Just having fun trying out my new "prime" lens (Canon 50mm), by shooting photos in my rose garden. | | This is one of my best (and hey, it even has a nice "bokeh"). I believe that part of the reason for the nice "bokeh" is the fact that my lens has eight diaphragm blades (some have less). | | I also shot many photos at another Rose Garden. All of them where great photos, but none could compare to this one. | | In this rose, the red, white and pink colors focus on the center, yellow colors (I'm sorry, but it just doesn't get much better than this). | | After doing more research about my lens, I found out that this photo would have been sharper at f/4.0 (or above) on the edges (fortunately the subject of my photo is mostly in the center). I guess I just got lucky. | | Hope you like it. | | Camera settings: 1/1000, Aperture priority, f/2.2, ISO 100, 50 mm (80 mm actual) rose flower beautiful Hey, Nice Bokeh
This Rhinoceros was so tired that he decided to become "one with the rock". | | Shot RAW (digital negative) with a Canon EOS Digtal Rebel XTi, and Canon 70-200mm f/4.0L USM lens, a B&W UV MRC (Multi Reflective Coated) Filter attached. | | My camera and lens were mounted on a Giottos MM 9180 5-Section Pro Monopod with a Giottos MH-1301 Pro Series II Ballhead with a MH-656 Arca Swiss Quick Release attached, using a remote shutter release (with mirror lockup) to avoid camera shake. | | Camera Settings: Aperture Priority, F-Stop: f/5.6, ISO Speed Rating: 100, Focal Length: 100.0mm (within the "sweet spot" of my lens), Shutter Speed: 1/500 sec. | | Image was manipulated using Adobe Photoshop CS2 with the Camera Raw v4.2 plug-in rhino rhinoceros big Rockin' Rhino
The California Condor is a prehistoric bird that is almost extinct (there are 78 left). | | At one time they fed on the Mastodon (giving them almost unlimited supplies of food). The last Mastodon died around 10,000 years ago. | | In 2003, the skeletal remains of this Mastodon where discovered 200 miles South of the California/Mexico border. Photos were strictly forbidden. | | However, because of my humanitarian efforts in Mexico, and because of my relationship with the Mexican government, I was allowed to take this photo. | | This 10 - 30,000 year-old skeleton eventually ended up at the Museum of Anthropology in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico mastodon skeleton anthropology Ancient Elephant
This photo was shot of a very active monkey. To just make the effort, presented many challenges. | | One challenge was shooting through a fence. In an attempt to overcome this "challenge", I opened up the aperture on my lens as far as possible (to make the fence almost invisible). | | Another challenge was the weather. Because the weather was overcast, I had to kick up the ISO to 400, to reduce the shutter speed in order to capture a very active subject. | | (I believed this to be OK, as all of my research has shown that my camera, a Canon Digital Rebel XTi, can shoot at this ISO without noticeable grain.) | | Another challenge was "camera shake" (I do not own an IS lens - yet). However, even at ISO 400, the shutter speed was almost half of what it should have been to avoid camera shake (it was shot at 1/125 of a second, and needed to be shot at at least 1/320 of a second, using the rule of the reciprocal of my lens). | | Thus, I had to use a tripod. | | Another challenge was the distance between me and the monkey. To "reach out and touch" this animal, I had to shoot with a lens using an actual focal length of 320 mm. | | I believe this to be an example of difficult zoo photography, and what is possible with a little patience. This photo is not perfect, but I like it (only because I feel this monkey is a beautiful animal), hope you like it also primate monkey mammal Monkey Shines
Do you know why some professional photographers wear jeans when they are shooting outdoors? | | I believe they do this because they might want to get on their knees while shooting a photo (on one of my recent photo shoots, I seriously considered wearing knee pads). | | Why? Well, most photos are shot at eye-level (about 5 feet). If you want to shoot at a different POV (Point Of View), you need to get lower, or higher (maybe even find a ladder). | | This Church is a California landmark. It is located on "Church Road", in Campo, California (on an Indian Reservation). | | I shot it "on my knees" in order to get a different POV. This photo was shot just before Easter of 2007. Hope you like it. | | I like this photo because I can imagine someone (maybe decades ago) ringing the bell in front of this Church to let people know that it was time to attend. | | Also, I felt it was very appropriate for me to get "on my knees" to shoot a photo of this Church around Easter time. | | Yes, there is a fair amount of "keystoning" in this photo which I like and feel is appropriate, however if you don't like it, you can easily correct it in Photoshop CS2 church old church Old Church
