Here are bunch of pictures

Hey all!

I was going through the hard drive trying to make room and rediscovered an old folder entitled Blog Posts! So here are some that have been sitting around for a bit.

I may have posted this one before, but I really like it. I think I used a polarizing filter for the first time. I got lucky.

I worked pretty hard to get this image. It is an acrylic frog and I wanted to get a glow under  the bottom. How do you think I do you think l did?

I went to  one of the early drum circles this year and saw this really cool study in color!

 I have started a project photographing various old things I found around the house.

I think this is a female Eastern Bluebird. At any rate, I call this image "WHAT what???"

And then there are Humming birds

I have been trying to stop the wings from being blurry. They beat so fast. Well, even though the fasted shutter speed is 1/8000th of a second that is not fast enough. I did a little research and learned that if i used a flash unit, I could freeze those wings.

It turns out that a flash unit sends a set amount of light per flash. The difference is how long the light stays on. Well, my flash sends a beam of light at 1/32000 of a send. This is strong enough to over shadow the ambient light and mostly freeze those wings. 

Week 13 and 14

Week 13 kinda got lost in the noise of life. I had a lot going on with the family and found it hard to create moments when I could pull out the camera. This week was a little better, but the truth is some of the pics are not up to even my standard. I am on track again though and hope to get back up to speed.

With that said, here is weeks 14 and a little of 13!

I think I got only this one image for week 13. Female cardinals seem to have this severe look. Their heads are cocked and the eyebrows make them look crossly at me. Do you think I am personifying, or transferring a little here?

There photographers out there that have only distain for geese. Me? I take pictures of interesting moments, and when I see cute fuzzy babies out there...

I rented a Canon 70-200 zoom over the weekend and took this image of my mother. The shawl is a gift from my wonderful sister and in Mom's hands is the card that came with it

Hummer at the feeder.

This is a Woodpecker, I think, but I am not sure what kind. Any Ideas?

If you look carefully at the right side of the image you will see a blur. Let me tell you, Humming birds move FAST! My intention was to get the speed demon while flying out of the frame...

OK, mocking birds live everywhere and make a lot of noise. This guy was almost directly above my head and singing away. The wind calmed for a minute and the next thing I knew there was a big ol' plop and I had to clean up a little(big) mess. I wonder if the bird knew what he was doing? 

So I got this Hummer, but they are so small it barely fills the center of the frame. I guess I'll need to get a little closer. Hope that does not spook them.

I have had the Camera body for some time, but just acquired the monster lens on Friday. 

So we have week 14 in the can. I guess I'll have to ad another week to the project, making it 53 weeks. Please leave a comment and enjoy!

olc

Bluebird at the feeder

I like the dynamic action of this image. What do you think?

Enjoy more of my pictures below!!!

olc

We have made it to Week Number 10!

Last Sunday was Easter. The Runtyun, Dad and I went to have Easter lunch with Mom. It was a very nice time. My sister called and we had a nice family time together.

A Chipping Sparrow.

A Female Cardinal  

 Still working on lighting. This image was taken with only ambient light. Actually, I pointed one CFL light up at the white ceiling. Note how the shadow is well defined. 

While this image uses a flash in addition to the CFL. There is lots of definition here and the way the light lies across the bulbs is nice.

I think this is a cherry blossom. I think I was about ten feet away from it and that is why the background is so nicely out of focus.

A study with a cube and light. Again this image was with only the light reflecting off the white ceiling.

And this one was taken with a LED set to bright at 5500 degrees Kelvin.

In both images the three sides of the block are illuminated to different degrees. Also see how the facing side of the cube reflects a brighter white on to the paper. This helps to give a 2-D image and   3-D impression.

I took a little walk last night and found this dandelion. I tried a couple different angles, but nothing worked untilI got down on my tummy and took it from an ants eye view.

What do you think?

I have actually complete 10 weeks in this challenge. Cool. I hope you like what you are seeing. Please leave a comment and maybe a little encouragement to keep going.

