Panorama and Black and White

West Farmington tonight...Fun!

Too busy to blog......enjoy the photo's.  

Black and White....

Nikon D-3, 1/400 sec @ f/6.3, Nikon 24-70 2.8 lens @24mm, ISO 1250 

Last night just before sundown this storm came through.  I was interested to see how the "birds" in West Farmington reacted.   There was a lot of nervousness.  They would attempt to fly but were buffeted around.  The avocets gathered in a very large group.  I thought that was interesting.  The geese seemed to be sparring more than normal.  And the yellow-headed black birds just kept on barking!   One of those beautiful spring storms with high winds stirring up dust and showing dark images of rain falling against a bright background.  Upon arriving home last night I down loaded images I took with my D-200 with a longer lens and forgot about the images I took on the D-3.  I was very pleased tonight after remembering the D-3 shots with the wider angle.  The sky was dramatic.  The contrast was incredible.  

Digital dark room - Took the photo through "color balance" in Photoshop to obtain the correct black and white mix. In black and white conversion the contrasts change when you change the base color from the original photograph.  High red-Dark black, Low red gray or lighter.  And dodged the cat tails up front and right to keep the depth in the photo.  

Just a note.  In the very back of the photo is what looks like poles with branches or boards on them.  It is a manmade rookery for Herons.  If you get a chance go out and see it it is spectacular.  Every one of the sticks/boards has a nesting Heron on it!

Black and White Egret

I could not resist....Black and White.  I like it better than the color shot.   

Bingo...It's a start!

Nikon D-200, 840mm, 1/1000 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 100

Call it lucky, call it coincidence, or just call it in the right place at the right time!    My luck was with me tonight. After my grandsons soccer game my next hour was at the bird refuge area. For as long as I have played with cameras I have wanted to shoot a White Egret. This is a Little White Egret above.  To learn more about it look here.   What an awesome bird.  I hope to someday photograph it doing more than a simple profile pose.  Hey it's a start.  I definitely will take it.  

Slide Show

My family and I have put on two performances this year.  My wife and daughters play the violin and I stand there and look stupid.  I share some photography stories and show a few pictures.  At the end of the night this slideshow is presented.  

The first few slides have no music.  Just an introduction of sorts.  I hope you enjoy it.

Plegadis chichi

Nikon D-3, 1/400second @ f/6.7, ISO 1250, -0.33 EV, 650mm

Most of my life I have "noticed" the White-Faced Ibis.  Some records show that in North America the WF Ibis population is in decline.  But the same reports say that the largest nesting population is at the Great Salt Lake.  This week I have more than noticed.   My passion for photography has taken me many places.  Though I am very blessed to live where I live.  My home is within 10 minutes of some of the most beautiful birds in North America.  The White-Faced Ibis is no exception.  For years they have just been that black bird with the long freaky beak.  With the option of looking much closer at the Ibis through very long lenses, my appreciation for their beauty and personality has grown immensely.  They are not just a black bird!  Click on the photo above and enjoy the colors of this bird.  They are not the fluorescent colors of a amazon bird.  They are deep and subtle.  I have been missing a lot for so many years.  

Their personalities...well let's say they are a little hyper!   Another animal in the wild kingdom that makes me laugh and want to enjoy more.  Their motions are quick and determined.  As my interest drew I was taken in by their actions.  Each bird will drive it's long beak into the muddy soil retrieving  little morsels.  There was no other distracting sounds.  All my attention was on hundreds of little sucking noises as each bird drove it's beak in and pulled it out with that characteristic sucking sound.  All while walking at a pretty good clip.  A lot of work was being done.  It was like there really was no tomorrow for the Ibis.  Incredible fun.  

I could not get too close.  The intent is to always get as close to ground level as possible.  The long lens and wide open aperture isolates the subject.  I could not get low enough to do this but I think the green surroundings enhances the beauty of this bird.  Only a couple of adjustments in the digital dark room.  Pushed the contrast slightly and sharpened in NIK Sharpener.  

To learn more about the White-Faced Ibis look here

You've never seen this before........

Nikon D-3 200-400mm lens, 1/160 second @ f/6.7, ISO 200, -0.33 EV

What in Hades is this thing?

Less than 10 minutes from home.  That would be me.  The animal...light-years from home?

Variable Aperture

I have enjoyed the DTown Episodes.  Here is episode 9.  Great information about variable aperture lenses.  

