Even though I try to space things out a little, I really have to post these images before I get even more and produce a backlog…
We find it amusing that the juvie barred owls (Strix varia) are semi-routinely visiting the backyard, which we really only know because they still talk a lot, especially the one that we have now taken to calling, “Crybaby.” Two nights ago, I tracked
For reasons unknown, I keep going throughout the weekdays without really feeling like posting, even when (as now) I have a selection of photos to put up, as well as a couple of other topics that I could tackle. Instead, I let myself get involved in other projects, which is fine, they need doin’, but makes the posts rather sporadic and clustered.
So let’s see what the Estates anoles are
So let’s talk about something that all nature photographers should retain in the back of their mind at least, but remind themselves of often as well. I mean, all photographers can benefit from staying safe, but nature photographers expose themselves to more hazards than many other classes.
Equipment: Almost goes without saying, but have decent padded bags that fully protect
Was in Walkabout Studios late yesterday morning when I heard the green heron (Butorides virescens) give a warning call, which sounds like a cross between a sharp bark and the sound a sneaker makes on a basketball court. Went out with the long lens, but was first distracted by the barred owlet calling somewhere in the backyard, not far away. I tried to track it, but it moved off before I
Had a small handful of pics to post, then got a few more yesterday morning (actually, right after the tiger beetle) that were going to go up, but I got busy with some other things. Then last night (which is only a couple hours ago as I type this,) I got more that needed to jump in line. So the next few image posts are going to be in reverse chronological order, but so be it.
In the late morning yesterday,
It’s been a while since the Magic Bucket of Variety has caught anything more than beetles, and in fact, it’ll be a while longer, since this is a beetle. But it’s a beetle I haven’t seen before, so it’s getting featured here.
I knew right away this was a tiger beetle, since they have some distinctive traits like the spots on the abdomen and the eyes and
While troubleshooting the 3D printer the other day, I flipped the entire chassis up and discovered that, in a hollow under the main deck, a tiny spider had made its home. This is not particularly surprising, since plenty of species seek out little undisturbed dark spaces like that to make their webs, intent on capturing, I dunno, dust and ghosts it seems – it’s hard to say what kind
… which only means two nights ago now, since these got bumped by a heron.
Did a nighttime patrol, specifically looking for something since The Girlfriend and I saw evidence while we were out on the deck grilling steaks (back when it was daylight.) However, we’re going to build rather than doing them in order, because dramatic writing (well, typing) and all that.
I had the 180mm macro lens
This one really should have been covered earlier, but it’s not like people have signed up for a course or anything, nor did earlier posts rely on it. So let’s look at stability, or steadiness, or bracing, or reducing camera shake.
From working in a photo lab (you know, back in those film days, before cellphones even,) I can tell you the number one cause of poor photos
I scanned this one many moons ago just to illustrate the failure, and never ended up using it, but now it will serve as the lead-in to this week’s Tip Jar. This is, the weakness of a cheap tripod.
Let me explain what you’re seeing here. First off, from way back in the days of shooting print film, so this is a scan from a negative that didn’t age well, probably around
