Learning from my mistakes of past years

I have no formal training in photography, but yet I have taken a course in digital photography, and I have gotten some advice from others in the profession, when I have been out taking pictures, that advice, the course has proved valuable in my learning what I am doing. And there are times that the advice I get from others is not the same.

But I was going through some of my photos that I have taken since I have bought my DSLR and was looking at my first attempts at a sporting event, The Fairhill International Festival, which is 4 days of equestrian events and dog agility.

Some of the photos turned out great, others turned out ok, and more of them turned out not so great.

Shooting an event like this was hard not because of the timing but because every horse and rider was different, they didn't jump the same heights, so it made for framing a shot difficult. Ok I'll admit it some of the shots I just got plain lucky. but as I go back and look at the photos I took, I realize the things that I would have done different.

While I was shooting in shutter priority, I should have not used spot focusing, but used a different focus. I should have upped my shutter speed to get a better stop action on some of my photos. And lastly I was shooting at a high ISO, which caused a lot of graininess in my photos.

Even close range photos that I took some turned out really great, others not so great because of the high ISO speed.

I am finding that in shooting birds of prey, the advice of shooting in shutter priority works if the bird isn't flying but up in the nest, and shooting with my aperture at a setting of about f8-9. But with that being said if I am trying to shoot a bird in flight, I need to switch to shutter priority and up my shutter speed.

I am not one who likes the tips of the wings to be blurred, I want the stop action when in flight. I would like the artistic in a different shot. As I was looking at photos, I realized that my exposure time at 1/160th of a second was to slow, I probably have been shooting at 1/250th or higher exposure to get the stop action. At least that's what I would try today.

And again I would drop my ISO, there is no reason, and I don't know why or how I was shooting at 3200 ISO. Yeap that's what my ISO was set at. I think the max I use now is 1250, but most times I use 800 to 1000 settings. And in doing so my results have started to improve.

I have made the rookie mistake of switching to P, and most shots that I have taken in 'P' mode have been average to OK, not great, not impressive, some were very good, but more times than not I would look at a photo in 4x6 to 5x7 mode and like it, and when I looked at it full size, I wanted to cry......didn't like the photos at all.
This is a photo of a falcon.

My goal was to stop the action of the wings, and capture her with her wings partially spread.

But with a 3200 ISO when looking at this image full size, the wings are very blurred, and you can see the motion blur on the photo here, but worse full size, and the grainess in the face is much much more evident.

So what I would do with this photo, change the focal point so that everything in the photo is focused on, make the exposure time faster, and again drop my ISO.

I have kept almost all of my photos so that I can go back look at them, and learn from them, look at them to know what I could have and should have done differently. Its an important step as a photographer. With the camera set in shutter priority, it would choose the aperture setting. If I find the aperture still to harsh, as this was taken on a day that was hot and sunny, even for October, I would switch to manual knowing what I was shooting at as far as exposure setting it at least 1/250th of a second, and then probably setting my aperture at a setting that would be more suitable to the lighting and weather conditions around me.

Until next time
God Bless

From a Distance

Wild animals never cease to amaze me, and this red tailed fox was no different.

He was very very aware that I was there, even though there was a huge field, probably about a quarter of a mile distance between the 2 of us. He was closer to begin with but rapidly put more distance between us.

I noticed him when I got out of the car after noticing an osprey come out of the woods, fly over to the field on the other side of the road and then take off. I was trying to shoot from the car and that just wasn't working, so I looked to my right where the Osprey had flown off, and saw a brown lump in the middle of the grass just outside the woods, I focused my camera and was able to get one shot of him (not great) of him scratching an itch, and then he took off to the other side of the field. I had enough time to figure out it was an animal and not a mound of dirt, as they've been working in the fields. I was shooting over a hill and that wasn't helping me

Every few steps he would stop and look around, but he never really looked back towards me.
It was like he had my scent and he was making sure that he was going in the opposite direction.

I kept working to get a fairly decent shot, hoping he would stop and turn and look at me, but that never happened, he would look to the front, left and right, but never behind him. He finally turned a bit so I could get him at sort of an angle. But everything about him, you could tell that he was sizing up his situation and checking his surroundings.

I will be going back in hopes to see him again.

