Wild Flowers

It's hard to believe these flowers are about the size of a nickel. Last year, I planted a package of wild flower seeds. The results have been very pleasant. Most of the flowers are of the verity I have photographed. I have no idea what kind they are. The flowers grow to two and a half feet to three feet. At night or early evening they close up to little buds. It is like they have been put to bed. They are a beautiful shade of blue and violet, some are a pale blue almost white. Shot using a 105mm macro lens with some levels adjustment.

Little Hooters

My neighbor took me on a little road trip to see baby owls. There are three in the nest, I could only see two, with mommy owl no where in sight. While out for a drive, he looked through the sun roof in his truck to spy the large nest and its residents. What a find! There was another large nest about 100 to 150 yards up the road. If there were youngsters in it we could not see them. I would hate to be a mouse, rabbit, chihuahua or cat! There are some hungry birds looking for dinner!

It was overcast for the first picture and much brighter for the second. I used a 70-200mm lens with a 2X teleconverter. Some cropping and levels correction was done to enhance the pictures.

Weed

Shot using a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, f/2.8, 1/125 sec., ISO 200, cropped to virtual, with some levels correction.

Extreme Western Utah

"Go West...!" I did and what is out there for your viewing pleasure? Not much! As you head west out of the state of Utah there is nothing to see but road and large areas of open smelly lake bed. The Great Salt Lake was once larger than it is now and it's hard to believe water covered the road to Nevada.
I had remembered that there was some art work along the highway. The "tree"and a "car hedge" at one time. The car art was not there but tree did not disappoint.
Out in the middle of nowhere on the north side of the road there is this LARGE cement tree. I will have to find out more about it and post a link.
Since I was this far, I went to the Bonneville Salt Flats and set a new land speed record in a truck! Not really! There was water and it made a soft thick mud that stuck to tires and mudflaps for days. I may still have some leftovers hanging on.
The movie Independence Day has some scenes shot out at the salt flats. It is as vast and lifeless as the movies shows. Remember Will Smith dragging the alien in the parachute?
This summer I will have to try and get out there again. One, to drive on the salt flats, two, to capture the the harsh beauty at night. May-be with storm clouds and lightning or a star filled sky.
Does anyone want to come? It is a long drive by myself. Paul thanks for coming with me. Get that camera out and remember to rotate the CPL filter!

Lady Bug 3

This will be my last post of lady bugs for awhile. I hope to capture some through the summer but they may have all flown away. I see no sign of them at or near the release sight. Time will tell. I would like to photograph a child with a lady bug on their hand or arm. Little kids and the bugs they play with while outside will make for a great set of photos.

You may have noticed a change in the last few postings. A fellow blogger has had some of her work stolen, clammed, used without her permission and this has caused me to re-think posting pictures. Photography, art, paintings etc... is subjective, both to the producer of said work and those who view the work. You may like or hate it!

I have enjoyed viewing the photography and other works of art posted by bloggers from around the world. The idea of stealing, copying, or using it and claiming it for my own is unthinkable. If asked, many of us respond the same way.

I know some friends and family members have taken and used my pictures as screen savers, for their computers or phones. I may not object to this loudly and I would hope that I am given credit for it at the very least.

In the past my name has appeared at the bottom or the side of a picture. Like many of you, this is done to claim my work, yet I am still be willing to share it with others. By share I mean to view. Although my name can be cropped or photoshoped and the photograph claimed by others. I (We are) am not foolish enough to think that adding a name alone will stop it from being stolen. I believe people are good, but there are those who are not. I want to continue to post photos, inspire and be inspired by the work of others but will do it with trepidation.

My name will now appear across the subject of the photographs with the hope of frustrating those who might steal my work and use it for their own. I do not make a living from selling my pictures but believe anyone and everyone one should be compensated of for there work. Someday, I may have a photograph someone will be willing to pay for!

Lady Bug 2

Last year, I found out that you can buy lady bugs from a nursery. I thought, why not buy some and take a few pictures. Simple enough! Lady bugs come in a package of 1500, and you keep in the fridge until you release them. The warmth in the house wakens the lady bug to activity. He/she, they start moving quickly. Some start to fly around after just a few minuets. The dozen or so I took out and place on flowers co-operated very little. They move fast. My wife was more co-operative than the lady bugs. She is not afraid of them, but I don't think she will let me choose another insect to photograph in the house. Though I have thought about it! She is supportive of my hobby but she will draw the line occasionally. These are shot using a 105mm macro lens, with my D200. I started using extension tubes but found it difficult with the lady bugs on the move. I will try the tubes on something else. I do have a few more to post, so check back in a few days.

Lady Bug

More to come later. I have a few Lady Bugs to catch!

This Might Sting!

I recently visited the doctor to have a mole removed. I was going to ask the doctor if I could take a picture, (the one you see is what I had in mind) he noticed I had a camera with me and asked if it was mine. This made it very easy to explain what I wanted to do. With his permission and one shot, literally and photographically, the mole was removed. If you get squeamish around needles I'm sorry. Some people are hysterically frightened by them! Are you one of those people?

Jumpin' A Volcano

Here are the "volcano" shot I referred to in my last post. I believe this was a more frighting than jumping the "spine!" My brother-in-law cleared the entire structure, landing hard on the opposite side. (Top) To make it more fun, lets have him jump over a "sacrifice to the cement volcano!"

Jumpin' The Spine

The "spine", skate park term, is the out cropping which the guy is lying down on.  Both "spines" are reluctantly being jumped by my brother-in-law. Oh!, the crazy things I can talk him into doing! I caught him jumping a volcano too! I will post those later. D200, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 lens, f/2.8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 100, Manual mode, cropping and  a little correction of color.

With Dad Looking On

My friend's son, who has not been able to ride for several years do to an injury, is showing off skills once learned and being remastered. There is new meaning to the phrase "Once you learn to ride a bike you never forget!" D200, Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 lens, f/2.8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 100, Manual mode, with some corrections and crop.

Around The World

I have merged six photos together to come up "Around The World". The young man is my nephew. Both of us were at his sister's softball game. I was taking pictures of course, he was being a supportive big brother and working on his skills as a yo-yo master. After the varsity game was over, I captured several shots with  hopes of getting a good one to post. I am not well known for my photoshop skills, but I believe I have created a yo-yo master piece, with a little help from my nephew! D200, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, Manual mode, f/7.1, 1/200 sec., ISO 200, merge, contrast and levels correction done in Photoshop Elements 7.