A Really Exciting "Got-The-Shot"

I Got the Shot. It is unbelievable. With the skittish couple this Spring, I didn’t think the photograph would be had… but I Got the Shot!

There is a little background you should be aware of to understand the importance of this “Got The Shot.” A few years ago, I met and became friends with two wonderful people, Joe Ann and Norm. At the Mother-Daughter Tea event at church one year, I was taking pictures/portraits. Joe Ann and her family asked to have a family portrait. What made their’s quite different was the five generations present for the portrait. This family portrait turned out so well I asked Joe Ann if it would be alright to enter the picture in the County Fair. It won second place for portrait. After the Mother-Daughter Tea, Joe Ann began to take more interest in my photography, especially photographing cardinals. She always had an encouraging word when we met.

The day Joe Ann died, the cardinals seemed to be quite active around the yard. I had been trying for sometime to get a close up photograph of a female cardinal. Not 5 feet from my window a female cardinal landed and stayed on the same limb for over 15 minutes. She could see me as I moved around the window frantically taking pictures. I expected any minute for her to fly away. She did not budge from the limb. And then what must have been her mate landed on a nearby branch. He too, did not move for several minutes and put on a show of fluffing his feathers. It was a cold day, and we were getting the first snowflakes of winter.

In the middle of this “photo shoot” with the cardinals, the phone rang. It was my husband who is the pastor of Greenwood United Methodist Church. He told me Joe Ann had just passed away and asked for the prayer line to be activated.

It seemed as though the female cardinal had taken the spirit of Joe Ann. It made sense that Joe Ann would have willed that cardinal to be there for me to get the picture she knew I’d wanted so much.

A few weeks later I shared this thought and experience with the family. Each grown child received a photograph of the female cardinal taken the day Joe Ann died. Norm received the female cardinal photograph but also a photograph of the male.

This Spring the “Kissing Cardinals” as I refer to them, have been coming to the back yard many times throughout the day. And there are many more cardinals coming into the yard to feed. I have been trying for years to take an up close picture that is crisp and in focus of this pair as they “kiss.” They are not actually kissing, they are passing seeds to one another as an expression of affection. Each time I would slowly, cautiously, sneak up to the window with camera in hand, they would fly away.
A couple of days ago, I got a photograph of them kissing but when I looked at the picture on the computer screen, the female was bald and the male’s plumage was discolored and some spots were bare. True love is blind to the outward appearances and this pair did not see their imperfections.

But today, I took the picture of another couple within ten feet from the window and in perfect focus. It appears there are more than one pair of “Kissing Cardinals” this year. That is a real blessing.

This year the “Kissing Cardinals” picture was extra important to me. My dear friend, Norm, passed away a couple of weeks ago. Is that why the cardinals have been plentiful this Spring? And now to have at least two pair of “Kissing Cardinals” has been very meaningful in understanding and coping with Norm’s death.

Norm and Joe Ann are once again together. And as they did on earth with their family and friends, they are now sharing their seeds of faith with one another. That, to me is why the “Kissing Cardinal” picture was so important this year. The family will have that picture to complete their set.

Vacation Plans are on the Drawing Board and the camera is in the bag!

Now that school is almost out for the summer, you've probably begun to search the web for places to go... cheap places to go! With the price of gas migrating towards $4/gal you are probably thinking about something closer to home. Air travel seems to be a roll of the dice with the airlines playing musical chairs with one another and trying to cover the rising fuel costs by charging passengers extra for a second checked bag. Really, would you want to check a second bag when you know they are going to lose the first checked bag?

One thing you will want to consider this early in the planning stages is a camera. How is your camera doing that you have now? Don't wait a couple days prior to V-day to pull out the camera and check it over. Check it out now, especially if it is a film camera. If it's been in the back of the closet there are a few things that need to be done before taking it on your vacation. Remove the batteries and make sure they didn't leak into the battery chamber of the camera. If they did, the camera may still be salvageable. But a future blog will discuss how to perform cleaning, maintenance and storage of your camera. Most likely, buying a new camera, is your first choice at this point.

