf-out. I appreciate […]

Spring Beauties

BRENT PENNINGTON – Spring Beauty blossoms along the trail at the Rowlands Preserve, Lackawanna State Park, PA, on the afternoon of 04 April 2025. In a few short (long) weeks, winter will break and the first signs of spring will appear – longer days, temperatures creeping up, a tinge of red buds filling the forest […]

Headshots

Some recent actor headshots for Scranton Fringe’s upcoming production of The Glass Menagerie, as part of the show’s promotional photoshoot. A good portrait doesn’t have to be complex, and I setup a separate “station” for these in the room next door to our primary set.  These were lit with a single flash + umbrella combo to camera […]

Downtown Snowfall

Finally an opportunity for some winter photography this season!  Back in January we made a little trip to downtown Scranton that happened to coincide with a snow squall, and I’ll admit that I had more fun with the flurries and some cityscapes than with checking out the shops. Each time building photos appear here, I […]

Unlikely Beauty

Nobody enjoys greenbottle flies or really wants them around.  They are pests, at least from our perspective.  But still they find their way in front of my lens each year, and when the opportunity for a photo presents itself I’m not terribly picky. Such as this summer morning, with the milkweed in full bloom and […]

Peach Root Weevil

This small insect is a peach root weevil, a member of the root weevils, as its name suggests.  A non-native nuisance species from Asia, according to the USDA it does have an affinity for peach roots in its larval stage, while the adults – such as this one – will feed on foliage from any […]

Delicate Blossoms

While searching for birds to photograph I chanced across these berry blossoms in the field.  I’m not positive if they are blackberry or raspberry, although I lean a bit toward blackberry given how much they resemble my own at home.  But regardless, I grabbed a couple of photos in the morning light. Berry blossoms aren’t […]

Corridor

A look back at my visit to Wilkes University last spring.  My focus was on capturing the campus at springtime, with it’s collection of flowering trees.  But while passing through the science building on the looking for a vantage point, I took notice of this corridor, which gave off strong scifi vibes.  With the geometry […]

An Inglorious End

This fly I discovered on my lavendar plant over the summer may possibly have been a hoverfly, although it’s difficult to tell.  What is clear is that this individual was overtaken – and likely killed – by fungus. Fungus is strange.  It does not sit neatly within the framework we’ve created to classify all the […]

Aphrodite Fritillary

Two profiles of the Aphrodite fritillary butterfly as it fed on a wild thistle blossom.  Side views of butterflies are the most common, to highlight their distinctive wing patterns, which is the basis for most identification.  Still, there is something to be said for a nice head-on photo, which sometimes feels more engaging and treats […]

Little Wood Satyr

Another butterfly with a delightful name, the little wood satyr, posing on a blade of grass.  This was my first sighting of this small butterfly, but hopefully not my last.  While his overall coloring may be less eye-catching than a monarch or swallowtail, I am a huge fan of the arcane markings along the trailing […]

The Humble Buttercup

There’s no real story behind this photo itself – I was sitting on my folding camp stool, watching for bluebirds near an active nest box without much luck.  I was bored, and turned my telephoto lens to a nearby buttercup blossom, and grabbed a shot. I’ve encountered buttercups my whole life; they are a staple […]