Until Next time
God Bless

On my deck

Tonight was unusual for me because I was able to slip outside with my camera and get a shot of one of the mourning doves that likes to frequent my deck. Of course they know I put food out for them so they keep coming back.

Drives my cats nut.

My husband was out earlier when o

I was doing some reading about the mourning dove because I've often just seen them lying on my front walk or sometimes the deck, and they do that to digest the food after they eat.

I've lived here for 3 years now, and this is the 2nd year that the doves have nested under my deck, the first year I had robins, but last year the doves made under my deck their home.

So tonight when I saw the bird laying on the deck I had to try to get a shot, close up, and without a screen in the way.

Well he didn't like me coming out, but he ventured about 2 feet down to the corner of the deck. I went over to the other side in the chair, and he was fine with that. After a few shots I got brave, I walked over to the other side of the deck by the steps, and he was ok with that, I guess he still had enough space but he didn't seem overly frightened of my camera, I was ale to get some close up shots.

When I went to put more food out for the birds is when he had enough and flew off.

But its taken me since the winter storms and feeding them every day before they would let me even get remotely close. They really don't fear my cat either since I don't let her outside. And if she does get to go out, I either hold her, or she is on a leash.

But they know I won't let her get to them. Sure she may poince the slider, but I think they know I won't let her get to them......

At least not if I can help it.

Until Next time
God Bless

Bird watching from a blind and on foot

Yesterday I went to Swan Harbor Farm in Havre de Grace, my goal was to see if the bald eagles were still around, I took the plunge and instead of going towards the water I walked towards the field where there was someone sitting with binoculars watching the birds. Not only did I realize that this was a blind for bird watchers and photographers, I realized for the first time in the middle of this field was a huge swamp/marsh area.

Probably about 20 feet from me was a bird house with a wood duck looking out. Seemed to not have a care in the world.

To the left of me, less than 10 feet was a beautiful red winged black bird sitting on a branch.

You could sit there and listen to the birds calling to each other, and it was hot. I could only imagine what they were saying to each other. Not long after I left I realized it was still 87 degrees out. And this was about 5pm at night.


So sitting in the blind I had a read winged black bird, and a wood duck in my view. The only other thing that made an entrance was a blue heron. And man did he make a loud and noisy entrance, scaring the little bird away. He flew around and then landed further out in the water.



That was enough sitting for me.


I decided to take the plunge and walk around the 'pond', for lack of a better word. I could hear the birds, and maybe even a frog, but most weren't in sight to be found. As I circled around the heron made another loud exit, seems I got too close. But I continued around, and on the other side of the field if you followed the grassy path, between where the corn was planted and the marsh I came upon a second pond/marsh area.

YES more birds, pretty birds, fast birds, little birds, I don't know what the heck they are called birds, but I shot them anyway. They seemed to like the cattails that were going to seed. The birds would perch on the very top of them and call to each other. I wondered if one of them had a nest nearby because they seemed to be overly protective of the area.

But about the time I shot a few pictures I was noticing the harsh sun.
Blast it all I dropped my lens hood somewhere. Lens hoods for cameras, let alone the larger zoom lenses are not always cheap to replace. So in spite of wanting to contine over towards the tree line. I headed back to see if I dropped along the trail. Nope it fell off my lens in the car. The downside of this lens. Its a nice lens, however, the lens hood has a tendency to fall off very easily. Now realizing how hot I was.

And of course minus a bottle of water, I had to make the decision to travel onward, or to go back walking to the fields....I opted to leave and made a mental note to come back early morning during the week or on a weekend. The farm opens at dawn. Right now its light at 6am in the morning. The big question is can I haul my rump out of bed that early? It'll be a challenge.

So forward and onward I went, to find that most of the birds were staying well hidden in the shaded areas because of the heat. I eventually did get some shots of the baby geese that were at the Locke House in Havre de Grace before I ended up calling it a day myself because of the heat.

Until Next time God Bless

I should have learned the first time....

Yesterday armed with mapquest directions, I set off for Rehoboth Beach in Delaware.

I mean after all I've been in Maryland for 16-17 years, and never been to the ocean.

Sad I know.

Getting to the beach wasn't hard....I missed a turn and ended farther up the shore than what the directions called for, but 10.00 later I had a parking spot, and was walking the sandy beach listening to the pound of the surf on the shore.

