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Forum: Lens Clubs
07-20-2020, 10:16 PM
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MossyRocks,
Thank you. She will be delighted. She teaches Physics and Math. The Fall semester won't begin until around the third week of August. She is currently teaching Statistics this summer via distance learning through the university system. Looks like her Fall classes will be the same style. She is starting to set up units for the Fall classes next week. She probably won't get into that course for a couple weeks. I will check with her as to about when she could use the image. Let's PM each other and I can get you in touch with her. Once again, thank you.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
07-20-2020, 12:51 PM
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Mossyrocks,
I showed your Andromeda M31 image to my daughter. She is an Astrophysicist lecturer associated with Penn State. She really liked it and said she doesn't see a lot of visible spectra shots that good and "its pretty cool". She wants me to ask you if she can show it to her Astrophysics class this Fall to demonstrate that you don't have to have access to an observatory to see great images in your observations. It takes a lot of talent to photograph it, but regular citizens can be astronomers. She will give proper attributes if you allow her to show it.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-30-2020, 10:00 AM
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Tim60,
That is good to hear. Any natural flora and fauna that can re-establish will give the region a chance to recover to some resemblance of what was there. The only constant in the history of the earth is change and the universe also. The western fires in the USA, these in Australia, and other location remind us of how dynamic they are and how small we are as individuals.
Best wishes to those folks in NSW and other affected areas in Australia.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-29-2020, 03:19 PM
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Norm,
Nice shots with the Tamron 300 2.8 and teleconverter. I missed what happened to your shoulder....surgery? Hope you heal quickly so you can take photos, bike, and paddle canoes soon. Enjoy your shots of that beautiful region up there.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-28-2020, 11:29 AM
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Sivakumar,
Beautiful shot of the falcons. They have their eyes on something!
JB
---------- Post added 01-28-2020 at 01:33 PM ----------
Ducatigaz,
You have a fine wildlife lens in that Sigma 800 f5.6. The resolution of the feather structure is great. The blurring of the background "pops" the subject. Nice birding lens. Great image and lens.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-27-2020, 01:25 PM
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Ducatigaz,
Very Nice!
Was that at f5.6? With that length lens, it is hard to know how close the vegetation (out of focus) is to the bird. Is it a hard focus due to a thin focal plane? Or is it just the compression of the field of view due to long focal length? I bet it looks like a shoulder fired rocket launcher poking out of your car!
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
01-25-2020, 01:37 PM
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Des,
I made my living as an Industrial Chemist, but I am a degreed Biologist, also. I understand the task ahead of Australia. It may take 30-100 years, if at all, to round up nearby breeding pairs and groups in quantities that will help to re-populate the area, but many invertebrates may be rare and indeed now extinct. The battle will also include soil preservation and protection. The first to recover may be the most fire tolerant plants, but establishing anything close to the prior flora may be difficult to impossible. Keep the faith and encourage your friends, neighbors, and leaders to be forward thinking and give it one hell of an effort.
Peace and strength be with you. If you are of faith, look to the peace and grace that passes understanding and draw on the spirit in each to overcome.
JB
---------- Post added 01-25-2020 at 03:45 PM ----------
Wpresto,
Great shot. Feeling of action and impending action. Many shots look like portraits. It is harder to capture "action".
JB
---------- Post added 01-25-2020 at 03:52 PM ----------
Ducatigaz,
Sweet capture of owl in flight! Energy and position of body is eye catching.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
08-27-2017, 03:15 PM
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Aslyfox,
You are correct there. Hell I'd pontificate on this topic, or any other, all evening if the refreshments were in good order. The running fun fact in industrial technical circles is that the definition of "expert" is that you are either over 50 miles from your home office, or on an expense account.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
08-27-2017, 02:19 PM
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Kevriano and Canadien_Rockies,
Just an observation...
I am a recently retired industrial chemist. I have degrees in Chemistry and Biology. I have graduate work in Vertebrate Physiology, but in my training I only had one course in Entomology so I won't endeavor to address this taxonomy issue. I am making an over-arching scientific statement.
When observing biological systems over the years (I was in school the decade following Watson & Crick elucidating the DNA molecule structure via x-ray diffraction) it is a stepwise march which drags nomenclature with it kicking and screaming. First there are "some factions", then either they predominate, or fizzle away. Then nomenclature/taxonomical classifications are either adopted at the world authority level, or sparred over at some lower group level. This is true in chemistry also. The IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) nomenclature in organic chemistry changes periodically and the older scientists, or ones not current, jabber along in antiquated lingo. However, both are "correct" based on the system referenced or known to them.
It is more important that you both care enough to have the knowledge at hand. It would be a good topic to discuss over a beer while trying to round up an "expert" to pontificate.
