Anemone Geyser Sinter, Yellowstone

Okay, now a little love for the geyser.

You're not going to get a spectrum of colors from geysers, they are a study in blue and white. But what you do get is a variety of textures: the smoothness of the water if visible, the haze of the steam when erupting, and the roughness of the surrounding sinter. Sinter is silica that has precipitated out of the hot geyser water as it hits the cooler ground. It's the same stuff that makes the terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, it just has a different delivery mechanism. The splashing makes for a nubbly and undulating surface that looks a lot like cauliflower.

Anemone Geyser it the one you're gonna see if you head to the boardwalk behind Old Faithful. It goes every 10 or so minutes up to a height of 8 feet. Not as impressive as some, but frequent and reliable - like a good commuting car.

So in addition to accentuating the texture, the warm and slanting morning sun lets you get a bit of color, as well, from the geyser.