Transitions and Outdoor Photography

 Back in April, my family decided to go on a hike up Temple Fork, Logan Canyon for Easter. Yes, there is still snow in the mountains in northern Utah.

 We didn't see any horses, but we saw their trails.

 There are many locations in the Wasatch Mountains where beavers are flourishing. Sometimes, you get a chance to spot a one. 

 Perfect reflections

 Deer tracks

 Vole trails - yes, they make surface tunnels like what Gopher on Whinnie the Pooh did!

 Due to all the snowmelt, the trails were extremely muddy.

 Sometimes a river!

 But, one thing that's super annoying - is having Transition Lenses and trying to take outdoor photography. The reason why I had gotten Transitions is because I am notorious for refusing to switch out my regular glasses for sunglasses...since I literally wear my glasses 24/7. Transitions are built into the prescription and cause your lenses to get darker according the the sunlight. Never need to change to sunglasses ever again! Ye-ah, uh huh. Or so I thought. However, having a high prescription has many limitations on the color of the Transitions - they usually come in grey, brown is a rarity. Also, they actually react to UV lighting and temperature. So, in the winter they are horribly dark. But, in the summertime - when you need them the most - you are blinded by everything because it likes the COLD! Sure, they still get dark in the UV, but seriously? This isn't helping. I haven't been really bothered by this problem until I started taking more pictures of my model horses outside. Regardless of season - I can't see the camera screen. Also, when going out hiking in the cold and in the mud, everything is literally the same color. The other problem is whenever someone goes to take a picture of me and my glasses are so dark that I have to take them off. Result, me squinting all the bright light out! Yeah, it's time for a change.

 This is what that mountain really looks like - in fact a little brighter. The one taken through my lens is how deceptive sunglasses can be when trying to get a cool picture. I ended up hiking part of the way WITHOUT my glasses on and WOW! The grass was SO green! The sage WAS beautiful! And the mud WASN'T black! It was still super blurry, but I could see the COLOR!

 Since it was the first hike of the season, I didn't go the entire way. Neither did my dad or my sister. So, we waited here until my mom and brothers decided to turn around and pick us up on the way.

 All that orange are Dogwood Trees.

Another, more defined deer track.