If I had to describe it just one word

Awesome!

Wait no, that's not the word I was looking for untamed beauty maybe but that's 2 words....I guess I'll stick with awesome after all.

But what I underestimated most of all was the heat. I grew up spending the better part of my school years at a cottage in the summer, and forgot how different it feels by the water. Because of the breeze, you don't feel the heat as bad.....but I got some pictures, and traveled up the road to the next spot on the beach.

The only thing really different between spot a and spot b was that the surf was coming in just a bit faster, (we were expecting storms to come in) but again I walked the beach and once again realized the heat and since the concession stands were still closed (the main reason I stopped at point b), finding a bottle of water was top priority.

Hey I found 1A again, that's what I was looking for in the first place.....I finally found the spot of beach that was named 'Rehoboth Beach' hmmmm shops, boardwalk, ahhhh water, I finally got my water, but not before I realized that it was 97 degrees out. The weather forecasts had it wrong, it was hotter by at least 10 degrees than it was called for. No wonder I was hot.

Water, when hot it doesn't take me long to guzzle, and I mean guzzle a bottle of water.
Food Food was next on my agenda.

Ahhhh a British fish and chips restaurant, knew what I was getting.

To steal a word from Rachael Ray......
It was YUMMO, at least the fish was, wish I could make a batter that turned out that light and crispy, and the fish, oh my gosh, it was so moist and flaky, it was a little slice of foodie heaven.

Back to the beach I went, and for a bit I went without my cameras.....I mean after all I wasn't going this far without at least walking in the ocean.......

I like cold, but that water? Was worse than cold, it was freezing cold. I was amazed at how many people were actually jumping into the waves.....not me....I couldn't do it and I love the water...... saw a lot of kids there not wearing any sunblock and getting burned.....I feel for them today.

Started back towards home but of course I had to make a side detour to Hook Wildlife Conservation area. It would be a great spot to be early morning or closer to sunset, I didn't walk around because of the time of day and that I knew we had storms coming in.

Back to 1 I headed, found route 13 and headed North.
Ah Dover . Dang it there's a race today....I thought about trying to get a ticket to go root Danica on but knew my son would be mad as all get out if I did, plus in the back of my mind were the storms.

Hot and tired, I stopped at a gas station, needed to fill up, get something to drink and buy a map.

You know its coming.
They didn't have a map. GRRRRRR.

I traveled a bit farther up the road, Royal Farms, they have to have a map right? Nope no maps. But I got directions to 301N, fine and dandy as long as I can get there before the storms.....but wait an accident detoured me, and sent me further south before I hit 301 N.

But what wasn't sitting that well was the lightning that I was watching in the distance, and the whole while I was almost wishing to be back on the beach catching the storm waves....now that would have been awesome, at least to me. But I hate driving at night during storms....

I finally hit Cecil county and then cross back into Delaware, the last gas station I stopped at had mapes but not any really usable ones for someone alone in the car, and not for the area I wanted.....direction the guy gave me directions to 95, 20 minutes north, but worse it started pouring. Had it not been raining I definitely would have hit Walmart for that blasted map.
I was wondering if in the pouring rains I had missed my stop. If I made it to Newark Delaware, I could make it home, or at least t0 95......

Ahhhh finally a sign that said 40 West to 95. I know where I am now. 40 West leads to home. But yet it looks so different in the pouring rain and at night. It wasn't until I hit North East Maryland that I knew for sure that I was on my way home.

My only real complaint about the trip home was the bridge I had to cross. The Haitam Bridge. They have been doing construction work on that bridge as long as I can remember they've got it down to 2 narrow lanes, and while there are barriers dividing the lanes, the lights from oncoming cars were making it difficult for me to see my own narrow lane. But once off the bridge, I hit a huge and I mean huge puddle of standing water that I didn't see until I was on top of it.

Had it not been so bad raining and I had to focus on the road, I would have had enjoyed the lightning, and the rain, because its one of my favorite things to do. Watch lightning.

So next time I venture out here's the check list.

cooler full of ice and bottled water.
Map of the area
and of course more time. I got an earlier start than my Philly trip a few weeks ago, however, because of the time of day, and the incoming storms I had to leave before I wanted to.

Next time I'll skip Rehoboth beach and spend my time on the quieter beaches, Maybe a chair and a book as well......