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Forum: Lens Clubs
07-15-2017, 02:04 PM
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smf and aslyfox,
I have photos of Elk taken in July 2016 when the velvet antlered males group up to lounge around meadows. They were do this posturing and "grooming" also. It seems to be mainly the younger to mid-aged bucks.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
05-29-2016, 07:40 PM
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JML69,
Nice captures. That is a Mississippi Kite.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
06-07-2015, 12:55 PM
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NoelPolar
Actually the large one is the female and the small ones are males.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-11-2014, 10:19 PM
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RKAPPLEBY,
Nice "Lekking" shots. This behavior (Lekking) occurs over several Orders (including some mammals) and it is the play depicting the "female choice" breeding mechanics. The males stake out the best territory and try to improve it if they can. Then they endeavor to attract females and hold them there while fending off other males. Usually the males wear themselves down and if the work pays off, they get to pass along their DNA. Otherwise, they go frustrated into the hinterlands when the mating season comes to an end.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
05-18-2014, 01:49 PM
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Daytona9,
Dane.dog's photo is of a Calliope Hummingbird male in aggressive display. I think they are the only hummer with streaky throat plumage that actually can be distended at will.
Great photo! It is hard enough to get a BIF when it is a hummer, but showing a display also. Karma was right!
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
08-03-2013, 12:00 PM
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Frogfish,
Appears the KF in the first photo has a parasite on his right wing. Life is tough in the jungle. All kinds of things want to eat you.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
04-21-2013, 11:39 AM
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Those Sigma 500/4.5 lenses are impressive. Maybe if I package it as birthday, anniversary, father's day, and Christmas presents for the next 10 years ... I might be able to get one. Not likely to work, so lens envy for now.
My long reach set up is a M-42 adapter, M-42 2X TC, and a M-42 Super Takumar 300/F4 hung on my K-5 (purchased in Feb/13). Love the High ISO and quiet shutter. I have a M-42 Vivitar 400/5.6 that works pretty well, but doesn't like the 2x TC. These are all manual, but I learned with film and manual in the '70s. Just a little more work. I am enjoying Norm's A400 work. Way to make old glass work nicely there Norm.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-25-2012, 10:19 PM
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I come here for inspiration, and I am never let down. Love the Goldcrest shots. The #2 fox shot in UK is very attention getting. The Dunlin & Bluetit, and the deer, osprey, and owl are very nice. You folks have skill.
Derekkite...those might be muledeer.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-20-2012, 09:39 PM
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Skymist,
I like the sunlight in the eye and the beak. You are right about the eyes. The intensity of the predatory birds should make us very happy they didn't evolve as 40-50 foot tall versions. There would be alot fewer mammals, including people running around.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-20-2012, 09:27 PM
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Greyser,
I sense this may be a test. I am degreed in Chemistry and Biology, not Art or Photography. I have spent a lot of my life in the outdoors and nature. So here goes.....
Photo 1 is a delight and I chuckled when I scrolled down to it. I am sure a drop or two are crisply in focus, but the blurring (wing tips, etc) gives me a sense of action. There is no eye to connect with, but that bird is happy to be alive at that moment. I think the photo is alive. Would it win an award? I don't know, but consider the Mona Lisa versus one of the Picasso females (say Nude, Green Leaves and a Bust). Which would win ... depends on the judges.
Photo 2 is great. I am a fool for good reflections and it is sharp. The droplets and ripple give action and keep it from looking like a museum mount. I like the fact that one can see into the water to the bottom and glimpse the feet. While there are no "landmarks" and surrounding points to contribute, or frame things, the visual dimensions give the eye alot to play with.
Photo 3 is interesting. The eye is a bit out of focus, but the feather detail is nice. With the bird perched on the partially submerged limb and showing great intensity, there is some drama created in the photo which makes me enjoy viewing it.
Ok. So much for my POV. Did I pass or fail the test?
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
12-20-2012, 12:15 AM
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I am not a pro, although I have some time behind an eyepiece (1st SLR was 1977). My first impression when looking at your photo is not the critical aspect you ascribe. I see an asymmetry that conveys 3 dimensional aspect to the shot and the droplets convey the motion of the scene.
Many times one sees a "perfect" shot that looks like someone cut and pasted exactly perfect parts onto a palatte in perfectly boring 2 dimensions. Maybe I ascribe a different value and quality to a photo, but perfect is boring and for pixel peeping. You made a wonderful capture that I would be proud of having made and to heck with the "mistakes". I photograph for what is conveyed to me and hopefully others viewing. To those that want to be perfectionists and nit-pick, I say go on to the next "perfect" photo and leave me in my ignorance in my happy little non-perfect place.
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
09-18-2012, 09:09 PM
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Stormtech,
Top photo looks like pair of Hooded Mergansers (male at top), and the green headed duck in the lower photo is a male
Shoveler.I can't make out the other.
Way to "grab and go".
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
07-06-2012, 12:45 PM
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ChipB,
If the second photo truly shows yellow under the throat, I would go with Audubon's, but the first looks like Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) warbler (whitish under throat).
JB
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Forum: Lens Clubs
08-07-2011, 12:35 PM
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You weren't the only one watching him. Look above the limb slanting above his shoulder. You will see the rear haunches and tail. The head is out of focus, but one front leg is visible. Do you have coyotes there?
JB
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