Hello to all and welcome!
I can't really say what you should expect to see here as I've never before tried blogging or anything similar. It'll have to be a work in progress. I'll probably talk about photography in general (and mine in specific) as well as point out different things that are going on that I find interesting or worth commenting on. If anyone (assuming anyone actually ends up reading this) has questions or suggestions on topics, feel free to let me know.
I'm here you're with me, here at the beginning of all things.
Roger
p.s. Comments and feedback are very welcome.
Photos of the Week - Stumped
Maybe 10-15 years ago, I was on a photo trip to northern Minnesota, probably to shoot fall foliage (since that's why I've almost entirely been that far north). Regardless, I was wandering through some woods looking for something interesting to shoot. What ultimately caught my eye surprised me...a slowly decaying tree stump. I think it had a sapling growing out of it, or at least nearby. It was that contrast between old and new growth that appealed to me. The cycle of life in trees. I tried to capture this feeling, but didn't like any of the shots that resulted.
Over the years, I've taken LOTS of images of tree stumps in various stages of decay. I love the textures and colors. Some seem like they contain miniature landscapes inside themselves. And I've not been happy with the way any of those came out either.
This past weekend I was down at the Arboretum, wandering around taking some shots of a new statue that was recently installed. Close by there I spotted the stump seen below (across the path was the second one). Both of these shots work for me. The stumps stand out enough to be the subject of the image, but the leaves let them blend into the rest of the scene.
Interestingly, none of the shots that were closer worked as well. On their own, the stumps couldn't provide enough interest. So, maybe next year I'll try using this approach to many of the ones I've failed to capture to my satisfaction. That possibility excites me.
Photos of the Week - Submission
I took a photography class back in late 2006 that later led to the creation of the Arboretum Photographers Society (a story I've told previously).
As a thank you from the Arboretum to our photo club, we've been invited to participate in a annual juried show and sale that runs January to March or April. This year, the theme is Close-up and Macro. The only rule worth mentioning is that all photos that are submitted for the show must have been taken at the Arboretum. Here are the ones I'm submitting this year.
I understand the last one isn't really a close-up, even though it was taken from almost the same exact place as the previous one (the difference being in the amount of zoom used). So, I cropped the one I'm submitting to 10x8, which gets rid of almost all the foliage on both sides of the picture and makes the heron much more prominent.
Now, it is wait and see which ones the judge likes. Wish me luck.
Photo of the Week - Bucket Shots
I have some friends who have created (at least mentally) bucket lists. You know, those lists of places you want to visit, things you want to do, activites you'd like to try.
I'm not a big fan of lists. To me, they are reminders of things you've failed to do or things that others think you must. But, a couple of days ago that I do have a mental bucket list...of photos I'd like to get at some time.
Note: I am not talking about vacations/destinations; just ones that I can get within easy driving distance.
I love raptors (that's owls, eagles, falcons, hawks, etc. for those unfamiliar with the term). At this point I've gotten a lot of closeups of several captive ones. I've managed to get some wild shots as well. What I REALLY want, though, are some action shots; flying, taking off, landing. I've gotten one or two at a raptor release, but the above shot of an osprey is the closest I've come in a totally wild situation. If it was sharp, it would be exactly what I'm after. Maybe next time.
There are lots of other birds I'd like to get shots of. Barn owls (which I may be able to get at the Raptor Center) are up there. But, at the top of the list, is the pileated woodpecker. I've seen these, I think, three times. The first time I didn't have a camera with me and it was sitting pretty on a tree stump. The second was a dead one stuck in a crack in a tree. The third (seen above) was one where I couldn't get close enough for a good shot or an interesting pose. I got three photos total, two on the ground and blurry, and this one. Every now and then I can hear them off in the woods, teasing me, laughing at me. Someday it'll be my turn to laugh and do a happy dance.
I'm not just interested in birds. There are lots of animals and scenes I've not captured yet. I'd like a deer with a nice set of antlers, wolves, bears, moose or almost any other wildlife. I've never been to Split Rock Lighthouse or Gooseberry Falls. I've not had a chance to shoot the Northern Lights or the Milky Way or star trails. I'm still missing a Showy Lady Slipper image that rocks. Most of those would take a drive up north and away from the city lights, but are doable.
Ruby-Throated HummingbirdThis one is male. Females don't have a ruby throat.
That's not to say I haven't check off a lot of images yet. I got the ruby-throated hummingbird last year. It took 5 years or so to find a Jack-In-The-Pulpit. I've gotten nice sharp shots of wild bald eagles and several types of owls. And lots more of things that I never thought about, but make me happy. I'll end this with one of those.
Quick poll
I am going to be submitting some photos later in the month for a juried show in January. The theme of the show is "Macro and Close-up Photography".
I want to submit one of the photos below, but am torn. I like the first one more, but the second one seems like it might fit the theme better.
So, what do you think?
Photos of the Week - What I Learned This Week
I learned a bunch of stuff already this week.
Before yesterday, I had only seen wood ducks in the spring and summer. And I knew that male wood ducks lose their color after the breeding season ends in the spring. And then, as I was going for a walk around Lone Lake yesterday, I found out that males have their full color this time of year. I learned that their breeding season actually runs from the Autumn through the Spring.
During the same walk, I heard a tapping on a nearby tree. I looked around hoping to see a woodpecker (I actually went out hoping to spot a pileated woodpecker since several people had mentioned seeing them recently). Instead, what I saw was a white-breasted nuthatch. I learned that woodpeckers are not the only birds that will peck wood in hopes of finding a meal.
I also learned that I need to go through all my old photos again. Until the past couple of years, none of them have keywords entered, which makes it really hard to find decent shots of things like a white-breasted nuthatch when the ones you took that day are not worth sharing but are needed to tell a story (fortunately I had previously gotten good wood duck shots to share so the bad ones I took could be skipped as well).
And I also learned that there are a lot that I never deleted even though they are not up to snuff. And, there are others that I never processed or uploaded that are definitely worth sharing.
Not a bad week educationally.