ICICLES, BUT NOT WINTER YET

Icicles, Cana Island, Door County, Lake Michigan, Wisconsin

Happy Thanksgiving to all friends, family, and readers of my blog! Joan and I spend the long weekend up on the Door Peninsula at Lake Michigan in Wisconsin. After having a delicious Thanksgiving meal we wanted to burn some calories and took advantage of the gorgeous sunny weather up here. A visit of Cana Island Lighthouse has been always part of the program when we were up in Door County before and that’s where we did some walking and shooting pictures again today.

The photo of these iced bushes at the shore of the island suggests that it is very cold but it actually isn’t. There is no snow on the ground and the wind was moderate so far. However, it was still strong enough to create a nice surf along the shore of Lake Michigan, which probably formed the ice on the branches during the night.

WHEN LIGHT BECOMES THE SUBJECT

At Lewis Mountain campsite, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Ok, I’m jumping back and forth between actual photos, like the Tundra Swans from yesterday, and little stories and images from our tour through the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia in October.

Photography is all about light and how we use it to bring out the subject in our pictures. During an early morning walk around Lewis Mountain campsite in Shenandoah National Park I tried to work with backlit subjects, like ferns and grasses. With every minute more warm light from the low sun was pouring in and putting out some real magic. All the backlit plants are still in the frame but they play only a small role in the story. Suddenly the light itself, hitting the forest floor, became the subject. Not a bad way to start a day…

Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm / f4, @ 35 mm, 1/25s, f/8, ISO400,

WHIRLIGIG’S DANCE FLOOR

Whirligig’s dance floor, Watoga Lake, Watoga State Park, Allegheny Mountains, West Virginia ———— 

Reading at Wikipedia website I learned that whirligig beetles got their common name from their habit of swimming in rapid circles on the water surface when alarmed. They are known for the bewildering and rapid gyrations in which they swim, and for their gregarious behavior.

I named this photo “Whirligig’s dance floor”. The crazy, dance like movements of the water bugs had shaped the open circle on the water, surrounded by pine needles and grass.

In this low light situation I shot the Nikkor 24-120, f/4 wide open at 120 mm and focused on the leaves under water to give the scene some depth. The natural light of the setting sun gave shape to all the elements that make this photo one of my favorites from our trip through West Virginia.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 24-120mm / f4, @120 mm, B+W F-PRO Kaesemann High Transmission Circular Polarizer MRC filter, @1/100s, f/4, ISO400

FALLEN BIRCHES

Fallen birches, Cranberry Wilderness, West Virginia ---------------

It’s easy to get lost and post , write, or reflect only on the great vistas and “standard views” the travel and photography websites suggest for a particular area. Sure, story telling is always important, but sometimes it is the subtle view of a detail that extracts the essence of a landscape and makes it finally a fine art print. This photo of fallen birches merges into these thoughts…

NATURE CLICKS #384 - GREEN CLEARWING

Green Clearwing, Mississippi River, Deere Dyke, Dubuque, Iowa

What do you do if you find a nice subject in great light that would require a macro lens and all what’s available is your widest lens? Some may say, enjoy the view and keep going. Well not me, I tried to get as close as possible with a 35 mm focal length, and I mean really close, only a few inches away. This still doesn’t do the trick, there is a reason that a true macro lens has at least a reproduction ratio of 1:1 and a longer focal length. I shot the beautiful Green Clearwing in a reasonable size but still way too much of its surrounding. To make this image work a pretty hefty crop was applied in post. Not my usual way to solve a problem. but hey, it’s a dragonfly in killer light… 😊

Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm / f4, @ 35 mm, 1/320s, f/4, ISO200, B+W F-PRO Kaesemann High Transmission Circular Polarizer MRC filter

SOME STILL LOOK GOOD

We had a mild and lovely evening today and I was glad to have the camera with me during a walk with the dog down on the Heritage Trail in the Little Maquoketa River Valley. Most wildflowers have passed their prime around here as we are approaching fall but some still look good for a picture if the light hits them just right.

