I remember taking photos of this butterfly at the Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens. It was near the rose garden and the corridor where the wisteria grows. Technically I wasn’t chasing the butterfly but I was carefully stalking it. It’s not … Continue reading Black Swallowtail Butterfly
Before leaving for work one morning, I noticed a dead bird in my front porch. I suspect a neighborhood cat might have been the culprit. I did what every responsible home owner would do—I removed the bird from my porch using a broom and dustpan. Now the story takes a turn… Instinctively, a dead bird is gross. But for some reason I also thought it was fascinating. So I decided to have a Dead Bird Photo Shoot that evening. I took the bird to the back porch and set up one of my box lights outside. To get good angles … Continue reading Circle of Life: Bird
I consider it a good day when I take at least 200-400 photos. The flip side of this—at last count, I have over 100,000 photos. I’ve gone through multiple laptops and hard drives. There are photos I clearly remember taking even if they are years ago. Others—like this shot—I feel like I have seen for the first time today. Based on my filing system, it was taken at the Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens. The butterfly is on a plant known as salvia—or scarlet sage. Tips: Don’t wait until you reach over 100,000 photos to start sharing them with others. Hoarding … Continue reading Long lost butterfly
No, I guess there’s no such thing as a miniature flying dinosaur and if there was, it wouldn’t be in my garden. But this bug certainly looks like it could be a miniature dinosaur… or maybe a bug that would fight in the Roman Colosseum. These are photos of a Wheel Bug from a few years ago—and if I remember correctly—it accidentally flew into me in the garden. I also remember hearing it buzzing around—which my research confirms—they tend to be noisy. Despite its unusual looking armor, it’s a friend in the garden. It eats caterpillars among other pests. Based … Continue reading Is that a Miniature Flying Dinosaur in the Garden?
In trying to select the next set of photos to share I came upon a stash of photos that are among my favorites. I’m surprised it has taken me several weeks to realize I need to start an obvious new … Continue reading Seize the cookie!
Jeff Crump handed me a bag with a random object to photograph. Jeff: “I added a new battery.” I took the bag home, prepared the studio and took the object out of the bag. Denise: “What did I get myself into?” I knew Jeff made the item and it was impressive. It has a power switch to turn lights on. Over a hundred photos later I decided I had enough material. I downloaded the photos but concluded I needed more photos…. Then I thought it would be a good idea to do some research. If you’re a fan of Iron … Continue reading Random Object Wednesday: I had no idea what I was photographing
This was an exciting find in my garden. At first glance it looks like a dried leaf but it’s a type of moth known as the Achemon Sphinx Moth. The main reason I enjoy gardening is having the opportunity to … Continue reading Looks can be deceiving
This is one of my favorite photos because it was such an unexpected find. I was quietly observing my surroundings at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, in McKinney, TX. I heard some noise and noticed this frog. The best part of the photo are the frog legs you can just barely see in the murky pond water. Camera: Sony DSC-H2 Date: July 2008 Continue reading Frog Legs!
I’ve never thought about snails—other than I assumed I don’t like them in my garden. However, these snails caught my attention because they were eating a spent bloom from my Rose of Sharon shrub in the backyard. This photo is … Continue reading Circle of Life: Rose of Sharon
big bertha's adventures 