Bill Pevlor
House Wren Spider Snack
Spring Streaming By
Planking
This common red squirrel strikes an unusual pose. I think it looks like he’s “planking.”
According to Wickipedia: Planking (or the Lying Down Game) is an activity consisting of lying face down —sometimes in an unusual or incongruous location. The term planking refers to mimicking a wooden plank.
I saw this comical fellow on an early morning walk through the woods. When he saw me, he ran up a tree and hopped onto this board and reclined – remaining motionless as I slowly moved closer to take this photo.
Though humorous to us, I’m told this position is a defensive move squirrels often employ – to minimize their exposure to predators by attempting to blend in with the tree branch they’re on.
To get a better view, you can click on the photo and a larger version will open in a new browser tab.
I Am Seven, Hear Me Roar
Emma is seven years old and full of energy. On this evening, she had bouncing-off-the-walls energy.
This is an awesome image! Now, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not bragging on myself because it happened quite by accident – as awesome shots sometimes do. It would never enter my mind to try an set up a shot like this. Any serious photographer will tell you, there are those moments that you couldn’t have planned, couldn’t have set up, when all the planets are aligned and the angels are smiling upon you. That was this moment. Here’s how it came about.
I was outdoors, trying to capture a photo of some wrens entering/exiting their birdhouse. I was using a 300mm, zoom lens, to get a close-up, from a distance. I had just finished photographing the birds, because the day was ending and there no longer was enough light in the shaded area to get a good image.
About this time, folks showed up for a family gathering. Emma saw me with the camera and started hopping around me saying, “Take a picture of me!” I couldn’t take a photo of her because I had the long zoom lens and she was too close – I couldn’t even get the lens to focus at that distance. I told her she was too close, and if she would go a little farther away I could take a photo. Well, I meant she should move ten to fifteen feet away. Emma just heard, “farther away,” and took off running. My attempts to call her back never reached her ears and she finally stopped and turned around about 20 yards away.
The amazing thing was where she stopped. Quite by accident, she stopped in a spot where the setting sun was able to stream through an opening in the trees. Ten feet farther or closer and she would have been in the shadows. I remember being in awe at the way the light was hitting her. Thankfully I had the presence of mind to focus and shoot. Even then, I didn’t really think this shot would turn out so well…so sharp in the low light conditions. I have no idea of what she was saying to me.
For fellow photographers that would like the specifics: 1/90 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, 300mm, handheld, no artificial light, manual mode.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
When the Deep Purple Falls
Graceful End
The delicate dandelion blossom in its last stages. The dandelion, like other members of the Asteraceae family, has very small flowers collected together in a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret.
It seems every photographer has a dandelion photo…and this is mine. They do make interesting subjects.
To see more of the delicate details, click on the image.
American Beauty
Hut Hut
A future football fan gets a unique perspective of the game in a life-size display at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI. It’s a fun place for the whole family, plenty to look at – especially for the true football fan.
See more of the details in a larger version of this shot by clicking on the photo.