learning – A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens

'scene' along the way, a second look, birds, Chinsegut Conservation Center, friends, fun, leap of faith, learning, life goes on, live and learn, marriage, memories, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, perseverance, photography, strangers become friends

Chinsegut Conservation Center…

February 22, 2023February 22, 2023 naturecoastimagesblog

I went with a friend today, back to the place that I first took a photography class about 7 years ago. I made friends in that class that are still good friends all these years later. The subject of the class was ‘bird photography’, and I venture to say that Ive taken quite a few bird photos since then. The birds were quite cooperative today, returning to the feeders again and again. Plus I got to try out a 1.4 extender for my Canon r7. Before I tried it I was totally sure that I didn’t NEED one, but now I’m not so sure. As much, if not more, reach than my old 150-600, and weighs a LOT less. I think I’m hooked.

This Yellow-Throated Warbler is practicing his gymnastic moves,

A Carolina Chickadee has the feeder to his or her self.

Doesn’t this Cardinal look like the picture of innocence? Who, me?

This is a newly constructed bird house. It look like someone has moved in.

I’ve had a busy week, what with several photo op trips and getting married and all. I’m a bit of a fraud these days since most of what I said about this blog when I started is no longer true. I’m not on the Nature Coast anymore, but I’m still pretty close by. And I’m not on my own any more, which is as much a surprise to me as anybody. I was proud of myself for handling my sudden widowhood as well as I did, and now I’m proud of myself for recognizing how lucky I am to have found someone who so perfectly fits into this life I’ve made for myself. Sometimes life just falls into place…

'scene' along the way, Amazing artwork, attention to detail, attitude adjustments, Circle B Bar Reserve, Florida landmarks, friends, fun, Just do it, learning, live and learn, making memories, nature, Nature's beautiful creatures, old dogs new tricks, perseverance, photography, road trip, Tricolored heron

Technology…

January 9, 2023January 8, 2023 naturecoastimagesblog

Yesterday I had a comment or two about the ability of the new camera, a Canon r7 mirrorless camera, to take a huge number of shots in a burst. I usually have it set to do just that if I’m photographing birds, or wildlife at all really. Just in case something exciting happens. So let me explain that I feel hardly any responsibility for these photos I’m posting today. The feature photo is the first in a sequence of 10 photos that the camera took in less than a second. My contribution was to see the lighting and reflections, and I anticipated the Tri-color Heron would take off. I wanted the tracking in the camera to follow the bird, and it did. these are the 10 consecutive frames that it took. Makes me happy to think that my investment in this camera has turned out to be exactly what I hoped it would be. I used the r 100-400 lens, made for the mirrorless Canon cameras, and not expensive at all. Or as these things go.

The feature photo is the take off, this is frame #2.

Putting the brakes on with his wings in #6,

I thought/hoped he caught his prey, but apparently not. #8

And then he flew away, out of the nice light.

We spent the beginning of the walk looking into the morning sun. I didn’t bring my visor so it was tough. It was lucky that this sequence happened in such nice light. I will give lots of credit to luck, and that’s okay.

a second look, birds, friends, fun, learning, making memories, moon, pelicans, perseverance, photography, sky, sunset

Try, try again…

November 7, 2022November 7, 2022 naturecoastimagesblog

I looked at my Crystal Beach photos again and wondered where my head was when I chose, and edited, photos for my last post. Maybe I should wait an extra day between working on them and posting them to see if I still think they look good. Or I can blame the recent cataract surgery since I have over a month to go before they’ll check my vision again. So this is the same shoot but different pictures.

I guess you can see why I wondered if the sunrise would be extinguished by those dark clouds. On the other hand it’s so fun to see the sun’s rays peeking through any opening in the clouds that are there.

The little blue, or rather un-blue, heron again.

I was excited to see some color coming out in the sky, and we found this natural ‘frame’ for the scene, so I took a lot of pictures of this same scene.

And yes, as the sun began to drop from under the heavy clouds the color came up.

The word twinkletoes came to mind when I saw this picture in the computer.

Flocks of pelicans were flying over. Heading for a roosting spot nearby, or maybe they have many miles to travel?

Still looking for nice foregrounds for the main event.

Gotta love a nice moon shot. And there is a full moon set complete with a partial eclipse coming on Tuesday morning. Very early.

I heard one of those girls comment that ‘this is dangerous’ as she skated onto the pier on roller blades.

