Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
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hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
@hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
3.6K followers 1.1K following 2.2K posts
Photographer. Lover of the outdoors. Musician.

Red Siege Principal Consultant so I can pay for my hobbies.

#PhotographersUnited <- Check out this great community!

IG: https://www.instagram.com/hardwaterhacker/
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hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
Mike Saunders 🇺🇦 @hardwaterhacker.bsky.social · Nov 11
Lots of new followers, so I figured it’s a good time to do an introduction. Hello! I’m Mike. I’m a North Dakota-based computer security professional with a passion for the outdoors and a love of photography. I don’t really have a style. I love to shoot all kinds of things.
hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
An absolute explosion of color over the plains of eastern North Dakota on 11/11/25.

#aurora #NorthernLights #NorthDakota #PhotographersUnited
The Northern Lights explode with color. The photo was taken in the center of highway. The plains of North Dakota are completely flat. The highway extends off to the horizon at about a quarter of the way up the photo. The headlights of a single car can be seen far in the distance. Above, the aurora fills the sky with color. Pale greens above give way to a band of red and yellow-orange color. Below, above the horizon is a band of brighter green.
November 26, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
denterrick.bsky.social
Sometimes you need to huddle together to keep warm.

#Hiking #Photography #Macro #MacroMonday #Fungi #FungiFriends #Mycology #Mushrooms #EastCoastKin #Ireland
Deep in the forest yesterday, two beautiful little mushrooms growing in the moss.
November 25, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
thegardenjungle.bsky.social
The theme for #BirdOfTheDay today is #YellowEyes, here’s a selection for you #birds #thegardenjungle #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #shropshire #UKwildlife #birdphotography #canon #photography
Shoveler Wood Duck Common Goldeneye Great Grey Owl
November 25, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
msriffle.bsky.social
It's #scape day! I made this scape on a local beach in North Florida on a glorious early morning. Lots of clouds in the area, making long exposures a ton of fun. #landscape #photograhy #EastCoastKin #beach #longexposure #clouds
November 23, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
kkartphoto.bsky.social
Incredible shots & they're all taken on a phone 😃 🤳🏽

When you stop & think, it's pretty remarkable how far technology has advanced in the last 25 years especially when it comes to photography 📸
121clicks.com/inspirations... #Photography #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography #LandscapePhotography
38 Award-Winning Landscape and Wildlife Photos from the Mobile Photography Awards
The 14th Annual Mobile Photography Awards just dropped their winning shots, and trust me &mdash; these mobile photographers did not
121clicks.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
alex-kunz.com
#SilentSunday
A color landscape photo showing a heavily eroded sandstone formation in dense morning fog. The area is sparsely vegetated with low-growing shrubs in the foreground, and small coniferous trees on a more distant ridge.
November 23, 2025 at 4:13 PM
hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
Looks like the #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Mr&Mrs. First photo is a pair of Lesser Scaups (aka bluebills). The next two are the drake and hen Bufflehead.

#birds #photography #Nikon #wildlife
A drake and hen Lesser Scaup glide across perfectly still water that reflects the golden light before sunrise. The drake has a jet black head and breast, white sides, and an intricately patterned back and wings with a black pattern over white feathers. The birds are in profile, facing the right of the image. The birds' eyes are golden and their bills are blue. The male's bill is a lighter blue than the female's. The hen has a rusty brown head and a gray body. Her chest, breast, and side feathers are a lighter gray with a tint of brown, while the back and wings are a darker gray. The hen also has a white patch at the base of her bill. Behind the birds a the edge of the water is a narrow band of snow at the base of a hill. Above the snow are dried brown and golden grasses. A drake Bufflehead sits on calm water. The bird has a black head and back. The back half of its head is white. The white extends backwards, even with the bill, starting just below the eye, and extends upwards at an angle behind the eye. A faint sheen of purple can be seen on the black cheek feathers. The bird's bill and eye are black. Small droplets of water on its back shine golden in the light. The water is still, reflecting the gold and purple hues of the sunrise. Behind the duck, at the edge of the water, golden grasses and snow reflect the color of the sky. The grasses behind the edge of the water fall off into deep shadow. A female Bufflehead floats on still water. The bird is entirely gray with the exception of a small white patch below starting below and behind her eye, and two small, white wing patches. Her head, back, and wings are a dark gray, while her breast and sides are a lighter gray. Her bill is also gray. Small droplets of water cling to her body. She is in profile, facing to the right of the image, with her head slightly turned towards the camera. The still water reflects the pale golden light of sunrise.
November 23, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
mamady.bsky.social
For a fleeting moment, the clouds perfectly mirrored the peaks of Manaslu (the 8th highest mountain in the world).

