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February 2012
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Archive for the Wildlife Category

Buy a Zebra

If you like lines in your photos like I do the answer is to buy a Zebra.

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Or at least visit them at the zoo.

The problem with animals is they move. The other problem is they don’t. I had to be very patient with this zebra as it walked around finally getting the right angle and a bonus of the lined shadows as a background.

Keep clicking

Dave

Ready, Mr. Deville

Went to Fresno’s Chaffee Zoo last weekend.  Took a few animal portraits.

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I think this little fellow likes to have his picture taken. When I first walked up he was in the water. He got out and walked along this log just a few feet away from me. Then he stopped and raised one leg, interesting action.  He has a wonderful crown but didn’t seem to want to show it when I was ready to shoot. Oh well.

Keep clicking

Dave

Snow Geese

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Currently there are thousands of Snow Geese at the Merced Game Reserve.  Many are resting in the shallow water and many more are flying above you. It is just awesome. In this shot I focused on the two geese in the front. Using a f8 stop on my 100-400 lens I got enough background blur to show the many geese in the background without putting too much attention on them.

Enjoy and keep on photographing!

Let’s Get Outa Here

There’s nothing quite like being near a flock of geese when they take off.

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I was lucky, these Ross Geese gave me enough time to get out of my car and I had my very clear telephoto lens (thank you Tamron) already on the camera. When they take off they squawk a lot. I can understand why they make great watch “dogs”.Later while on the other side of the Merced Wildlife Refuge I heard them again and wished I was closer.

Keep clicking

Dave

Great Blue Heron

Here’s another patient bird from the Wildlife Refuge.

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I think the birds were a little slow waking up that morning. Usually you have to be very slow and careful  as they are quick to take flight. Of course once they wake up it’s back to stealth mode, if you have the patience.

Keep clicking

Dave

Jellyfish

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I photographed this Jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It takes little it of patience since they move around quite a bit. Also, I had to watch the glare from the glass. Many people use a polarizer filter which results in losing a lot of light that is not there in the first place. I opted for shooting with a 90 degree angle and, if necessary, putting my camera directly onto the glass. I also photographed as close as possible to the light source.

Enjoy and happy photographing!

Mama Bear and Cubs

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On our way to Glacier Point (Yosemite National Park) we saw a bunch of cars stopping on the side of the road and people with there cameras. Of course we stopped too and saw this bear and her two cubs. We were lucky seeing them and even more lucky that the bear did not chase us.

There are moments when I just love my heavy 100-400mm  stabilized lens. This was one of them. I used my C-sensor body which gave me a 640mm focal length!

Enjoy and happy photographing!

You pointing at me?

Mom told me never to point at people, I guess birds are ok.

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I was intrigued by the fact that all the branches seemed to be pointing at this bird. The cloud free sky helps keep you focus on the lines and focal point. It was getting dark and a bit of a wind so I jumped my iso to 800, shot at 5.6 and still had a handheld 1/25th of a second. Thank you image stabilization.

Keep clicking

Dave

Abandoned, Hungry and Hunted

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We live a block away from the bike path and Rahilly creek. Some people are unbelievable cruel to their pets by abandoning them there and there are people that take their dogs and let them chase the cats despite the Merced leash law for dogs. Sometimes I ask myself how cruel we human beings can become. On the other side I know people that care for these creatures, feed them and protect them. I am very thankful for that. Currently I am looking for a way to have as many as possible fixed. Will see how that goes.

I photographed this family of eight young cats that somehow sticks together. I hope to find a good home for them.

Have a great week-end! 

Two Ducks?

When you first look at this photograph you see the fancy drake, or male duck.

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But if you look a little to the right you’ll see the hen. A predator sees the same and thereby the coloring offers some protection for the hen. I believe these are Mallards and they mate for life. So if you see only one, something has happened to the other.

Keep clicking

Dave