Sunday, December 12, 2010

Returned from Florida and Atlanta

I had the good fortune to visit Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands area in Florida.  Both outstanding places for all types of birds and other wildlife.  I am now in the process of editing images from this trip.  So stay tuned for some new additions to the web site.  The weather blessed us with mostly sunshine and some cooler temperatures.  For the most part, it tended to keep the biting birds (mosquitoes) at bay.


I am also in the process of adding a new image size, 13 inch by 19 inch prints and reviewing pricing options/coupons.  

Hope this season and beyond is good to you and yours!

Take care and be good to yourselves!

Les

Friday, November 26, 2010

Upcoming Trip....See you in a few weeks.

Hello again.
I hope everyone, that celebrates it, had a fantastic Thanksgiving!  Mine was a bit quiet and calm and very enjoyable.

I am heading to the Eastern coast of Florida for a week or so and then up to Atlanta for a few days.  Hopefully, I will get some new photos.

Be good to yourselves and best to you and yours!

Les

Sunday, November 14, 2010

WOW! I Finally got back out taking photos!

My foot is still not totally healed but I got the chance to take a few photos Friday, Nov 12.  It felt good to have the sun on me again and to see a few ducks and three Bald Eagles too.  The local watering hole did not have as much water as I have seen in the past, so only a few ducks.  Still good to see the Northern Shoveler's, Gadwall's and American Wigeon out and about.  I also had two immature and one adult Bald Eagle near some trees in the distance.  Plus an American Kestrel popped over the marsh for a quick look. 
Don't know if I will get out again before my planned trip to Florida and Atlanta in a few weeks but at least I pushed a few shutters for a while longer!

Stay tuned for a sale of some kind!

Be good to yourselves

Les

Monday, November 1, 2010

Out for a while with foot injury

Well I have been down for a few weeks with a foot injury.  Sure do miss being out and about with the wildlife, birds and fresh air.  It is starting to get a bit chilly here in central Virginia , so I know some ducks have already arrived at some watering holes.  I have been checking the local and distant birding post for hints as to what people are seeing and they sound exciting.  I will try to get my bird feeders cleaned and restocked soon.

Most of the swelling has gone down in my foot and I just drove my vehicle for the first time Saturday!!   Getting there.
Hopefully some new images real soon!!

Best to all of you and yours!   Take care!

Les
 

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Update for week ending Oct 2, 2010

It has been a slow week for photo taking trips.  We had much needed rain over several days.  Hopefully this has helped the water table recover some.  Hunting season has started so field visits will be made with an eye towards safety.  Ducks, geese and song birds are on the move as cooler temperatures come into the area.  I may venture out for a short while on Sunday (no hunting day) just to check a few places out.  Until then......

Best to you and yours!

Les

Monday, September 27, 2010

My photography equipment

I use Canon brand equipment.  This is not to say other photography gear is not suitable to the task.  It's just a preference.  Believe it or not, I think, most of the final out come is generated by the person pushing the camera buttons.  Modern Digital Single Lens Reflex cameras (DSLR's) offer a tremendous array of tools for the photographer.  What I try to reproduce, is what I saw and felt during the moments of pushing the shutter button.  Nature has a wide gamut of shades, colors and textures that are sometimes very difficult to capture.  When emotions are added to the mix things can get to be very exciting.  I think of a still photo as a slice of time and the beauty or drama of that moment.  I love the way animals interact with their environment and sometimes, when given time, they will provide unbelievable insight into their world.

I use two camera body models: Canon EOS 7D and Canon EOS 50D.  They produce very similar photos.

A couple of workhouse lens for wildlife/nature images, plus others:

A Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM.  Either will get the job done but the 500mm is my first choice if it can be used. 

All wildlife images on my web site are of wild and free creatures.  It is my hope and desire that you enjoy them.

Best to you and yours!

Les

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Latest Photos November 22, 2009.

New photos were added today, November 22, 2009.  They included several additions to the "Wildlife" Gallery and one new image to the "Raptor" Gallery.

The Elk images in the Wildlife Gallery were taken in September-October of this year in the mountains above Benzette Township, Pennsylvania.  I spent five days in this beautiful and peaceful area and stayed at Winslow Meadow Lodge.  The lodge was exceptionally comfortable, with a host of amenities!  It sits right in the wild elk herd range.  On most evenings when I returned home there would be elk lounging and grazing in the yard.  On my last night there were two Bull Elk bugling on the edge of the front lawn.  After shutting off the lights, I could see one Bull Elk on the front yard and another just off to the left of the driveway. 

Elk are marvelous creatures to watch and photo providing that care is taken not to put yourself in harms way.  Of course Bulls have large antlers and heavy weight too.  They can do serious damage to us humans if we forget that they are wild and get too close.  Females or Doe's can also inflict pain/suffering by using their sharp and pointed feet to kick.  I witnessed two female's combat skills one afternoon when they got into a disagreement.  Both stood on their hind legs and repeatedly struck out with their front feet.  They were not really serious as they were not standing close enough for either to hit it's mark.  But it sent me a reminder of their power and ability to defend themselves. 

I saw several people take risky chances trying for "nice" photos of the Bulls.  If you get the chance to go see them, please keep in mind that they can drive an antler into a RV, so our human flesh is no match at all!

My new Raptor post is an Osprey.  This one is in flight and clutching a small fish.  I'm not positive of the type of fish it has caught but it looks like a Crappie.  This image was taken in Chester, Virginia, at Dutch Gap Conservation Area.   This Conservation Area is off Route 10, between Chester and Hopewell, Virginia.  It holds different Ducks and Geese during late Fall/Winter.  I saw the Osprey over several days at this location.  It may have been feeding prior to it's migration out of the area. 

Well that's it for now, I'll add more a bit later.

Les