Wish I lived closer I'd be there every day. And I mean that.

The untamed beauty of the ocean, and the pounding surf was music to my ears.

Until Next time
God Bless

Glaring turtle?

I was up early, what better thing to do than to go down by the water and see if the Osprey or eagles were out and about. When I got by the water the Osprey was just leaving after a catch of fresh fish for their morning breakfast, the ducks weren't out, the herons were starting to come out, the cormarants were on the log where the eagles like to roost. But no eagles.

Upon returning to the car, movement caught my eye on the ground it was a turtle, box or snapper I couldn't tell for sure, it retracted its head into its shell. Me being the person I am zoomed my camera set my flash (he was in the shade), and snapped.

When I got home I blew them up on my screen and I can swear that mr. turtle is glaring at me. I disturbed him, and if I had come closer to him I probably would have gotten bit. His shell was about 6 inches or more across, and I wasn't in the mood to find out if he was a snapper or not.

I promptly left. I wasn't having much luck anyway. I was just thankful mr. snake stayed away this morning or I would have left a lot faster than I did.

I did find out one thing, my polarizer filter does not work good in morning light and shade. I had a hard time shooting (even though it was daylight) with the angle of the sun the way it was. I took my filter off and my shots improved. If I was shooting directly into the sky it was fine to have on, but anywhere else the images turned out dark.

These are the things I'm learning, a lot by trial and error, but I have some shots that turned out much better yesterday, thanx to having hte filter on. Problem is that there are times when shooting I go from daylight to shade trying to get a shot, I don't have time to take it off....this is where a second body would come in handy.

I'm still trying to play with my new filter, as a second filter, polarizer, on my camera is something I am going to have to get used to....

But for this one, popping a flash up did the trick and gave me a nice shot of a turtle who is glaring at me, because I disturbed him.

Until next time
God Bless

Turning around for a shot

Rarely do I go out with my cameras that I don't pass something that I JUST HAVE to turn around to get.

Today was no different. As I was driving a route that is becoming very familiar to me, I am always on the lookout for things to take photographs of. And on side roads and when I am in the country I often slow down and admire the beauty, today was no exception.

I was on my way to see if there was activity with the Osprey and their babies, and as I passed by, there were these purple flowers highlighted by the sun growing up a mailbox. The sun highlights on them was just what I wanted so I drove down the road, found a good place to turn around and I headed back up the way I just came from. Pulling over was easy, because the former country club was on the other side of the road, and there is ample grassy area to pull off and park for a few minutes.

Of course I couldn't be happy staying in my car for the shot, I am the idiot that you will see on the side of the road, or in the middle of a street trying to get a shot. That's exactly what I did today. I didn't need to go on the persons property, since the mailbox was right by the road, and I shot from many different angles. Giving me a wide choice of photos to chose from that I like or didn't like. Rarely do I take one shot of something. And if its a subject that is in motion I tend to get a rapid succession of shots.....

Fortunately for me there was not a strong wind like there was yesterday and that made it much easier to get shots of anything today. But one of the photos that I like the best is this one where three flowers are lined up each one having more or less sunlight on it.



Until next time
God Bless.

The baby Osprey have hatched

Not far from where I live on an abandoned tennis court of a former country club is an osprey nest. And its ideal for photos because the nest is still small, and its very easy to get photos of. I don't have to stand on the side of a busy road and look almost straight up. While its on private property, I can park on the grass and use the fence for balance, or my tripod, and get great shots. The nest is high enough over the chain link fence that it doesn't cause an issue and there are now electrical wires to compete with for great shots.

Yesterday I stopped by and I got a clear shot of the 2 adult osprey and one of the babies. I believe that by the movement of the adult birds that there are 2 babies in the nest. An osprey will usually lay 2-3 eggs and while they will all hatch being the predators that they are, usually the fledglings will kill one or 2 of the babies. The strongest survive.

This is the 2nd year that this nest is being used, and the first year for raising a family. Osprey will come back year after year and use the same nest, and as it gets bigger its not uncommon to see toys added to the nest as well. I will be going back to watch these Osprey grow and hopefully take off from the nest. And of course I will be watching for them to return next year.

