Posts in Category: afternoon light
Maine! Most Purple!
Purple Finch: York County, Maine, USA, April 2024 — Even though I am skipping over many memorable photos from the extended neighborhood here in Southern Maine from the last few days (and weeks), I feel it is only fair to celebrate the most purple of Purple Finches who came and posed so nicely in the late day, last of the sun, in the backyard, just before supper time. I have been waiting for the male Purples to arrive, and for an opportunity to photograph them away from the feeders. Only fair to share. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 1600mm equivalent (using the 2x digital tele-converter in the camera body). Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos. (And no, this is not an exaggeration. In the soft sun of early evening in the spring, the Purple Finches, or at least this Purple Finch, do (does) look that purple 🙂
Maine! More Red-bellied
Red-bellied Woodpecker: York County, Maine, USA, April 2024 — When you shoot at 15 frames per second you get a lot of different looks at even as active a bird as the Red-bellied Woodpecker. Here are 4 more, after yesterday’s tippy-toe pose. OM System OM-1Mkii with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Florida! Last shots
Great Egret: Blackpoint Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — These are the last two shots I took on my first full day in Florida in January, on my second loop around Blackpoint Drive. Late afternoon. The Egret was fairly close, along the road, and I could not resist. OM System OM-1 with 100-400IS zoom at 506mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -0.7 EV. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Handsome
Wood Stork: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — The Wood Stork is not, to my eye, beautiful…but it is certainly handsome. I will never forget my first encounter with one after a long hike in Georgia, but they are common along Blackpoint Drive these days. This one was very close to the road and totally unconcerned as I walked up for some photos. OM System OM-1 with 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Pretty duck
Mallard: York County, Maine, USA, March 2024 — Yes I know it is only a Mallard, but I like the colors, the reflections, the patterns in the water as the duck swims…and just the whole light thing going on here 🙂 Right place. Right time. OM System OM-1Mkii with 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bluebird attitude
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — I am amazed at the number of Bluebirds I see around home and around town, and on my walks further afield. I know of at least 20 nesting pairs wintering over just in the limited area I frequent, generally with last year’s young still hanging around. Quite a change in the going on 40 years we have lived here. However other species are faring with habitat reduction and climate change, the Bluebirds seem to be doing well. And they are always so interesting to watch. Such attitude for a small bird. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — Another shot from my afternoon session with the hummingbirds on the back deck. We have had Eastern Bluebirds year-round for the past 6 years. Before than, none, but when a pair moved into a nesting box a yard over from us, they came to stay, and they have raised at lest two broods each year since. They will disappear for a week or two from time to time, but they are with us every season. I keep the mealworm feeder full just for them. Beautiful afternoon light and a very cooperative bird make for a nice portrait. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 5000 @ f6.3 @ 1/1250 (I had the shutter speed bumped up for the hummingbirds 🙂
Bronze Sunbird
Bronze Sunbird: Chimpanzee Forest Lodge, Kibale National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Another of the many species of sunbirds we found on the grounds of Chimpanzee Forest Lodge. The Bronze Sunbird is unmistakable, with its long tail, rich bronze color, bright iridescent green head, and long down-curved bill. It is a common bird of the mid-elevation foothill forests in every country in East Africa, and is found all across southern Uganda. Sony Rx10iv at 580mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Dog edition: Black-backed Jackal
We were still on our way to the lodge in Murchinson Falls National Park when we spotted a Black-backed Jackal crossing the road behind us. It was in and out of deep grass and hard to photograph, but not much further on we stopped for antilope and found what was probably its mate enjoying the late day sun in the grass much nearer the road. These are of course, from the northern, East African population of Jackals, far removed from the South African population that hunts similar savannahs. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent (the first shot considerably enlarged in post processing). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 500 and 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus 1.3EV.
Pileated Surprise!
Pileated Woodpecker: Roger’s Pond Park, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I have determined to walk 2-3 miles a day between now and my photo trip to Costa Rica the end of the month…hoping to rebuild the stamina I lost due to my broken wrist over the summer. I will need it during my two weeks in the rainforests and mountains of Costa Rica. Yesterday I walked to Roger’s Pond, hoping to find the flock of Cedar Waxwings in the ornamental cherry trees, or perhaps the flock of Bluebirds that is assembling and has been seen various places around Kennebunk in the past week. I did not see either. I did get to see this Pileated Woodpecker! A nice bright male in all his glory. I heard him calling as he flew in and landed right overhead…high overhead, but still. I got off a series of shots as he climbed higher up the trunk, and then he paused to call right at the top, against the sky, and I just held the shutter button down and hoped for the best. These are the best I got. I would have like him closer, but, with today’s post-processing tools, you can stretch your lens and shrink the distance by using artificial intelligence or machine learning routines to enlarge the image, then crop for the equivalent of, in this case, maybe a 2400mm lens field of view. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent optical zoom. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. +.3 EV to balance the sky. Processed in Polarr, Pixelmator Pro Photo, and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4.5 @ 1/1000th. Assembled in FrameMagic.