Category: Photography

Whatever Wednesday: American Kestrel

Posted in Photography40 Comments

©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This image was made earlier this year when I went birding with friends to a favorite Wildlife Refuge.  The American Kestrel that is usually there is such a tease!

It lands on a post and poses oh so perfect for you to see it and get your camera/lens ready then you creep up in your car ever. so. slowly- cause it’s an auto route only mind you. Trying not to crunch the gravel too loudly because you know this guy or gal is a tease and will fly to the next the post or the one beyond it at the slightest sound of a car approaching.

…And the car was too loud and his eyesight too keen so he flew from the perfect old stump which was much closer to the obscurity of the branches of a tree quite a way away! The brat! This image is cropped in because he was too far away for my 200-500mm lens. Sigh. Still, I love the highlight in its eye and that look of smug haha you can’t see me now pose.

American Kestrel

This bird and the Kite are my favorites of all the Falcons/hawks. The Kestrel is the smallest of the raptors and the most colorful in North America. I’m sure I’ve shared that before and hope you don’t mind being told again. They’re quite common here so their facts can slip by unnoticed quite like the Mallard I think.

I’m getting away from it all and going birding with friends this week to two favorite wildlife refuges. I’m so looking forward to that!  I hope you too have something to look forward to that brings you joy this week.

Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm| Hoodman STEEL Digital Film| PSCC 2019

 

more to come…

 

 

 

Whatever Weds. Our Littlest

Posted in Nikon, Photography, Portraits, Whatever WednesdayTagged , , , , , 79 Comments

Copyright ©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I’m home!  Baby Girl had our Littlest Monday morning. You already know this if you follow me on Instagram. I hope I don’t bore with the same news.  For those that don’t know he was 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and 19.5 inches long. Born at 37 weeks one day. He’s so tiny, and perfect!

Both were doing so well they were able to go home yesterday afternoon.  After 3 weeks in the hospital on Bed Rest, Baby Girl is very happy to be home!

I spent a little bit of time this afternoon taking newborn photos of him before He-Man and I headed home. Here he is our wee one just 2 days and 7 hours old. He’s so tired. He isn’t up long. Landon David

 

We’re so grateful for your thoughts, and prayers for her and us during that time. I am positive they helped.  With your thoughts, prayers, the Nurses who liked and cared for her so well, and her high-risk specialist that put it all on the line to see Baby Girl had what she needed to stay on Bed Rest to see this pregnancy to a positive end we wouldn’t be here today!  Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and souls from all of us! xx

I need to get my own house in order, but I’ll be catching up with you all soon!

Nikon D810| Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens| Hoodman STEEL Digital Film| PS CC 2019

more to come…

 

Please Hold!

Posted in humor, Nikon, Photography, Still Life PhotographyTagged , , , , , , 60 Comments

Copyright ©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Egg-mergenency Room

Life has taken another turn as I feared it might.  Baby Girl has been on Hospital Bed Rest since Thursday (yesterday). So, I stayed over there to help with #1 Grandson getting him to and from school, helping with homework, baths, etc. I’ll be spending the next two to two and a half weeks over there helping out.

The plan is still hoping Baby Girl can stay well enough to keep our Littlest in the womb until the 28th of this month. Should her blood pressure, and the protein in her urine continue to rise I’m sure they’ll induce her labor sooner.  We’re keeping our fingers crossed and praying Preeclampsia doesn’t strike her again! Baby L is doing very well through all this thankfully!

While over at her house I won’t have access to my images and typing on my Kindle and cell phone isn’t always great so, I’m putting blogging on hold for a bit, but I’ll do my best to keep up with you all.

I hope the next time I post it will be with great news. 😃🍼👶

Nikon D700| Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D| SunDisk Digital Film| PS CS6

Whatever Wednesday: Coyote

Posted in Coyote, Nature Photography, Nikon, Photography, Whatever WednesdayTagged , , , , , , 62 Comments

Copyright ©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!

Hello! I hope this finds you all doing well and the start of 2019 has been easy on you.

I started the year birding on January 1st with several friends. Upon entering one of our favorite wildlife refuges we spotted a Coyote and got some great looks at each other.

Isn’t it a beauty!

Coyote

The Coyote in Symbolism is the guide that can appear to you when you’ve lost your way or path.  It speaks to the path less traveled. The Coyote is the trusted guide that leads the way for those answers along this path.

It was a wonderful day of birding and wildlife seeing, and I knew when we spotted the Coyote first thing it was a good omen for the day.

Update on Baby Girl– The planned inducement date is January 28th! In just 19 days barring any changes, we’ll be seeing our newest member of the family! Our little man in the womb is doing great, and Baby Girl is hanging in there like a trooper.

Blogging this year– I thought about doing another weekly self-challenge, but didn’t want to limit myself, and I really like posting on Wednesdays-it works for me, but I don’t want to commit to Wordless Wednesday cause sometimes I like to talk or tell a story, so this year I’m going to be open to posting Whatever and mostly I’ll post on Wednesday, but I may pop in on a different day, but I won’t be loading up your email inbox with more than two posts a week.  Once a week works for me, but once in awhile, there might be two posts in a week.  So, I’m posting Whatever Wednesday this year.

Perhaps, this Coyote is a good omen for 2019 for me?  Odd years are usually better for me as strange as that sounds it’s true. I’m hoping it holds true this year too.

Happy Hump Day everyone, and here’s to a wonderful 2019!

Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2019

more to come…

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Weds. 52/52 Happy New Year!

Posted in Eastern Sierras, Nature Photography, Nikon, Photography, Wild WednesdayTagged , , , , , , 34 Comments

Copyright 2018 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

“Wishing you a New Year that brings joy, beautiful moments, and surprises to cherish forever!”~anon

New Year Greeting

Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2019

more to come…

Wild Weds. 51/52 Elvis is in the HOUSE!

Posted in Christmas, Holidays and Observances, Nikon, Photography, Wild WednesdayTagged , , , , , , , 41 Comments

Copyright 2018 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

I went back to my archives to find a Christmasy image to share this week because even though I’ve been taking photos this month none are really Christmasy- back in 2010 on my way out of town for a photo shoot a friend and I stopped downtown to catch a little bit of the Christmas Parade and who should strut by? Elvis!

I can’t remember which Christmas song he was singing. I wish I had made some notes.

Elvis Christmas Parade Downtown San Jose CA 2010

So, I went to YouTube to see if anyone had posted the parade and caught him crooning this number…well someone did post about him at the Parade!  Turns out he’s Rick Torres a popular Elvis impersonator here in the Bay Area and he won the 2010 Holiday Day Parade trophy that year! Man, I love YouTube!

 

Since Elvis wasn’t singing in that clip so here’s some Top Christmas Songs sung by Elvis to help us keep the spirit of the season Merry and Bright.

 

From my house to yours, Wishing all of you that celebrate it a Rockin Merry Christmas!

Nikon D90| Nikkor 80-200mm| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2019

more to come…

 

Wild Weds. 50/52 I spy…

Posted in Eastern Sierras, Photography, Wild WednesdayTagged , , , , , , 44 Comments

Copyright ©2018 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

…Mule Deer!

I spent a long week-end in the Eastern Sierras with friends and had a blast and saw some amazing wildlife. This Buck and Doe were chilling in the morning sun.

Mule Deer Buck

Mule Deer Doe

I hope you’re all having a wonderful week!

Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm @500mm| Hoodman STEEL Digital Film| PS CC 2019

more to come…