Now, if you are in the market for a new camera, where do you start? Well, the worst thing to do is have the salesperson tell you what you want. You know what you want; you just need a way to organize your thoughts. Here is where to start in that process...


First step should be: Get some paper and a pen. Write down what you liked with all the cameras you have owned or used. Spend a lot of thought with this. This list is for you to use in selecting your new camera.


Next you will start another list: Write down what you did not like with those cameras. If you are considering a digital and it is your first, here are a couple of things to consider:

Anti-shake, anti-vibration--This is a big deal. Even the pro, high end digitals are adding this feature. Lower priced cameras also have this feature. This is a must have feature for digital cameras today, especially if this will be your first.

Start up time. Biggest complaint with a digital camera is missing a picture because someone was waiting for the camera to "come on," "turn on," "warm up," whatever they may call it. By the time the camera is ready, the baby's first step is missed and all you can get is the 2nd, 3rd, 4th steps.

Type and size of battery the camera uses. It is best to purchase a camera that uses AA batteries. Those are available all over the world where there are stores. If you want the thin, "fit in your shirt pocket" camera, plan for the odd battery, specific for that camera and possibly just that model! And if you leave your charger at home... uh-oh.


Go to a store you are familiar with that sells cameras. DO NOT BUY a camera. The salesperson at a camera store will do everything in their power to make the sale at that moment, even lie if they have to. I know from experience about the "promises" list they begin to rattle off until they see you begin to soften up. A promise made to me on the first digital camera was not outrageous. When I was ready to step up to a more sophisticated camera, I went back to the camera store with the old camera I purchased from them. The salesperson said they would take the old camera as a trade in when I would be ready to move up. I dealt with the same saleperson and he looked at me like I was crazy when I said I wanted to trade the old one in. "We don't do trade-ins and never have."


Listen to the sales pitch, test out the camera and then go get a cup of coffee. DO NOT BUY. If you saw what you liked make note of the brand and model.


Then, check out the reviews of the camera you liked. You can go on line and search for the make and model, go to the camera manufacturer's website, and the best and most reliable review is from the consumer just like you who will tell it straight. Here, too, is where you can find out if the camera is a discontinued model or being discontinued. So if the saleperson says you are getting a great deal on a camera they want you to buy, do you consider a discontinued product a great deal?


In the process of checking reviews on line, you may have found a better price. You may save money not paying tax, but remember to consider the shipping and handling charges. Add up the camera price and shipping in comparison to purchasing the camera locally. Can you wait a day or two for the savings? I buy all my camera equipment through an online camera and video store which has been proven to be reliable and trustworthy. In the first year alone of switching to the online purchasing, I saved over $1,000 for gear and they even purchased my old camera and lenses! However, if you decide to purchase over the internet be aware there is something called a "gray market." Gray market equipment is meant to be sold outside the United States and here is what makes the price so attractive... no manufacturer's warranty comes with the purchase. A good article about the "gray market" alert is in the January 2008 issue of Popular Photography magazine. You may be able to read the article by going to the magazine's online site, http://www.popphoto.com/ and search for the editorial by John Owens, "Camera-Buyer Beware: How to tell a scam from a steal."


Buying a camera is a big discision today. Just like a new car, the minute you walk out the door with the camera, it's value drops quite a bit. Another thing, the digital market is still quite new and "finding itself" to please the customer. Digital cameras are obsolete in the matter of days of being released. Take for instance the line of Nikon's digital SLR cameras. They have jumped all over the place to get the consumer's attention... D100 to D70 to D50, D80, D200, and within a model there have been changes and releases and the same has been happening in their pro line of DSLRs. If you could follow the "point and shoot" camera's history, you would discover that market is a disaster.

Oh, and one more thing, if you can't find a model that has all the features you want, just wait a few days, it will be on the market...

An Ordinary Friday...NOT!

Every once in a while a day comes along when everything goes right. Last Friday was one of those days. I had to pinch myself to see if it were a dream.