I’m testing a new polarizing filter (see info below) in anticipation of our vacation in October, which will hopefully lead to some good autumn photos. The B+W replaces an older 77mm Promaster filter that I never embraced 100% in regards of image quality and design. I have good experience with the 58mm B+W that I use since many years on the Carl Zeiss Distagon T*, 35mm / f2 ZF lens and I hope the 77 mm delivers the same good results.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm / f4, B+W F-PRO Kaesemann High Transmission Circular Polarizer MRC filter,  @ 22mm, 1/250s, f/4, ISO100

GOING FOR THE DETAIL SHOTS

Shaft of light on a rock in the Volga River, Iowa -----

Yesterday’s photo here in the blog was all about the river, the season, and the mood of the landscape. But I always like to look for the lines and textures, and when the light or just color contrast make a subject pop I see another image. This was sometimes a challenge along the Volga River last weekend. The recent flash flood left a lot of clutter, like sticks and broken trees, along the shore and between the rocks. Keeping them out of the frame is not always possible and cleaning a few sticks up in post process is not a crime in my books.

Fern, Brush Creek Canyon State Preserve, Iowa

On our way home we briefly checked out another area, Brush Creek Canyon State Preserve, near Arlington, Iowa. The preserve contains a rugged forested gorge along the Silurian Escarpment, a prominent ridge located on the western edge of the Paleozoic Plateau landform region in northeast Iowa. We didn’t have the right boots to hike down into the canyon but want to come back better prepared another time. However, a few images were made. The fern growing out of 435 million years old Silurian dolomite didn’t have a shaft of light on it, like the rock in the first image, but the color contrast makes this photo work for me.

NATURE CLICKS #383 - ORANGE SULPHUR

An Orange Sulphur on a blooming Alfalfa plant is something pretty common here in Iowa. In order to make the picture stand out composition and background can’t be neglected. Color contrast helps to make the subject pop but sharpness has to be on the spot, no matter what.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM, @ 1/4000s, f/4, ISO200

ALL GONE NOW

It was an exciting time during the last couple days watching the young House Wrens finally leaving their nest. I tried to document as much as time allowed, hoping to catch one of the juveniles out of the nest. Read the full story:

Sunday 10:00 AM

All three young birds were still in the nest. The parents brought in food very frequently. As you can see, sometimes two insects were carried at once. I doubt that this little guy shared them with its siblings…

Sunday 1:30 PM

The parents had started calling the kids out of the box. They sat sometimes for a few minutes with food in their bill in the dead cedar tree across from the box and tried to lure them away from the nest.

Sunday 7:40 PM

At about 7:00 PM the first little wren had left the nest and flew directly into the trees of the woods. No picture was taken, it just happened too fast. The parents called the other two birds intensely but they decided to stay another night in the safety of the nest box. They received the last meal at 7:40 PM. There wasn’t enough light anymore and I used flash as my main light source, not just to fill in shadows or boost colors as usual.

Monday 9:46 AM

Early in the morning the two little House Wrens were still in the box and called for food. A quarter to ten I interrupted my work and stepped out on the porch to check out what’s going on and saw that the second bird had just left the nest box. The little guy was chirping and hopping around between our flower pots on the deck. It finally climbed up the espalier on the side of the porch where this photo was taken. Later, at about 1 PM during the eclipse of the sun, the last wren was not in the nest anymore. Here in the Durango area the sun was covered by the moon about 88.5 %. During the peak time I didn’t hear a single bird, even the hummingbirds were quiet and didn’t show up.

The wrens are still around somewhere nearby. I still heard their chatter in the woods this evening. I hope they all will make it, become mature birds, and some will return for another good summer here in Iowa. It is always a sure sign of spring when the males show up here in late April or early May and work on their reproduction again.

BEAUTY AND DRAMA

Painted Lady in Alfalfa field, near Remsen, Iowa -------

We spent most of the weekend on the family farm in northwest Iowa. Although the variety of wildlife and vegetation is not the same as here in the Upper Mississippi Valley, there are still plenty of opportunities for a nature photographer.

All images: Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM

My brother-in-law Don gave me the hint about a patch of alfalfa next to his pig nursery, where hundreds of butterflies were feeding nectar from the blossoms. Most of them were Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), one of the most widespread butterflies in North America. Adults may not survive in freezing temperatures and so most of them overwinter in the south and Mexico. Their flight and wing beats are erratic and fast and it was difficult to pre-visualize how the photos would turn out.

