Recently, a colleague at worked ask if I would photograph a home getting ready to go on the market. Real estate photography is not my normal subject, and this cute little Cape Cod proved difficult in it's own right. The home owner did a great jump preparing the space, making my job much easier. My goal was to make this cozy space feel as grand as possible, but keep the images honest. I found myself pulling out my 10-20mm wide-angle lens (just wish I had a full-frame version.)
Iris are Blooming
Wish we had more Iris in our gardens, but we do have this nice purple and yellow variety.
Moonshine
A crystal clear night an a great Waxing Gibbous - a 93% illuminated 12 day old moon, 396,973 km away.
Early Bird Gets the Worm
Early morning trip to Spring Valley - Song Sparrow, Prothonotary Warbler and a Yellow Warber.
Self Reflection - Updated
Update - after a little finalization in Photoshop, I've picked this portrait.
My first attempt at a self-portrait. Hate trying to decide what I like.
Prom 2017
Lily's Senior Prom tonight - a wonderful group.
Kodak Collection
Yesterday's image and the continued rain have inspired me to look at photographing more of my tiny little camera collection. Today's shoot is of a Kodak DuaFlex II. I actually have the entire kit, including the box and flash, but couldn't easily figure out a good way to capture the flash unit (so much chrome.) The great part of collecting vintage Kodak cameras is the low cost - you can pick up a decent example of a mid-century Kodak for $20 - $30.
My First Camera
Sitting in my office this weekend, I glanced at my camera collection and realized that I was missing an example of my first camera. After some quick research, I discovered the exact model - the Kodak Instamatic X-15F. Google was also kind enough to let me know where to find one - Etsy. There were several great examples, and I ordered one (okay actually two) that included the classic yellow Kodak box, the General Electric Flip Flash II and instruction manual.
With the rainy weather, I decided to give the X-15F a modern day photoshoot.
Manufactured: 1976-1988
Lens: f/11, 43 mm
Optics: plastic, single element, meniscus
Focus: fixed, 4 feet to infinity
Shutter: 1/90 sec. normal, 1/45 sec. flash
Batteries: none required
Tripod Mount: standard 1/4 inch by 20 threads/inch
Modern Film Speeds: 100, 200, 400 on a clear sunny f/16 day
I'll update this post soon with some sample images from the X-15F.
Windy Days
Overcast this morning and 20-30 mph winds this afternoon, making birding more difficult than usual.
Little Hopper(s)
I'm glad I don't freak out about bugs in the house. This little arachnid was hanging out in our kitchen.
Well - three more jumping spiders showed up, so I photographed two of them.
The “Bold Jumper” is one of the largest and most common species of jumping spider in North America. The spider is mostly black with a conspicuous white, orange, or red triangular patch in the center of its abdomen. Take a close look at this spider’s chelicerae (jaws), as they have a gorgeous, iridescent sheen to them and come in a variety of colors!
“Tan Jumping Spiders” are miniature low-riders, having a flattened and elongated body. Even their legs can be rotated enough to allow them to shimmy into tight cracks and crevices. The top side of the cephalothorax (the front body section) is predominantly gray in color and nearly rectangular in outline. The abdomen is elongated; widest in the middle and tapering to a point in the rear where the silk-spinning organs are. The abdomen has a broad, white or gray scalloped pattern that runs lengthwise down the center and is bordered in black. This particular pattern makes the species one of the easier ones to identify in the field. Body length (excluding legs) of adult female ranges from 10-13 mm; adult males range from 6.5-9.5 mm. http://www.spiders.us/species/platycryptus-undatus/
Beautiful Tulips
Even more beautiful tulips from the garden.
Blowing in the Wind
Took this fun shot with the Tamron and Raynox combination in the studio this evening.
Getting Up Close
As Spring arrives, I will be testing out and reviewing some new macro gear - the Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 VC USD for Nikon, and the KuangRen Macro Twin-Lite KX-800 flash. Interestingly, the brand of the flashes is definitely a question, this same flash is sold as a KuangRen, Reppo, Riepor, and Venus Optics/Laowa. But, the good news is first impressions show this combination plus the Raynox DCR-250 appear to be a winning team. Here are a few first shots.
Green Heron
Thanks to Stefan Minnig for spotting this guy at Woodman Fen - my first green heron of the year.
A Little Birdie
Finally found this little birdie hiding near the board walk at Spring Valley Wildlife Area.
The Tulips Keep Blooming
Here are three more varieties from our flower garden - what a spectacular spring season.
Parula Central
The best bets this week have been Northern Parula migrating north.
Happy Easter
Happy Easter to everyone.
Crazy Tulips
We have some new varieties of tulips this year. I should have keep the packaging, because I can't possibly guess what the types are.
Mini Daffodils
It's hard to guess what variety of daffodils these are, but my best guess is 'Pipit' Mini Daffodils.