Little Egrets (Egretta gazetta) -Devon, UK Canon 40D / Canon 500mm F4 IS plus 1.4 x Extender / ISO 400 / F6.3 / 1/1600th / Evaluative Metering -2/3 / Tripod
A female Mountain Bluebird hunts from a tall driftwood perch. Once she detects an insect, she leaves her perch, hovers and descends below to catch the insect! / Besides insects, Mountain Bluebirds also eat small fruits. The Mountain Bluebird is a song bird of the Thrush family. The Mountain Bluebird’s breeding range is from east-central Alaska, southern Yukon, and western Manitoba south in the mountains to southern California, central and southeastern Nevada, northern and east-central Arizona, and southern New Mexico, and east to northeastern North Dakota, western South Dakota and central Oklahoma. Their winter range is from southern British Columbia and western Montana south to Baja California, Mexico, and southern Texas, and east to eastern Kansas, western Oklahoma and central Texas. The Mountain Bluebird nests in most forest types of the Rocky Mountain region, usually from 7,000 to 11,000 feet in open forests or near forest edges. During their migration and during winter months, it also frequents grasslands, open brushy country and agricultural lands. Both Sexes / Length / 6.3–7.9 in / 16–20 cm / Weight / 1.1 oz / 30 g “PHOTO INFORMATION” Taken on July 22/09 at 8:04 am along the south east side of Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, US. / Taken in Raw, Adobe RGB, aperture priority. / Camera; Canon 40D / Lens; Canon EF 100-400 IS USM Lens. / Tripod, including joystick head. / Taken at 1/2000’s at f/10, 400 mm, man col balance, iso 800. / Downloaded to Lightroom,Histogram adjustment. No cropping or sharpening.
NIKON D50 / SIGMA 70-300mm / 1:4-5.6DG lenz THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT – Loxodonta africana Location Captured: “Krugr National Park” South Africa. The adult male African elephant is the bulkiest and heaviest of all land mammals. / The weight of a prime bull can be as much as 6000kg with the heaviest recorded just over 6500kg. / African elephant sub-species occur throughout east and west central Africa, where only the forest elephant is significantly different, but only as regards its smaller size and darker hide. / The elephants of the Far East are markedly different both in shape and temperament. / Although there is only one sub-species in southern Africa, the habitat tends to influence their behavioral patterns and even appearance. / There are two major extremes of habitat in which elephant are found in our sub-region-the arid and waterless Kaokoveld and the dense forests of Knysa (Cape Province). By far the largest proportion of elephants is, however, found in the bushveld country. The desert elephants of the waterless Kaokoveld need just as much food and water to survive as the other elephants. They are extremely careful in their eating, stripping off only the food needed, as if aware of how delicately balanced is nature in their arid and sparsely vegetated habitat. The Kaokoveld elephants are tall, scrawny and tough. The possible extinction of these endangered desert elephants holds severe threat for the ecology of the Kaokoveld. They are the only creatures able to keep open the watering points in the shifting sands and if they disappear so will much of the fauna of the area dependant upon this water. / Elephants are generally placid, but can be extremely dangerous if threatened or when they are in season. There are two aggressive behavioral patterns: If the animal is not serious about its intent, but just wishes to assert itself or show dominance, it may make a mock charge, trumpeting loudly, with the trunk probably extended and the ears flapping. If, however, the animal is intent on mischief, then the trunk may be rolled up for protection of left dangling, the ears are laid flat against the head and the tusks pointed directly at the quarry. The charge made is deadly in its silence. / Undeniably the glory, yet the downfall of this magnificent beast, is the bulk and quality of its ivory tusks. The heaviest recorded pair was an incredible almost 200kg, recorded from an animal from central Africa. The record in our region is no more than 90kg. / Elephants live to about 70 years, or sometimes slightly longer, with their age-span strictly controlled by their dentition. They have only six pairs of molars, with two in use at a time. As one pair is used they move forward along the jaw and are worn and splintered away by constant chewing and the roots are finally absorbed. That pair is replaced by the next which are longer and wider. Finally, when all six teeth on watch side have been worn away, the elephant has attained old age. Now unable to chew its food, it dies from a lack of nutrition. / The female differs from the male in having a slightly more angular and prominent forehead and a slightly straighter back. Tusks are generally smaller, although this becomes noticeable only when compared to tusks of older bulls. The entire weight of the massive skull and tusks is carried by the forelegs which are larger than the back legs. The front feet are more rounded than the hind, which are smaller and more oval. When the elephant flaps its ears blood supply in the heavy concentration of blood vessels near to the surface on the back of the ears cools, lowering the body heat of the animal. / Elephants do not go of to die in special “elephant graveyards” as popular legend would have it. Their remains do not litter the veld as the scavengers, large and small, ultimately remove all evidence even of this the largest of all land animals. Due to their large size they do not have predators in the normal sense, but poaching and culling have taken their toll of the African elephant. / These social animals are ruled by matriarchy. The senior cow in the family takes care of the needs of the family. Sometimes families join to form herds, but the larger bulls join the herd only when the cows are in oestrus, leaving again after their task is done. / Bulls rarely fight over the cows and may mate with several in the herd. A single pinkish coloured, hairy calf is produced and rarely a twin. A clear place near water is chosen for the birthing and sometimes other females attend to guard the mother. The young are at risk and are strictly guarded by the mother and herd. / FOOD: Elephants are strict vegetarians: tree-bark and roots, leaves, soother branches, grass and fruit is eaten, such as the baobab fruit and acacia pods. / They consume prodigious quantities of food. Where man has interfered with nature and elephant populations permitted to expand unnaturally, the vegetation has suffered severely. Large branches are ripped off and the tender components eaten, smaller trees are sometimes toppled to make their tender crowns available, even the huge succulent, soft pulp baobab tree trunks are chewed around until topple and the entire tree is eventually consumed.