Prescott Lake

Nikon D-3, 1/640 sec. @ f/13.0,  ISO 800,  EV -0.67

Prescott Lake surrounded by Granite Dells is one of the most beautiful lakes I've seen.  While looking for something "wild" to photograph, a canoeist crossed the lake.  Saved the day.  I really did not want to go back to the Hotel without any new pixels.  

So many contrasts in the photo.  A strong wind created a deep blue water, contrasted to the red canoe and yellow paddles.  The greatest contrast is what I enjoyed the most.  The texture and shapes of the rock next to the water. I decided in the  digital darkroom tonight to crop the photo to a panorama dimension.   The reason is to keep the variables I just mentioned as the only elements in the photo.  

The exposure was straight forward.  The EV lowered by .67.  I compressed the photo with the 200-400 lens with the converter put the focal length at 650mm.  Shooting very low to the ground added to the short depth of field with the water.  The field starts just before the canoeist and extends to the rocks.  

Everything went well until I realized that I only had 1 pair of pants.  Is there really a problem wearing green shorts, with black socks and big old Doc Martins to dinner at Olive Garden?  Asked Don.  After a snicker or two his reply was "you just look like a tourist".   Good enough for me.  

AZ...guess

Back in Arizona....

Back to refuge...

Found myself at the bird refuge after my grandsons soccer game.  Wow was that fun.  Four and five year old boys kicking the ball everywhere but at the net.

Though it was late I headed for the "spot".  The refuge was closed.  There is however plenty to shoot in the area.  Like my new friend the Avocet above.  I could watch them all night.  Shot with the 200-400 and the 1.7 converter attached.  Shot wide open, -1/3 exposure value.     

Yellow Headed Blackbird.  They bark a lot.  There animation is extremely enjoyable to watch. Check out the finger nails.  He really needs a manicure.   See more about this beauty here.

This guy was only about 75 feet away.  Pretty darn close.  The closest I have ever been to this bird.  We had a very good visit.  But he did most the talking.

Directly opposite from the area I was shooting the Blackbird was this "artsy fartsy" reflection.  A bit of the old and new.  Sprinklers reflected in water with a weather doppler.  Almost a little strange.   

Interesting Facts

Here is some interesting facts about the American Avocet. All of which I witnessed last night before sunset.

Behavior

Probing

In its pre-copulation display, the male American Avocet preens himself with water, gradually gaining intensity to the point of frenzied splashing just before he mounts the female. After copulating, the pair intertwines their necks and runs forward.In territory establishment and in self-defense, performs elaborate ritualized displays. One notable display involves two pairs, or a pair and a third individual, facing each other in a circle and then stretching their bills toward each other. Upon the approach of a terrestrial predator, may approach the predator with a teetering gait and outstretched wings, as if on a tightrope. Also crouches on the ground as if incubating, only to move and crouch again in a new location.Feeds in shallow water, while wading or swimming. Locates food by sight and snaps it up, or sweeps its long bill through the water, capturing prey by touch.

A web site about the Avocet here

10 minutes-24 seconds.....

This weeks assignment is photo's ten minutes or less from your home.   How much does traffic rules play into the ten minutes?  

About ten minutes from being home tonight I stopped at Farmington.   This (these) American Avocet(s) put on a show for me.  

A real long beak that he would put under water and bring up some kind of grits.  A colorful bird.  Wouldn't want to eskimo kiss this guy.  May put an eye out.  

Just after that moment that starts the new creation of life.  These two wrestled?

Nature at it's best furthering the species.....

Ok my next outing will be less than ten minutes from home!  What a blast tonight after work..hee yaw!

The Chase....

Bull.  

My mother told me several times as a teenager that I had to chase the girls.  There not going to run to me.  With the incredible good looks that have been my blessing, I found this hard to believe.  And if you think I think I have incredible good looks I have a condo in Bagdad for cheap.   For years my photography has allowed me to witness the bull elk chase the cow elk.   What a thrill.  In the park there is a hill overlooking the Madison.  If fortune allows, it a is a great place to photograph elk.  The perspective is high and open.  The shot above was composed as the bull chased the cows towards the hill.  It was one of the had to be there lucky moments.   The shot was made with my 300 f/2.8 lens.  The aperture was down to 16 (thank goodness for the bright light).  Upon close inspection you can see the bull is just barley out of the depth of field.  Things were moving fast.  I liked the results.  Kinda tells the story of the day.

Missed....

The Osprey was fishing.  Missed and missed again.   Up and down the stream this fisher hunted.  I watched for a while and discovered that he was diving in for dinner often at the same spot.  A slow point in the river.  The grass and bush was tall at waters edge.  A good place to set up and shoot.  My fortune was greater that the Osprey.  I did however wish he would have caught a fish. It would have made the shot even more interesting.    