Right off the bat, I’m standing by the window watching the birds at the feeders while drinking my morning cup of tea. There is a flash of red in front of my eyes. It’s hovering right there; “in my face” would be a more direct description. The moment every birder’s in the neighborhood have been waiting for—the hummingbirds have arrived! This beautiful Ruby-throated Hummingbird is at attention in front of the window. Each year this particular little fellow announces, “I have arrived” in this way. And then he flies around the window looking for human activity. I think he’s asking, “Where’s the feeder?”

Everything stops. I go flying out to the garage and retrieve the feeders, rinse them off, fill them with sugar water and out to their rightful “homes” the feeders are placed. It is within minutes the little fellow is back, as though conducting an inspection of the grounds, to make sure his orders has been carried out.

I raise Zebra Finch as a hobby. And about 2 weeks ago I got this picture of two babies two days after they hatched.

Today I glanced at the cage. The babies were bounding around the cage grooming themselves. It is always a joy to see the babies out in the world the first day.

Here they are... they look like twins! And the photo below is Beaker (Daddy) looking proudly on his chicks...

At lunch, sitting at the table and looking out at the backyard, an invasion, truly, an invasion of Rose Breasted Grosbeak occurs. Four beautiful males are on the pole feeder and two females are on two other feeders. I grab my camera and begin photographing these colorful birds. Hanging in this big window is our Canary, Maestro, who is singing his heart out as I shoot away. All of a sudden Maestro lets out a screech and jumps away from the window. A male Grosbeak has flown up and landed on the window ledge. He is within inches of my head. We both eye one another. He stays there for some time allowing many photos to be taken, up close and personal. They are such magnificent birds.
They are such magnificent birds.


Did I say... they are such magnificent birds!

It was a day of defending territory at the feeders and pond. The birds seem to be staking out their place. Bird fights could be seen wherever two or more were gathered. The pond was especially popular. Many birds were bathing. And everyone wanted this “one spot.”

The “Kissing Cardinals” were in the backyard so I could now get some good pictures when they “kissed.” That is a true love story all by itself. Another time for that story.

Watching a male cardinal taking a bath in the pond was hilarious. Maybe that should be phrased “trying to take a bath.” After three tries, flying away and returning he finally succeeded in getting wet and figuring out how to “bird bathe.” But there was a territorial battle to get “the bathing spot.” A sparrow was a pest and the cardinal challenged her a number of times for the bathing spot. The sparrow finally left (after getting her bath).

I've been trying to entice an Oriole to the feeders. Of all times for an Oriole to show up, right at the moment the cardinal had gotten the hang of this bathing thing. That was not a good time.

Then the female cardinal decided to bathe. When she flew to the pond she was interrupted by, of all birds, an Indigo Bunting! For the past two years I have been blessed with seeing this bird at the feeders; but it has visited just one day each year. And here he was… today of all days. And he was not going to be left out of the territorial battles.

No, it was not an ordinary day. After blowing the smoke off the camera and letting it cool down, last count of the number of pictures taken was a whopping 400+. It’s great to have a digital camera. Film-wise that would have been over 11 rolls of film to buy and develop. How much would that have cost? I don’t want to know. But with digital… you just hit delete on the pictures you don’t want. Why so many pictures? The territorial challenges and bathings are quite active and the best way to get “THE shot” is to hold down the shutter button and pray the picture you want is not the one between the two photos just taken.

All in all, it was a super day. The only picture not taken was that of the hummingbird. There will be ample time this summer. And I have a 4 Gigabyte flashcard in the camera and one in the case (oh yeah, high speed—300x).

This female cardinal has some parting words...

Even the "Bird Spa" is busy, #@$%%&*##.

A Palatable Pixel...

Periodically, a "Pixel Palate" will be posted as a little morsal for you to "chew on" and think about. Here is the first of many:



When you go on a vacation, you have spent much time preplanning and preparing. There has been research for the lowest priced airfare, hotels, places to see, events taking place and whatever else. You don't want to go fishing quite a distance from home, decide to stay overnight and discover there is "no room in the inn." That happened to my husband and I years ago when we lived in California. We decided to go fishing at an "interesting looking" lake on a map. We went fished and decided to stay overnight. When we started to search for a room, none were to be found... the innkeepers kept mumbling something about the Calaveras County Leaping Frog Contest (Mark Twain's short story on this event was one of his first writings to be published). To make a long story short, we ended upstairs above the bar in a room at the Black Bart Inn. We propped a chair against the door because there wasn't a lock. That was good because during the night someone tried to get in. Oh, and did I tell you, the sheets on the bed hadn't been changed?



