Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Final

Camera: Sony
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 210mm  
ISO: 400 AV: f/5.6  
Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none



Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 210mm  
ISO: 400 AV: f/5.6  
Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none



Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 210mm  
ISO: 800  
AV: f/9  
Tv: 1/250  
Flash: none


Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 26mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/5.6  
Tv: 1/60  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 400  
AV: f/10  
Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 400  
AV: f/9  Tv: 1/50 

Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 160mm  
ISO: 800  
AV: f/5  Tv: 1/800  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 400  
AV: f/8  Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/9
Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/6.3
Tv: 1/200  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/14  Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 50mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/9 

Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/18  Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/22
Tv: 1/100  
Flash: None

Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 400  
AV: f/9 

Tv: 1/400  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 160mm  
ISO: 400  AV: f/4.5 Tv: 1/200  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 400  
AV: f/4.5
Tv: 1/800  
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 50mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/5.6
Tv: 1/160
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/20
Tv: 1/100  
Flash: none
                             
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 210mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/6.3
Tv: 1/160
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/5.6
Tv: 1/400
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 70mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/7.1
Tv: 1/200
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 130mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/5.0
Tv: 1/200
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 10mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/13
Tv: 1/400
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/6.3
Tv: 1/400
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/22
Tv: 1/200
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 18mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/7.1
Tv: 1/400
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 90mm  
ISO: 200  
AV: f/8.0
Tv: 1/100
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 45mm  
ISO: 100  
AV: f/5.6
Tv: 1/400
Flash: none
Camera: Sony  
Model: DSLR-A300  
Focal Length: 210mm  
ISO: 800  
AV: f/9.0
Tv: 1/640
Flash: none

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Mesmerizing

There is a sense of contentment for be both in taking photos as well as looking at other people's work. Photography serves as one of many stress relief devices, the use of color and texture from macro to landscapes can play on emotion and often triggers memories. Browsing through 500px, I have accumulated some favorites and photos that really speak to me.
Visual Flow by Ian Plant (ianplant)) on 500px.com
Visual Flow by Ian Plant
"Visual Flow" By Ian Plant: I immediately found this photo very calming and poignant. The soft lines and subtle changes in from the cool purples to warm orange and red create visual interest and keep the eye moving. The physical movement of the eyes while the head remains still is a valid calming mechanism, so the ability for a photo to elicit that type of motion facilitates healthy mental patterns.
Pine grove by Twostar K (ksjin3)) on 500px.com
Pine grove by Twostar K
"Pine Grove" By Twostar K: I really love the frame of this photo and the tangle of slanted/ diagonal lines. The fog brings immense depth and intrigue to the image, with uneven lighting creating a dynamic, smooth texture. The detail of the trees is further accentuated by the play of light in the fog and elicits a sense of surrealism.
THE ZEN POOL (SWAN) by KENNY BARKER (kennybarker)) on 500px.com
THE ZEN POOL (SWAN) by KENNY BARKER
"THE ZEN POOL (SWAN)" By Kenny Barker I am a sucker for simplicity and this photo is absolutely stunning. At first glance it looks like some sort of ink blot test or random pattern, not a bird and its reflection accompanied by the moon. The lighting on the bird is superb, bringing out small details in the feathers. The sheer sense of stillness is incredible with not even a slight ripple in the water. ..and the list goes on. There are hundreds of photos that just elicit some sort of awe to me and time spent admiring other people's work is time well spent.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Student Art Show

Oh right, I should remember about this whole blog-thing. Remember this picture?
Well I edited it and used it as my submission for the student art show (which, I admittedly forgot about until late the night before and spent the next morning running around between work and class to get it printed and submitted).
Needless to say, I ended up pretty happy with it, even if it is just a dumb picture of a duck that I took on the first outing with my new camera before I knew how to use it at all. I can’t complain about the second place prize from the art show, a little pocket cash is always nice and it gives me a little more pride in the photo.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Rarity

There are few things as exciting, in my opinion, than being able to witness a rare or endangered animal in the wild. I can only imagine the thrill to photographers who have that opportunity to photograph animals that not many people will ever have the change to even see outside of cages. I can also imagine the stress in such situations to ensure that you get a good shot...how devastating it would be to be caught off guard and end up with blurry photos of something so rare (and what a waste of a potential payday! haha). After the Yellowstone trip I really have a better feel for my camera; how it works and reacts in given conditions, and how quickly I can alter settings to capture what I am looking at. Of course I am in the process of editing, slowly but surely, and am finding many pictures that didn't quite play out, but there are always those handful that work. I find a lo of times getting that ideal image is a lot about luck in timing. Browsing the internet (as I so happily do far too often) I was interested in seeking out rare animal images. Photographer Robert Heischman was able to capture a critically endangered species the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus, or "gavial," that is native to the Indian subcontinent (plus it is visually captivating and a very striking image).

