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 - A New Experience
Sunday was a new experience.
It started out like many others had before. It was a gorgeous afternoon that begged me to be outside and enjoy it. Not too hot, sunny, wonderful. So, I went over to Lone Lake, camera in hand, no plan but to walk around and see if there was anything interesting to shoot.
The water lilies and lotuses were OK, but not close enough to get anything worth keeping. I almost got a longed for shot of a dragonfly in flight, but it wasn't sharp enough for me (they move fast). So I started walking around the lake, hoping there might be some deer, or birds, or butterflies, or wildflowers. But nope. None of those were around.
I did come across a nice lady walking her dog who hadn't been to the lake for a long time and wanted some directions. So we walked around the path, stopping occasionally to shoot something that didn't really turn out. We helped out a couple who had gotten turned around somehow. I pointed to places I had seen interesting things in the past.
For instance, there was the place I had come across a snapping turtle in the middle of the path.
and where there were some jacks-in-the-pulpit a couple years ago
Then, when we were almost at the end of the path, we saw something unexpected. A painted turtle sitting by a pile of mud, no where near water.
Painted TurtleClick to Purchase
So, we went a little closer and saw something neither of us had ever seen before:
Painted TurtleClick to Purchase
Yes, she was laying eggs! While I wandered around, trying different angles, my boon companion started counting. 1..2..3..4. And I realized how really strange it felt to be zooming in on the back end of a turtle. 5..6..7..8. Noticing that many seem to come out in pairs (one quickly after the other, not two at the same time). 9..10. And the turtle would push them down and backwards into the mud, always with the back left leg. 11..12. Amazing! How can something that size hold so many eggs? How can eggs that size come out of such a thin turtle?
She eventually stopped laying (or, at least, took a long breather). So it was time to leave her in peace, having had an experience that will probably never be repeated.
Unless I head back there in approx. 72 days to see the baby turtles hatch.
Photos of the Week - Getting the Shot
When it comes right down to it, there are basically 2 approaches to field photography; you can plan your experience or just wing it.
A couple weeks ago, I knew exactly what I wanted to capture. I had seen a really interesting tree stump a day or two before, but the shots I captured that day were utter garbage. So, I resolved to go back and get some good ones. One of the issues I had noticed in the previous set was that they weren't as sharp as I wanted, so I knew that this time I'd have to bring a tripod. The question was then what type of lenses I'd need. I always take my 100-400 lens since it lets me get close-in to a subject from a distance, meaning that I could control the depth of field in the background if necessary. I also wanted my macro lens so I could get closer and sharper images if they seemed to work better. Finally, I made sure to bring my remote shutter release to reduce the chance of camera shake.
So, I went out to capture the shots I wanted. Here are the best of those. I'll also note that the preparation helped in an unexpected way. It was a fairly nice, sunny day out and the tree ended up being much brighter than I liked. I found that I could cast a shadow over everything if I stood in the right place. Using the remote shutter control meant that I could do this and still capture the image with ease.
That's not my typical way of shooting. Normally I just go out somewhere and see what is interesting. A week or two ago I was out at the Arboretum to wander around and see what wildflowers are out. No plans. Just an excuse to go for a walk and, if I got lucky, capture some images that I liked.
Small Yellow Lady SlippersClick to Purchase
This last one was interesting. I was sitting on a bench by a fountain, relaxing in the shade after walking around for an hour or two in the hot sun. All around the fountain are tulips. It was just a nice feeling. And then I noticed that I could see some tulips through the water falling in the fountain. I was intrigued by the possibility and took several. You can't really see the water in the final image, but that is what is causing the softness in the flowers. It may not be the most successful experiment of mine, but it was a nice way to end the day, and certainly not something I could have planned for.
Bonus Photos of the Week - More Flowering Trees
A couple weeks back I mentioned I had been out at the Arboretum shooting the flowering trees there. At the time I said I'd try to get some of the shots up. It is now a couple of weeks later and here are some of them. One with a turkey and one without.
Turkey in the TreesClick to purchase
Flowering TreesClick to purchase
Photos of the Week - Still Stumped
I'm catching up here on some photos from a couple of weeks ago.
In this case, I've been expanding my collection of photos of tree stumps. I mentioned before (last fall, I think) how fascinating and inspirational I find tree stumps. They combine feelings of death and rebirth, reality and abstraction.
And, they're a challenge to capture in a way that does them justice.
I like the way the roots stick out, giving it an interesting shape. Throw in the plants growing inside and you get the cycle of life.
Here's an abstract, and it is an unaltered detail of the stump. I love the shapes, colors and textures.
Broken RingsClick to purchase.
This is a macro image of a tree branch that is falling apart. The rings are slowly separating in an interesting way. Works decently in both color and black and white.
Photos of the Week - Flowering Trees
It is now May and today was one of the best of the year. A cool, sunny day just made for wandering around the Arboretum. So, I did.
The early wildflowers are blooming. And the flowering trees are flowering. Which, unfortunately, only lasts for a week or so based on experience. So, get out and see them while you can.
I'll try to post some of the photos I took today later this week. In the meantime, here are a couple of my favorite flowering tree images from years past.