Well back to the morsal... You are taking your camera and know what you want to take pictures of, right? If you are looking for the postcard view... buy the postcard! Yeh, we all want to top the postcard view... but... spend more film or memory card space capturing pictures of family, friends or other views that aren't on postcards. Don't try to duplicate what a postcard already has. You will spend valuable time on that mission and miss other great "memory" shots.



One more thing... you're on vacation... remember to remove the one-eyed silver box from in front of your face from time to time to see the "real time" views!

A Tongue Lashing

There are many times I've looked out my window and seen a squirrel sprawled out on a limb. The first time I saw such a sight, it appeared the squirrel had fallen out of the tree and hit the limb and was unconscious. People who have "habitated" with squirrels said they frequently take naps on tree limbs. The first picture I took of a squirrel "sleeping" on a tree limb was published in a calendar (the photo is in the "Published" Gallery on my website). Since the 1st photograph, I've seen many squirrels napping on many limbs on many trees in the yard. Would a squirrel ever fall off the limb while sleeping?

The past couple of days we have unseasonably warm days that have registered over 80 degrees on the thermometer. The leaves are just beginning to appear on the trees which makes it easy to spot all the little furry bodies draped across the limbs. This little fellow pictured below was "zoning in and out." You could see in his eyes that he was spacing it.

I was watching him to try and get a photo with his eyes closed when a bird flew up.

SIDEBAR: The best photo you take may not be the one you planned. When taking pictures with a digital camera, continue to take photos beyond what shot you want and you may get a "diamond in the rough." (I will share some of those in a later blog). Some of the most precious children's pictures were taken after the smile--many a grandma/grandpa will attest to that.

There is a soft place in my heart for birds, so I kept the camera "rolling." The next photo is the result of not putting the camera down too early.

The cardinal is looking directly at the squirrel who is glaring back at the cardinal. What makes it humorous is the squirrel has been startled awake by the bird landing right by him (notice the uplifted back leg of the squirrel). Next, the bird must be chirping quite loudly, which has caught the full attention of the squirrel. This sure could have a storyline, "Wake up you lazy squirrel."

There is a photograph hanging in my office which was taken after the photograph I planned to shoot. That photograph has placed 1st in a number of competitions. It also has received special recognition ribbons besides 1st place. The camera continued to "roll" after the planned shot. If you have a digital camera, you have the luxury of taking photos, reviewing what you have taken and deleting what you don't want... right on the spot. Since you can delete what you don't want, it is not costing you anything to shoot a few extra frames beyond the planned picture... who knows... you may have a photo of a lifetime... or at least that is what the rest of the family would say.

Peek-A-Boo 2 U

Some of you have seen the photo I've taken of the squirrel peeking around the stump of a tree. It looks as though he is playing a game of “Peek-a-boo.”

Yesterday’s photo day in the yard was very rewarding… another peek-a-boo photo was captured digitally… but the subject was not a squirrel. Of all subjects to be playing peek-a-boo—it was a bird; and of all the birds it was one of the bully birds—A Blue jay…



And in yesterday’s Humor Boomer I mentioned a hilarious photo of a squirrel in a precarious position…

I’m not sure what he was looking at but it sure had his interest. We will see that later yesterday, the squirrel got a good talking to because he just is too lazy… all he does is eats and sleeps and chases my dog… Susie. Stay tuned to see who gave him the “tongue lashing.”

A "Got-The-Shot" Day!

All the creatures in the backyard were a bit squirrelly this morning (even the squirrel—you gotta see the squirrel picture—it’s outrageous). I decided to check out the “south 40” and survey what was going on.

I was following Daddy (sparrow) around because he too was acting a little strange. While taking pictures this is one of the pictures that happened.

