I’ve just returned from Oregon. I was on a birding expedition with some friends who are also photographers. We spent a couple of days in the Klamath Basin looking for Clark and/or Western Grebes doing their Spring mating ceremony and dance or what the Scientist call “rushing”. We were successful finding them as well as several other birds; some familiar and others new, and it was neat to see many birds I know and see only when they Winter near me in and the Pacific Flyway in their Spring Breeding plumage.
Yesterday morning I was following this male Robin around trying to take his photo when he caught up with the female and I happened to press the shutter catching them “in medias res”.
Nikon D700| Nikkor 300mm f2.8 + 20eIII TC =600mm| f8| 1/1600s| ISO1600|Manual Priority|
Tripod| American Robin
Yesterday myself and 3 friends went up to Yosemite National Park where we met more friends to photograph a Moonbow.
This is my first Moonbow, and my first Vertorama.
A moonbow can only happen when a full moon is shining reflected sunlight on the falls at an angle of 42º or lower, there must be water, or a mist, and it must be dark enough to see it.
There were nearly 200 people here on the little plaza and bridge to Lower Yosemite Fall last night by my quick head count in the dark. As the night wore on more people kept coming!
It was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to capturing a Moonbow over Upper Yosemite Fall in the future.
I have to thank my freind Steven Christenson for “thinking out loud” last night and saying I think I’ll try a Vertorama too.” That was a reminder to me to finally try one.
I was a bit confused on how one moves the camera up, and Steven suggested the same thing Paul does and that is tilt the camera up without moving the tripod. So that is what I did. I’m going to try more of them now that I have the first one under my belt.
This is 2 frames stitched together in CS5. I’m looking forward to capturing a Moonbow on Upper Yosemite Fall in future.
I needed to get up and move so went over to the hills nearby and hiked all 3 Peaks today.
Click on the link above for my hiking stats and a map of my route.
Here are a few photos I took along the route. I didn’t take my big camera today. No, instead I went armed only with an iPhone. I did miss my big camera when a Hawk came soaring over my head.
The hike was lovely. The hills around my valley are still green and lush. The peak across the valley with the trail leading to the top is Hunter’s Point. I hiked up to it last today.
There were quite a few wildflowers in bloom throughout the park like this Yarrow. There were oodles of Monkey Flower, and there was clover, Nightshade, Lupine, and oh so many Crimson Columbine! I’ve never seen so many before. I
took 3 photos and all came out blurry. It was breezy. I hope to get back again before it’s all faded. On the back slopes of Hunter’s Point there were a few Poppies, and lot’s of Spring Vetch. It’s a good time to go looking for wildflowers.
There were young girls on horseback talking with their trainer about upcoming competitions, and the sound of the horses hooves clip-clop was lovely. One horse even said “hello” to me.
At last! These little guys are so darn skittish and quick that I’ve failed for years to get a crisp photograph of one.
I got lucky recently while out in the country one morning and got several good photos…well worthy enough to share anyway. “)
I am inspired by William Bliss Carman’s thought about things that stir the Gypsy blood for the title of this piece. The stars do stir my blood and I wish I could travel up there. Perhaps someday we will.
This tree was absolutely gorgeous, and in a perfect location for shooting a star trail at the end of a day of shooting wildflowers, creeks, and a waterfall in Northeastern California. I’d gone up with some friends to meet more photography friends in a Meet-up group we’re in. While we set up for the shot and finished up we listened to little frogs croaking, and following them were crickets. A lovely round of natures music that I’m sure continued long into the night.
My battery died short of where I wanted it to for this sequence of star trails. A lesson learned! I will insert a fresh battery from now on.
Nikon D700 Nikkor 18mm AI-S| f5.6| 211 seconds| ISO 200| Manual Priority| Tripod| 29 frames stacked with Photoshop CS5
I finally got this shot! I’ve wanted to take a photograph from here for over a year. Last year my friend Dali and I did some recon trips to get the logistics worked out. It’s a tricky place to get to, and a rare view I believe. We’ve kept this shoot on our “short shot list” but haven’t been able to fit it into our schedules until now. It was well worth the effort, risks, and steep climb to get it. The weather this evening was perfect. It was warm, with a slight breeze, and the fog was thin and stayed outside the Bay while we were here. I don’t know if I’ll ever get back here to photograph this view again or not, but I do hope so.
I’ve just returned from Oregon. I was on a birding expedition with some friends who are also photographers. We spent a couple of days in the Klamath Basin looking for Clark and/or Western Grebes doing their Spring mating ceremony and dance or what the Scientist call “rushing”. We were successful finding them as well as several other birds; some familiar and others new, and it was neat to see many birds I know and see only when they Winter near me in and the Pacific Flyway in their Spring Breeding plumage.
Circadianreflections Blog 
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