Until Next time
God Bless

Chasing the Osprey

Rarely do I get to get reasonably close to these birds. Osprey also known as fish eagles are very protective of their area, and this one was no different. We drove down the road saw him away from the nest, my husband was going to pull over, but me being the person I am wanted to be on the same side, he was watching for predators, and enemies I guess.

I got within 80 feet of him, give or take, then he took off, I got one shot.

I followed him up the road, again, I got within 80 feet or so of him tried to move closer, he took off, across the street. Being the stubborn person I am, and that we had to turn around, I decided to try one more time. He was in a denser tree and I got right underneath him and shot him from the car. Yeap he was watching every move I made. He would turn his head and then glance back at me, it was more than obvious I was invading his personal space.

I'm pretty sure he didn't know what to make of my camera, but I stayed focused on him, and eventually he decided he had enough of me, and he took off across the street to where his nest was.

When there are eggs in the nest the female stays in the nest with the eggs, she only goes out rarely to hunt for food. So I am pretty sure that the bird I was chasing in circles was the male.

Osprey and eagles are often in direct competition with each other and it has been known to happen where the others will distract the parents of the other and go in and kill the babies. Simply because they have the same food sources.

I have seen eagles chasing the osprey in the area that I live in, and I am always amazed at not only the grace and beauty of these birds when in flight, but the speed of which these birds can travel.

Osprey will build their nests on a pole, or platform, with a clearing around it so they can see their enemies. Even seagulls are their natural enemies as they will carry away the eggs, or go for the young babies.



Until Next time
God Bless.

Beauty from your own yard

There is nothing that says you have to travel to see something beautiful.

As my husband and 3 kids were getting ready to leave for church my oldest said to me, you want to come out and take a picture of this rainbow?

It was bright and sunny out, yes the cars were a little wet from dew, but it didn't rain, but there was, I guess, enough moisture in the air for a rainbow to appear. Since it was early, before 8am, the sun was still low enough and when you looked at the rainbow, small as it was, it was upside down.

But still very pretty.

The thing about rainbows is they can change so rapidly, and disappear just as fast as they appear. This one was no different, I managed to get a few shots, but it was gone in a matter of minutes.

Rainbows as hard as they are to capture in images are one of my favorite things in this world. They remind us of the promise of God that He would never destroy the earth through flooding again.

As I looked at the rainbow today, I couldn't help but think about the 'fairy tale' that there was a pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow. With this one being upside down, one could call it a symbol of the treasure that awaits us in heaven.

Until next time
God Bless.

To close for comfort, it would have been fine if 'it' stayed in the water, but he turned towards land

I have one major fear.
Snakes
The best way for me to see a snake is through a large plate of glass or a lot of distance.

That was not the case for me today, I had about 20 feet between me and this snake I saw. When I first saw his head and thought he was a turtle, but the more I looked through the lens at this 'thing' swimming through the water, the more I thought and then realized it was a snake.

UGH I hate snakes.

So, I watch this thing swimming through the water, and he makes a sudden turn towards land, my 20 feet between me and him suddenly becomes less, and if he made land fall, I wasn't going to find out. I was almost paralyzed, I grabbed my tripod and high tailed it out of there and quickly.

Only when I got home did I really truly realize the size of the snake, and see the markings on him. The slithering tongue sticking out. Oh gads that thing was that close to me? ICK!
My neighbor told me that he thought it was a moccasin, and that just scares the living heck out of me, but in research, I found that it is NOT, thank God, a water moccasin. Its a Northern Watersnake. Doesn't make a difference to me, its a snake. But from everything I read they are mean and very aggressive. Still all the reason for me to run the other way!

I'm sorry but I don't care if I miss the birds, what shot I miss. Seeing a snake head towards shore and my biggest fear of snakes I wasn't sticking around to find out if it was poisonous or not at the time. The osprey and bald eagles will be there another day and hopefully mister snake will have found himself some new hunting grounds!

My neighbor has been around snakes more than I have, and while the 2 that I have had experience with in my lifetime, blue racers and puffers, I still preferred not to face them if I don't have to. Even spending time at a cottage and around water I was never one to overcome this fear of snakes.

And to have gotten that close to one, who is not a very nice one to run into, doesn't sit well with me, even when at home.

I just have one word for my adventure today.

YUCK.

Its a bummer I can't rewind my day and not see the snake.

Until Next time
God Bless