Honestly… you can’t have a bee come into a picture on cue and you can’t get a bird to look at the bee coming into the picture even if you could cue the bee.

This will go on the website as a GOT-THE-SHOT:

Oh, I found out why Daddy is acting strange…

Many new changes on the website. “Travel and Transportation” under “Stock Photography” is now “Candy for the eye” making that gallery not so dry anymore… check it out…

Eventful Friday

What an eventful day it was Friday. One earthquake at 5.2 on the “r” scale for the 1st one at 5-something in the a.m. and then the aftershock at around 11:15 a.m. was pretty nifty (or should I say “lifty”). Hope you didn’t have any damage, that is, those living here in the Hoosier state.

Well… for us that is a different story. Yes, we did have some earthquake damage. Well, actually, I should say Daddy and Momma (sparrow couple) were impacted by the earthquake. Their front porch, I mean perch, fell off!


All Momma could talk about was that Daddy decided NOT to get insurance when they moved in. The insurance seller was an old bird they both thought had shifty eyes. Why, he tried to sell them flood insurance! They were in a High Rise, of all things! Daddy just wanted wind, fire, water and earthquake coverage… but no it had to be a bundled deal or no deal. Well, they sent him packing… he just seemed like a seedy character anyway!
And now, here they were, no front perch and no insurance. It made for a difficult entry and exit. You literally had to “make a hole in one” coming in… and look out if the wind was blowing! And to leave… well that had to be done with a…


Flying Leap!
And, there would be no vacation this year. They had been socking away a stash of seeds behind the string, yarn, twigs and such. This was to have been used to pay the Chippers down the lane to watch their brood while they flew back for a short visit with family. But maybe it wasn’t to be, because the Chippers had a brood of their own. The Chippers who were Chipping Sparrows ended up being surrogates for some cowbirds who had pulled a “shell game” on the Chippers and now they had Cowbird eggs in with their own eggs. And the wrens on the next limb over were under the weather. They had gotten colds and so it would be wrong to ask them to watch their brood when they were “chilled wren” themselves.
So, it would be no vacation and use the seed to get someone to put a porch, I mean perch back on the front of the house. But who would be good at that? Mr. Downy the woodpecker would be good to pound the peg back in but he was down nursing a splinter in his bill. The cardinals were busy because the Pope was in the country. Maybe the finch would do in a pinch, but maybe not, since they drag in all that thistle seed. And the starlings, well they in no way are Darlings!
So Momma and Daddy lay down to take a nap. All of a sudden… another earthquake! The house was moving and spinning and rocking and then it would stop. Then there were lights and sounds of wood creaking and squeaking and then all of a sudden, just as sudden as it started… it ended.
Daddy peeked out to see what else may have fallen off the house… with that much swaying and moving who knows what might have happened. Walking away was the Bird lady who fills and cleans the feeders and birdbaths. What had she done? So out he hopped onto the perch to look… wait a minute… he hopped out onto the perch… it was back. Had the Bird lady found and put the perch back?

Well… it looks like not all heroes wear tights and a cape!


Hope you are enjoying the adventures of Momma and Daddy.
There have been updates to the website, even a new gallery in Stock Photographs called “Let Freedom Ring.” Please take a look… http://www.lindahoopesphoto-art.smugmug.com/

Look at the Bright Side

If it seems you're not having a good day…

It could be worse…

You could have a




BAD

FEATHER

DAY…




*This American Gold Finch is a male getting his summer plumage… This morning, he looks a little sad and lonely, but that will change very soon.

Don’t forget to enjoy the day…

Stubborn Strand of String

As in the Star Wars Trilogy I am going to take poetic license. (Doesn’t that sound impressive?) Since some of you are just dying to see Daddy’s bungee jump while trying to collect nesting material, below is the episode caught on film/digitally, whatever. Daddy was so kind to re-enact the whole thing again… NOT! (or should it be knot?)…
Here he is grabbing hold of the string to build his nest and pulling on the stubborn strand.

He tugs a little more…

And a little more….

