Charlie and the Nature Factory [Warning: Stunningly Beautiful Large Photo Images]

Silver King

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WOW! Fantastic shot!
It's the best one I've managed of an osprey, which I don't cross paths with that often. You should see the failed attempts, though, some of which I've saved to remind myself of missed opportunities that are almost heartbreaking.

Lately I've been using my big lens (70-300mm) to get closer to subjects, but it's heavy and awkward to handle when shooting fast moving objects.

I didn't intend to get that close to this osprey, but I can make believe I was aiming for a closeup at the time: ;)



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heyjude

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SK! You have missed your calling. You could do this for a living, no question. Those are amazing.
 

Silver King

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Awesome pictures, SK!
It means a lot to me, more than I can ever express, that the images I've shared here are enjoyed by others who appreciate our natural surroundings.

In the near future, I'll share pictures of flowers I captured in people's front yards while I spent an afternoon driving around looking for likely sources. You'd think that doesn't sound very exciting, until you hear about some of the homeowners I encountered!
 

Lady MacBeth

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More great shots, SK. You should be working for National Geographic.:) Can't wait to see the flowers.
 

heyjude

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I don't know much about photography, but isn't there a way to submit independently? Like, you don't have to give up your day job to do it? Kind of like writing?
 

Tepelus

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Did you say, pictures of flowers? They are what I photograph the most, the flowers in my own yard anyway, mostly daylilies, and hostas.
 

swachski

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Me too, due to lack of gators and spoonbills and the like. I just don't put them here because they would pale in comparison to SK's stellar images. Let's start though, okay Tepelus? :)
 

Silver King

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I love flowers!
You'll be in for a treat soon.
More great shots, SK. You should be working for National Geographic.:) Can't wait to see the flowers.
Ha! Those folks are real pros, with the equipment to match, while I mostly goof around and hope for a decent shot once in a while.
Ont thing these latest pics make clear, that is one ugly bird that I'd rather not mess with.
They're fantastic in every way, awe-inspiring even, and are consummate hunters that can take one's breath away watching them work a patch of water. It's amazing how high they soar at times in search of food, and how they can detect a meal at such great heights, then plunge from the heavens for their reward. I've also seen them skim the surface and catch prey in that manner as well.

Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it...

I don't know much about photography, but isn't there a way to submit independently? Like, you don't have to give up your day job to do it? Kind of like writing?
There must be, but I've never checked into it; and like writing, I imagine they'd be inundated with submissions.

Did you say, pictures of flowers? They are what I photograph the most, the flowers in my own yard anyway, mostly daylilies, and hostas.

Me too, due to lack of gators and spoonbills and the like. I just don't put them here because they would pale in comparison to SK's stellar images. Let's start though, okay Tepelus? :)
Yes, please do! I'd love to see more images shared in this thread.

Also, please don't concern yourself with comparing your photos with anyone else's images. After all, we're not having a contest or anything, just sharing moments that are meaningful to us. :)
 

rhymegirl

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I love to take flower photos.

I am going to start soon as everything is starting to bud and blossom in my area.
 

Tepelus

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Well, since I don't want to clog up this thread with a hundred pictures of hostas and heuchera that I just photographed yesterday (well, not that many, yet), I'll post a couple then the link to my Photobucket album for those interested in seeing more.

Leaf of Heuchera 'Marvelous Marble'
HeucheraMarvelousBMarble4-17-12.jpg


Heuchera 'Sugar Plum'
HeucheraSugarPlum4-17-12.jpg


Close-up of Heucherella 'Gunsmoke'
HeucherellaGunsmokeB4-17-12.jpg


My Heuchera Album

And a group hug of several hostas
IndigoFireIslandetc4-17-12.jpg


My Hosta Album
 

Silver King

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I love to take flower photos.

I am going to start soon as everything is starting to bud and blossom in my area.
And post some in this thread?

Close-up of Heucherella 'Gunsmoke'
HeucherellaGunsmokeB4-17-12.jpg

What an excellent shot. Really like how the veins are so prominent and appear to be etched into the leaves. The color, or lack of it, makes the effect even better.
 

Lady MacBeth

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Great photos, Tepelus! I love hostas, but the slugs keep eating mine.
 

Tepelus

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Kind of reminds me of tinfoil. lol! This plant was not doing well where I originally planted it, beneath a dogwood tree. Too much root competition. I moved it late last summer into its current home with no tree roots and clay loam soil amended with compost and manure, and the plant has taken off as if I had given it some sort of plant steroids. I never thought much of it until this spring, and now I think it's a pretty neat plant.
 

swachski

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I think I have every one of those hostas, but I have no luck with heuchera. Great shots, Tep! :)

From the dogwood in my front yard...

dogwood.jpg
 

Silver King

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From the dogwood in my front yard...
Very pretty! Do they have a pleasant scent? They appear similar to a type of flower I've seen that have a sweet yet musky aroma that's hard to describe.

The flowers below caught my eye as I drove by on a busy street, so I turned the car around and pulled into the home's driveway.

My wife was with me at the time. "What are you doing?"

"Be right back," I said.

The flowers were positioned near the front of the house. The windows were open, and I saw a woman sitting on a sofa watching television. I used a stealthy, cat-like approach to get close to the subjects, then got off a few quick shots and ran back to car.

"Are you crazy or something?" my wife said. "When you told me you wanted to take pictures of flowers, you never said anything about this."

I backed out of the driveway and went in search of the next subject:



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rhymegirl

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Ooh, pretty flowers!

I tried to capture a swan swimming in a lake near my house. The pic isn't that great because it kept moving and wouldn't position its head right, but, oh well.

swan.jpg
 

Silver King

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I tried to capture a swan swimming in a lake near my house. The pic isn't that great because it kept moving and wouldn't position its head right, but, oh well.
Did you take at least 200 pictures of the swan, Katho? That's the secret, you know, to getting the perfect shot. Just keep shooting like a person who is possessed while your index finger goes numb. Then you'll find at least one decent image among the bunch.

It's all part of, Silver King's guide to successful photography: shoot your ass off and hope for the best!
 

swachski

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I lurv it Kath. It's like the swan is trying to hide behind the reeds. :) The water looks cool too.

SK, those flowers look like irises, but smaller. Do you know what they are?

Oh, and no, the dogwood blossoms don't have a scent. But the lilacs in my yard are blooming right now and they smell divine!