A view that never grows old

A view that never grows old.

 

Everyone has a “special place” and mine is the Tetons. I hate leaving them each time I visit and count the days until I return. Soon I will see them and spend time watching light dance off their faces. It is currently snowing on them, this image is from January, but the mountains will still have a nice coating of snow. The wildflowers are a little behind, but the wildlife is great, so our group of workshop participants will have great opportunities. I am looking forward to shooting the new Tamron 35-150mm Di VC OSD lens again while there. I received my lens the other day and it is part of my “Triple Threat” of Travel/Wildlife lenses that I will be carrying. Below is a link to the Unboxing Video and the Video on my “Triple Threat” of lenses. Take a few minutes if you can and check them out. I’ll hopefully do a few videos from out there and when I return.

 

Unboxing Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm55YYAvmSM

 

Triple Threat Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNCQ_EIp9Bs

 

Tamron 35-150mm f2.8-4 Di VC OSD lens on a Canon 5Diii, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 100, shutter speed of 1/25th, Sirui tripod, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #Tamron35150, #TamronImageMaster, #portraittravelzoom, #BearWoodsPhotography, #NatureInFocusPhotographyWorkshops

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Indigo Bunting serenade

Indigo Bunting serenade.

 

Yesterday I got together with Cecil Holmes, George Mraz and Rob LeRoux for a “planning session” for the upcoming trip to the Tetons. We had some logistics we wanted to work out. All of this could have easily been done over the phone, but it was more fun to get together and photograph in the backyard and down the road at Eagle’s Rest Park. After the “meeting” on the back porch, which mainly consisted of coffee and muffins, we went to Eagle’s Rest Park and were fortunate enough to get some great opportunities to photograph lots of birds but especially happy with the Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and the Indigo Bunting. The Indigo Buntings seemed to chase the other birds around if they got too close to their territory. It was great when they would take a break and sing a little for all to hear.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 720, shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second, handheld utilizing the Vibration Compensation feature of the lens, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #BirdNirdvana, #BirdPhotography, #BearWoodsPhotography

All you have to do is drop it!

All you have to do is drop it!

 

I really liked how the young Eastern Bluebird was trying to make it easy for the Dad by just standing below him with his mouth wide open. It was almost like he was just saying “drop it, I’ll catch it” The Dad finally did place it into the juvenile’s mouth. I was fortunate enough that they did this a couple of times while I watched.

 

A friend asked if I would talk briefly about diatomaceous earth, or DE. DE, more specifically food grade DE, is a powder(made from fossilized phytoplankton) I put inside the nestbox of Eastern Bluebirds, or other box nesters, when I clean out an old nest. The DE, and it needs to be food grade, will break up the waxy coating of parasites such as blowfly larvae that may be inside the nestbox. Bluebirds will begin building a new nest about a week or two after the first brood fledges. They will either build in a new location, or on top of the old nest. removing the old nest a day or so after they leave, then sprinkling on the DE, leaving it for a day, then brushing it out will kill any parasites in the box. Being food grade, it is literally edible and will not harm the birds if some is still inside. This can also be used on tomato plants or other vegetables if you are thinking of organic methods to treat your plants for insects.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 1600, shutter speed of 1/250th of a second, Fotopro E9 Eagle Series Tripod and Gimbal head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #FotoproUSA, #FotoproEagleSeries, #BirdPhotography, #BirdNirdvana, #BearWoodsPhotography

Under the Avalon Pier

Under the Avalon Pier.

 

Yesterday I posted an image from the sunny side of the pier and referenced shooting from under the pier. This is one of those images I captured. I set up to block out the sun hitting the front of the lens to control flare and exposure better, but I really liked the effect of the water swirling around the post as well. Working all aspects of the composition in front of you is always so important in the learning process whether you have been shooting one day or 40 years.

 

Tamron 17-35mm Di OSD lens on a Nikon Z6, Manual Exposure mode, f11, ISO 100, shutter speed of 30 seconds, Fotopro E9 Eagle Series Tripod and Gimbal head, Tiffen APEX 10 stop Neutral Density filter, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron1735, #FotoproUSA, #FotoproEagleSeries, #BearWoodsPhotography

Avalon Pier, the other side

Avalon Pier, from the other side.

 

When our class went out to the Avalon Pier in New Jersey last Friday, we started on the “downside” of the pier to get color in the sky. As the sun rose and lit the pier, we switched sides and shot from the “upside” for light on the pier. I added a 10 stop Neutral Density filter to smooth the waves and create a nice reflection as well. After I captured the images I wanted from this side, I went under the pier and did more compositions. I always emphasize working a scene completely, but this group didn’t need much guidance or encouragement to work the scene, they were all over it!!! A great group!

 

Tamron 17-35mm Di OSD lens on a Nikon Z6, Manual Exposure mode, f11, ISO 100, shutter speed of 30 seconds, Tiffen APEX 10 stop ND filter, Fotopro E9 Eagle Series tripod and gimbal head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron1735, #MARSSchool, #FotoproUSA, #FotoproEagleSeries, #BearWoodsPhotography

House Hunting

House Hunting.

 

Not us, the Eastern Bluebirds. While we were in Cape May, NJ, our first set of Eastern Bluebirds fledged and are in the woods behind the house. It has been about a week and Mom is trying to decide if she wants to build in the same house or the one behind the garage. She appears to be leaning toward the one behind the garage at this time. That would seem to be the pattern for all the previous 2nd clutches here, even with the previous set of Bluebirds. I see her moving lots of grass and stuff in, but then a little while later she will put something in the original house in the backyard. In the meantime I see Dad grabbing mealworms and insects and flying up to begging fledglings in the trees. Mom does make the occasional trip up as well, but she is mainly just house hunting. She is a beauty, especially in this light.

 

Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC USD G2 lens on a Canon M50 via the Canon adapter, Manual Exposure mode, f8, ISO 200, shutter speed of 1/125th of a second, Fotopro E6 Eagle Series Tripod and Gimbal head, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron150600g2, #FotoproUSA, #FotoproEagleSeries, #BirdPhotography, #BirdNirdvana, #BearWoodsPhotography

Flower head

Flower head.

 

I’m not really sure what kind of flower it is, but I’m guessing it grows from a bulb. It was in a vegetable garden at Beach Plum Farm in Cape May, NJ. I framed it against 3 rows of lettuce, 2 green and one purple. I thought by framing it this way, it created a repetition of color in the flower. Placing it against the purple lettuce gave it some separation and made it stand out a little more.

 

I have to take a minute and tell you about Beach Plum Farm. It is a farm to market to table farm and the food is incredible, the people there even better. I have had breakfast there a couple of times and their egg sandwich is second to none. When I finished my breakfast, I asked the staff there if I could bring my class out one day that week to photograph their farm. I left my information and heard back from them a few days later giving us permission to come out and shoot. They were closed during the week, but made the exception and allowed us to come out. The class loved it and we captured many images. I highly recommend going there if you are ever in Cape May.

 

Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 Di VC USD 1:1 Macro lens on a Nikon D-500, Manual Exposure mode, f4, ISO 100, shutter speed of 1/400th of a second, handheld utilizing the Vibration Compensation feature of the lens, processed in Lightroom Classic CC. #WithMyTamron, #Tamron, #TamronUSA, #TamronLensesUSA, #TamronImageMaster, #Tamron90Macro, #BearWoodsPhotography, #BeachPlumFarm