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A Flaming Hibiscus

By Mia McPherson, on February 7th, 2013%

Flame Hibiscus

I’m lucky. As a photographer I can look at my images and in my mind travel through time to the memories I built when I created them This flame-colored Hibiscus takes me back to a warm, sunny day in Tampa at the USF Botanical Garden, for awhile when I look at this I can forget the fog building outside my window and the snow on the ground.

It was a happy day but THIS is a happy day too despite what the weather might hold.

Mia

*This was taken with a point and shoot camera, I don’t have the techs.

Low light Coyotes in snow

By Mia McPherson, on January 30th, 2013%

Coyote running across a snow drift – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

In my post yesterday I shared a Coyote photo in the snow and wanted to share a few more of the Coyotes I saw on Antelope Island State Park on Monday. It is a challenge to photograph in low light and snow, exposure compensation is key so that the subject isn’t too dark and the snow isn’t too bright. I opted to go light on the subjects in these images and brought down the exposure of the snow in post processing.

I mentioned that I spotted two Coyotes, one pale larger one I believe to be a male and a darker, smaller one I believe to be a female. The female never came up close like the pale Coyote did, the picture above shows the pale Coyote running through the snow as it came closer.

Coyote sniffing for voles – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 328mm, natural light, not baited or called in

The pale Coyote was hunting, it would often stop and press its muzzle into the snow to sniff out voles. Just after the image above was created the Coyote stuck its nose into the snow drift. It was aware of our presence but didn’t seem bothered by us as it came so close I wasn’t able to focus on it at times.

Snowy Coyote portrait – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 357mm, natural light, not baited or called in

I was able to zoom in and get some portraits of the pale Coyote with snow covering its muzzle and face.

Coyote and snow drifts pano – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

The Coyote that I believe to be the female because of its smaller size was more cautious than the paler Coyote and hung back, in front of her the pale Coyote’s tracks are just barely visible. She never came in close to us.

Coyote sitting on a road – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in

The pale Coyote sat on the road and appeared to be waiting for the darker one to catch up but after a few minutes it was clear to us that she wasn’t going to and we passed the pale Coyote on the road. Later on after making a loop to the south of the island we saw them together again on a hill-side.

I know some people may not care for these images because they are high key but I find them; and the Coyotes, very appealing.

Mia

More Coyote images

Great Egret close up

By Mia McPherson, on December 21st, 2012%

Great Egret close up – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 260mm, natural light

Well, if you are reading this the world hasn’t come to an end which I think is a really good thing since I have high hopes of photographing many more birds and animals before my time is up.

This Great Egret image was taken in Florida in 2009, the beautiful blue in the background is the water of the Gulf of Mexico. The image was taken a bit later in the morning than I usually like because the light can get harsh but high thin clouds diffused the light just enough that the whites weren’t blown and beautiful details are evident in the plumage. I have quite a few images of this same bird that showed it preening and walking the shoreline and I’m glad the bird walked close enough to me to get this close up.

We are all still here, the earth wasn’t struck by an asteroid and the doom & gloom predictions of the end of the world weren’t accurate. I’m going out to find some birds and photograph them! Let’s all celebrate!

Mia

More Great Egret images

Great Blue Heron Portrait

By Mia McPherson, on August 2nd, 2012%

Great Blue Heron portrait – Nikon D200, handheld, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 200, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 400mm, natural light, not baited

This Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) got up close and personal with me a few years ago in Florida, it largely ignored my presence altogether as it stalked prey on shore of the Gulf of Mexico. It was a touch unnerving to have such a large wading bird with a spear-like bill towering over me as I sat on the warm sugar sand photographing it. I’m glad it didn’t mistake me for prey.

As usual, I’ve done very little post processing to this image, cropped, removed two little dust bunnies, darkened the mid tones a bit then I masked and sharpened the heron. There are some photographers who would have cleaned up the salt encrusted bill and possibly removed the feather on the bill tip but I prefer to have my images as natural as possible and don’t find the downy feather or the salt on the bill a distraction.

Wow, those occipital plumes are long!

Mia

More Great Blue Heron images

Bald Eagle Close Up – 4 Year Old

By Mia McPherson, on May 21st, 2012%

4 year old Bald Eagle close up – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 200, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

A few years ago I had some wonderful photo ops with this 4-year-old Bald Eagle at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, it often perched on an old wooden pole by the boat launch (before they stuck a bat house on the pole it was a favorite for raptors, I hope the bat house rots and falls off soon). The Bald Eagle had left its perch to go fishing in the water and an American Kestrel took over the pole.

Well the Eagle didn’t like that it seemed because when it saw the Kestrel it came flying back to the pole rather quickly and took back its perch.

I didn’t have time to zoom back since the Eagle flew in so fast which is how I got this close up. Normally I wouldn’t like having the wings clipped in a frame but I think it works with this image.

Mia