Spider paralyzing Painted Lady butterfly

One butterfly got my particular attention while I tried to follow it with the camera. The insect suddenly stopped moving and remained still with its wings spread out. Having a closer look revealed that the Painted Lady was ambushed by a spider. While the butterfly was in a feeding frenzy, the spider used its chance and paralyzed its victim. Well, they all have to live…

ESSENCE OF THE SEASON

Giant Swallowtail -------

Summer seems to be in its zenith and I try to catch the essence of this season in light and colors. The good old Sigma 150, f/2.8 macro lens is still a perfect tool for this kind of shooting. To get the best out of it I shoot wide open most of the time, rendering the background with a nice bokeh. Focus has to be on the spot (eye and body) due to the shallow depth of field at f/2.8 or f/3.2. The butterflies have never a quiet moment and continuous-servo autofocus is the only way to get a sharp image.

ATTENTION NEEDED

Monarch on a Blazing Star --------

My German photography friend Maren Arndt knows how to make good macro shots of butterflies and insects https://marensfotoblog.wordpress.com/2017/08/04/alle-lieben-rainfarn/. She is a true artist and environmental conscious photographer. Her latest blog post has inspired me to put the Sigma 150mm / f2.8 and 1.4x Teleconverter on the camera today and try to hunt for butterflies between Joan’s flower beds in the yard. My best shot was the one above of a Monarch butterfly, an insect that is in big trouble, mainly due to the loss of habitat.

Milkweed is the only plant where the Monarch butterflies will lay their eggs. It is not the prettiest plant on the planet but we let the milkweed grow wherever it comes up in our property. Iowa has a strategy designed to help keep the threatened Monarch off the national endangered species list. To make it short, recreating habitats (instead of steril grass patches) can make a difference. Below are a few links to sources that explain why this should be a big deal for all of us here in the Midwest. If we can’t fix it, our grandchildren may not be able to enjoy this butterfly when they are grown up anymore.

https://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/monarch/annual_cycle_wheel.gif

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/agriculture/2017/02/27/iowa-launches-plan-save-threatened-monarch-butterflies/98492138/

http://monarchsineasterniowa.blogspot.com

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=nrcseprd889463

If you are still with me after looking at all the links (thank you, if you do!), here are some thoughts about the photo. First, it’s just a photo, and it doesn’t tell the full story. Sometimes I have to acknowledge that the picture alone is not enough to create the awareness a particular environmental case needs. The text, or like today pointing out to other sources, may make our brains working. The photo becomes second nature, it just supports the message. Still not a bad thing…

 

STILL IN GOOD SHAPE

Giant Swallowtail, Little Maquoketa River Valley near Durango, Iowa ----

How would summer be without butterflies? During the last few days we saw a couple Giant Swallowtails, a Red Admiral, and one Tiger Swallowtail. Not all of them look photogenic. Some have missing tails or parts of their wings. I’m not sure who is in charge of that. Maybe birds tried to prey on them, but it is not so uncommon to see a swallowtail with missing parts of their wings. However, this Giant Swallowtail was still in pristine shape, with a wonderful dark color.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, @ 1/1600 s, f/4, ISO400

 

THROUGH THE FENCE

Red Fox (captive) --------    

This photo has nothing to do with our main activities last weekend. We went out camping to the Volga River Recreation Area near Fayette, Iowa and paddled the lake and finally the Volga River this weekend. It was a gorgeous tour and time well spent. The river had a good water level and was much faster than other times in July according to the park ranger. Unfortunately I’m not brave enough to take the D750 on a river tour with some whitewater challenges. With other words, no images from the paddle tour.

On our way home we stopped at the Conservation Park and Iowa Welcome Center in Osborne. Beside a lot of other interesting places, like an arboretum, a nature center, and a pioneer village, the center has a native wildlife exhibit. Owls, hawks, a black bear, wolf, coyote, and other animals that can’t make a living on their own in the wild anymore are hosted in this facility.

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of animals in captivity, although I understand the value for education. I’m just not excited anymore. However, the light on this Red Fox intrigued me and making a picture with the fence between me and the critter was a challenge I could not let pass by…