And there it was finally, what we were waiting for. The sun escaping those dark clouds and giving us the color we hoped to see.

The feature photo is the view looking to the south from the pier as I waited for my friends to arrive. I know I mentioned that our visit with friends after the shoot included sitting outside in perfect weather, but did I mention the candlelight? Thanks to Eddie and Linda for their hospitality.

a second look, brainstorms, Just do it, learning, live and learn, perseverance, photography, sky, storms, technology, weather

Getting ahead of myself…

October 21, 2022October 20, 2022 naturecoastimagesblog

The other day I decided that it was about time I went out to do something, anything. But right about then my phone app informed me that it was raining, only it wasn’t. I looked out to see dark clouds overtaking the sky, but leaving sunlit white clouds in a still beautiful blue sky. So I grabbed the new phone, the one that has an amazing new camera that does work, even if I can’t use it as an actual phone at the moment. One of the abilities of the new iPhone 14 pro max is the ability to take a 48 MP photo, so I set it to do just that and rushed to the park and shot a few photos of that gorgeous sky.

I hoped the depth of that sky would come through.

I disturbed the ducks who were all sitting on the bank minding their own business.

I wondered how that sky would look in black and white. I hope I can take the black and white class the next time my club offers it.

There was a problem though. At 48 MP WordPress couldn’t process the images as they were, and my post never uploaded, or even saved in WordPress. I guess it gave up and sent it into trash. So these are the reduced size photos that made WordPress happy, and makes me wonder what the heck you do with a 48 MP photo. Print it probably, another example of a technology that I haven’t mastered as of yet. It wasn’t my intention to have to deal with a new phone, camera, and even lens, all at the same time, but that’s where I am at the moment.

And, by the way, I made it back into the house just as the skies opened.

a second look, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, ducks, egrets, Florida wildlife, learning, nature, perseverance, photography, technology, weather

Pond critters…

September 13, 2022September 12, 2022 naturecoastimagesblog

I could probably save myself a lot of time and effort if I didn’t do everything by the seat of my pants. I set the new camera up to take bursts of photos, not remembering that this camera will take LOTS of pictures per second. When you add that to the fact that I had set it up for silent shutter, then you might have a clue how I managed to get 1077 photos in probably a half hour down at the neighborhood pond. So I had many, many virtually identical pictures to look at. Not the greatest pictures either. Learning the hard way, but learning.

This tricolor heron was waiting for me when I got to the pond. He flew off and I thought I’d found him but it turned out to be the little blue heron in the feature photo.

The ducks were flapping their wings and I held the shutter button down in my excitement so I finally had to just choose one and stop trying to find the ‘best’ one.

Okay, I worked on two before I cried uncle.

Found this teeny-tiny butterfly in the grass. I got excited because when he flew off the tracking feature of the camera followed him.

See, it kept focus on the butterfly. These photos are zoomed too much I know, but I was excited to see the tracking feature in action.

Of course I concentrated on dragonflies for a bit. A couple of hundred photos worth.

I was happy that it was one of the orange ones that stopped for a bit, that was nice.

I was sitting on one of the swings, in the shade, and focusing on this little bird on the fence, waiting for him to turn around, or fly. I had no idea that he was enjoying his lunch. I waited and waited, taking photos all the while.

Taking advantage of a break in the raindrops, and then they started falling again.

a second look, dragonflies, fun, learning, old dogs new tricks, on closer examination, perseverance, photography, sunrise, technology

New toys…

September 1, 2022 naturecoastimagesblog

I went out with my new camera/lens combo this morning. The Canon R7 with the 18-150 lens that it’s packaged with at the moment. People who are wanting just the camera body are still waiting after ordering them a long time ago. I had identified this camera as my ‘next’ camera, even as I insisted that I was happy with my camera set up that had me ready to head out the door and shoot whatever came my way. But the new one is mirrorless, and that where the technology seems to be going. And I bought an adaptor so that I can use my other Canon lenses with the new camera, but I went out in search of dragonflies with the old lens on the new camera yesterday and I wasn’t so happy with the shots I took. It’s all good though, gotta shake things up once in a while.

I have to say that the sky was just gorgeous this morning, and if I hadn’t left my iPhone home charging (it was in the red) I would have taken all my pictures with that for it’s extra wide angle, the heck with the new camera. But I’m not unhappy with what I got…