A Sample of Pop’s “Bee” Images
Tuliptree Blossom with Guest
Another Day at Work
Apis Workers' Party
Predator
Some of Your Beeswax
Sedum Bumbler
Look of Defiance
Chicory Bee
Bumbling Bees
Garden Cafe
Buzz By Here - To Infinity and Beyond
Pick Your Poison
Blind Side Attack
On a Mission
Honey Bee on Sedum
Covering the Cosmos
Center of the Cosmos
Three's a Crowd
Popular Spot
On A Pedestal
A Sample of Pop’s “People” Photo Collection
Big Harry Fireworks Display
To Impress the Girl
Different Perspective
Sweet Ride
Perfect Little Piggies B&W
Flipping the Light Fantastic
Festival of Flights
To the Crowd's Delight
Amish Go Round
Wondersome One
The Stars In Her Eyes
Tuesday's Child
Sleeper Hold
Considering the Next Move
Sugar and Spice
Front Porch Portrait
Caged Competitor
Early Adoration
Child In the Ligtht
Stroll Through the Weeds
Luminescence
The recent full moon put on a spectacular show. My schedule didn’t allow me to grab a good view of the moon rising, but being an early riser, I was able to get some images of it setting. This is a view of it as it was setting behind a distant tree line near my home.
To capture this image, I used a 300mm lens with an additional 2X Teleconverter.
To see a larger version, click on the photo.
Future So Bright
I don’t often take photos of myself…but I made an exception this time. Of course, my choices were limited since I was the only one around at the time.
It was a morning last February and I was on the beach at Kewaunee, WI hoping to catch a nice sunrise. I took several photos and then, for something different, I decided to step into the shot. A tripod and wireless remote for my camera makes this possible. It’s still not easy to get the placement right when you’re not behind the camera.
To view a larger version of this image, simply click on it.
Night Lights of Kewaunee
This nightscape features the lighthouse at Kewaunee, WI – on the western shore of Lake Michigan. The full moon was shrouded behind a layer of clouds.
I didn’t realize it until I was preparing this post…. If you use a little imagination while looking at the moon behind the clouds, it can look like the head of some kind of creepy ghoul. (I see two eyes and an open mouth. Yikes!)
The Scarlet of Spring
We went for a walk along a trail through woods and farm fields. The very first signs of spring were bursting forth. This is the twig of a budding tree.
The unique qualities of this image were created by the camera and nature, itself. Behind the sprouting twig was a river with sunlight sparkling off the ripples, through the leafless trees on the bank. I was using a 300mm lens, so everything beyond the twig was blurred.
If you look closely, you can see a small bug resting on the left side of the top leaf.
To view a larger version, simply click on the image.
Spring’s Baby Blues
I don’t know the name of these flowers, but they are the first sign of spring color in our yard each year. They are very tiny, standing only 1.5 to 2 inches tall, and grow in a clump smaller than the size of my outstretched hand. My wife is disappointed that, though they are faithful to pop up every year, they don’t seem to be spreading.
To create that soft look, I applied an effect known as the “Orton Effect.” This is an image I’ve had on my computer for more than a week. I’ve been preoccupied with so many other things, I’ve not been able to post it sooner.
If you like it, please feel free to share it.
To see a larger version, simply click on the photo.
Bluebird Dawn
Just before sunrise I noticed a bluebird checking out the bluebird houses in our yard. I grabbed the camera and headed out the back door. I got a picture but not the one I was after. Here’s the story…
My goal was to snap a picture of the bluebird posed on the bluebird house, framed by a big, bright sun behind him. While I was trying to line up the shot, the bluebird flew off the house, into a nearby tree. I was able to click off a quick photo of the bird in the tree before he flew off for good. Then I turned my camera to the sunrise and snapped a couple of frames.
The image above is a combination of two different photos (shown on the right). I started with a shot of the sunrise and overlaid the silhouette of the tree branches with the bluebird. As you can see, the original photo of the bird and branches had a background of just light gray sky. Not very interesting or appealing. The sunrise was pretty on it’s own, but the branches and bird adds interest .
Both photos were taken within a minute of each other. Not quite the image I was shooting for, but I think the final result turned out well.
To see a larger version of the above image, simply click the photo.
Night Vision
A week ago the moon was full, temperatures were freezing and I was standing in the dark along Lake Michigan’s shore in Kewaunee, WI. I’ve never attempted to shoot the Kewaunee pier and lighthouse from this angle before. I’ll have to try it in the daylight, possibly for a sunrise, sometime.
I worked a bit to try and correct the color of this image. Unfortunately, the mercury vapor lights of the city give everything a reddish tint that I wasn’t able to tone down much without making the rest of the colors look strange.
To see a larger version of this image, simply click on it.
At Rest
This is one of those photos that seems like it could support some inspirational quote or Bible verse added. I like the image, as is, and have been able to resist the temptation so far, but I’m feeling a little weak. If someone were to suggest the right quote or verse, my resolve might crumble.
If you’d like to see a larger version of this image, click on it.
Beacons of the Night
The rising, full moon and the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse were competing for equal billing last night.
I did a little experimenting with HDR techniques. I like the different colors created in the reflections by the orange-ish moon and the yellowish light.
To get a better view, click the image and a new window will open with a larger version.
Pre-Sunrise Pastels
The unpredictably of the sky is what makes sunrise and sunset photography so enjoyable and challenging for me. You never know what you’re going to see…or miss if you’re not there. Another consideration is how rapidly the conditions can change. Sometimes, an usual color or effect will fill the sky and only last a moment before fading. This is a good example. For just a moment the sky, behind the clouds, turned pink. I wanted to get more shots of this effect, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
Keep in mind, this was before sunrise and the low light conditions created a lot of digital “noise” on this image. Sorry about that. I didn’t have time to fiddle with camera settings.
Click on the photo above to see a larger version.