The original shot was OK.  Being the time of year that it was, my creativity (what little I have) took me beyond the norm.  The shot was ran through NIK black and white converter.  I then erased back the original bird colors.  It turned out weird.  It seems these days that weird is good.  This is what happens when I spend too much time in front of the computer and not enough time shooting.   

Click on the photo and enjoy the water dripping off the bird.  If you look close there looks like he has some water on his face.  I was really fortunate that it was this sharp.  My 600mm is a manual focus lens.  A lot of luck here!

Yellow Headed Blackbird

Drove home from a project in Washington Terrace tonight.   Along the way was the Farmington Bay bird refuge.  This time of year the majority of the refuge is closed due to nesting.   The very small portion that is open closes at 5:00 p.m.?  I arrived at about 5:25.  It was hard to sneak the Nissan Titan too far.  Until I was caught the opportunity to photograph the two blackbirds above presented itself.   Like most all birds I have encountered they are shy.  These two were in the middle of a quarrel.   A very unique guttural sound blasted from the birds as they threw their heads and fanned their feathers.    The D-3 and my 200-400 lens mounted on the Nikon 1.7 converter brought the two bickerers closer.  Click on the photo to enlarge it and look close at the bugs all around the birds.  It definitely is not sensor spots.  It's bugs.  Lots of bugs.  I first thought the birds had a physical ailment as they would twitch very quickly.  Between the twitching and the quarreling I wondered why National Geographic had not done a special on them.  The twitching was when they were snatching bugs out the air.  The quarreling must have been a family matter.  I shot it wide open.  Gives the cat tails a nifty look.  ISO was 400 and the shutter speed was 1/850 second.  Hope to see this bird again soon.  Maybe next time I won't have a ranger chasing me off.

Eagles Landing....Home

Eagle Butt Shot......

Not the shot the pros are looking for!

All the famous Bald Eagle photo's are front on.  Glaring eyes, and talons out stretched.   The closer and the sharper the better.  In the photo above I was thrilled with the setting.  Maybe the last meal delivery for the night?  A colorful sunset.  The actual scene of what the Bald Eagle parent built. Home (at least for a period). 

I could have pushed up the ISO or opened the aperture a little more.  It seemed more dramatic with the almost 100% silhouette.  Shot with my 600mm lens on the biggest Gitzo I have, hopefully this photo reflects a little light of the home of the Bald Eagle.  

Look at the size of the nest.  One twig at a time. In the top of a tree that the Eagle can see any direction from.  They fish daily to feed the young.  Breaking off morsels small enough to not choke the chicks.  There is on this day a view to remember.  Beautiful!

Wonderland......

They are out there.

The time of year when the elk are almost in "that" season. The flowers past their peaks.  The last blooms before fall and winter.  My anticipation for the season is beyond reason.  The photo above was taken in Yellowstone in August.  With the windows of my truck down the sights and smells of the first national park are engulfing me.  The Ten Tenors a little too loud on the Ipod. 

 Today was as stressful as any I can recount.   At work my "radar" was there with thoughtful gifts like the almond granola bar, a mint bar and the ever present Dr. Pepper.  At home - dinner, a beautiful wife and my memories in front of me on a 30" Apple Cinema screen. (I'm blessed)  Driving home the last song is "World Anthem" by The Ten Tenors.  I was back.  Back to to Swan Lake Flatts, D-3 to my eye.  The smells of the swamp all around me.  The ground unstable like standing on angel food cake.  The sun on my neck with the ever present flies.  The most incredible wildlife in the world looking back at me.  I was back....to... wonderland.  At least for a few minutes driving home.  With my memories recorded so that I may go back and see them again, again and again.  

Arizona Cactus in color.......

Wow!

My travels have taken me abroad.  Countless times in Arizona.  With my prickly friends.  This time was extra special.  The drive from Phoenix to Payson has a canyon chuck full of all varieties of cactus.  Before you leave listen up!  Yes my blogs have revolved a little around photographs of cactus.  Not only because I have been intimate with them.  (Don't twist this one around  Mr Irons!)  But they really can be beautiful at certain times of the year.  When I took this photo the area had an unusual amount of moisture.  The news was reporting an extremely high number of cases of allergies.  People that have lived in the Phoenix area that had never had allergies suddenly had them.  Everything was green and/or blooming.  Down right incredibly, one of a kind BEAUTIFUL!  My take was that this was the normal spring busting out all over.   With great exclamation I was told that some people had lived there for life and had not seen it this green.  I had to record it for history's sake and future generations.   

