Busy Bee

(f5.6, 1/800, 50mm, ISO 160)

This is a follow up on the one I posted last week from the same trip. I love macro shots and I love bees gathering pollen, especially when you can see the little bee body covered in pollen.

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The Before Image

Chad asked me to post the best of the images that were used to make up the final one in the HDR composite in the previous post.  That makes sense so here you go.  Now you have something to compare it with.  This one is SOOC.

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Nothing Ventured

These photos were taken on Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park this past April.  What?  You only see one photo?  You are really looking at five.  Read below for more. 

This is one of my first attempts at HDR or High Dynamic Range images.  I had heard about it and seen it many times in the past few months, but made my first attempt at it about an hour ago.  (This post was actually created last night at about 9:30 p.m. and scheduled for posting this morning.)  For those not familiar with it, it involves combining several identical photos which were taken at different exposures so that it gets the darks and the lights.  My personal preference with HDR is to have it subtle enough that it doesn't scream out "Hey, I'm HDR!", and yet it is a better photo than any one of the originals from which it is created.  You may have seen some where they look like a fantasy photo.  Those remind me of a painted or computer created background in one of those fantasy movies and  I do not usually like those at all.  Does that mean that I will never find one I like of that sort or won't put one in as a Phun Phriday! post?  Certainly not.  But if I ever do, it will definitely be the exception and not the rule.

Now a note to Karen and to Dave and any others who have used HDR very successfully:  When I made the exposures for this photo I only knew that you needed to bracket several photos.  I now know for future attempts to get an even wider range with more overexposed overexposures and more underexposed underexposures as well as more in-betweeners.  I'm kind of excited about my future attempts.

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(f9, 8/10, 20mm, ISO 160)

The golden leaves are falling to give us beautiful colors to add to the moss coated rocks around the flowing waters.

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Introducing Lisa - Another Talented Guest Photographer

As you cruise around the blogging world you sometimes find a jewel.  There are many who are willing to take photos and share them and I enjoy visiting their blogs and reading their stories.  When you get lucky you find what I like to call a picture maker.  Lisa of Red Willow Photography Visual Journeys is just such a photographer.  I am honored to present her as my latest Guest Photographer and hope you will visit her site and feast your eyes as I do on a regular basis.

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Sunset Sunday - 32

(f4.3, 1/40, 21mm, ISO 160)

Taken Wednesday evening this week.

Do you have a beautiful sunset/sunrise to share? We'd love to see it. Just post a link in your comment, or just tell us it's there and we'll click on your name to find it.

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Phun Phriday! # 33 - Just for Phun

(f3.5, 60 Sec, 14mm, ISO 400)

We headed out Sunday night to get some true night shots.  If you've never tried that I suggest you do.  But we ran into a problem - There was a haze in the sky from a very nasty fire about 60 miles or so away.  We just happened to be right in the path of the smoke and the smell.  Our eyes were burning from it.  Since I could tell we weren't going to get the kind of night shots, even with the full moon, that I had hoped for I decided to get out a couple of glow lights I'd been carrying around for about a year and just have some Phun!


This shot was taken at about 10 p.m. and if you look closely those small white dots in the sky are stars.  If it had not been for the smoke you'd have seen many more.  I simply opened my shutter for 1 full minute while I walked toward the camera with a red glow stick in one hand and a blue one in the other swinging my arms around like two windmills going opposite directions.  Frankly I'm sure I looked utterly ridiculous out there.  But what the heck?

If you're new to photography you may wonder why you only see the lights and you do not see me.  It's because I kept moving so there was never enough light on me in one spot for the camera to record it.  If you have a hard time with that, take your camera outside at night some time and find something to take a photo of that requires an exposure of at least 5 seconds. While the photo is being taken quickly walk across in front of the camera.  Then look at the photo and you will not be visible in it.

I believe photography should be Phun and that's why I have my Phun Phriday! posts.  Have you done something Phun, weird and/or creative lately? If so, leave a link to it in your comment. If not - well I'd really love to hear from you anyway.