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Power and Grace

I love the idea of capturing action and power in wildlife. There is just something about that raw, unhindered spirit that is absolutely captivating. This image is Richard Peters', entry (and one of the winners) for the 2012 World Wildlife Photographers of the Year.I actually tumbled (haha) across this image on Tumblr (my insatiable addiction to the site is rather alarming, but I regret nothing).
What I find most intriguing about the image is the effect of having the subject mostly out of frame (I bet that breaks a few 'rules' as we have learned throughout this course so far). However, the subjects face and intense expression along with that lush tail and spindly legs still allow to viewer to immediately recognize the creature. That empty white space from the bottom left extending up to the fox in the top right really creates movement in the image as the eye follows toward the fox. You can imagine the motion where the fox had started before its jump to where it is now and where it might land just barely still in frame. The color scheme of course is very beneficial with the white snow and the striking contrast of the orange-hued fox. This photo was taken in Yellowstone back in 2010. With a little more web searching I found article highlighting some of the various winning images. Wildlife Photographer of the Year Highlights All of 100 winning images are on display that Natural History Museum until March 2013. Museum Of Natural History

Monday, October 15, 2012

Because we can

"on the 65th anniversary of the day that U.S. test pilot Chuck Yeager became the first man to officially break the sound barrier in a jet" 43 year old Austrian Pilot(and daredevil) Felix Baumgartner made a 128,100 foot plunge to earth over New Mexico. Hey guys, that is like 24 MILES above the Earth's surface. Felix hit Mach 1.24, or 833.9 mph, this is a PERSON not a jet or spacecraft, free falling for 4 minutes and 22 seconds. Did I mention over 800 MILES PER HOUR? What. I can't even imagine that sense of thrill. Some days I really enjoy the part of humanity where we do things because we can and even better when it works out and everyone walks away safely. WOW.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Nat Geo's Photo Of The Day

On occassion I browse through the National Geographic website to check out recent news on new species and whatnot. Today I stumbled across the Photo Of The Day page and was really impressed by the image for Oct 4, 2012. Coming from a state where big thunder storms are a regularity, I often miss those looming clouds and lighning shows out here in Montana. Every time we get even a hiccup of a thunder storm here in Billings I just crave a big storm, curled up in my basement at home watching the county blocks on the weather channel light up with sever storm warnings and tracking funnel clouds and tornados that have touch down.


I find such power and beauty in the scene of a storm and photographer Mitch Dobrowner truly captured the mysterious and dangerous spirit of the storm in this photo. He works generally in black an white landscapes, bringing great depth and adding a dramatic element to this photo. The scene is also quite reminiscent of home to me, giving a sense of ease and familiarity. I feel that had the photo lacked the lightening, it still would be a fantastic image. The lightning strike simply adds an element of interest, especially as it weaves within a cloud. The road dead center leads the eye into the image toward the almost black horizon line that really makes the lighting contrast stand out.

Mitch Dobrowner's website is full of equally amazing photographs of different natural and urban landscapes: http://www.mitchdobrowner.com/index.html


Thursday, September 27, 2012

Polymorphism in Nemoria arizonaria juveniles

Nature fascinates me both biologically artistically. Following a some brutal cramming  diligent, well-managed studying for my Ecology exam, my brain has been in a bit of Biology hyperdrive throughout the week, and one study concerning phenotypic plasticity has stuck with me.

The Nemoria arizonaria (emerald moth) lay two sets of eggs, once during early spring and again in the summer. Those larvae that hatch in the spring feed on Oak Catkins and thus, take on the appearance of these plants while those that hatch in the summer feed on Oak Leaves and take on a completely different appearance. There is no discernible genetic difference between offspring hatched during different times of the season. In fact the offspring are genetically identical (clones), thus the change in phenotype is derived from a developmental alteration where different genes are activated based  on environmental cues. Through experimentation these cues have been determined to be completely diet based. Oak catkins and oak leaves are very chemically different, containing different amounts of tannin (polyphenols). Depending on the plant that the caterpillars consumed, they took on the same appearance.
Catkin Juvenile
Oak leaf-twig Juvenile 

Experimentation, of course involved controlled environments with extraction of the plant chemicals to determine that these were in fact the cause of the polymorphism, and juveniles that were supplemented with larger amounts of polyphenol (more abundant in Oak leaves) and then fed catkins, still developed to look like the twigs from which oak leaves sprout. This plasticity is a display of unique adaptation since camouflage greatly increases changes of evading predation by birds. Plus, they just look pretty awesome as well. The adult moths also resemble oak leaves, further increases chances of survival.


