Dakota's Nature Photos

My Friends Call Me Freckles

2013-07-15T18:48:00.001-07:00

1/100 sec. – f/4.9 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Squirrel of Steel

2013-06-30T11:30:00.001-07:00

1/250 sec. – f/5.9 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Pasta

2013-06-09T12:39:00.001-07:00

8 sec. – f/7.4 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

The Ultimate Headache

2013-05-25T15:58:00.001-07:00

1/400 sec. – F/5 - ISO 180
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Eye See You

2013-05-12T18:11:00.001-07:00

1/50 sec. – f/5.1 – ISO 800
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Make a Wish!

2013-05-05T16:59:00.001-07:00

1/1000 sec. – f/4.9 – ISO 450
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Western Earth Snake

2013-04-22T18:32:00.001-07:00

1/125 sec. – f/3.9 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Northern Cardinal

2013-04-20T12:20:00.001-07:00

1/125 sec. – f/5.9 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

I've been trying for many months to get a decent photo of a northern cardinal, and this morning I was blessed with just such luck. As I sat against a tree in the woods photographing every bird that presented itself, this beautiful male perched on a distant branch and posed for about a minute before moving out of sight.

A Pear of Blossoms

2013-04-14T17:07:00.001-07:00

1/500 sec. – f/3.7 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

A Stroll in the Garden

2013-04-13T16:21:00.001-07:00

1/400 sec. – f/5.9 – ISO 400
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Nature Photography Tips

2013-04-08T19:05:00.001-07:00

1/250 sec. – f/5.9 – ISO 200
(Click Image for Larger Version)

I don’t claim to be an expert when it comes to nature photography. I often say that taking pictures is merely a hobby of mine, partially because this keeps me from feeling too guilty that most of my photos aren’t nearly as good as the ones printed in nature magazines or published in calendars. But I have learned a thing or two over the past several years that have brought about noticeable improvements in my recent work, and which I feel are worth sharing.

First of all, anybody who is looking to seriously pursue photography of any kind needs to do their homework. Go to the library and check out as many books as you can that review the basic rules of photography: the functions of aperture, ISO, shutter speed, and how all of these things effect the final photograph. Study the rules of composition, such as the rule of thirds (below), and the many necessary elements to pulling off a successful wildlife shot.
While some people like to believe capturing that once-in-a-lifetime shot depends on nothing but talent and determination, the fact is you will eventually have to invest in a decent camera. I’m not recommending you go out tomorrow and spend $1,000 on one you have no idea how to use, but you’ll eventually have to pay more than $100 for the on-sale model at Wal-Mart. I personally have yet to invest in a DSLR, but my Nikon CoolPix P510 gives me an unmatched 42X zoom, along with 16.1 MegaPixels. Perhaps most importantly, it allows me to customize my shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Auto Mode might work 90% of the time, but it will never produce silky waterfalls or freeze a bird in mid-flight on a cloudy day. If you want above-average pictures, an above-average camera is a necessary part of the equation.
Take LOTS of pictures! I recently visited the St. Louis Arch and went on a sight-seeing cruise up and down the Mississippi river. Over the course of a single afternoon I took over 400 pictures, the majority of which were deleted when I got home. I ended up keeping 116 for myself, and sharing only 5 with the world via my Flickr stream. The math is simple: only about 1% of the pictures I take make the final cut.
Many people erroneously believe using any form of photo editing software constitutes cheating. And honestly, this belief is usually apparent in their photographs. Failing to correct crooked horizons, pale colors and lack of contrast is sometimes all it takes to turn what could have been a true work of art into a distraction. I don’t encourage over-editing your pictures, but don’t be afraid to digitally enhance your image in such a way that brings out more of the original beauty you witnessed.
Back them up! When it comes to storing your digital photo on a PC, never fail to back up any more pictures than you are willing to lose. Personally, I pay for a subscription to Flickr Pro (it only costs about $2 per month), which gives me absolutely unlimited online storage for my photos. They’re all saved at full resolution and can be easily downloaded at any time.

Hogging the Camera

2013-03-07T16:01:00.004-08:00

{Hover Over Image for Inspirational Version}
1/200 sec. - f/5.9 - ISO 100

With Every Rock There’s a Silver Lining

2013-02-02T16:58:00.001-08:00

1/40 sec. – f/4.3 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Lonely Lovebird

2013-01-19T09:40:00.001-08:00

1/500 sec. – f/5.5 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

When Patience Pays Off

2013-01-06T13:45:00.002-08:00

1/400 Sec. - f/8.3 - ISO 200

And the Cat Ran Away With The Spoon

2012-10-27T21:22:00.001-07:00

1/100 sec. – f/8.3 – ISO 100

The Spider and The Fly

2012-10-21T16:22:00.001-07:00

1/640 sec. – f/3.3 – ISO 100
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Lady in Red

2012-10-21T09:05:00.001-07:00

{Hover Over Image for Inspirational Version}
1/500 sec. - f/4.4 - ISO 100

Fall Flames

2012-10-19T19:31:00.001-07:00

1/500 sec. – f/3 – ISO 140
(Click Image for Larger Version)

Eastern Fence Lizard

2012-10-08T15:17:00.001-07:00

1/250 sec. - F/4.1 – ISO 100

(Click Image for Larger Version)

You'll notice I am now making the majority of my new uploads viewable at higher resolution. I've been amazed by the detail my new camera's 16.1 megapixels is able to capture, and I felt it would be a shame to scale everything down to the point where most of that detail is lost. So just click on any of my recent uploads to view larger versions, although these will still typically be less than half of the the image's full resolution (4608X3456 pixels).

Onondaga Spring

2012-10-07T16:31:00.001-07:00

3 sec. – f/8

(Click Image for Larger Version)

Fall Makes Me Nutty

2012-10-03T16:12:00.001-07:00

1/160 sec. – F/6.1
(Click Image for Larger Version)

“Be Sure & Get My Good Side”

2012-09-30T13:30:00.001-07:00

1/800 sec. - F/5.5

I’ve been playing around with my new camera this afternoon and have been putting its continuous shooting mode to good use. What do you think?

My New Toy

2012-09-29T19:12:00.001-07:00

All but one or two pictures you see on this blog have been taken with the Nikon Coolpix L110. I’ve been using it for a couple years now and it has served me well, but I felt it was time for me to upgrade – and upgrade I did! I’ll now be shooting with the Nikon Coolpix P510 which, although still not a DSLR, has an amazing 42X optical zoom and a total of 16.1 MegaPixels! Unlike the L110, manual focus and custom exposure time is now at my fingertips. It is actually designed for nature photographers, and will greatly improve my ability to photograph wild animals and insects. I’ll be taking it out for a test run tomorrow and hope to share some fresh shots with you soon!

Barred Owl

2012-09-24T15:59:00.000-07:00