“Wolf is the Grand Teacher. Wolf is the sage, who after many winters upon the sacred path and seeking the ways of wisdom, returns to share new knowledge with the tribe. Wolf is both the radical and the traditional in the same breath. When the Wolf walks by you – you will remember.” / Indian lore This wolf is the Alpha male of the Canyon pack in Yellowstone, the photo was taken in 2008. The citrine colored eyes of a wolf do indeed communicate a great deal to an audience willing to listen to the story of the mountain. /
Rutting Fallow Deer – Dama dama. Devon, UK Canon 50D / Canon 500mm F4 IS / 1/800th / F7.1 / ISO 400 / Evaluative metering -2/3 / Tripod
As per the previous shot I mentioned there were 4. 50-500 at 500.
LOCATION CAPTURED: The Kruger National Park, South Africa, close to Mopani Rest Camp Nikon D50 / 2008/09/09 07:19:37.1 / Image Size: 3900×2700 / Lens: / Focal Length: 300mm / Exposure Mode: / Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern / 1/400 sec – F/5.6 / Exposure Comp.: 0v Spotted hyena Spotted hyenas are creatures of the open woodland, open savannah, and semi desert. / They are predominantly scavengers but are also active and relentless hunters. Their existence depends upon a large supply of game and their disappearance in certain parts reflects the impact of man upon their environment. They are active mainly at dusk and night and occasionally by day. They sleep in self-dug or appropriated burrows, in tall grass or rock piles. They roll in mud, carrion or regurgitated food and indulge in mutual licking and grooming. / Their voice is an integral ‘sound of an African night’, a succession of long drawn-out whoops, beginning low on the scale and rising in cadence and up the scale, ending in a low moaning, at the gathering together for the hunt. Their other vocalizations are hysterical gaggling after successful hunt, yelling when attempting to drive of an enemy, whining, grunting and groaning. / The spotted hyaena family is a matriarchal society, in which the heavier female is the undisputed ruler of the clan. There is usually a single dominant male, which defers to the ruling matriarch. The females have external genitalia, remarkably similar to those of the males, giving rise to an age-old myth that the spotted hyaenas are hermaphrodites. / Their main enemies are lion. Unguarded young and solitary animals fall prey to lion as well as leopards and hunting dogs. The young are also vulnerable to old hyaena males and to other packs of spotted hyaena. The mutual savage hatred of the lion by the spotted hyaena is evidence of the long a bitter rivalry between the two species and the unrelenting harassment by each other at the kill. One to four, usually two, antiracial pups is born. / FOOD: PREDOMINANTLY CARRION; their main food is from lion kills, capable even of consuming the tight bone of the buffalo. As their senses are keen, they are generally the first to detect a carcass or kill. They hunt old, sick and young herbivores and in some areas adult antelope and zebra are brought down to a bite to their fetlocks and then torn to pieces while still alive. While in a pack they may drive lion and other predators from their kills. Solitary humans may be at risk from the packs at night. Sheep, donkeys, horses and goats are taken and any loose offal or anything remotely edible is consumed. Other food is any small animals, crabs, also relishing the faeces of wild dogs. They eat grass and other vegetable matter and the contents of refuse bins at rest camps. The young also eat the faeces of ungulates. Very dependant on available water for which they will travel very far.
