Moving Pictures

While I'm waiting to be inspired about my next direction in life I'm finishing projects and trying new things. One of those things I often dreamed of while staring out my office window was to be a nature photographer. I certainly have enough equipment. I have a lot of time and an open schedule. I've made a few half hearted attempts. Apparently I have more excesses then passion. The other day I brought one of my cameras out to my patio with the intention of shooting the birds that are ever present. Well always when I'm trying to enjoy a morning tea or evening beer. With camera in hand it seems like they all flew the coop. With nothing to shoot but tree branches I was just getting ready to go in when a rabbit came under the fence. I've seen it before but from the kitchen window. I've never gotten within 30 feet of it. Well guess what, I was about sitting 30 feet away and hoping those big ears would ignore the shutter clicks. It just took one fast, little m...

Not me - My Nikon D70. I purchased this camera back in 2004 for the purpose of shooting the Key West Fantasy Fest. Don't search my site for those photos. They are tucked away in a vault somewhere. I shot 4,000 photos that week. I only managed a few today as rain threatened. I have this dream that I may like nature photography. Not to mention after shooting for 10 years, I may want to learn how to handle a camera. What better way than to purchase a very inexpensive, fully manual 500 MM lens for an ancient camera. By fully manual I mean focus, aperture, shutter speed, everything. I'm starting a new life by starting over. Hopefully doing it right this time. This is what I learned today. For starters this lens needs a tripod. That should be obvious so to be consistent I brought my original, light weight tripod. Also the remote which I used more times today than the 10 years I've had it. I found that even the slight wind we had today was enough to shake the cam...

One of my goals when I ever got some free time in my life was to try my hand at nature photography. Well, I have some free time now so I thought I would venture out and see what I could capture in the wilds of Palm City Florida. The Kiplinger Nature Preserve is closest to my house so it was the obvious place to start. While most of my photography friends are out capturing hawks on the wing or lions on an african safari, I captured this fine specimen of pine cone. I actually passed right by it twice but then realized it was not placed there by human intervention. It landed right where I saw it. There were dozens all around. When I got home it was apparent this was the best photo of the day. Which told me two things. I have a good eye for the mundane, and I have a lot of work to do if I choose to make this some sort of money making venture. Its obvious I have no fear of being only feet away from a Cotton Mouth snake or ferocious, possibly rabid bunny. Actually when I got home I fo...