Monday, March 31, 2014
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Friday, March 28, 2014
Patience Pays Off !
IN AN UNEXPECTED BUT DELIGHTFUL WAY
For a long time now I've been trying to catch a hummingbird in the midst of free flight, close-up. Which is pretty much impossible -- the critters move so fast and so suddenly that a lumbering human with a cheap hand-held camera could never hope to move quickly enough. The most one can do is to find a bird in repose, aim the camera and wait -- zoomed in halfway so that the partial shrinkage of the visual field, which decreases the chances of snapping an image before the subject flies off-frame, is balanced out by the increase in the size of the image if one somehow manages to click the shutter in time. A compromise of compromises, but that is all I could come up with.
And that is what I was doing today with this hummingbird, when it suddenly spread its wings, leapt off the branch, then quickly returned to its perch, only to take off again immediately, this time not to return. I pressed the shutter convulsively, certain it was useless -- and sure enough, when I checked the image there was no flying bird silhouetted against the sky. Foiled again..!
But then, I noticed something, and when I zoomed in, I realized I had inadvertently caught the bird at a truly unique moment -- the very instant it was launching itself off the branch!
I love this image! And I'll wager there are no other hummingbird photographs like this on the internet. In this "shoving off" position it looks so odd and awkward, so out of kilter with the usual, dragonfly-like grace of its kind; makes me think of a child making like a flying superhero with its arms stretched forth^^.
For a long time now I've been trying to catch a hummingbird in the midst of free flight, close-up. Which is pretty much impossible -- the critters move so fast and so suddenly that a lumbering human with a cheap hand-held camera could never hope to move quickly enough. The most one can do is to find a bird in repose, aim the camera and wait -- zoomed in halfway so that the partial shrinkage of the visual field, which decreases the chances of snapping an image before the subject flies off-frame, is balanced out by the increase in the size of the image if one somehow manages to click the shutter in time. A compromise of compromises, but that is all I could come up with.
And that is what I was doing today with this hummingbird, when it suddenly spread its wings, leapt off the branch, then quickly returned to its perch, only to take off again immediately, this time not to return. I pressed the shutter convulsively, certain it was useless -- and sure enough, when I checked the image there was no flying bird silhouetted against the sky. Foiled again..!
But then, I noticed something, and when I zoomed in, I realized I had inadvertently caught the bird at a truly unique moment -- the very instant it was launching itself off the branch!
I love this image! And I'll wager there are no other hummingbird photographs like this on the internet. In this "shoving off" position it looks so odd and awkward, so out of kilter with the usual, dragonfly-like grace of its kind; makes me think of a child making like a flying superhero with its arms stretched forth^^.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Another Well-Timed Shot (On My New Computer)
MORE RANDOM ASSOCIATIONS
My computer crashed a while back. It's been almost two weeks since the last post, but finally my new computer is hooked up!
Anyway,
this image reminded me of: #1. the old naval tradition of marking the crossing of the International Date Line with a ceremony; and #2. the Relativistic effect of different observers experiencing the same event as occurring at different times, depending on their frame of reference (^^).
Related post: A Well-Timed Shot
My computer crashed a while back. It's been almost two weeks since the last post, but finally my new computer is hooked up!
Anyway,
this image reminded me of: #1. the old naval tradition of marking the crossing of the International Date Line with a ceremony; and #2. the Relativistic effect of different observers experiencing the same event as occurring at different times, depending on their frame of reference (^^).
Related post: A Well-Timed Shot
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Pair Of Crows
This slightly odd chance image made me think of technical illustrations showing objects in different views^
And inversion layers and heat mirages.
Perhaps a crow haunted by her freefloating shadow...
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And inversion layers and heat mirages.
Perhaps a crow haunted by her freefloating shadow...
Monday, March 10, 2014
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Parking Lot Cracks
Two weeks ago I had occasion to visit the County library at Montebello. While walking up the parking lot I noticed numerous cracks in the asphalt that had been filled in. They made for some very interesting designs, so naturally I took out my camera and photographed the best ones. Some look like mysterious writing, others rather resemble humorous cartoons, and some have been 'enhanced' with little whimsies of my design, to complete the picture.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
An Old Sketch For Something...
A rummage session in a box of old stuff produced this nigh-forgotten little... gem(?) from the bad old days. Wonder what the heck I was smoking when I drew it--
'Cause I definitely want some more.
Monday, February 17, 2014
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Saturday, February 15, 2014
My Favorite Time Of The Day
The all-too-brief magic half-hour, when everything is bathed in a nostalgic, otherworldly golden glow. When Day and Night meet to trade places, and earthly lights begin to assert their own claims.
Related post: Magic Hour
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Friday, February 14, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
The Many Colors Of A Hummingbird
So far we have had unseasonably warm weather this winter. Which means unusually frequent hummingbird sightings in January and February.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
The Moon Is Very Far Away, Little Bird... But I'm Coming With You
BTW, the phrasing of the title is borrowed from the ending of the science fiction short story by Keith Laumer, "The Last Command". It's about an old war veteran who feels out of place in the new society, and an old self-aware AI war machine that he used to be in charge of. Both were relegated to the past, being no longer needed; then suddenly they are revived and reunited, and ultimately they choose to go to certain death together -- "It's a long way Lenny... but I'm coming with you..."
I know, it's sentimental...
Thursday, February 6, 2014
A Thumb-Sized Bird In A Big Tree
It's significantly smaller than one of the tree's leaves -- I'm actually a little amazed I even spotted it. But I suppose after all this time spent watching for them, my eyes have become hummingbird-sensitive^.
Here's a reverse-zoom out of the frame, to give an idea of the scale.
Here's a reverse-zoom out of the frame, to give an idea of the scale.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
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Saturday, February 1, 2014
More Fun With Der Erlkönig
The other day while listening to my favorite lied, 'Der Erlkönig', yet again (both the Schubert and the Carl Loewe versions), I started idly doodling the sinister figure of the Elf King -- the spirit of the forest who can deal death invisibly to humans to satisfy his whims -- to go with the song. Then I got the bright idea of coloring it in with Paint.net. I'm still learning to use the program (yes, I'm a dinosaur) and I've never actually drawn with it before, so the result was necessarily very basic (O.K., primitive^^), but I was pleasantly surprised by how so much like a watercolor or block print it looked.
After coloring and darkening it, as a finishing touch I squashed it vertically. I rather like the result. Looks like a page out of a children's book -- for older children^^.
After coloring and darkening it, as a finishing touch I squashed it vertically. I rather like the result. Looks like a page out of a children's book -- for older children^^.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
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