circadianreflections

Mom and Pup

September 18, 2010Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Mom and Pup, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

One of my Meet-Up groups went out on pontoon boat in Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing,CA just north of Monterey to see Otters, Seals, and Shore birds.
We were out in the slough for 2 hours. The boat had no top and we sat 2 by 2. I had the inside seat. One side would sit and the other side would stand to take photos. Often times I was working around a head or hat. It got a bit foggy toward the end, but it wasn’t cold thankfully. I rented a Nikkor 300mm f/4 for the week and took it out today. It was great! It didn’t hunt, is quiet, and sitting in a boat the weight wasn’t bad at all. I’m sure hiking it will be different. I’ll let you know tomorrow.
These two- Mom and pup were adorable!

PP- Vibrance, clarity, resized and a slight crop from the top and bottom

Nikon D300s, Nikkor 300mm f/4, Promaster UV filter, Sundisk SDHC digital film

A peek through the shrubs

September 16, 2010September 16, 2010Posted in California, Landscapes, Nikon, TravelTagged Silver LakeLeave a comment

, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

There’s a little path along this lake that Theresa, Diva Dog, and I walked. It wasn’t too far from here that we met some guys out fishin’. They were locals- pretty nice guys. I can’t remember if they caught anything. I should have written things like this down sooner. I usually keep a travel journal too, but I fell into bed each night and conked out as soon as my head hit the pillow- I think I got up at 3AM 2 out of 3 of the nights I was here.

I hope to get back to this lake. It was really peaceful here.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S
SinghRay LB ColorCombo Polarizer/Warming filter

Mono Lake Sunrise

September 14, 2010Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

Mono Lake Sunrise, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

Something from my Eastern Sierra trip back in June. I’m really looking forward to going again this Fall.

I spent 2+ days in the 395 corridor. My last morning a girl-friend from a Meet-up group and I got up just before 3AM to drive out to Mono (Moe-noh) Lake to photograph sunrise.
We started out at Navy Beach but there weren’t as many tufas (two-fahs) there and the few that were there were quite a walk out. We would have missed the sunrise had we walked out there so we drove over to the south side where all the tufas are. Yes, these have probably been shot a zillion times by other photographers…many were here this morning, but this was my first time to the lake. I was so thrilled to see them and photograph them.

The “Save the Mono Lake” group has won their battle and the lake will be restored. When it hits it’s mandatory depth all these tufas will be submerged under water. Get there while you can!

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8AF-S
B+W Circular Polarizer

PP-Clarity, vibrance, resized.

Historical Information:
The reserve was established to preserve the spectacular “tufa towers,” calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. It also protects the lake surface itself as well as the wetlands and other sensitive habitat for the 1 – 2 million birds that feed and rest at Mono Lake each year.

Mono Lake is a majestic body of water covering about 65 square miles. It is an ancient lake, over 1 million years old — one of the oldest lakes in North America. It has no outlet.

Throughout its long existence, salts and minerals have washed into the lake from Eastern Sierra streams. Freshwater evaporating from the lake each year has left the salts and minerals behind so that the lake is now about 2 1/2 times as salty as the ocean and very alkaline.

“Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.” ~ Helen Keller

September 11, 2010Posted in Uncategorized1 Comment

"Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow." ~ Helen Keller, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

Copyright © 2010 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
My goal today was to photograph a decent well framed, and focused bird in flight. I’m also trying out some new settings in my Wildlife program setting. I hope to be ready for the bird festivals this year and early next. I am happy with this shot!

PP- recovery -he was flying toward the sun, clarity, a little smart sharpening, and slight crop off the top and left side, resized.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 AF-D
Tamron 1.4x Extender
Hoya Multi Coated UV filter

Point Reyes and Inverness

September 7, 2010September 7, 2010Posted in California, Flowers, hikes, Landscapes, Nikon, TravelTagged boats, Point Reyes National SeashoreLeave a comment

Beached and Abandoned we found her- the Point Reyes her chipped white paint looking pretty clean in the late afternoon sun.

This boat is pretty famous to photographers. I think all in the Bay Area have shot her. My friend Alex and I stopped here in Inverness to take a photograph of this boat in the morning light and we stopped again on the way home to shoot it in the late afternoon light. I have a favorite shot from each shoot.

I’ll post the morning shot in a day or two. I didn’t use any filters on this shot. I used my Nikon D90 with the Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 lens.

These stags on the hill we past on our way to the pond. These are younger males. Not Alphas. They were without harems. Only 5 pointers I think.

They looked magnificent standing on this hill.

This I shot without filters as well. I used my Nikon D300s with the Nikkor 180mm f/2.8AF-D and Tamron 1.4x extender.

It was a little soft so I used a little smart sharpening to bring out some more of the texture and details of the fur/hair and faces.

A Bull and his Harem -well part of it anyway

September 6, 2010Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

A Bull and his Harem -well part of it anyway, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

Tule Elk Preserve
6.2 mile hike
The Pond
Mating Season

My friend Alex and I went out here today to see the Elk in Mating season. We hiked out just beyond the Pond.
This Bull Elk had about 15 females in his Harem. They were relaxing just beyond the Pond. It was a 3.1 mile hike out here. We past 4 Harems along the way. What a fantastic morning and afternoon to see these magnificent Elk! The Harem picking seems about settled. They seem to have decided on their territory, and mates. There was no fighting today.
I’ll try to get back a bit earlier next year to see if I can see some of fighting.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 AF-D

PP- My standard ACR sliders -vibrance, clarity, a wee bit of sharpening, slight crop off the right, and resized.

Wizard Island

September 5, 2010Posted in Uncategorized2 Comments

Wizard Island, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

On the way home from Glacier National Park we took a slight detour to stop here. The color is awesome! It really was this blue. This is SOOC( straight out of the Camera) except for a slight crop off the bottom and right side.

Why so blue? “Light gets absorbed color by color as it passes through clear water. First reds go, then orange, yellow and green. Last to be absorbed are the blues. Only the deepest blue gets scattered back to the surface where you see it as the color of the water. The water is of course no more blue than the sky is blue.”

“The beauty and intense blue of Crater Lake have awed people for generations. Five miles wide and ringed by cliffs almost 2,000 feet high, the lake rests in the shattered remnants of a volcano called Mount Mazama, which erupted and collapsed into itself 7,700 years ago. Later eruptions formed Wizard Island and other volcanic features, now hidden under the lake. Crater Lake is filled with rain and melted snow. At 1,943 feet deep, it is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest in the world.”
~ National Park Service-U.S. Department of the Interior

Nikon D90
Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S

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