Archive for the ‘Digital Photography’ Category

Photographing a Patient Frog

Thursday, August 20th, 2009
Patient frog

Patient frog

I was out last night with the dogs and noticed that there was a small frog perched at the very top of a trellis that is holding up a tomato plant. My first thought was how beautiful and next I thought I would try to get a photograph. I ran back to the house to get my camera and when I returned to the trellis the frog was still there. So I set my camera to take the shot with available light with no flash, and moved in close. Wouldn’t you just know it, dead battery. So, I turned the camera back on because sometimes it will take one photo even with the low battery warning. After the third try I ran back to the house to get two new batteries, load them and return back to the trellis where the frog still perched.

I was finally ready, or so I thought, as I stepped closer to take the photo from the side. The kittens began jumping around in the garden below the trellis causing the frog to look back over his shoulder to see what was going on. I, thinking it would jump away at any moment kept sticking my camera in front of it tying to take a photo or two. I would snap a photo and wait for the camera to do its thing and then look at the taken picture only to delete it due to shakiness. I was standing in a funny position to try to take the picture and kept wobbling so my photos were coming out fuzzy. Blurring and with more movement than I wanted.

Every little bit I would speak to the frog while I made whatever adjustment. I would say something like “thank you frog for being so patient while I try to take your picture, or, I appreciate your patience, frog. I will try just a few more times.” It smiled its frog smile and sat as I cleared a little memory so I could try again.
When I realized how unbothered the frog was by my presence I moved in a little closer and took three photos from the front, still with available light and no flash. They are still a little blurry and one even has a halo around it, which I thought lent a magical quality to the picture. Not wanting to wear out my welcome and glowing from the high humidity, I said thank you again and stepped away to snap a photo of the moon. Goodnight.

A Night Blooming Cactus

Saturday, August 8th, 2009

My Dad found this ten foot cactus listed for free. We picked it up and planted it in a large pot on the patio. It blooms every July-August at night and closes in the early morning.

Night Blooming Cactus

Night Blooming Cactus

The blooms are about five inches in diameter. This photo shows an insect on the petals.

A Sunny Flower

Saturday, August 8th, 2009

This flower looks like a small sun rising above the leaves. I love the sunny yellow color.

A yellow flower

A yellow flower

A Wasp in the Garden

Saturday, August 8th, 2009

I was trimming leaves when I spotted this wasp.

A wasp on a leaf

A wasp on a leaf

A Frog in a Pond

Saturday, August 8th, 2009

I was visiting a friend when we spotted this frog in her pond.

Fron in a pond

Fron in a pond