Adult Nemoria arizonaria 

Greene, E. 1989. A diet-induced developmental polymorphism in a caterpillar.  Science 243:643-646.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Muscle Memory


 I have not had a surplus of time with which to go out and shoot photos with my new camera in the last several weeks, so although I started to get a feel for it when I came in the mail, I never really took the time to sit down and start getting aquatinted until this past tuesday. My biggest pet peeve with any new device is the initial awkwardness, getting used to where the buttons are and how they respond as I fumble around. Once the muscle memory is there to change my ISO, Aperture or Shutter Seed readily without having to lose visual on what I am shooting, I will be more comfortable with my camera. I have a Sony Alpha A300 that came with an 18-70mm kit lens and I got a 70-210mm sigma lens in addition. I do have a polarized filter and neutral density filter, so I went down to Riverfront Park to play around with everything. For the most part I was just working on getting a good histogram read and adjusting values as appropriate for the situation, starting with some general landscape/ macro photos to have that ease of time to look, adjust and shoot again before I moved over to trying to get some animals, which required a lot more fast- paced adjusting depending on the changing light and motion. I feel like I came back with a few photos that I don't hate and a whole lot more understanding of my camera.


f/ 5.0  1/60  ISO100






f/ 9.0  1/250 ISO400 Neutral Density Filter

I ended up maxing out my card at 400 some pictures since I was shooting in RAW and these have not been edited at all and I will likely make a few changes/ cropping to enhance the images to my taste.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Memories in Sunsets

Summer vacation has almost always included a trip to my family's cottage in lake Huron in northern michigan. I have gone almost every summer since I was a baby except for the summer of 2011 where I stayed in Billings to work. Being 'up north,' as we hoosiers call it, holds an extraordinary amount of memories from the past year and of course there are many collections of pictures from these adventures. My old camera was by far not the most fantastic piece of equipment in the world and I honestly never really knew how to use it correctly, but it was usually within reach when a nice sunset presented.

2006


2008


2012
I find myself surprised how some years I have an absolute lack of pictures. Perhaps other family members had their cameras on hand and I no longer have anything that pre-dates 2006 as those images were lost in a house fire last year. There are likely hard copies of some photos dating back to the early 90s, but any files before 2006 are gone. There is an obvious improvement just in my use and handling of my old camera, and I was very comfortable with the control and could change settings without thinking, but I still never quite mastered everything. My goal with my new DSLR is to gain intuitive knowledge of how it reacts and responds with different settings in different situations to start producing high quality images to document future vacations among many other activities.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

The Art of Science

Australian scientific photographer, Linnea Rundgren brings a very unique perspective to nature photography on the micro and nano scale by use of tools such as x-ray machines and high powered light and electron-scanning microscopes.

One of her outstanding photos has been awarded one of the top 10 Australian scientific images from 2012. This photo shows a single neuron and the effect that an amyloid peptide plaque has upon it. Amyloid peptide is believed to attribute to the cause of neural degeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease. The neuron shown was coated in platinum to produce the contrast and color at 3200x magnification.







regards to
Linnear PhotographyEureka Photos 2012

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Curiosity Cameras

Nature photography is generally attributed to wildlife and landscapes here on our lovely home planet. NASA, of course, is always thinking a little outside of our local atmosphere; from early moon explorations to the Hubble telescope and the various Mars Rovers across the years. This year marks a huge accomplishment for technology with the successful launch of the Mars Rover Curiosity. Nuclear powered and equipped with 6 wheels,  a robotic arm, lasers and equipment to detect chemical compositions, various antennae, drill bits and of course; the cameras, Curiosity has left quite a mark on the red planet (no seriously, the tire treads leave morse code on the planet's surface). 



Taking into consideration how much time has been put into this device, it is almost surprising to find that the camera equipped on the Mar Curiosity to share its findings with humanity is a mere 2 mega pixels (MP) with 8 gigabytes (GB) of memory. Compared to an iPhone 4 with a 5MP camera, or the outrageous Nokia 808 Pureview with a 41MP camera, it raises questions as the the reasoning for the camera specs on the rover.  An interview with NASA on the very subject led to a few explanations for this choice. 

The camera components of Curiosity was being worked on in 2004 where such a simple choice was not as far fetched and the data that the sensor would produce had to be considered when transmitting information from one planet to another at various points in their orbit around the sun...With four cameras working on Curiosity to provide the most accurante visual of the martian planet, large image and video files would be excessive and the files recieved are often stitched together into a larger resolution image. The equipment for the cameras had also been proven through various radiation testing to ensure that they would survive the trip. And the list goes on...Nonetheless, the entirity of the Mars Rover Curiosity is quite an amazing thing indeed, and the next 687 earth days/ 1 martian year will be full of exiting new information about our neighbor in orbit.