#stunday #eastcoastkin #photography #nature #classicmono #monochrome #blackandwhite #b&W #art #clouds #cloudscape #nepal #hiking #sunday #bluesky #scape #landscape #mountains #sky
A black and white photo of Mount Manaslu framed by a plume of cloud drifting upward, echoing the mountain’s peaks. Light and wind carve a temporary silhouette that hangs for only a heartbeat.
November 23, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
mrjph.bsky.social
Coral Bells Heuchera Flower

#Photography #ColorPhotography #MacroPhotography #Flower #BlueskyArtShow
#small
November 22, 2025 at 5:06 PM
hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
The alternative #BirdOfTheDay theme is #silhouette. This is an American Avocet gliding across a North Dakota prairie wetland.

#birds #Nikon #wildlife
An American Avocet glides above perfectly still water that reflects the deep golden color of the sunset. The Avocet is completely silhouetted. The Avocet has a long, thin bill that curves upwards near the end. It's wings are extended downward and the wing tips glow from the sun behind. The bird's long legs are extended behind.
November 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay them is #birdsonawire. This is an Eastern Kingbird that appears to be gathering some nesting material. Taken in the Sheyenne National Grassland.

#birds #wildlife #nikon
An Eastern Kingbird sits on a barbed wire fence in front of an out-of-focus green grass background. The bird is facing the camera, its body turned slightly to the viewer's right, with its head turned further in profile. The bird has a white belly and gray breast. The head, back, wings, and tail are a very dark gray, nearly black color. The tail feathers have a white tip. The bird appears to be holding some kind of flower seed in its beak. One part appears to be something like dried vegetation attached to a fluffy white material.
November 22, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
msriffle.bsky.social
It's #flyday. While this beautiful black crowned night heron wasn't flying, it sure can when it wants to! #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #EastCoastKin #birds #herons #portrait
November 21, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
young-spartacus.bsky.social
'Mini Mono'

A Meadow Cranesbill from the rear highlighting its translucent, veiny petals. Negative space for effect.

Sparty 🖤🤍

#EastCoastKin #Photography
#BlueSkyArtShow #Small #Art
#BNWmacro #ClassicMono #Macro #Nature #thelittlethings #PhotographersofBluesky #BlueSkyPhotography
#Bloomscrolling
A monochrome photograph focusing on a delicate Geranium flower, captured in high-contrast. The composition is dominated by a single, fully bloomed flower positioned slightly to the right of the vertical center in the lower half of the frame. The flower's five petals are the main focal point, appearing translucent due to strong backlighting. This lighting technique emphasises the intricate network of fine veins that radiate across each petal, creating a luminous and ethereal quality. The petals seem to glow against the darker elements of the scene. Beneath the petals, the sepals and the central reproductive parts of the flower are visible as darker, more opaque shapes. A slender stem supports the bloom, extending downwards into a cluster of other elements. In the very bottom portion of the image, several other buds and seed pods of the plant are present. Some of these are in focus, while others are softly blurred, adding depth to the foreground. The background is characterised by a shallow depth of field, resulting in a smooth, abstract bokeh effect. It consists of a gradient of deep grays and blacks, completely devoid of discernible details. This dark, soft background effectively isolates the main subject, drawing the viewer's eye directly to the brightly lit flower and enhancing its delicate structure. The overall mood of the photograph is quiet, intimate, and dramatic, showcasing the fragile beauty of the natural subject through the monochromatic lens. The grayscale palette removes the distraction of colour, forcing an appreciation for form, texture, light, and shadow. The contrast between the sharp, bright subject and the soft, dark background creates a powerful visual impact. The flower appears almost suspended in darkness, a beacon of natural detail and form. The various stages of growth, from tight buds to the open bloom, suggest a natural cycle captured in a single, evocative frame.
November 22, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
davemeredith.bsky.social
For the #BlueSkyArtShow theme #small I'm going to post this and see if anyone can identify it. It covers an area about 9 x 6 mm. More details in the ALT text.

I will post the answer later today.

#EastCoastKin #PhotoHour #photography #nature #naturephotography
The area covered by the photo is roughly 1/4" × 3/8" (6 × 9 mm). The photo was used for a monthly competition in BBC Wildlife magazine where a reader could win a year's subscription by correctly identifying the subject. No one won a subscription the month this image was used.
November 22, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
davemeredith.bsky.social
Today's alternative #BirdOfTheDay theme is #silhouette. A Eurasian Blue Tit silhouetted against the rising sun. A #Kodachrome from the late 1980s made with a 600mm plus 1.4x and 2x teleconverters.

