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
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
Attention Grabbing
Eye Contact
On the Line
Eyes of Wonder
Rounding the Curve
Troubadours of Basin Spring Park
Down by the Creek
Sun Day
Catching Some Light
EAA Fireworks
Hear Me Roar
Bill Pevlor
Spring’s First Blush
After an unseasonably cold spring, we were finally blessed with a sunny afternoon – it was Easter Sunday. We were ready to get outside and took a long walk through a wooded area.
Along the way we stumbled upon a few fresh flowers. These are the very first blooms of the season.
Just a few days ago, the area where we found these spring beauties was under a blanket of snow (nine inches) from a late winter storm.
(Click on either photo for a larger view.)
Crater Face
I’ve been working to get a good shot of the moon. My previous attempts have been OK, but not as sharp as I thought they should be. (See That’s Amore!) I figured out the problem and am fairly pleased with this one.
First I mount my Sony SLT-A55 on a tripod. To get a closer view I use a 300mm zoom lens. Even with the lens magnification, it requires quite a bit of cropping to enlarge the image. I switch the camera to manual focus. My camera also has a setting that allows me to enlarge the image in the viewfinder or LCD screen to really hone in on the focus. I also use the 2-second timer on the camera so that I’m not shaking the camera by pressing the shutter button.
I thought the problem was the inexpensive tripod I was using – that it wasn’t stable enough. I also thought it could be a limitation with the lens, since the one I own would fall under the “budget” category. One other possibility was the UV filter – a clear filter used mainly to protect the lens.
It turned out to be the UV filter. I took a couple of shots with a new, solid tripod and things looked the same as with the flimsy tripod. Then I removed the UV filter and saw an immediate difference. The photo above is the result. Looks like I’ll have to invest a little more in a better UV filter.
The smaller image gives you a perspective of the size of the moon in the actual image the camera captures. Then I enlarge the view by cropping it to fill more of the frame.
(Click on either photo to see a larger version.)
Pops Quick Tip – Keep Your Camera Steady
Being sure to hold the camera close, I also took advantage of this wall to steady my shot.
More great digital photos are spoiled by “blur” than anything else. It’s disheartening to have a wonderful composition ruined by blur. For clear, sharp images it takes a concerted effort to hold your camera steady and avoid “camera shake.” It requires practice and concentration to free-hand it, especially in low light conditions. Still, as difficult as it may be, nearly everyone can improve.
One common mistake is attempting to compose a shot using the LCD screen, holding the camera at arm’s length. It’s almost impossible to hold a camera steady at arm’s length. Instead, use your camera’s viewfinder, holding the camera firmly anchored to your cheek and forehead, using both hands.
For greater stability when free-handing it, keep your elbows firmly against your body. (Your best bet if your camera doesn’t have a viewfinder.) Often, I’ll steady a shot by holding my camera against a wall, a pole or setting it on a solid surface. If you’ve got them, use a tripod or monopod in true low light conditions.
Your trigger technique is also critical. When snapping the shot, relax – don’t tense up. Slowly and gently press the shutter, being careful not to jerk the camera when you depress the button.
Blur is the curse of digital photographers. Employ these techniques to steady your shots. I still fight blurred images, but I’m getting better at it.
Winter Beach
Of all the images you’ll find in my Flickr Photostream, this is one that has been viewed and commented on more than most.
This is a view of Lake Michigan at the the Algoma, WI beach on March 4, 2007. I was heading to the church early in the morning and stopped, as I often do, to snap a few pictures. It was at the tail-end of a snow storm and, though you can’t see it, snow was still blowing quite a bit. I remember it being miserable outside.
If you go to my Flickr Photostream, you can see this same image in B&W. (Click Here)
The panoramic view below – created by “stitching” several photos together – was captured the same morning.
Curly’s Stairway
I overheard a sad conversation the other day. A man was telling the clerk at a convenience store how he was suffering from “Football Withdrawal.” It’s an affliction affecting many people this time of year…especially those who live in the frozen tundra. Although, for Packer’s fans, the onset was a little later this year, since the Packers got to play all the way to the Super Bowl.
In these parts, when you find yourself in the grip of Football Withdrawal you can make a trip to Lambeau Field – home of the World Champion Green Bay Packers. It’s not a complete cure, but it eases the discomfort a bit. There are a variety of historic images, activities, tours, Packers Hall of Fame, the Pro Shop and Curly’s Pub.
This is a view of the stairway leading to the second level of the Lambeau Atrium where Curly’s Pub is located. The guy in the picture is, of course, Curly Lambeau – the founder and first coach of the Packers and namesake of the stadium where they play.
There’s something about this photo that really appeals to me. It’s one of my favorites. (Probably a beauty-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder kind of thing.)
(Click the image for a larger view.)
Prickly Cold
On a cold, foggy morning I found these ice crystal spikes attached to the antenna of our car.
Though it looks like a Black & White image, this is actually a color photograph. The car is black, the frost is white and there didn’t happen to be any other colors in view.
(Click the image for a lager version.)
Fire in the Sky
This is one of my favorite photos, taken a few years ago with my Kodak EasyShare DX7590.
My wife and I had just settled in on the sofa to watch a DVD when I noticed some color in the sky out my living room window. I had to pause the video and run outside with my camera to capture a few frames of this beauty. A wider version from the same shoot is below.
About being left on the sofa in “pause” mode, my wife simply said, “I kinda thought this was going to happen.” She knows me well.
(For a larger view, click on either image.)
Winter on the Shores of Algoma, WI
Winter – as presented by Algoma, WI on the morning of Sunday, February 27, 2001. As I often do, I stopped for a moment to snap a few pictures on my way to church that morning.
Algoma sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Beneath the snow, next to the lamppost, is a boardwalk that runs along Algoma’s Crescent Beach. In the distance you see Algoma’s harbor and famous Pier Light.
I can’t decide if I prefer this image in color or B&W (slight sepia tone) so I offer you both. Give each your consideration and and let me know which one your prefer in the comments below.
If you click on either of the images you’ll get a larger version where you can easily flip back and forth between the two.
Lady in White
Here’s another view from a slightly different angle of “The Lady in White.” As in the previous post, this scene was captured on a snowy day in the cemetery at Beaver Dam, WI. The gentle snowfall made this more beautiful and serene than the photo conveys. I’m going to have to practice more on photographing falling snow.
(Click the image to view a larger version.)
Snow Covered Cemetery
The serenity of this cemetery scene was enhanced by the gently falling snow. All the white dots you see are snowflakes. The camera didn’t capture them well.
These photos were taken Saturday, February 26, 2011. While driving through snow, returning from a trip to visit our son in Madison, WI, we made a pit stop in Beaver Dam. There was cemetery just off the interstate. With the gently falling snow, it seemed like an opportune time and place for some interesting images.
I tweaked the tones and contrast a bit, but nothing I could do brought out the true beauty of the above scene. Guess you had to be there.
While driving along the winding snow covered paths of the cemetery, Sara noticed the “Snow” stone. It seemed so fitting, I had to take a photo. I figure, if we could find another one that says “cold,” we might be able to put winter behind us.
(Click the images to see a larger versions.)