Blog Archives
Tamron 150-600 mm Sharp
Friends, I have been distressed by those who claim that the new Tamron 150-600 mm lens produces a soft image, so i set about testing what i sensed is true about this lens. The top image is the original image of an eagle sitting on her nest in the fall (now) after the immatures have left. The bottom left image is a 23% crop of the original (77% of the pixels were cut) raw image shot with the 150-600 mm extended to full 600 mm and focused on the yellow eye. The bottom right image is the same extreme crop with a software cleanup. You can judge for yourself. til Tomorrow MJ
Red-Headed Woodpecker
Friends, this is a red-headed woodpecker from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge taken this summer. This image is a little softer than i would like but also shows the reason why i wished to obtain a new telephoto lens. My new Tamron 150-600 mm is much sharper and will be a valuable tool til Tomorrow MJ
Bison Couple
Friends, these bison are a male and female during the August breeding season. He is roaring his disapproval of another bull who is daring to venture near his girl. She could care less, and looks totally bored with all the hoopla, a typical male has been rolling in the mud and her hair is nice and tidy, til Tomorrow MJ
A Web
Friends, this tiny spider is trying to spin a web in a thistle plant, a prickly job at best. Maybe he will catch a honeybee, til tomorrow MJ
The Harrier Ballet
Friends, this hatch year Northern Harrier is leaping from his perch in response to an attack by a hatch year Bald Eagle. I showed the fray in an earlier post. Yesterday I went to Hawk Ridge in Duluth Minnesota in preparation for the upcoming fall migration of raptors and passerines. Not much to report yet, but found some cedar waxwings and white throated sparrows on the hill top so til Tomorrow MJ
Badlands Macro-Lichens
Friends, i love the little landscapes of the badlands as well as the big landscapes. These lichens challenge my macro skills when i have only the big zoom with me on a hike. They are very colorful if you look closely enough. See what is there. til Tomorrow MJ
Looking Up
Friends, in my heart i am always in the badlands, when i can’t sleep at night, i count the erosion patterns that run down the slopes into the Little Missouri River. Guess that is why this image appeals to me and why i am sitting low and looking up. For my friend, kirk and his family, keep looking up. In the journey ahead keep looking up, til Tomorrow MJ
Sagebrush Goldfinch
Friends, I often struggle with backgrounds that conflict with my subject or are too distracting. This little goldfinch is a good example of this problem. All the little branches and twigs were helpful to describe his habitat but distracting cause they all lead out of the frame. So I am using a sepia toned background to dull the background and bring the little bird and his dinner plate as the undisputed subject of the image. Do you like? til Tomorrow MJ
Weekly Photo Challenge:Fray
Friends, These juvenile birds are in a fray, the Harrier had occupied a post and the Bald Eagle thought he should leave so he dived on the Harrier and they both exploded into the air. I was ready with the big cannon lens (600mm) at Sherburne National Game Refuge. til Tomorrow MJ
Green Eyes
Friends, those of you who know cormorants, know that this is a characteristic pose, he is a double-crrested cormorant from Sherburne National Game Refuge near St. Cloud Minnesota, On our little road trip. a whole colony of these birds perched on dead tree stumps.. I love their eye colors, that sea green glow, priceless, til Tomorrow MJ
MJ Springett 