Baby Snowy Owl (bubo scandiacus) ... yeah I know he doesn’t live up to his name yet. He was creating quite a racket, squawking for someone, anyone, to feed him! Canon EOS 50D with Canon EF 24-105mm L f/4
Canon 20D – 17-40mm L – 17mm – 1s – f/11 Antelope Canyon is the most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon formed over the course of millions of years by erosion of the Navajo Sandstone, primarily due to flash flooding and secondarily due to wind erosion. Rainwater (especially during monsoon season) runs into the wash that Antelope Canyon is part of, picking up speed and sand as it rushes through the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways are eroded away, making the corridors wider and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic ‘flowing’ shapes in the rock. Upper Antelope Canyon, called Tse bighanilini, “the place where water runs through rocks” by the Navajo, is the most frequently visited by tourists, due to two considerations. First, its entrance and entire length are at ground level, requiring no climbing. Second, beams (shafts of direct sunlight radiating down from openings in the top of the canyon) are much more common in Upper than in Lower. Beams occur most often in the summer months, as they require the sun to be high in the sky. / In the same series: / / / This image has sold 12 times, including multiple Framed Prints, to some unknown buyers from RedBubble.
FEATURED in the group, Wildlife, Landscape and Nature Photography. Many kind thanks to the hosts, Jay Ryser and Gary Lengyel. A female Rufous Humming Bird keeps watch from a favorite perch close to a feeder. / Rufous Humming Birds are the feistiest hummingbird in North America. The brilliant orange male and the green-and-orange female Rufous Hummingbird are relentless attackers at flowers and feeders, going after even the large hummingbirds of the Southwest, which can be double their weight. The Rufous Hummingbirds are wide-ranging, and breed farther north than any other hummingbird. They can be seen in the spring in California, summer in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and fall in the Rocky Mountains as they make their annual circuit of the West. MEASUREMENTS Both Sexes / Length / 2.8–3.5 in / 7–9 cm / Wingspan / 4.3 in / 11 cm / Weight / 0.1–0.2 oz / 2–5 g / Relative Size / About the same size as a Ruby-throated Hummingbird / The bird shown is slightly larger than in real when viewed in the larger size. “PHOTO INFORMATION” Take on Jun 15/09 at 4:46pm / Taken in raw and aperture priority, adobe RGB col space / Taken at 1/640 at f/9, 400mm custom wht bal 5850 kelvin, iso 800. / Camera; Canon 40D / Lens; Canon EF 100-400 f /4-5.6 IS USM L lens. / Tripod; Manfrotto, including joystick head / In PhotoshopCS2, added a layer of hardlight and set opacity to 23%. This darkened the background and popped the brighter areas of the bird better, adding a nice contrast between the bird and the background. / A slight sharpening on the eye only. No cropping! Note; I personally feel that part of the challenge of good photography is capturing the composition without the need to crop and or only having to do a slight crop!
FEATURED IN WILDLIFE, LANDSCAPE, AND NATURE ONLINE MAGAZINE ON 6-07-2009. FEATURED IN ALASKA ~ BEYOND YOUR DREAMS ON 6-05-2009. © Rick Larson Camera: Canon EOS 5D; F-Stop: f/5.1; Exposure time: 1/1250 sec.; ISO Speed: 400; Focal Length: 200mm. Cropped from original capture. Mature Bald Eagle, taken in the wild off Homer Spit, Homer, Alaska.
Juvenile flying into the Sunset
Yeah, I’ve gone a little nuts about foxes again. My initial plan this morning was to head out to Georgetown on I-70 and look for bighorns, but the call of the foxes was just too strong. It’s such a relief for their little community to have recovered so well. 4-5 months ago I only saw 1 fox, and that was very briefly. Today I saw half a dozen. The is the alpha of the little area. He was the first fox I saw today, and didn’t seem to mind me taking a few shots as he searched for breakfast. I didn’t mean to cut the tail off (figuratively) – he just got too close. Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) / Wheat Ridge, CO / Sony a700 / Sigma 300/f/2.8 / Jobu gimbal, Giottos tripod ISO 400, f/3.2, 1/2000sec, +1/3EV
SHOT IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK,COLORADO. CANON F-1,300MM LENS,FUJICHROME 50,BOGEN TRI-POD,F-5.6@1/60
This Red-tailed Hawk subspecies; a Harlan’s Juvenile Dark Morph, takes flight in the Creston Valley.
