Bird Weekly Challenge #17: Macros or Close Ups

For me, getting a closeup of a bird is usually a real challenge. Most of the time, the bird is too far away or it flies away if I get too close. Occasionally, I’ll luck out and come across a bird who is not interested in me and I can get the shot I want.

The Bald Eagle in the above photo was sitting in a low branch of a tree in Chilcoot Lake State Park in Haines, Alaska. As I set up my tripod and aimed the camera at him I kept my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t fly off. He ignored me and I was a happy photographer.

Great Blue Heron, Florida

Most Great Blue Herons I have seen are spooked by humans and will not let me get too near them. This one was hanging around the fishing pier at Ft. Pickens National Seashore in Florida. He was much more interested in getting an easy meal than he was in me.

Nice catch!

This Anhinga was right beside the path in Shark Valley in Everglades National Park. We watched for a while as he struggled to swallow his fish. We didn’t stay around long enough to see if he succeeded in eating it.

Cormorant, Everglades National Park, Florida

This Cormorant was next the trail and didn’t move when I stopped to take his picture.

Thank you Lisa. for this Bird Weekly challenge. Her original post is Bird Weekly Challenge #17: Macro/Close Ups.

Lens-Artists #116: Symmetry

For this photo challenge Patti has asked us to explore symmetry in our images.

The image above is an example of vertical symmetry. The road divides the image vertically so the branches appear to meet above the middle of the road and the trees appear to be exactly the same on both sides.

These images show how vertical symmetry can be used in architecture. The designers of St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland used symmetry both inside (left photo) and outside (right photo.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly

The butterfly is an example of vertical symmetry found in nature. The left and right wings seem to be mirror images of each other.

Horizontal symmetry is illustrated in this image of a tree and it’s reflection in a foggy lake.

Cabbage Palm
Seashell symmetry

I often see radial symmetry in nature. Palm fronds on a palm tree and seashells are both good examples

Thanks to Patti for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #116: Symmetry.

Lens-Artists #115: Inspiration

I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful – an endless prospect of magic and wonder.

Ansel Adams

Whether it’s a butterfly in my garden, a tiny spider on a colorful flower, a walk on the beach, visiting a National Park, or seeing a sunset, I find inspiration in the natural world.

Green Lynx Spider on pink zinnia
Tybee Island North Beach at low tide
Yosemite Valley in Yellowstone National Park
Sunset over the Georgia Salt Marsh

Thanks to Tina for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #115: Inspiration.

Bird Weekly Challenge #15: Birds with Green Feathers

Painted Buntings and Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are two of my favorite back yard birds. I’ve seen them daily for the last few days and managed to get a few captures of these gorgeous birds.

Female Painted Bunting in Wax Myrtle
Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Thank you Lisa. for this Bird Weekly challenge. Her original post is Bird Weekly Challenge #15 – Birds with Green Feathers.

Lens-Artists #114: Negative Space

This week’s photo challenge from Amy asks us to show negative space. The negative space in a photo is the space surrounding the main subject in an image. This negative space can add a sense of emptiness, calm, peacefulness, or isolation.

In the photo above, the little dachshund is the main subject of this image. Our eye is drawn beyond the dog where we see he is running towards a flock of brown pelicans on a deserted beach.

In the next two photos, I felt the isolation of some very remote areas in the United States.

Driving through the Big Sky country of Montana toward the Bighorn Mountains
On this remote section of the Alaska Highway we were the only vehicle for miles

I like to use negative space to surround the main subject when taking closeup photos in the garden.

Monarch butterfly on milkweed

Thanks to Amy for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #114 – Negative Space.