[WPRESTO]

Taken last winter in a wildlife management area where we walk Tralee regularly. It's possibly our favorite place as there are numerous trails and a nice mix of open field/meadows, woodlands, a couple lakes, swampy areas, some hills, whatever suits our mood.We generally stay out during hunting season, ceding all of it to the sportsmen.

Attached Images

 

[paulh]

Late November dogwalk:

[taks]

some more cityscapes in the morning

[paulh]

Kids walking home from school for Christmas Break. The creek bridge is seen in the background:

[WPRESTO]

Snowy field from this morning

[jacamar]

A lot of my bird pics have come from this park. In fact there was a Snowy Owl on the boat docks in the distance in the second shot - a bit too far for a decent shot.

[taks]

A lot of my bird pics have come from this park. In fact there was a Snowy Owl on the boat docks in the distance in the second shot - a bit too far for a decent shot.

Love that first shot But how do you keep your hands and camera from freezing? I am cold just by looking at all the ice

Two joggers passed right in front of the camera during this exposure...Turned out to be my favorite from the day

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Last edited by taks; 01-19-2018 at 01:49 PM.

[jacamar]

Love that first shot But how do you keep your hands and camera from freezing? I am cold just by looking at all the ice

Thanks taks - it was about -7C (about 20F) when I took those shots, which felt pretty good compared with -19C a few weeks ago. It was actually a very enjoyable walk. I have taken pics with my gloves on but I worry about dropping the camera as I can't wrap my fingers around the grip properly. Usually I take my gloves off to take the shots then clip the camera back onto my belt and warm up again. I should try some of those disposable hand warming pads.
My DA*16-50mm lens has been a bit slow to focus lately and I've been resorting to manual - that may be the cold or lack of contrast on the snow and ice with single point focus. Batteries don't last as long in the cold but I keep a spare in an inside pocket just in case.
So far I haven't had any trouble with fogging. The car is pretty cold by the time we get back to it and I suppose it warms up gradually enough to prevent that.
If Normhead is reading this he's probably chuckling a bit - he's only about 3 hours' drive north of where I am but it's much colder up there.

[Des]

Taken last winter in a wildlife management area where we walk Tralee regularly. It's possibly our favorite place as there are numerous trails and a nice mix of open field/meadows, woodlands, a couple lakes, swampy areas, some hills, whatever suits our mood.We generally stay out during hunting season, ceding all of it to the sportsmen.

The wildlife gets "managed" by or for the "sportsmen". Similar euphemisms are used here too. One minute the beautiful, gentle, Australian wood duck is quietly going about its business in a conservation reserve for native fauna; then suddenly, one day in March, it's "game" and liable to be shot for "sport". Then in June, if it survives, it's a protected native bird again. During that period public "reserves" are reserved not for the wildlife or those who value them but for the "sportsmen" (and it always is men); they are no-go war zones for everyone else.

Thanks taks - it was about -7C (about 20F) when I took those shots, which felt pretty good compared with -19C a few weeks ago. It was actually a very enjoyable walk. I have taken pics with my gloves on but I worry about dropping the camera as I can't wrap my fingers around the grip properly. Usually I take my gloves off to take the shots then clip the camera back onto my belt and warm up again. I should try some of those disposable hand warming pads. My DA*16-50mm lens has been a bit slow to focus lately and I've been resorting to manual - that may be the cold or lack of contrast on the snow and ice with single point focus. Batteries don't last as long in the cold but I keep a spare in an inside pocket just in case. So far I haven't had any trouble with fogging. The car is pretty cold by the time we get back to it and I suppose it warms up gradually enough to prevent that. If Normhead is reading this he's probably chuckling a bit - he's only about 3 hours' drive north of where I am but it's much colder up there.

Hard to imagine when it's over 40C, as it has been here for the last two days.

[taks]

felt pretty good compared with -19C

Hard to imagine when it's over 40C

I am being spoiled with the 10C weather here

[WPRESTO]

The wildlife gets "managed" by or for the "sportsmen". Similar euphemisms are used here too. One minute the beautiful, gentle, Australian wood duck is quietly going about its business in a conservation reserve for native fauna; then suddenly, one day in March, it's "game" and liable to be shot for "sport". Then in June, if it survives, it's a protected native bird again. During that period public "reserves" are reserved not for the wildlife or those who value them but for the "sportsmen" (and it always is men); they are no-go war zones for everyone else..

I used to tell students in my ecology class that the operative term for all human interaction with nature is "management." Busy little monkeys that we are, we cannot keep our hands off anything. Arrogant as we are, once thinking that we were at the center of all creation and that everything was made for us, we assume that although wildlife got along for over 500 million years without our help, we can "manage" it better.

I have mixed feelings about "sportsmen." On the one hand, throughout the majority of the USA hunting is an archaic pastime that is little more than an excuse to kill something and that has no excuse to be perpetuated. On the other hand, hunters, fishermen etc. contribute far, far more money to conservation, land preservation etc. than nature lovers, hikers, bird watchers etc. So we have that wildlife area pretty much free of human predators for ten months plus Sundays. I don't mind ceding it to the hunters six days a week for two months because without them it would probably become a tract housing development, maybe with a McDonald's or Burger King. Live and let kill.

[Des]

I don't mind ceding it to the hunters six days a week for two months because without them it would probably become a tract housing development, maybe with a McDonald's or Burger King. Live and let kill.

Pity if they are the only alternatives!

I am being spoiled with the 10C weather here

Maybe Seattle doesn't get sufficient acclaim for its temperate climate. :-)

[paulh]

From September with a Super Tak 28/3.5 on *ist D (xposted)


at the creek in November: - Canon SD1100 p&s:

[WPRESTO]

Local town common a few days back. The Civil War Memorial disappears amid the clutter of background trees. It's the gray column almost dead center, with a Civil War soldier at the top.

[taks]

Maybe Seattle doesn't get sufficient acclaim for its temperate climate. :-)

Seattle is known for being gray... and I guess its shades of about 50