Soaring Turkey Vulture. This week Thom Hogan has been publishing reviews of Nikon “Exotic” lenses. By Exotic, he is referring to the big telephoto lenses: 200 mm f/2, 300 mm f/2.8, 400 mm f/2.8, 500 mm f/4, and 600 mm f/4. In the reviews, he really likes the 400 mm f/2.8. I have an earlier version of the 400 mm f/2.8 D II (before VR or VR II). I decided to take it out this afternoon. Rather than showing some more images of the local deer, I’ll share an image of a soaring turkey vulture. The image was taken hand-held (yes this is a heavy lens (4620 g, nearly 10 lbs) — and even heavier when you add-on the camera body). The image is cropped significantly as the vulture was soaring well above the house.
Turkey Vulture Soaring. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 400 mm f/2.8 D II lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/2.8, 1/2500). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.
If the sky stays clear tonight, I will try some full moon images with this lens (alone and with the TC-E III 20 teleconverter), and some star-trails looking for Perseid meteor trails.
Multi-Exposure View of the Waxing Gibbous Moon. I went out last night to see about setting up a camera to do some star trails and possibly catch some Perseid meteor trails. I gave up because of the bright waxing gibbous moon (90% illuminated) and some fast-moving clouds. After midnight, it did clear up long enough to get this multi-exposure view of the moon. I set it up for 2 minutes between exposure. I think I need to go to 2.5 minutes for no overlap for a full moon.
Multi-Exposure of Waxing Gibbous Moon over New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 500 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4 1/400 sec). Nine images taken at 2 minute intervals. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, and Photoshop CS5.
Gone to See America August 2010 Road Trip. Day 10: Great Basin National Park, Nevada.
Zombie Sunflower Farmer. On the highway just outside of Great Basin National Park.
Zombie Sunflower Farmer. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 220 mm, f/8, 1/1000 sec)Zombie Sunflower Farmer. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 100, 45 mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec)Zombie Sunflower Farmer. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/1000 sec)Zombie Sunflower Farmer. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 45 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 100, 45 mm, f/2.8, 1/4000 sec)
Backyard Deer Nursery. The deer population in New Jersey is out of control. Because of all of the damage to gardens and shrubbery, deer have been labeled “rats with hooves”. The only natural predator of deer in New Jersey, and many other states is the automobile (been there, done that, don’t want to do it again). On the other hand, let nature be — and use it as a subject to photograph.
When I got home this evening, there was a Doe working the shrubbery on my driveway. Further down the driveway I saw a Buck (with a larger rack) and two fawns resting in the shade. I got a few images out of the car window, but nothing special. When I went onto the deck to check on my tomatoes, I saw many Fawns and a Doe. By the time I got the camera up the Seven Fawns started running to their den mother. When I tell folks that I can come home and find a dozen deer in my yard, they often roll their eyes in disbelief. Tonight there were a dozen all viewed with 30 minutes. The following “grab” images are of the seven Fawns and their den mother.
Goggle+ For anyone still reading this, it was about a year ago that my Facebook account was hacked and started sending out a lot of junk in my name. It also appeared that my computer was compromised and was sending a lot of data to external sites. The only way I could stop it was to delete my FB account, and restore my computer hard drive to a point several days earlier. It was at that point that I started my “image of the day” photoblog using WordPress and PhotoShelter. A few days ago, I got an invite to join the beta of Google Plus (Google+ or G+). So far it looks interesting. I don’t think that it will replace my “image of the day” photoblog.
Seven Fawns Running and the Den Mother Doe in My Backyard. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 220, 72 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec).Seven Fawns Running and the Den Mother Doe in My Backyard. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 72 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec).Seven Fawns Running and the Den Mother Doe in My Backyard.Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 72 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec).
I’m getting tired of doing deer and need a new subject. Thoughts? Reply as a comment or send me an e-mail.
Young Fawn Hiding in the Woods. When I got home, I saw the rabbit in the same location as this morning. I then saw this fawn hiding in the woods. Its mother left it in the shade. It stayed perfectly still nearly camouflaged while I took some pictures. It was relatively dark in the shade, and I had to push the ISO to 1600. Even then, the exposure times were 1/25 and 1/40 sec. It is a good thing that the lens has VR such that I could get a relatively sharp image.
Fawn Hiding in the Woods. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/40 sec).Fawn Hiding in the Woods. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/25 sec).