Shot with my D-200 and the 12-24 lens I pushed the smallest aperture and cheated the exposure by -1 stop.  There was still a very slight hot spot in the clouds.  

Rules I broke here:

1).  The cactus up front does not let you quickly into the photo.   But notice there is a path just to the right back to the tall cactus.

2). There really is a lot to take in.  

The composition and camera placement took in all the elements that made being there so incredible.  The bushes with bright yellow blooms.  Multiple species of cactus. The peekaboo light.  Notice that the tall cactus are as far as you can see in the photo.  There was a lot to include!

I like it.  As mentioned before as a photographer you have to accept criticism and input to our photographs.  We will all see them different.  

One last thing.  I hope I have not mentioned this before.   Last year I sat next to a world class photographer so he could critic my photo's.  Some he liked most he had a lot to say about.  One of my greatest learning experiences.   One photo in particular I was really excited for him to see.  His response was the most critical of all that we reviewed.  It was my favorite.  I thought he would gush over it.  He did the opposite.  Since then everyone.  And I mean everyone I show the photograph to really like it.  I have even had great interest in selling the photo.  So there you go.  It does not matter who likes your pictures as long as you do.  The exception is judges in a competition, buyers, world class photographer class critics and your spouse.  

Macro and depth of field...

Depth of Field is one of the most critical decisions that a photographer must make in any photograph.  The photo above is a great example of how little can be in focus in a photo.  The affect is dramatic here.  The subject is only the tips of the stems.   The whole flower still plays a dramatic role as the origin of the stem tips.    To learn more about depth of field in a somewhat technical way go here.  

Peach "buds" and Happy Peas

Finally signs of spring!

Spring and summer and out comes the Macro Lens.  I love the close up world.  It's all new to see.  

Blue sky's and Pink Peach blossom's.  Color, color and more color.

Here is the thrill.  A macro shot of a happy pea plant.  If you look close you can see the smile.  I have been talking to these plants for a couple of weeks.  Down on my knees getting close.  The 105 macro is a very sharp lens.  The 200 lets you move back from the subject further.  But I think the 105 is sharper.  No science to back it up just experience.   Careful attention has to be paid to the depth of field.  The photo above is shot at f/22.  The focal plane is right on in this photo.  I would have liked it a bit more with one or one and half stop less.    
Do you have pea plants that are astute enough to do the hide and seek?  My plants are the best.  My communication, love talk and gentle affection surely should produce incredible fruit.  

Huh?

Look at the photo above.  What's out of place?  I mean really out of place. 

Holy lost goose batman!  Yes it's alive.  Yes it's real.  No it's not domesticated.  The owner of the warehouse says this goose and her mate come back every year to nest on this "lean two".  

Incredible!  The first reaction I had was "cool"!    Soon the Sierra Club afterglow poison started to seep in.  Was this the original home of these geese?  Man crowded them out.  Or at least in this case shares bunks.  It started to bother me somewhat.  Especially when the property owner said he thinks the gooslings, geeslings, or whatever,  keep coming back.  They think this is home.  If you look close at the nest someone has thrown up cheeto's.  Probably not the first healthy choice for Mom GOOSE!    My wildlife experiences have been tarnished forever.    Will moose soon be seen riding the marry go round at the park?  Will deer realize the pleasures of mans hot tubs?  Hey we evolved right?  My vote is to keep the wild in wild (including me).  And the ones walking on two legs and can't fly in suburbia!  

A better view ......
This may be DAD.  What a guy.  Can't find a better home than this?  Hope he's not lowered his standard by using the drive up at McDonald's.  
What can I say about this one?  What in the "Sam Hooey"  is he looking for in the tracks?    Boise area is getting really weird.  At least some of the wildlife are!

Crazy Bob's Chev..more color

I lied...

Since early this morning I have been working on my taxes.  I thought this year I would save some and money and tackle them myself.    If my time was only worth worth ten cents an hour I would have been ahead to hire my accountant again even at his highest rate.

That being said I have too busy to post the cool item I mentioned yesterday.  So...here is the rest of the Chev color.    

I lied..

Since 

COLORS..chevy style

A little rain does great things to faded green and rust! 