I was out last weekend in the middle of a pretty good snow storm looking for foxes, and the only thing I found was another photographer friend who was having the same luck as me (which is to say, none at all). Fortunately, today was a great day – still lots of snow in places (and red foxes look fantastic against the snow), lots of light cloud cover that acted light a giant diffuser for the light, and lots of foxes. How many foxes? I saw at least half a dozen. They were all over the place – more than I think I’ve ever seen at one time in my little fox hole. Part of it could be that the recent storm and recovery from all the damage has really cleared out a lot of the dense brush, and it’s a lot easier to spot the foxes. After everything that has happened, the little area is recovering nicely. I was concerned right after the storm and with all the bad luck the resident wildlife was experiencing that the place would never be the same and would never recover, at least in a way the place had been before. I’m pleased to be so wrong. The is the male I used to refer to as the beta male, now definitely the area’s new alpha. He’s much more bold than he was before. It’s fascinating to watch him grow into his new role. Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) / Wheat Ridge, CO / Sony a700 / Sigma 300/f/2.8 / Jobu gimbal, Giottos tripod ISO 400, f/2.8, 1/2000sec
Digital Camera Photographer of the Year…Digital Camera Magazine’s Photographer of the Year...
Digital Camera Magazine’s Photographer of the Year contest is running, and one of my pika images made it to their short list in the Planet Earth category. Pictures that show the beauty and drama of the world’s flora and fauna. The subject’s your choice, but entries should be original and striking. The judges will be looking for images with impact rather than exotic species. We’re familiar with many animals and plants so experiment with different techniques to reveal something new. Whether you’re shooting a plant portrait or an animal study, look to reveal the spirit of its character. It’s nice to get some validation (besides here, I mean).
All images are the copyright of the artist – / © Charlene M. Aycock / Images Do Not Belong To The Public Domain. / All Rights Reserved. Copying, altering, manipulating, redistributing displaying, modifying, distributing and/or selling any image without prior written consent/contract from the artist is strictly prohibited and subject to any and all legal remedies. It is also against copyright laws to upload any of my images, writings, or art to PHOTOBUCKET, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, FLICKR, or any other internet sight. A MONETARY SETTLEMENT for any unauthorized use, and prosecution in a US Federal Court, as well as Court Cost will be assessed. I used my Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT 350D, with EOS Lens 18 – 55mm. / BEST VIEWED LARGE. This is Anderson Reservoir in Southern Idaho. We use to live at the end of this picture. In the background is Steel Mountain and the storm on the horizon. This lake is over 200 feet deep in spots, and has hot springs under it as well. This is my country, my favorite place. I lived here for almost six years, and I hope to again someday. This area is very rural and rugged. The closest grocery store is about fifty miles in the town of Mountain Home. / Sold a 16X24 mounted print on 11/20/2009.
Weaver cock Cape Town, South Africa Shutter Speed 1/180 / Aperture F9.5 / ISO 400 / Focal Length 300mm
Dawn over The Teton Range from Signal Mountain – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. With the fog rising over Jackson lake and the soft pastel colors of the sky this was a view to behold ! Gear/Settings : Nikon D300 – Nikon 24-70 f2.8 ED lens – Circular Polarizer – Manfrotto Tripod and Ballhead with cable release. Settings: Manual Mode : 24mm – f12 at 1/16 second, ISO 100 All content & images © Stephen Vecchiotti. You may not use any images in any way without written consent from artist. All Rights Reserved.
The colors of autumn surround Fulmer Falls, captured in the Delaware Water Gap region of Pennsylvania. Gear/Settings : Nikon D300 – Nikon 24-70 f2.8 ED lens – Circular Polarizer – Manfrotto Tripod and Ballhead with cable release. Settings: Manual Mode : 24mm – f16 at 1 second, ISO 100 All content & images © Stephen Vecchiotti. You may not use any images in any way without written consent from artist. All Rights Reserved.
I had about 2+ stops of exposure difference between the background and the bright female mallard. The exposure on the bird was spot on, and the result was a dark, underexposed background. / Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson, Az.
This is such an amazing VIDEO
This is not just a group, but an ONLINE MAGAZINE. Please note this is a very specialized group. Membership is via INVITATION or APPLICATION only. This is not a group for casual shooters, but for members who are serious photographers and writers. Members must not only produce high quality photos but accompanying written articles as well. Photos may be submitted but must have an accompanying article at the end of the month. Mindful uploading of photos is therefore a must. Photos without an accompanying article will be deleted at the end of the month
Articles can include almost any topic related to Nature Photography, including techniques, species, locations, tutorials, reviews, etc. Articles must be at least 500 words in length.
See the group rules and join this group here
Membership of the group is by invite only.
Wildlife, Landscape, and Nature Photography Online Magazine is just one of 1710 creative groups powered by RedBubble.
RedBubble is the place to share your creative genius with the world through art, photography, design and writing.
Find out more about us, find more groups, sign-up for a free RedBubble membership or take the tour.