Don't be shy - leave a comment or email me.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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Early Christmas

(f11, 4/10, 50mm, ISO 160)

Don't you think this shot could be used to introduce the Christmas season with the red berries against the green moss.

The biggest of these berries might be 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) but no bigger - I love macro shots. This was taken this morning out hunting for some nice fall colors to take photos of. We were a little disappointed on the fall colors, maybe a week too early in that area, but still got some beautiful shots, like this one. I'll be sharing more soon.

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It's An Addiction

(f4.5, 1/500, 50mm, ISO 160)

Just got back from what is probably our last "camping" trip this year. That doesn't mean my last photo trip, just my last trip in the 5th Wheel camper. Of course I took lots of photos and have many to share. Amongst them are some macros.

About that title. . . I for one, and I know there are many others, just can't resist a close up of a bee gathering pollen. I loved the color and fur on this little gal or guy, and I loved the purple thistle.

Enjoy.

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Sunset Sunday - 31

(f9, 1/250, 42mm, ISO 160)

And a Happy Sunset Sunday to you! Caught this one this past Tuesday evening. Not a lot of clouds but beautiful color. Other than cropping to the 16 X 9 wide format this is pretty much straight out of the camera with the camera set to Shade white balance.

Do you have a beautiful sunset/sunrise to share? We'd love to see it. Just post a link in your comment, or just tell us it's there and we'll click on your name to find it.

This has been scheduled as I'm actually not within Internet range right now, but I'll be back in a day or two and check out your comments and posts.

Have a wonderful week ahead.

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Phun Phriday! # 32 - Moving Trees

(f7.1, 1/2, 42mm, ISO 160)

It's Phun Phriday! again, and if you've been around for a while you know I love motion blurs.  If you're looking at this and thinking, whoa, that makes my eyes hurt, there's a cure for that and that is to click on it and see it much bigger.  As you can tell by the snow on the ground this was taken last winter, and it is one of my first and one of my favorite of the motion blur photos.

As you know by now photography should be Phun and that's why I have my Phun Phriday! posts.  Have you done something Phun, wierd and/or creative lately? If so, leave a link to it in your comment. If not - well I'd really love to hear from you anyway.

Don't be shy - leave a comment or email me.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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Another Southern Exposure

(f7.1, 1/250, 141mm, ISO 160)

For some reason I've been going through some of my photos from our trip to Southern Utah this past Spring.  Yesterday's Yucca was from there and so is today's cave entry.  I like the coloring in the rocks down there.

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Desert Designs

(f2.8, 1/200, 50mm, ISO 160)

I know I posted a different photo of these Yucca plants a few months back but I found them fascinating.  Hope you don't mind seeing them again. 

I hope you're having a great week.

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Sunset Sunday - 30

Kind of a lazy Sunday today so I'm getting this out a little later than usual. I captured this one a few weeks ago as I was actually on my way to get to a good location to try to get some interesting foreground, but I could see it was slipping away too fast so I just grabbed this one. It's not one I could easily pass up seeing as my camera was on the seat next to me anyway.

Do you have a beautiful sunset/sunrise to share? We'd love to see it. Just post a link in your comment, or just tell us it's there and we'll click on your name to find it.

If you'd like to learn exactly how to put a link in a comment it's pretty easy. I added a tutorial on how to do it to last week's Sunset Sunday post which you will find by clicking here.

Don't be shy - leave a comment or email me.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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Phun Phriday! # 31 - A Bouquet for You

It's Phun Phriday! again today and I couldn't stand it any more.  I've been watching all the Phun that Krista has been having with her flowers and I had to try it.  Thanks for the idea Krista.


You may remember seeing this flower just a couple days ago here.  This has only one purpose and that is to have Phun  - well, and maybe to learn a little about Photoshop and some of the things you can do with it. 

Photography should be Phun and that's why I have my Phun Phriday! posts.  Have you done something Phun, wierd and/or creative lately? If so, leave a link to it in your comment. If not - I'd really love to hear from you anyway.

Don't know how to leave a link in a comment???  Go here to learn.

