Originally posted by BretW Welcome! I'm new here too.
I find what you have conveyed is powerful. I have no memory issues myself, but I resonate with your story at many levels, even with respect to memory. A picture can add dimension to memory--if you have the technical ability to figure out the puzzles involved. And the puzzles are often fun ones.
I'm also a biologist (though not an entomologist. I'm a theoretical evolutionary biologist with a passion for tropical rain forest), and I just last week moved from Canon to a K3 18-135, AF-360FGZ Flash and am going to pick up the 100 Marco WR next. Just like you, Weather sealing was a/the decisive factor, though now having shot the K3, I'm discovering the many other charms of the Pentax worldview, and the K3 in particular. Even the 18-135 WR is a surprisingly charming little lens, if you recognise its limits.
My intro was here:
Why I left Canon for a K3
with the meat of my story at post #14. But more interesting than what I wrote were the excellent replies I got from seasoned Pentaxians. Probably worth a look.
I also found this other interesting site through the Pentax forums:
Extreme Macro
That one has me thinking about reversing old enlarger lenses and things. Didn't know that the parts existed to make that so easy, nor that it would be a good thing to do. But now I do.
What is your specialty in entomology?
That's exactly it! It's a puzzle. They can be as simple as the direction of someone's stare, and that can invoke the images of what they were watching at the time, and how that made them feel. It's so much to be conveyed that makes it a thing of beauty and very powerful.
I read your thread and I have to say, I'm quite jealous that you've been able to go to Madagascar! That must've been an experience. Also, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who finds the idea that Pentax weather seals their camera bodies as a high bonus point. Not to mention the no low pass filter. With my Nikon I was always either overly concerned or frustrated being limited in weather, and the times I did attempt a "weather proofing" (read. plastic bags) it did not at all assuage my concern. I really enjoy working around streams and bodies of water, the sheer amount of biodiversity leaves something always to be discovered. However, I also live very near many deserts and such, so dust and sand are a big problem.
I'm currently to begin working on a tri-trophic databasing grant with Hemipterans (large families, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Rosaceae are primary concern). I'll also be looking into their parasitic Hymenopteran interactions (specifically Chalcidoidea). Assuming all goes to plan that is.
Prior to following the path of Entomology I was very nearly persuaded by my mentor to pursue historical biology, or paleo-bio if I wouldn't go for that.
Thank you for the links, I haven't gotten a chance to look into them as of yet - though I'm certain I will in the next day or two.
I'm surprised at what a warm reception I've met here.
Originally posted by TER-OR Gotta be the citizen scientist here...
Contribute to
Lost Ladybug Project if you find native ladybugs. Some are really tiny.
Also, if you're in Illinois (eventually surrounding states) to
Welcome to BeeSpotter!, BeeSpotter, University of Illinois for bumblebees and honeybees.
I've documented 10 species of bumblebees in my back yard - several rare. One not documented in Illinois in many decades. Then again, unless someone looks, no one knows....
Originally posted by Ash Good stuff, and good to have you here. Hope you continue to enjoy the forum. Look forward to seeing some of your arachnids.
I will most certainly look into the Coccinellidae project.
Unfortunately I'm not located in Illinois.
However, a former classmate of mine somewhat recently documented Mecopterans living in a valley in California where they were not known to occur previously. So yes indeed, unless someone looks, who knows!
Most recently I've been taking pictures of a friends' pet reptiles, so unfortunately I haven't made all that many arachnid shots. However, I do plan on getting out there and getting some good Lycosidae pictures as they're fairly plentiful. Once the weather begins to be favorable again.
Originally posted by BretW Oops. Didn't notice you mentioned arachnids, odonates and hemipterans (aproximately spiders, dragonflies and 'true bugs', to all you normal folk). All really cool photographic subjects.
It was tempting just to say "hemipterans suck" and leave it at that, but others here might assume I was being a jerk.
Those are primarily my interest as photographing goes. For the most part they're cooperative individuals, and I really enjoy them ecologically.
Ha - they certainly do! I always like using the old joke, "I've tasted Honeydew - it's sweet, and it even has a pleasant taste. It's literally good ****." Always gets people.
Unfortunately I'm unsure of when I'll be receiving my K-3 package. My shipment was supposed to arrive today. However, it never did. Upon inspection of the tracking number and shipment progress I observed three notifications. The first was there was a "Late Trailer", the second was the shipment had an updated delivery date, and the third is that there is an "Exception" placed on all packages.
I was somewhat disappointed with this turn of events, and I'm not really sure what exactly I should do (if anything). Exceptions on every sinlge package (3 of them) unnerves me.