Circle of Life, CrittersLeave a comment

Circle of Life: Dragonfly

bigbertha

I was in my garden and noticed a dead dragonfly on a stone.  Ants were busy ‘cleaning up’ the mess and there was a fly nearby.  Three hours later, I checked the carcass to see the ants’ progress.  Notice how the ants are gone. Notes about photos:   Date:  July 2007 Camera:  Sony DSC-H2 This post launches a new category:  Circle of Life.  Oh yes, I have more photos like these and have been waiting for the right outlet to show them.  So, either skip the category or prepare for some unusual photos. Continue reading Circle of Life: Dragonfly

People, Urban Settings1 Comment

Photographing Strangers

bigbertha

My friend Jeff Crump invited me on a photography adventure back in May 2013.  We went to a place I’ve wanted to photograph for awhile… the Greyhound Bus station. As we approached the bus station, there was a man that caught my eye.  He was perfect for my photos. Since I had Big Bertha… I thought I could easily and discreetly take his photo from a distance, hopefully without him noticing. Since I had Big Bertha… a very large camera you don’t see everyday, taking photos discreetly isn’t really an option.  The man noticed I was taking his picture. Since … Continue reading Photographing Strangers

Critters, Flowers4 Comments

Observe your surroundings

bigbertha

A few years ago a splurged and bought a Passion Flower vine.  It was the most expensive plant I had ever purchased. Soon after planting the vine, I noticed caterpillars were eating my prized vine.  Simple solution—I threw the caterpillars onto a nearby spider web for a ‘pet’ spider to eat. I decided to research the vine and learned the caterpillars are my friends.  It turns out they only eat the Passion Flower vine—and they eventually turn into pretty orange butterflies—known as the Gulf Fritillary butterfly.  I don’t end up with just a couple butterflies every year.  I end up … Continue reading Observe your surroundings

Flowers, Perspective2 Comments

Look for beauty in unexpected places.

bigbertha

Taking beauty shots of flowers in full bloom is always enjoyable.  I have hundreds of those shots.  Sometimes it can be frustrating to get those shots because EVERYONE is trying to get the same shot—and they are in my way.  But a good solution is to go for the shots that no one else sees.  Those are my favorite moments in a garden.  I feel like I have discovered something new—like these spent tulip petals that have fallen naturally on the ground. Notes about photo:  This photo was taken using Big Bertha (Canon EOS 5D Mark II) Continue reading Look for beauty in unexpected places.

Critters2 Comments

The butterflies taught me patience.

bigbertha

I used to almost exclusively take photos of butterflies, spiders and flowers.  I’ve developed a lot of other interests since those days but it was nature photography that helped me grow in confidence as a photographer.  After all, it takes some patience to photograph butterflies. This photo was taken back in 2005 at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens—one of my favorite places for nature photography.  I used a Sony DSC-V1.  This was the early days of my photography adventures before Big Bertha.  Remember that you don’t need an expensive camera to achieve good results. Continue reading The butterflies taught me patience.

Mushrooms As Art, Random Objects2 Comments

Mushrooms as Art

bigbertha

Five years ago I decided to have a botanical birthday, so I got in my car and drove 100 miles southeast of where I live to visit the Athens Botanical Gardens in Athens, TX.  That’s where I found reddish colored mushrooms—which I had never seen before and haven’t seen anywhere else.  It reminds me of the mushrooms in Super Mario Brothers. ————————————————————————————————————— This photo is part of an ongoing series of mushroom photos in my collection.  (I like to take photos of objects that most people overlook.) Notes about photo:  This photo was taken with a Sony DSC-H2– a great … Continue reading Mushrooms as Art