Don't be shy - leave a comment or email me.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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Indian Tunnel

(f4.4, 0.3 Sec, 21mm, ISO 160)

According to geologists this hole in the ground, which from floor to ceiling is about 15 ft (5m) tall, was once filled with molten lava, presumably on it's way to blow out of some volcano or something.  It is like an underground river, only it's about 1000 to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit (537 to 1093 C).  Fortunately it's much cooler now.  There are several places where the roof has caved in and so we can explore.  This is at the Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, U.S.A.

It is called Indian Tunnel because it is very close to some sites that the Shoshone Tribe was believed to have used for religious ceremonies.

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Tiny

From huge on the last post to very tiny on this one. It's hard to see it in the photo, but these flowers are very very small. Even though I took this photo several weeks ago on our trip to Thanksgiving Point, if I remember correctly, the whole bloom wasn't much bigger than my thumbnail. There's a lot of beauty in that small area.

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The Bridge

(f3.5, 1/13, 14mm, ISO 160)

This photo was taken within a few feet and less than 10 minutes of yesterday's Sunset Sunday shot.  All I had to do was turn to my left about 110 degrees.  I loved the way the late sun was reflecting off of it.

It is impossible to capture the hugeness in this image, but you might imagine it somewhat if you realize that it is an extra wide 4 lane highway going across the top of it.  It is approximately 1,500 feet (457 m) long and 486 feet (148 m) above the Snake River.  (About 40 stories in a modern office building.) 

In the twenty to thirty minutes that I was there taking photographs two people jumped off the bridge about 5 minutes apart, and unfortunately I didn't know it was going to happen so I didn't get photos of either one.  Oh - did I mention this is the only man made structure in the U.S. where BASE jumping is legal year round without a permit, and there is even a landing zone at the bottom?  I didn't learn that until later. 

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Sunset Sunday -29

(f4.9, 1/40, 27mm, ISO 160)

The Sun was setting over the Snake River Canyon at the edge of Twin Falls, Idaho a week ago last night. For those old enough to remember, where I was standing when I took this photo was just a couple miles east of where Evel Knievel made is famous (infamous?) attempt to jump this canyon 36 years ago on September 8, 1974.. 

Do you have a beautiful sunset to share? We'd love to see it. Just post a link in your comment, or just tell us it's there and we'll click on your name to find it.

If you'd like to learn exactly how to put a link in a comment it's pretty easy.  I added a tutorial on how to do it to last week's Sunset Sunday post which you will find by clicking here.

Don't be shy - leave a comment or email me.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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Phun Phriday! # 30 - Back to the Past

It's Phun Phriday! again, and I was almost stumped so I pulled up a photo I took this past Sunday evening and started playing with it in Photoshop. I had no idea what I was going to get when I started, and then all of the sudden I thought this looks just like one of those old postcards out of the 1950s where the photo was taken in black and white and then colored in by an artist. (It actually shows that much better if you click on it and view the "embiggened" version.)  Usually one that had never actually seen the scene depicted in the photo. Due to the printing processes and the paper at that time, they were never quite sharp and the colors were washed out at best.

I can just imagine the handwriting on the back as someone writes home to their family after seeing some of the West for the first time, and telling them of the car troubles they've had in their 1951 Chevy, but how they got it fixed and they're on their way again.

This is actually two copies of the same photo that I made several adjustments to and then blended together to create this.  
 
Photography should be Phun and that's why I have my Phun Phriday! posts.  Have you done something Phun, wierd and/or creative lately? If so, leave a link to it in your comment. If not - well I'd really love to hear from you anyway.
  

Don't be shy - leave a comment or email me.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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Shoshone Falls

(f4.0, 1/50, 14mm, ISO 160)

Prior to going up to the Craters of the Moon for the photo in yesterday's post we spent a couple days at a family reunion near Twin Falls, Idaho. I don't know if Shoshone Falls are part of what they are calling the Twin Falls, but they are certainly beautiful. For a little size perspective you can see the houses and other buildings above the falls.  This week's "Sunset Sunday" photos will come from a spot just a couple miles west of where this was taken.

Today being the first day of a new month I also put up a new banner photo.

Don't be shy - leave a comment or email me.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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