As I mentioned on Monday, I found myself easily distracted while shooting hummingbirds.  Below is one of the distractions.

I saw this grasshopper sitting on a dahlia and thought I'd try and get a good grasshopper shot.  And, I think I did.  The colors of the flower also work well with the grasshopper.  What I hadn't expected (or totally realized) was how the antennae look.  I had no idea that the antenna is two or three times as long as the body.  Other grasshopper shots I have don't show that.  I guess they break off or something.

Anyway, I chose this particular shot because it shows the antenna off as well as the insect.

Grasshopper

I decided to randomly select a photo by taking the first one that came up in the front page slideshow.  Here it is.

This was taken at the Walker Sculpture Garden in Minneapolis (it is in one of the back corners).  Although I haven't been there for several years, the Sculpture Garden is a fun and interesting place to wander around and take photos.  The sculptures can be fun, and it is just fun to wander.  Across the highway (via footbridge) is Loring Park, which is another good wander and shoot place.

Damn, now I need to head out there sometime soon!

My experience while out shooting yesterday was almost the exact opposite of the one I described in yesterday's post (about shooting hummingbirds on Sunday).

Since it was a gorgeous day out, I decided to go for a walk around Lone Lake.  Not wanting to burden myself too much, I just went out with my camera and 100-400 lens, which is usually good for anything I come across there.  So, I'm walking along a path when someone going the other way mentions they had seen a tame deer just ahead.  Mentally putting quotes around the word tame (figuring she meant unafraid around humans), I proceeded to go searching.  A bit further on a different person mentioned the deer was actually in the other direction, moving slowly and it shouldn't be a problem to catch up.  So, I turn around and walk quickly down the path (different path from before - top of the loop rather than bottom) and continue my pursuit.  Shortly, deer was spotted just off the path in the woods.

I take a couple quick shots and realize that things are too slow, so I quickly change the ISO [quick side note:  this is one of the unsung benefits of digital.  If I had been shooting film, none of this would have happened because the film speed would not have been appropriate for the situation.  With digital, however, you can quickly change the settings to compensate.].

Trying a couple of other shots, the shutter speed is now quick enough [after reviewing, probably should have upped things even more] so I try to get a clear shot of the deer.  Problem is that there are lots of trees and other plants between it and me.  I search around for holes in the foliage and find a couple, but they are mostly too small or in a bad place.  So, I start into the woods.  Just a couple of steps and not directly in front of the deer.  This helps a lot and I continue shooting.  And the deer IS apparently quite used to people because it slowly comes closer to where I am, eating as it does. 

I shift a bit to get a different angle, it stops, munches and continues closer.  My guess is that, at the closest, we were about 10-15 feet apart.  Maybe less.  Finally it wanders back deeper into the forest and I continue my walk.

As I said, very different from shooting hummingbirds.  Very active photography, moving and then waiting as the subject moves.  LOTS of fun.

I chose this image because it symbolizes the experience.  The whole time, the deer and I were playing peekaboo with each other.

Deer playing peekaboo