2012, Day 194 - Cheapness

When I was in college I took a class in landscape architecture and one of the things that we covered was the invention of barbed wire.  It was introduced as an inexpensive way to keep cattle contained and was introduced with a dramatic display where a small herd was put in a barbed wire pen and whipped into a panic.  None of the cattle escaped and their injuries were minimal and thus large scale ranching became much more affordable and the landscape of the American west was forever changed.

Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS
100mm, f8, 1/250 @ 250 ISO

2011, Day 360 - Crystalline

The trip to see my family was a short one and this morning I drove back to Portland.  I had wanted to stop at some specific places along the way to take pictures but unfortunately there were some delays and I ended up running a bit behind schedule.  Despite that I did make time for a few stops and one was in Hornbrook, a small community not far from the Oregon border.  Although I didn't know it at the time I've stopped there before to take pictures because it is dotted with beautiful little ranches.  Plus the altitude is high enough that every time I've stopped there has been heavy frost or snow.

This morning it was only frost but I love how it mimics the barbed wire that it is coating.  Tiny little spikes of ice covered its length as horses tried to visit with me across the fence.

Canon 1Ds Mark II, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f4, 1/400 sec @ 200 ISO