In the part nine post, I talked about having to create a new method of portable macro lighting because I trashed my old method, and while this was functional, there were a few small problems with
Category: Nature
Where does the time go?
Do you realize it’s been sixteen days without a mantis picture? Lucky I came prepared.
The largest one is being found routinely now among the peonies, so from time to time I have to do a portrait session. This is at night.
It’s funny how subtle differences can change the ‘feel’ of an image. Above, the mantis seems like it’s looking directly at you, because
Still damp as hell
Since the deck needs to be restained, we pressure-washed it the other day. Surprising absolutely no one, we have not gone 24 hours without rain since then, and in fact the task was completed in a narrow window of sunlight during a very wet early summer – normally we start our summer drought about this time. The frogs have been quite happy with the meteorological manifestation, and so I made
June’s weak abstract
I’m pretty sure I’ve said the exact same thing before, but if you’re seeing this, I failed.
For a month-end abstract, I found few images that were shot in June that satisfied even my definition of ‘abstract’ – I even went out on the evening of the 29th to see if I could pull off an idle idea, but the rain prevented me from pursuing it. So we have this
Monday color. And monochrome
We’re going to go beyond a simple color post with this one, because it’s more interesting that way. I started off with a macro shot of a small (as yet unidentified) pond lily, which loses a little bit when displayed at this size because the contrast in focus is distinctive at a larger scale, but so be it. The contrast in color is distinctive too, and it’s images
Podcast: Full immersion
So, we revisit the concept of podcasting, but this time from a slightly different approach – not philosophy, but instead the highly exciting life of a nature photographer. I know – you’re just brimming with anticipation, aren’t you?
I’m still working out the kinks in the recording system, which means it’s a little rough and I’m far from satisfied with this
Might catch some shit for this
One of my photo students, the (likely) Inconsolable Al Bugg, has been jonesing for a couple of opportunities for a while now. And unfortunately, while he is away counseling at a summer camp, I pursued both of them in just the past couple of days.
Tuesday morning I was up ridiculously early and the conditions seemed right, so in the pre-dawn twilight I headed down to the head of the Neuse River, my
Too cool, part 30: Not even halfway yet
You know, I started wondering why I’ve never tackled this before, and then I realized it was because I never had something handy to use for the comparison.
You remember the photo from an earlier post, showing the newborn Chinese mantids (Tenodera sinensis) clustered on a twig? You know, this one:
That was taken within 24 hours of hatching, and while I have nothing to provide
Arthropopourri
Just a handful of collected arthropod photos from the past few weeks, specifically excluding mantids.
Above, while pinning down focus on a pollinating sweat bee, a bumblebee flew into the frame as the shutter tripped, in a pretty optimal position compositionwise. Too bad the focus was so short.
And before I get to the next image below, a brief bit of background. While out at the nearby pond one night,
Mantodea reditum
That means, “return to the mantids.” Maybe. Probably not – it’s Latinish, one of many languages I have mastered not in the slightest form whatsoever.
Lest you think something has terrible happened to my mind, I hasten to assure you that I have been keeping tabs on the mantises, even when I haven’t been posting anything. There is now a vast size