The Blue Hour
Sundown after the snowstorm ends – wondering when we will be able to get into the greenhouse and start growing green things again.
Magnolia-to-be
It will a few weeks yet, the buds of the Magnolia tree that is touchable from the front door step will release huge flowers come spring. Even now, in a quiet way, they are enjoyable to look at.
- Aperture: ƒ/2.8
- Camera: LEICA Q2
- Exposure bias: +3/10EV
- Focal length: 28mm
- ISO: 160
- Shutter speed: 1/2000s
Winter Flowers – getting “arty”
Getting to grips with the 250 page instruction manual for my new camera I struggled through the garden snow to find this winter-dried flower head from a PG Hydrangea. Interestingly, it was better (to my eye) in monochrome than colour … anyway, colour original below.
- Aperture: ƒ/4
- Camera: LEICA Q2
- Focal length: 28mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/200s
January Sunrise
January Sunrise
This photograph marks the return to life of my photo-specific website. I hope you enjoy whatever follows … meanwhile, the sun is shining over the garden
Cracking Hummer
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
I have been lurking near these flowers for several days while Hummers come and go before I can grab the camera. Perseverance works – finally nailed it today as this fellow stayed long enough for his portrait to be taken and allowed retime to fiddle with the camera settings too. Feeling quite proud of this one if I do say so myself ;)
The flowers are Mexican Cigar Plants (Kuphea sp.) and seem to be even more of a Hummingbird magnet than even Monarda.
- Aperture: ƒ/4
- Camera: DSC-RX10M3
- Focal length: 124.94000246396mm
- ISO: 400
- Shutter speed: 1/250s
Packed Lunch
Orbweaver spider (species t.b.i.d) taking a leisurely lunch with a bee … tasty.
- Aperture: ƒ/4
- Camera: DSC-RX10M3
- Exposure bias: -1EV
- Focal length: 35.680000305176mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/500s
Midnight Garden
“A habit of solitude in early childhood is not easily broken. Indeed, it may prove lifelong.”
― Philippa Pearce, Tom’s Midnight Garden
- Aperture: ƒ/1.8
- Camera: DSC-RX100
- Exposure bias: -2EV
- Focal length: 10.4mm
- ISO: 3200
- Shutter speed: 1/20s
Monarch on Echinacea
Monarch Butterfly
Monarch’s exploit many plants, not only milkweed. This specimen had just been laying eggs on milkweed leaves and had moved over to this Echinacea to stocky up on nectar.
- Aperture: ƒ/4
- Camera: DSC-RX10M3
- Exposure bias: -7/10EV
- Focal length: 105.83000183385mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/640s
Squash Bee
Pollination
A pair of bumble bees at work inside a male squash flower – hopefully they will later find themselves in a female flower and be able to put the pollen to good use.
- Aperture: ƒ/2.5
- Camera: DSC-RX10M3
- Focal length: 8.8400001525879mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/100s
Face-off …
Weevil Wasp
Facing off on the flowers of a wild carrot plant with an ant. Who will back down first?
I had some difficulty identifying this fellow but with a little external assistance pinned it down as a ‘Weevil Wasp’ … a future contributor to the 1000 Species Project when I have done some more reading up on them.
- Aperture: ƒ/4
- Camera: DSC-RX10M3
- Focal length: 167.97999565123mm
- ISO: 100
- Shutter speed: 1/800s