The mammals of the genus "Loxodonta", often known collectively as African elephants, are currently found in 37 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. | | African elephants are distinguished from Asian elephants in several ways. The most noticeable difference is the ears. | | The large flapping ears of an elephant are very important for temperature regulation. Elephant ears are made of a very thin layer of skin stretched over cartilage and a rich network of blood vessels. | | On hot days, elephants will flap their ears constantly, creating a slight breeze. This breeze cools the surface blood vessels, and then the cooler blood gets circulated to the rest of the animal's body. The hot blood entering the ears can be cooled as much as ten degrees Fahrenheit before returning to the body. | | Differences in the ear sizes of African and Asian elephants can be explained, in part, by their geographical distribution. Africans originated and stayed near the equator, where it is warmer. Therefore, they have bigger ears. Asians live farther north, in slightly cooler climates, and thus have smaller ears. | | If you would like to know more, just click on the other photos in my "African Elephant" series Elephant Elephantidae Pachyderm African Elephant
This Boy lives in Guadalajara, Mexico, in an area called Cerros de Quatros (Hill of the Four), a mountain in the middle of a city of 10 million people, the top of which is where the antenna for the Channel 4 Television Station is located. He is one of Mexico's many orphaned children ninya mexican boy Mexican Boy
Alaskan snow crab legs with drawn butter and lemon wedges. Sweet and succulent crab crab legs Alaskan Snow Crab
Magnificent bird! | | Shot RAW (digital negative) with a Canon EOS Digtal Rebel XTi, and Canon 70-200mm f/4.0L USM lens, a B&W UV MRC (Multi Reflective Coated) Filter attached. | | My camera and lens were mounted on a Giottos MM 9180 5-Section Pro Monopod with a Giottos MH-1301 Pro Series II Ballhead with a MH-656 Arca Swiss Quick Release attached, using a remote shutter release (with mirror lockup) to avoid camera shake. | | Camera Settings: Aperture Priority, F-Stop: f/4.0, ISO Speed Rating: 100, Focal Length: 131.0mm (the upper limit of the "sweet spot" of my lens), Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec. | | Image was manipulated using Adobe Photoshop CS2 with the Camera Raw v4.2 plug-in. | | Note: This photo was shot within what I call the "sweet zone" of my lens: 70 to 135mm, f/4.0 to f/11. | | Hope you like my "White Heron 1" (1 of maybe 4) heron bird white White Heron 1
This was shot from the fifth floor of the Hotel Del Coronado, through the palm trees and across the main courtyard towards the main tower. I believe it to be a unique perspective. The "Hotel Del" is my all time favorite hotel (hands down). This is where the classic movie "Some Like It Hot", starring Marilyn Monroe was filmed hotel classic palm Hotel Del
In 1890, an English company (Lower California Development) established a harbor, built a flour mill near the town of San Quintin, Mexico, and started construction of a railroad to Enseñada. | | The investment soon failed due to drought that ruined the wheat planting. The "Old Mill" is all that remains of the attempt. | | Currently, the biggest commerce in the area of "Bahia San Quintin" (San Quintin Bay) is sport fishing fishing boat bay Old Mill
A group of Flamingos is called a "pat" or a colony. | | Flamingos are gregarious wading birds in the genus "Phoenicopterus" and family "Phoenicopteridae". They are found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, but are more numerous in the latter. | | This photo is of Caribbean Flamingos. | | The Caribbean Flamingo breeds in the Galapagos Islands, coastal Colombia and Venezuela and nearby islands, the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, and in the northern Caribbean in the Bahamas, Hispaniola, Cuba and Turks and Caicos flamingo bird feathers Flamingo Colony