Get in Ma Belly!!
This was an amazing battle, that lasted almost ten minutes. This little Grebe was wrestling with the fish in every way you can image, eventually victorious and swallowed it whole. Once he had a solid grip and the fish was tired - he just kicked his head back and let it slide down. Proof below!!
Keep an eye out for nature's entertainment - and stay in focus!
Mark
Fall migration
What the Hell are you doing . . . ????
I swear that I could literally read the goose's mind and the female Mallard came in for a short landing! It's not always the greatest picture, but paying attention to the interactions of the various subjects in the pond (and new arrivals) can certainly be entertaining - especially when you learn to expect it!
Be sure to check out out new home at Soaring Art.
Tips, tricks, galleries, projects and assignments can all be found there for your enjoyment. Archive and posting of this blog can also be found there.
Stay in focus,
Mark
Backyard Birding (2009-08-16) #78.jpg
Drop it Mom! Just. . . Drop it!
It's amazing to witness the dedication of wild-life parents. Here's a little reminder - remember to put the camera down every now and then and just enjoy the moment!
Stay in focus,
Mark
Springtime is usually the most popular time of year for macro work - everything blooming and coming to life and all - but don't ignore the winter months, it's my favorite time to shoot macro.
A nice winter morning (after a fresh snow fall or especially after an over night refreeze) can yield great opportunities. Keep your eyes open for some of these subjects:
Are you new to macro and looking to give it a try? Then check out Mike Moat's Website. Mike is a self taught, outstanding photographer who specializes in macro education. In addition to his blog and clinics around the country, Mike does a really good down to earth instructional series in his books.
I can highly recommend his Creating Art with Macro - ebook, it's what I turned to as my first instructional tool into the macro world. The first couple of chapters rehash some of the typical camera basics, but after that it's all macro. Mike's writings are down to earth and easy to read in a nice simple format.
Check Mike's stuff out, if only to subscribe to his blog - I'm sure you'll find it worth your time!
Stay in focus,
Mark
Don't forget to look for the pictures inside the pictures. While reviewing my shots of a civil war reenactment, I noticed the crazed expression of this one horse. I cropped in tight and did some focused processing and came up with a unique image.
"Crazy Horse" has been a strong seller in the online gallery.
Stay in focus,
Mark
One of the advantages to shooting at a high frame rate, you'll tend to grab a unique pose or element that you would have otherwise missed. In the next frame, the eagle's second foot was back parallel to its body. This split second shot imitates a perfect toe-nail pirouette worthy of the best ballet dancer!
Stay in focus,
Mark
