1 chick hatched, 1 egg remaining with slight pecked hole in side
Mute swans still on nests, no signs of eggs
Archive for April, 2006
Sandhill crane nestling
Sunday, April 30th, 2006
Sandhill cranes
Sunday, April 30th, 2006I had a great morning with a pair of nesting Sandhill cranes. This nest location is no secret amongst local nature photographers, so they have had quite a few visitors. I welcomed the solitude I had with them this morning. They are quite tolerant of having people around within reason. This image was made with a 500mm lens, with a 1.4 converter, and a 1.5 crop factor of using a digital SLR – so the equivalent of a 1050mm lens. It is also cropped slightly from the bottom to strengthen composition. Very slow movements and keeping a good distance away made them very comfortable in going about their routines, including egg turning, switching nest duties between parents, and of course keeping an eye on a clumsy little one that occasionally fell off the nest. The second egg was nearly ready to hatch as it had a small hole started in it already.
Moments like this with wildlife, particular such beautiful animals such as sandhill cranes, where you are trusted to be in their world for awhile, are extremely rewarding experiences. Of course they can lead to some nice images, but you get to witness a crucial event in their world – one not free from many threats to their survival. As tolerant as they are, visiting them still deserves the utmost respect for the situation. I just hope all photographers that now know about this site are respectful of the opportunity that exists here, are respectful of the tolerance of the parents and the success of the chicks.
New wildflower area but no fox
Saturday, April 29th, 2006This morning I went to check out some areas in the woods near me that previously had some fox dens. One looked pretty promising, something was actively using the hole, but no signs of any kits around. (Yes, I still have ambitions of photographing fox kits near my home!) I watched the hole for awhile and then decided to check out some other areas nearby. While I didn’t encounter any more leads to dens, I did discover a new area that was rich with wildflowers. The area was filled with squirrel corn, trillium, violets, and trout lilies. I marked it to return to next year as it looked like it might also be rich in blood root and possibly hepatica that are already past.
Namibia dreams…
Friday, April 28th, 2006Namibia, in Southern Africa, has been on my ‘places to go’ list for quite some time. Fellow photographer, Andy Biggs, who I also understand runs the best trips to Africa, just returned from Namibia. Every image I see from there is simply magical, Andy’s can be seen at;
http://www.andybiggs.com/namibia06/index.html
Some day I will get there! And since it is Arbor Day, I think the facinating landscapes and tree shapes in Namibia are appropriate to mention!
Creating a visual vocabulary
Sunday, April 23rd, 2006I believe one of the key growth factors in moving your photography forward is knowing what you like and what you don’t like in an image. This may seem somewhat trivial, because you might say ‘well, of course I know what I like or I don’t!” However, saying you like an image is a lot different than saying WHAT you like about it, or dislike. It is through this isolation and conscious identification of particular characteristics that enables us to be more focused in our own compositions while in the field. It leads to grown in our photography, and growth as individuals.
So what if you are pretty sure about what you like about an image, but aren’t quite sure how to describe it? Something that will expedite the growth of your visual vocabulary is participation in, reading, or listening to constructive critiques. Sometimes what we like about an image is on the tip of our tongue and it may take someone else to point it out.
This is where I find watching critiques like found on the Radiant Vista, reading or participating in photography critique galleries to be incredibly valuable. Particularly with the Radiant Vista, where a very positive and constructive atmosphere is established immediately. Craig Tanner is very specific about the features he likes, and goes on to identify specifically what might be better in a ‘perfect world.’ Not all photography critiques are like this, sometimes ranging from simple ‘adda boys’ to very negative in nature, neither of which end up truly helping anybody grow. So I consider the comments on RV to truly set a benchmark for others to follow.
I also think it doesn’t matter where you think your ’skill’ level is in relation to the image you are interpreting. I have seen comments from beginning photographers stating they don’t feel qualified to critique images from more advanced photographers. But if one has the vocabulary and insight to describe what it is they like or don’t like about a photograph, that is truly all they need, even if they have never picked up a camera.
Lastly, as an artist, I enjoying hearing specifically what people like about particular images, and also accept what they don’t like. It will be up to me whether or not to incorporate likes or dislikes into my own processes in creating something new.
Earth Day 2006
Saturday, April 22nd, 2006Yes, it is another Earth Day today – and what a better start to Earth Day than to be up at 4:45 am to be on location prior to start of civil twilight. And what a morning it was! This particular spot near a lake in Milford, Michigan at Kensington Metropark was just drenched in a rolling fog. WIth some light cloud cover on the horizon, the scene had a lot of potential for some spectacular colors as the sun approached the horizon. While the scene was nice prior to sunrise, after the sun gained a bit of altitude above the horizon, it started to beam through the fog covering the lake – making the fog look like it was on fire. The image below was shot with my 500 mm lens as this small section of the scene was actually on the opposite end of the lake from where I was standing. The color was actually this vibrant and the scene was very dynamic. The fog was constantly moving, and the light was changing rapidly as the sun rose higher in the sky. Very exciting to say the least! All in all, a great morning to remember and appreciate the natural wonders so close to home.
Spring energy
Sunday, April 16th, 2006Spring is always a great time of year for a nature photographer, as subject matter is literally erupting everywhere.Â. Â. The entire season is full of energy and renewal.Â. Hopefully I can harness some of this energy into creating more intriguing imagery and discovering new opportunities and subjects.
New images will continue to appear in the gallery for months to come as the different cycles of spring complete.
Radiant Vista
Friday, April 14th, 2006The Radiant Vista is a site I was recently introduced to by a fellow photographer and I immediately became addicted. This site offers video tutorials and many tips on aspects of Photoshop and photography. The site offers a lot of insight on unleashing the locked up potential in many images. The downside is you find yourself wanting to go back and rework some images with some new technique you have discovered.
I certainly admire those that put this kind of time and effort into education for photographers, and then make it available on a site like RadiantVista. I like Mark Johnson’s teaching style and his process of evaluating what needs to be done with an image. Craig Tanner offers excellent explanations in his analysis of images, constructive improvements, and an intuitive, in-depth look of how a viewer reacts to a photograph. The site was instantly added to my ‘first stops’ collection of bookmarks. Perhaps you will come back and yell at me, or thank me, because once you visit here, your day will disappear pretty quickly! Mine already has.