And a little more…

He knows it is going to give, so just a little stronger tug will do the trick…
Well, maybe if I fly away with it in my mouth. Yeah, that will do it…

Woooo,

That didn’t work…

And now I have a wing ach…

Let me just drop down as I fly away…

Yeah, my weight and flying away will do it… it just has to…

TWANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so he goes off to strategize…

How about…This huge, humungous, supercalafragilisticexpealadoceous TUG…..

Did he get it?


What do you think?

T H U D!

@##&***@#@**#!!!

The Saga Continues

This morning had a beautiful beginning.

The sunrise was nice to see after so much rain.
I looked out the kitchen window and saw momma and daddy sparrow standing atop their happy abode.
Daddy sparrow seemed to be a serious conversation with momma… It was still dark and their home was in the shadows. What could the conversation be all about?

It turned out they had just fought off the attack of a starling. Fortunately, the entrance into their home is too small for the starling to pass through.

The eggs were safe. However, momma and daddy’s feathers were a bit ruffled. Both were standing guard over their nest to prevent another attempt by the starling.

As the sun warmed the abode momma and daddy looked at one another happy they now had the light of day to see their attacker in ample time if another attack were to happen.

In the meantime Daddy...

decided to pick up where they left off yesterday and began to bring more nesting material. Momma had a little to say about that… but let daddy in with his precious find… All was going well until something blocked the sun…






Under attack… AGAIN… Stay tuned for the continuing saga…




Don't forget to check my website. It is frequently updated and new galleries added…

http://www.lindahoopesphotography.com/

Spring has Sprung and Nesting has Begun!

About a year ago a sparrow couple moved into a birdhouse in my backyard. And they raised the cutest clutch of chicks! But while building the nest daddy sparrow gave momma sparrow a lot of frustrations. Apparently, she had to teach him how to build a nest and what a nest consisted of. One day, he showed up with an empty pack of cigarettes, well actually pieces, parts of the cigarette pack. She refused to let him into the birdhouse (smokefree birdhouse). The happy couple returned a few weeks ago and I knew it was only a matter of time before he would be out building a nest because there was a lot of excitement around the birdhouse and some days the two of them were so rambunctious that the birdhouse was literally spinning on the cord it is suspended from… (I think they are a VERY happy couple). Well, while taking pictures of squirrels and cardinals about 2 weeks ago, a stream of white passed across my viewfinder… low and behold here he comes again… this time with a streamer of toilet tissue… don’t ask me where he got it from! Once again momma stood guard at the front door and refused to let him in with THAT!

Today the saga continues on. Daddy sparrow found some string hanging out of another birdhouse in the backyard. He began to “extract” it and carry it over to his little abode. Momma had to inspect what it was he was now dragging into the house. This time it passed inspection and even she carried it into the house to fluff up the nest. But… it was a long time before he returned. She peeked out the door and saw him across the yard tugging at something. So she flew over to inspect the situation. Now here is what she discovered what he was up to.

She, of course, had to supervise the process of extracting the stubborn stuck string. I only wish I had been video taping this. For after he tugged and tugged at the string and she wagged her tongue over and over at him, she decided to fly down and get the job done right! Leave it to a woman to get the job done right… however I have the pictures all the way through to prove that she too, could not extract the string.

At one point Daddy sparrow thought he had it figured out and once again flew back to the stringy birdhouse. He grabbed the drooping string and flew off. Have you ever seen someone bungee jump? Well, yes that too, is captured in pictures. But it is a miracle any of this is captured in pictures for I was laughing so hard at times and the camera was moving way too much… but there are pictures to prove this did happen…

Isn’t nature so good to us? If we would only take a moment or two to pause and see the beauty and the humor. Pause and enjoy nature, it is here for our enjoyment (and yes... entertainment).

I cannot say postings will be daily… it depends on the “catch of the day” opportunities and the humor of nature. Sometimes postings may cover suggestions for photographing when you don't have the Wal-mart budget rather than the "limitless" budget of a Pro.

Oh, and check my website. It is constantly revised...

http://www.lindahoopesphotography.com/