It was supposed to rain today!  A 100% chance!

It didn’t

So we planned on not going to the park today.  Instead we went to Pearl Beach!

I even got in a few bird shots…..missed my long lenses!

My duaghter took some of the photographs with my other D3s.

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ONE OF MY TWO ARTSY FARTSY FOR THE DAY SHOTS….

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A very long day for a man with a bad back.  But so many rewards with smiles..

The last one if you make it through all of them is my artsy fartsy of the day.

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YES I RODE IT!   CLAUSTROPHOBIA, PANIC AND ALL!!!!!!!

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I was at the right place at the right time for this photo.  Antelope Island.  On the causeway.  The light was PERFECT!  The only thing to make it better for me would have been him taking off – right – me!

Nikon D3s, 600mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter.  1/5000 second at f5.6, ISO 400.  No post work.   Original pixels.

HELP!

I have searched all over for the name of this little cute y.   The closest I can find is Grace’s Warbler.  I can’t find a photo online or in my guide books that shows the little black horns though.

What do you think?  I would really like to call this one by name……

Found him at Antelope Island Saturday.  He did a lot of searching in the low brush.  I am assuming for meals?  Sure made for some fun photographs.

Had a real blast today at Antelope Island.

Found a small horned bird I have never seen before.  Probably real common.  Just never had one in my view finder.  Tons of fun stuff.  Birds, buffalo, etc. all made for a fun morning.  Then it was time to pack.  So I just finished packing.  I have to get up real early to catch my flight.  This photograph was an accident.  At times I will shoot through brush with my long lenses.  For the most part the auto focus stays on the subject. But once and a while it catches something a little closer.  Just had to post it…..

I was fortunate to have my camera with me at Zella Pearl Putnam Cox’s funeral yesterday.  A grand lady.  With the families permission I hope to post several photographs.  One that touched me was this little one taking a flower off the casket.  The nice thing about photography is at times you can hide behind the camera.  Tears were shed when witnessing this little one still trying to take in the whole thing and wondering where great grandma is?

One of the hundreds of Harrier take offs I have on file.

Captured this one this morning!  Another bright and beautiful day in Utah.

Tomorrow is my Aunt “Z’s” funeral.

She has graduated!

My Mom’s sisters are and were all beautiful, full of life and excitement.  Tomorrow will be a good day to celebrate her graduation and see my cousins.

I’m reminded of my other Aunt that lived in Woodruff, Utah.  When I was about ten years old I got to live in Woodruff with my cousin Billy and his gazzillion sisters.  We had a blast.  My fondest memory was guarding the hay stacks from rabbits.  I dare say Billy and I were the best guards in the valley.  No rabbit got away or came close to the hay stacks.  Very recently I passed through the Woodruff Valley.  It’s part of the route to my lake house.  For 40+ years I have visited this valley.  This day the skies and the valley took me back to those warm days with Billy…….

A couple of years ago I took this photo with my old 300mm, f2/8 lens.  Tonight I ran across the file and fell in love all over again with this group shot.  Lessons I have learned since I took this shot are that higher a ISO is OK.  If at possible extend the DOF in a group like this. And in post look closer at details.  I have at least 4 terra bytes of pixels.  I can honestly tell you this is in my top 10 most favorite captures……

Yes it’s that time of year when the Pheasants think they are hiding.

But in reality you can see them a mile away.  Ok 100 yards or so!

Nikon D3s, 600mm lens @ f/4 and  1/5200 second.

Exaggerated contrast by high key Silver Efex Pro2 filter and Pheasant layer erased back.