An instructor told me once that his biggest selling pictures were shot just before, during or just after a rain storm.  Today before leaving Boise it started to rain in the middle of our discussion about asphalt, stability and trucks.  Within one hundred feet of where I met with Brad and Kramers look alike, was this old truck.  It started to rain.  As Penny will be quick to note, I cannot multitask.  A green old rusty, classic chevy truck and rain droplets, I hope Brad was taking notes.  I couldn't wait to get out the camera and get a few shots.  What incredible colors.  Cloudy skies to limit highlights and voila.  That's french for voila.  

Watch for the next blog.  You will not believe what I saw and photographed today.   Incredible!

Color-BONUS...

Idaho the land of agriculture!

Right now the wheat is only about eight inches high.  Pheasants everywhere.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  Until I realized there is no way to approach them.  The Boise area is very flat.  No hills to hide behind.   This photographer found himself in an irrigation ditch waiting for the bird photographed above.   Made for some real funny looks from the farmers driving by.  Probably thinking."dumb tourist, the birds are everywhere!"

The colors on these birds is almost unreal

My travels put me in the northwest area of the Boise valley.  The bird above and below are real common.  They dig the cat tails.  Until today I wondered why. There is seeds in the middle.  Food!  Figures...

A lot of property frontage is irrigation canals and ditches.  The plant below caught my eye.  The photo is not enhanced.  I pushed the contrast slightly and shot it at -1/3 ev.  Incredible color.  It's like a cross between a maple leaf, purple cabbage and a fern.  While shooting the plant the home owner came out and asked what I was doing.   Let's see,  I have a large camera to my eye and it's pointed at this real weird plant.    I told her I was photographing the plant.  Her response.."what for?"

One of the few times I've been speechless.  How does a big fat guy with Utah plates taking pictures of weeds from outer space respond to that?   Simple as.. "I have an assignment to shoot colors".  Without a response she turned and walked back to the house.  

"Thanks"  

I'm not sure if she heard me.  No doubt I was the topic of conversation  at the dinner table tonight.

Prickly series........

Nikon D-3 105mm Macro lens, 1/30 second @ f/32, ISO 320

I have wondered how much the Cactus has been studied.  The life expectancy of the cactus plant is?  Does the plant react to animals and reptiles as it does to humans?  Do Cactus Needles die and fall off annually?  These are just a few of the questions I have for this plant.  I have had two interesting experiences of late with the cactus plant and it's need to cause pain.  The photo above was taken with my 105 macro lens at 1:1 ratio.  The light is late day sun.  Being that close to the plant and at 1:1 ratio I needed the extremely small aperture.  Fortunately the sun was bright allowing the 1/30 second shutter speed.  Of course the camera was on a tripod.  Really Right Stuff has an incredible macro mount that I use.  Rather than having to move the whole tripod or the whole camera, the mount allows very small movements.  At 1:1 any movement takes items out of critical focus.  Look for more risky shots of the infamous cactus plant.  Someone has to do it.  I'll take the bullet or in this case the needle for photography!

Road side respect?.........

Last week while working in Arizona I was reminded of something I wanted to document.  It seems that in Arizona that there is a greater acceptance from the Department of Transportation for road side death markers.  Or there is a greater effort by families, friends, associates, etc. to identify a location where an individual passed away.  This is my perception based on the states I have traveled in.  On a stretch of highway that does not cover 40 miles is several markers.  I counted 30 just in the direction I was traveling.  The marker above is by far most decorated.  Multiple candles, an area of about 100 square feet covered in flowers and spiritual objects including statues lies in the State Right of Way.  I noticed at night it is even lit with solar powered lights.  The individual that died on this portion of the highway must have a very large family.  Or at the very least is greatly missed.  This site has been here for years.

This site is very small.  The space is important to someone.  The continued effort to have the fenced "Cross" protected matters to that same someone.  

The plant to the right is being protected by a fence.  Was it planted when the individual died?  There is significance to the plant.  Is Bubba a nickname?  This individual is missed just like the others.  The personality of those left here to mourn is shown with the differences of each marker.

I really found this marker interesting.  Why would someone leave a beer bottle at the marker?  

I assume that this is a marker for someone's death on the highway.  How long ago did this individual pass away at this spot?  Did a family or friend leave the marker?  Is the individuals death so devastating that individuals do not want to return to this spot?  Does religion play a roll in any of the markers?  

I see these markers and my thoughts go to family members of mine that have passed.  If they were killed on a stretch of a highway would I return regularly and keep the site current with flowers, etc?  The first photo above is visited so much that there is a path up to the marker.  Do States turn their heads with these markers?    

When you see these markers, slow down, don't drink and drive, drive defensively, but most importantly feel blessed to be alive!   Have great day!