[Daily Photo] Komodo dragon

I took this photo of a komodo dragon in Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington DC. Its mouth was so funny. It must be saying "Mmmmmmmmmh".

When I was taking photos at Reptile Discovery Center, a woman asked me how I took this photo, and why all she got were the reflections of the glass window. I checked her photos and camera settings. Then I suggested to her that she should turn off the flash, and adjust the angle between her and the glass to avoid the reflection of the glass. Then, zoom in to get the close-up view.

[Daily Photo] Sunset at Huron riverside

I was taking photos along Huron River last evening. The Huron River is a long river in southeastern Michigan. It passes through Ann Arbor and luckily I live close to it. The temperature in the evening was about 0 degree Celsius. To keep my hands warm, I brought a heat pack(暖暖包) with me. However, it was not hot enough to warm my hands. And I couldn't always put my hands in my pockets, because I had to hold the camera and the tripod. I look forward to receiving the wireless shutter remote control I bought on eBay, so I can take a photos with my hands in pockets.

[Daily Photo] Mallard in the pool

I took a photo of this mallard(wild duck) in Taipei, Taiwan. I like the light reflected on the water surface and the ripples in this photo. The upper part of the photo is very bright, which makes your eyes want to escape to the darker part of the photo, then you find the mallard.

By the way, I still can see mallards swimming on the river near my house (in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA) today. It seems that they are used to the cold weather here.

[Daily Photo] Baldacchino sculpture at National World War II Memorial

This photo was shot in National World War II Memorial, Washington DC. I found this beautiful place on my way from Washington Monument to Lincoln Memorial Hall. The building in this photo is Atlantic Pavilion. There is also a similar building called Pacific Pavilion in this memorial. The sculpture in this photo shows four eagles standing on the posts holding a laurel wreath together.

[Daily Photo] Cuiheng Pagoda 翠亨閣

This is Cuiheng Pagoda in "228 Peace Memorial Park", Taipei, Taiwan. It was a pity that the inside of the building was not open to the pubic.

P.S. 圖中對聯全文為「於兩間留正氣; 為萬世開太平。」

[Daily Photo] American bison

This photo of American bison was taken in Yellowston. We found hordes of American bisons on our way from the Roosevelt to the Northeast Entrance. They were having dinner at that time. The expression of this male bison was so cute (note his tongue is out).
Recently I learned from TV that the lives of bisons in Yellowstone are very harsh during winter. In winter, Yellowstone is covered with thick snow. The only food sources are in the areas near the hot springs and geysers. However, the grasses and alge in this area are poisonous, so the bisons were slowly poisoned by the food they ate. In addition, the sulfur in the air near the hot spring also poisons the bisons. It was summer when I took this photo. They all look so carefree and leisurely. It's hard to imagine that they will had a hard time in winter.

[Daily Photo] Heart Spring in Yellowstone

This is the Heart Spring in Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone. The spring got its name from the heart-like shape of the crater. There is also Lion Geyser located at the right center of this photo (the small, white hump with steam).