Although it is winter in the southern hemisphere, parts of the northern hemisphere are experiencing extreme heat.  It is, after all, summer, but England, Scotland, and Ireland are having a heat wave.  Grasses are drying, revealing areas of previous habitation not seen in recent history.  Fires continue in the western United States as well as broadly around the world, and creatures are seeking shade and shelter.  In nature, most animals have adaptations to their environments.  The human adaptation in modern times is to move from one environment to another or to use machines to make adjustments to our surroundings, according to our needs.  

As a photographer, I find photographs that either I or other photographers have taken that are of "cooling" scenes help to bring visual coolness on hot days. The photographs below fill that role in a number of different categories, even environmental portraiture and fantasy shots.  The first features Jessica Fry in the aspen high country on a June day that seems to exude coolness.

lady of the woods  

There is nothing like a body of water to fill the visual coolness bill.  This is a water feature at the Santa Ana Pueblo Prairie Star golf course, north of Albuquerque.

Prairie Star water feature

Water plants, including the lotus and the marsh marigold shown here, also lead the eye into a nice summer comfort zone.

lotus and pod detail

marsh marigold with lady bug

And finally, nothing, literally, cools the air like a summer thunderstorm, regardless of where you are in the Southwest.

skyscapes cloud curtains second rendering

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@