Lack of rain.

vernal pool this year

This usually happens to some degree during the fall of most years.  This year seems that it has happened to a much greater degree.  The vernal pools are lower than usual.  This is a help to the shrimp eggs laid there in previous years as well as this year.  I am told that some shrimp eggs must undergo a complete dry-out before they can hatch.  If that is true, we should have a bumper crop of Fairy Shrimp next year!  These are what wikipedia calls "winter eggs."  They have thicker shells.  Wikipedia also says that there are "summer eggs" which hatch immediately after being laid.  Irregardless of the type of egg from which they hatch, I hope to photograph them.

same pool last year

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My Responsability to Nature!

Autumn Meadowhawk Dragronfly

We recently had some "Indian Summer" weather in Mansfield.  I was reminded that I had a record shot of an Autumn Meadowhawk Dragonfly from last year and would like a quality capture for my collection.  I went out on two different days to shoot them.  This is the one that I consider my best.  It satisfies all that I desired for the image except that I would have liked one without damaged wings.

I had an experience during these two days about which I would like to share.  I was thinking about photographing one of these dragonflies at home in the light tent.  That, of course, would demand that I physically capture it.  I took my butterfly net and tent in which to transport the insect.  I actually netted one but then I thought that I might scare it and the other dragonflies would fear me.  Some of you must think that I am a little "strange."  I then came across the writing of a famous nature photographer, George Lepp.  Reportedly he has written a new book and says in it the following.  “The lesson:  When you encounter an animal in the wild, you represent all of that individual’s cumulative experiences with humans, and you are adding to that experience with your own actions.”  I don't feel quite as "unusual" after reading George's comments.

When, on that same day, after releasing the dragonfly because I did not want to scare it or the others, I had a memorable experience shooting the insects.  I captured the above image during the shoot.  I also had intimate contact with the dragonflies.  I did nothing to encourage it.  I just sat there and waited. 

These images are images of lesser quality, captured with the point and shoot camera that I usually carry on my belt.  Apparently, the insects were unafraid of me.

I think that the warm sun on my knee and shoulder was welcoming to them.  I sometimes feel that the insects like to pose for me.  The image at the beginning was one in which the insect gave me a gift by posing in that fashion.  I had worked two days and had never seen that pose.  I am glad that I was able, technically, to capture it.

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It pays to be there early!

Gorman Nature Center

This is just another of the shots made at sunrise.  The clouds were moving fast.  I had to make my multiple exposures quickly.  I used Photomatix software to combine them in the computer.  I used manual mode and manually set white balance.  At first I thought that the moving clouds were making the sky look surreal.  I then processed the middle shot by itself and have since decided that it really looked that way.  I love to photograph clouds!

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Halloween moon

Waning Gibbous Moon 10/24/2010

The moon was just passed full and I was there before sunrise or moon set.  I used a Sigma 50-500 lens with a 2x converter.  The clouds were moving fast as was the moon.  I found it very difficult to focus through the moving clouds.  For that reason, the moon is less sharp than I wanted.  The overall shot does have a feel for Halloween, I think.  The moon was setting so fast that I kept having to reset everything every few shots.

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More fall leaves

Pin Oak Leaf

 I mentioned the other day that I have been really enjoying the leaves changing color this autumn.  I thought that I might share some.  For most if not all of them, I try to get them really sharp in all parts.  I use a minimum aperture of f/11 and take multiple shots, combining them with Helicon Focus in the computer.  I must do this when there is absolutely no wind or anchor them using a rose holder to have success.  I captured the Oak Leaf Hydrangea below indoors in my light tent.

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

Northern Red Oak Leaf

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Landscape shot

Gorman Nature Center

I have been there at sunrise often lately.  I like to see what will happen when the sun rises and illuminates the clouds and or the landscape to the West.  I saw this happening and got set up not knowing if it would repeat itself.  Things happen quickly at that time of day.  I kept taking shots which approximated what I had seen initially.  This was my last one.  I really like it.  It is one of those that is just quietly there and grows on me.  The more I look, the more I like.

I recently read an article in Outdoor Photographer Magazine by Adam Barker.  It was titled "The Complete Outdoor Image."  As I read the article, I was reminded of this image and went back to look at it.  Mr. Barker stated in his article, "If you don't have superb light, you don't have squat."  I decided that his statement applied to this image.  The "happening" light at sunrise is what made this a memorable image for me. 

My favorite shot!

Northern Red Oak Leaf

This was my favorite shot made with the Kodachrome 64.  Bottom line, I had only nine which I kept.  I had shot some series' for Helicon Focus, high depth of field, and Photomatix, high dynamic range.  None of those worked.  I think it was because there is way too little chance that the slide film will be lined up perfectly in the mount or in the scanner or both.  This was a single shot made at 2" and f/16.

I think that I failed at my goal of exposing the film properly.  I over compensated for the "shoot for the highlights" characteristic of the film.  I can see that I have grown a little in this area, though.  I think that I could have more success with practice.

I made this shot at f/16.  It provided enough depth of field.  It was nice to be able to use smaller apertures with the film.  With digital I must be careful to avoid defraction.  Defraction causes loss of detail and sharpness when too small apertures are used.  With digital I would have used only f/11.  It is about the smallest one can use and retain sharpness and detail.

I was able to open the scanned files in Adobe Camera Raw and make adjustments.  With ACR I corrected some under exposures.  This was one.

I have been fascinated with the oak leaves this fall.  The landscape possibilities were diminished because of the weather.  I felt that my time was better spent photographing the individual leaves.  I viewed certain leaves as they underwent the changes of color.  It was interesting to see how they went through stages day to day.  I particularly liked the stage where the veins were red.  The frosted edges also appealed to me.  I, of course, had to wait for frosty mornings to capture the frost.  

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