#EastCoastKin #photography #birds #birdphotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography
November 22, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
msj99.bsky.social
Great Northern Diver,
Covenham Reservoir
#lincsbirding
#Birds
#UKBirding
November 22, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
davemeredith.bsky.social
One of my favourite ripples photo for the #SensoryArt theme #water.

#TenMinutesFromHome #PhotographersOfBluesky #EastCoastKin #PhotoHour #photography
November 21, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
mamady.bsky.social
Insignificant

#blueskyartshow #small #eastcoastkin #photography #nature #classicmono #monochrome #blackandwhite #b&W #art #mountainmonday #stunday #mountains #travel #nepal #hiking #himalayas #saturday #stormhour #photohour #bluesky #scape #landscape #photographersofbluesky #photographersunited
A black and white photo of two silhouetted hikers, dwarfed by Pumori’s immense sunlit icy slopes as swirling clouds drift upward, highlighting the contrast between human fragility and the mountain’s overwhelming power.
November 22, 2025 at 12:55 PM
hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
This particular morning was cloudy, rainy, and gray. Shortly before sunrise, the sky started to light up and I scrambled for a composition. I found this scene along the Little Missouri River.

#NorthDakota #landscape #sunrise #PhotographersUnited
In the foreground, the Little Missouri River enters the scene from the lower left, reaching towards the right side of the image, before turning left again. The river bottom is covered in golden dried grasses and the river channel is dotted with large cottonwood trees that are bare of leaves. In the distance, at the back of the river valley, large, rugged hills of gray clay and red scoria rise from the valley floor. A cloudy sky is lit with soft tones of pink, orange, and yellow as the sunrise shines through a gap in the clouds, just behind the ridge of the distant rim.
November 22, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
marysunshineisgone.bsky.social
Nice Hooded Merganser
#birds
Female duck. Mottled brown body. Orange crest. Orange eye. Swimming left to right.
November 22, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
alan678.bsky.social
Saturday’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #birdonawire birds on a wire or line and the alternative is #silhouette Good luck. Once again, sorry I won’t be around much. #birds #photography #EastCoastKin
A small stonechat with a rich orange-rust breast, dark face, and speckled brown crown balances delicately on a strand of barbed wire. Its legs are thin and slightly akimbo, giving the impression of a mid-step pose. The background is a smooth green blur, making the bird’s warm colours and fluffy plumage stand out sharply.
November 22, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
chrishenryfotog.bsky.social
This is one of favorite points to photograph in Monument Valley. It is huge and for me, elegant! Pointing to the sky!

#EastCoastKin
#Scape
#Photography
#WestCoastKin
#RoadTrip
#LandscapePhotography
#ClassicMono
#BlackandWhite
#Art
#Leica
November 21, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
hullimages.bsky.social
A mirror image of the Humber Bridge from Hessle Foreshore.

#hull #yorkshire #travel #architecture #photography #sunset #photographersunited #photographersofbluesky #eastcoastkin #humberbridge
A mirror image of the Humber Bridge from Hessle Foreshore. #hull #yorkshire #travel #architecture #photography #sunset
November 21, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Mike Saunders 🇺🇦
davesadventures.bsky.social
Not your usual forest shot, but I'll give it a go for #ForestFriday! #Photography #EastCoastKin #abstract
looking straight up in a forest with some intentional blurring
November 21, 2025 at 9:26 PM
hardwaterhacker.bsky.social
The #BirdOfTheDay theme is #GroundedGulls, that's any Gull not in flight. And the alternative is #Singing, that's any bird with it's beak open.

Here are a couple of American Herring Gulls.

#Gulls #birds #wildlife
An adult American Herring Gull standing at the end of a wooden dock on a cloudy day. The gull is white, with gray wings, and black tail feathers. The tail feathers have white tips. The bird's eye is yellow, with a faint red ring. It's beak is also yellow with a red bump on the lower beak near the end. Its legs are a dull, dark pink color. The bird is facing away from the camera, out into the harbor, with it's body quartered to the camera. A juvenile American Herring Gull stands on an asphalt parking lot next to a harbor. The bird is facing away from the camera with its head turned to the right. Little flakes of snow can be seen in the air. The gull has a white base of feathers with overall brown mottling. Its eyes are a dark brown color. The legs and beak are pink, with the beak being black at the front third of the upper and lower beak.
November 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM