Uncommon Visitor

While on an early morning Sunday walk, I spotted one of my favorite species of waterfowl. A male Wood Duck had flown into a large fir tree next to our house, nervously looking for his mate.
If you challenged a professional painter

to paint the most beautiful duck he could imagine, he could not match God's creative colors and design of the male Wood duck.

If there was a little more light this morning, the colors of the drake would be even more vivid. Fortunately, even though it was not very light outside, I was able to get some pictures (thank you Nikon D-90 at 3200 ISO).

Here is some information on the Wood Duck:

"A colorful duck of wooded swamps and streamsides, the Wood Duck is one of only a few North American ducks that nest in trees. Many people consider it to be the most beautiful of all waterfowl".

Gig Harbor Kayaking

Our good friends and their father/father in law came to our house this morning to launch out in kayaks. It was an unbelievable morning with a blue sky and snowy Olympic mountains. These pictures show why we love the Pacific Northwest...

Port Townsend Views

We took a trip today with some good friends to Port Townsend. It was a little cool…. but I will take 46 degrees and cool over 53 and rain any day!

Here are some shots…

Sail Boat Races


Where is my bread Dude?

Weathered Fence

Knobby Knees

Fort Warden Bunker

The Yawn

Signs of SPRING

Cindi and I went for a walk today with our Lab, Bama... It is a beautiful day here in Gig Harbor and may even hit 50 degrees.

We were very excited to see some small glimpses of Spring. (Now if the Mariners can just sign Ken Griffey, our Spring will be complete)

(This photo taken 1-11-09)

Happy Valentine's Day from a NW Tree

I took these pictures along Ray Nash Drive this past Fall while thinking about the upcoming Valentines Day..... I have no idea what kind of tree this is, but it is pretty cool!

Escargot in Ray Nash Bay

I noticed earlier today that the water was extremely clear and still in Ray Nash Bay. I also noticed sea gulls patrolling the bay while flying 10-30 feet off the water…. I quickly realized they were looking for large Sea snails located just a couple feet below the Puget Sound waters. I had seen this “perfect storm” before which includes: low tide, clear water and smooth surface water…….I quickly grabbed my Nikon.

I was fortunate enough to capture the entire hunting trip plus dinner.

The Dive

The Splash

The Catch

The Carry

The Drop to smash

The pick up off the beach

Starting dinner

Down the hatch shell and all!

New Camera Technology for Pacific Northwest Winter Weather

I went for a Saturday walk this morning with my dog Bama (George our Chihuahua would not get out of Bed). As usual, I had my camera with me hoping to get some nice pictures behind our house. It was a typical Pacific Northwest morning. The temperature was 39 degrees and overcast.

In the recent past, photography with telephoto lenses and grey overcast skies did not go too well together. It was very hard to hold your camera “hand held” (no tripod) at long zoom ranges (200MM and higher) and take good clear pictures. Overcast skies do not allow enough light for the camera to get high shutter speeds (200th of a second or higher) which is needed using long telephoto lenses. What the photographer often ended up with was blurry pictures. To help compensate for this blur, film SLR photographers would buy higher “ISO” film (ISO 400 or higher). The higher ISO films would allow for higher shutter speeds and less blur…but then photographers had the problem of their pictures looking “grainy”.

Recently, digital SLR cameras have taken away this predicament. With the advent of new digital camera technology such as vibration compensation built into the camera and/or lens and CMOS sensors, it is relatively easy to take pictures on grey days using telephoto lenses at high ISO ranges up to 1600!

All of these pictures from my walk today were taken at 200MM or longer (except Bama) and at an ISO of 1000 or over. I happen to use a Nikon D90 but other manufactures such as Canon have also released new digital cameras that can shoot at these high ISO numbers as well.

Feel free to contact me via this blog and ask questions about camera/lens combinations and recommendations..