Later, olc

A flyin' bird

I did not even know I got this image until I reviewed the pics I took today. Whaddoyathink?

Leave a comment please?

olc

Week # 9 Picture-a-Day Project

 We have a couple of bird feeders in the back yard and I try to get out there and a daily basis. Unfortunately, my presence disturbs some of the feeding birds. They seem to be getting used to me, but these two doves were not going to have anything to do with it while I was outside on Monday.

More of the lighting learning project. This time I positioned the light in one place, about 95 degrees to the left of the sphere. This image the light was 62 inches high. 

52 inches high

42 inches.

and finally, table height. 

I guess we are supposed to notice how the shadows change in relation to the light.

 White Breasted White Nuthatch-female.

 These violets are an experiment in Depth of Field and focusing. I used my Sigma 100mm-400mm zoom lens at the widest aperture. Notice how the violets in the background are nicely out of focus giving a sense of depth.

 I did not capture any images this day. Instead I re-edited the one. The truth is, I had just received my new printer and had to try and set it up. I printed this image and it came out great!

I went the Mountain Car Show yesterday. As far as the show goes, they have had better in past years. That is all I have to say about that.

At any rate, I was fooling around with on-camera ETTL flash when it misfired. Some may say this a throw away, but I kinda like the abstract nature. What do you think?

Well, there it is---another week in the project!

Let me know what you think!!!

olc

This is Spring??!

Spring was just a word in the lexicon of weather. Guess I was right.

What do ya' think?

olc

One from this morning. Turkeys of all kinds wonder on this golf course

The truth is I wanted to gat a picture of a great blue heron this morning. It was not there. these guys fowled it though. (See what I did there?)

Crows and Crosses

HMMM, what does this mean to you?

olc

Feed ME!

At the warehouse where hold the freight I so proudly deliver, there is this colony of birds. Their eggs hatched and the parents have to feed them. When we walked onto the bay the parents would dive bomb us. Originally I wanted to get pictures of this, but they flew too fast. So this one came along.

All I did was crop the image a little. no other PP

olc

So there I am at the super market and I hear a couple talking about see a bald eagle. My ears begin to burn and I eavesdrop a little hoping to learn where the sighting is. No luck. Finally I draw up my courage and ask them where they saw the birds. They were nice enough to to tell me a general location.

Segway a few hours, actually the next morning and it is really cold—I hate cold weather and this is one reason I moved Asheville. (well the best laid plans and all…), I am close to where I think I may have a chance to see the eagles. It is cold and the sky is calm with nothing flying higher then a foot off the water. Like I said I do not like the cold so I have lots of cloths on which all culminate in jeans worn til there are holes and a hoody sweatshirt and fleece vest. I did not do this on purpose, but think of Jax in Sons of Anarchy. I am walking around the park, with camera in hand, and finally realizing what some one might think when a park ranger just sorta shows up to look over some lights near by. 

I take inventory.

So I go over to the guy and ask him about the eagles. He still does not loosen up, but he stays around and tries to look like he is doing something besides checking me out. Finally, he sees my camera and tripod and I see his shoulders relax a little. We talk and he says that he thinks the eagles have nested over there someplace, but they come by the park and hunt. Now we are talking! I have some kind of idea as to game plan.

I tell him I understand about disturbing Bald Eagles and their nest, but that I really want to get a few shots. He begins to relax  even more and tells me about a hunt he witnessed. I asked what time did this happen. Middle of the day, was his reply. This blows my idea of dawn or dusk.

Now for the reason why I am posting this here. “About time,” you think rather loudly! Does any one out there have any enlightenment as to the habits of Bald Eagles in Western NC?


OLC

Pigeon Love

I found these guysin a park while my van was being worked on. They looked pretty happy so I had to take their picture for posterity.


olc

This guy wants a ride!

We were getting ready to go for a ride. I was packing the bike when I saw this tag along.

olc