Thank goodness for Digital Cameras and Auto Focus!  Especially high quality cameras like mine.  This morning I made my usual trek out to see my winged friends at the FBBR.  It was overcast and rain was eminent.  My NIkon D3s was set at 3200 ISO.  After about 1000 shots It was time to get home.  No film.  A bunch of little tiny 1’s and 0’s that somehow change on a computer to pixels.  FREE!   The digital darkroom.  A chair, computer and monitor.  Today my goal was to push what I have learned (not much by the way) and do something unique.

The morning was spent shooting Forster’s Terns, an Egret and Cinnamon Teal’s.  I wanted motion shots.  How was the 3200 ISO to play out?  What could I do a little different?  Thanks to digital technology I was able to combine multiple shots of the same bird.  Here is the Forster’s Tern.  It flies low over the water and scoops up lunch.

The Cinnamon Teal is a small duck that most of it torso is cinnamon in color.  It’s wings are blue, green, gray and white beautiful!!!!

There is no doubt that I could not get these results with film.  There may have been some professional labs that might.  I really doubt it.  The integrity of the color, shape, structure and personality of the subjects are intact.   Three shots in one.  Amazing!

Then there is the White Egret having a bad hair day………………

Blue Winged Teal.  A beautiful bird.  I have thousands of pics of ducks swimming.  A record I guess.  This guy was stretching or showing off.  Either way it makes for a better photograph than the static of a duck on water.

This Cinnamon Teal  was not welcome in the area of this American Coot.  Can the Coot stir up water or what?  Wait till you see the Coot kids…..Yikes…….

Now I’m telling you these are the ugliest ducklings I have ever seen.  What ever happened to baby animals having camouflaged markings and colors?  It looks like their eyes are not opened.  I watched them for a short period and their actions seemed as though they are blind.  I hope they make it to adulthood.  Only a mother Coot could love these little ones!

I am always attracted to water when there may be birds.   Washington has a lot of areas where birds reside.  Good for me.

If looks could kill!

How is it that my office desk is the epitome of clutter?  My bedroom has greater comfort to me if it’s NOT organized.  I do keep it pretty clean to keep peace in my home.  Why then does a photograph with a lot of clutter bug me?

Sunday morning I was out west shooting birds.  A red head duck resting on a tree limb just above the water made a good subject.  Branches, weeds, moss, and junk was everywhere.  I just couldn’t find “that” shot. Then I just let out a gut busting laugh.  In the background of the shot was a giant bullfrog. I mean a huge guy.  It’s legs would give a Kentucky Fried Chicken drumstick a run for it’s amount of meat on the bone.  Getting the depth of field to have the duck and the frog in focus was a challenge.  In the end it was a fun pic.  But I hate all the clutter!!!!!

After several persistent requests I caved in.   My grandson wanted to take pictures with my point and shoot Canon.  Oh whoops…..yes I own a Canon.  It’s the only point and shoot that shoots in RAW.

Anyway he followed me around and we had a crash course in photography.  The above photo is his self-portrait.  Note on the left his reflection in the bubbled glass.  On the right is his silhouette.  Pretty cool!  Did I mention he is 5!!!!

Probably one of the worlds next greatest photographers.

I am getting fat(ter).  Exercise has been limited as of late.  So I went for a good walk tonight.  Why not take the camera and have a challenge?  It was low light (dusk).  High ISO’s are avoided by me a lot.  I set my D3s ISO to 5000, and the aperture to f/9.  All hand held (I was exercising and did not have much time to stop).    The noise in the pic’s turned out pretty darn slight.  Yes it’s there but very acceptable!

I had to do a black and white.  It’s in my blood!  What a better subject than leaves and flowers.

Back home it was getting dark.  Tried the good old flash.  Used a ring flash I bought last year.  Same setting except lower ISO to 3200 and lowered exposure comp by -.7 stop.

Dan and I both saw this sign from the freeway near Winslow, Az.   There were no mountain lions.  Just some not so old ruins…..

Driving back to phoenix tonight.  I decided to drive from Winslow to Phoenix through Payson.  The canyon from Payson to Phoenix is beautiful.  My expectations where pretty high.  The anxiety that is a constant in my life was increasing as I watched the sun drop in the west.  I really wanted to stop at a few favorites spots and get that “late day” shot.  I was losing the race with the sun.   My luck took control. A beautiful hawk was hunting along the roadside.  He would sit atop the cactus for a few minutes then move down the road and land.  He did this several times.  What a beauty!!!!!!!