Thanks to Rondec for maintaining this fine PF tradition, and to all who've shared their photos. I find it hugely enjoyable and inspirational to see so much skill, diversity and beauty. It's awesome in the old sense.
No extended travel for me in 2018, so all these shots are from close to home (in rural Victoria, Australia). The theme is nature in Gippsland.
1. This image and the next two are of our resident Grey Shrike-Thrush (a type of whistler) who have been like family for 5 years. This is Romola accepting a handout of scrambled egg. I was holding the spoon in my left hand and shooting with my right, with the K-S2 and DA 18-135.
2. Romola feeding one of her chicks, who was hatched in our shed. The chick is fluttering in anticipation. Two hands required for this shot, with the K-3 and FA*300 f4.5.
3. This is Orlando, Romola's mate. He himself was hatched in our shed in 2013. Extra poignancy and great sadness with this one, as Orlando contracted an infection and died in September. K-3 and FA*300.
4. Sunrise over Corner Inlet and Wilson's Promontory. K-S2 and DA 18-135.
5. A storm rolling in. K-3 and DA 55-300 PLM (multiple images stitched)
6. Humpback breaching off Cape Woolamai, during a whale watching cruise from Phillip Island in June. I've been on maybe a dozen such cruises, but this was a first. Fortunately I had the 55-300 PLM (on the K-3), with its lightning fast AF, to capture it.
7. Forest boronia flowering in Bunyip State Park. K-3 and DA 20-40 Ltd.
8. Not a bee but a hover fly. Foster Flora Reserve. K-S2 and DFA 100 macro. This was another one-handed shot, as I held the flash and diffuser in my left hand and the camera in my right.
9. Imperial White Butterfly on a flowering gum in our driveway. K-3 and FA*300.
10. More parrot visitors to our place in 2018 than ever. This is a Little Corella. K-3 and FA*300.
Happy shooting to everyone in 2019.