Hans 7 - flowers and animals - A Meeting of Minds

***Hans*** · Aug 15 2009, 09:54 AM

It's animals and flowers again...

This one I titled "Hanging on for dear life" as the gentle wind made the flower sway so much that the bee had to exert some extra effort to hang on. I took advantage of a calm moment and clicked... As you will notice the wind came from the left.

I can't help but be fascinated by the wasps and bees that visit the flowers and blossoms in my wife's lovely garden. This one I named "Almost over the top...". I also like the "composition" the extremely blurred background made, more luck in that than effort on my side but you need an amount of luck for good pictures.

We've lots of frogs in our pond and they sit and swim everywhere. This particular one thought a waterlily might make a nice place to "perch". This photograph is aptly called: "Beauty and the beast". I especially like the reflection of the lily in the dark pond waters.

All good things come in threes... Ice flowers (direct translation from Dutch, English name might be different) look like they're emitting light (even without me cheating a little by turning up the luminosity a little).

Near our garden is a very large pond (a "wheel" in Dutch) which is a leftover of a breakthrough of the dyke during the big disaster of 1953. A local heron obliged me by standing there, ignoring me. I couldn't ignore him...

StevenB · Aug 20 2009, 12:40 PM

Wow! What a beautiful collection of photographs. I especially like the first one: knowing that you managed to get the bee and flower both sharp and inside your depth of field when the flower was moving around in the wind.

I'm not so sure about the second picture. The actual bee and flower look great, but perhaps you could crop away some of the blurred background on the left hand side, or change the picture to portrait mode?

The photograph of the heron might benefit from some sharpening to bring up the texture of the feathers.

But what a beautiful collection. Thanks for sharing.

DragonBuddy · Aug 20 2009, 04:52 PM

The colors are bold and beautiful! The Frog picture is my favorite. I love the reflection in the rippling water. The hairs on the bee are amazing!

Farclas · Aug 21 2009, 12:12 PM

What can I say? I hate you!

Nah, a really impressive collection of shots - sharp focus, super rich saturation, good composition. And how about that heron? Very co-operative, or long lens, or tight crop - whatever, just great.

Do you have a 'legit' macro lens? Or extension tubes?

***Hans*** · Aug 22 2009, 04:01 AM

You make me blush you!

Yes, I have a "legit" macro lens in that my Tamron 70-300 has a macro setting. The Canon lenses are usually too expensive for me (or I don't have the perseverance to save up log enough) so that I tend to buy the dedicated lenses by other brands. The Tamron 1:4-5.6 tis a really good lens for it's price. The macro range is 1:2 to 1:3.9

I recently bought a Sigma 18-200 f. 3.5 to replace the kitlens, because I wanted more zoom without having to change the lens. This lens does not have a macro option.

The Heron portrait is not cropped (except a little bit reduced in height) was shot with the Tamron tele at 1/400 and f. 7.1 at the max 300 mm. But as said, I could come fairly close as it was ignoring me

Steven suggested to sharpen it and I will certainly try that, but I must say I was pretty impressed with the sharpness of this "cheap" lens.

I have another two heron pics on flickr that are not photoshopped or worked on:

"comic heron", because the bird in this picture had such a comical feel. Photoshop tells me the focal length for this pic was 144 mm (these two were shot with the Sigma lens), so from that you will be able to judge I was standing pretty close to the heron.

and this one, which gives you a feel of the overall situation

Lady Maelin · Aug 10 2010, 10:26 PM

Hans...I love the frog in the lily...is that from your own garden pond lily pads? I also enjoyed the photos of the Heron's...they are lovely birds...especially in your photos.

***Hans*** · Aug 11 2010, 02:29 AM

Yes, Maelin, the frog was photographed in our own pond, in our own garden.

As for herons, I agree, but NOT IN MY POND!

Rider of Panth · Aug 17 2021, 07:09 PM

Oh the bee wings and hair! Nice detail. Beautiful clarity. And the frog : lovely little chappie. Oh to take photos like this. I'm a lazy click and snap girl. You clearly enjoy the art of photography Hans. Thanks for sharing.

Aug 15 2009, 09:54 AM	#1
*Hans* Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The Netherlands Fan of: Pern!	Hans 7 - flowers and animals It's animals and flowers again... This one I titled "Hanging on for dear life" as the gentle wind made the flower sway so much that the bee had to exert some extra effort to hang on. I took advantage of a calm moment and clicked... As you will notice the wind came from the left. I can't help but be fascinated by the wasps and bees that visit the flowers and blossoms in my wife's lovely garden. This one I named "Almost over the top...". I also like the "composition" the extremely blurred background made, more luck in that than effort on my side but you need an amount of luck for good pictures. We've lots of frogs in our pond and they sit and swim everywhere. This particular one thought a waterlily might make a nice place to "perch". This photograph is aptly called: "Beauty and the beast". I especially like the reflection of the lily in the dark pond waters. All good things come in threes... Ice flowers (direct translation from Dutch, English name might be different) look like they're emitting light (even without me cheating a little by turning up the luminosity a little). Near our garden is a very large pond (a "wheel" in Dutch) which is a leftover of a breakthrough of the dyke during the big disaster of 1953. A local heron obliged me by standing there, ignoring me. I couldn't ignore him... __________________ Hans, also known as Elrhan, Master Archivist Visit The Pern Museum & Archives for all your Pern and Anne McCaffrey News and Resources! The Pern Museum & Archives is the home of the Pern Encyclopedia and the Pern Bloodlines.

Aug 20 2009, 12:40 PM	#2
StevenB Bitsmith/Starsmith, Master Sneak Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Scotland Fan of: Skies of Pern: what else? Now Reading: My computer screen	Re: Hans 7 - flowers and animals Wow! What a beautiful collection of photographs. I especially like the first one: knowing that you managed to get the bee and flower both sharp and inside your depth of field when the flower was moving around in the wind. I'm not so sure about the second picture. The actual bee and flower look great, but perhaps you could crop away some of the blurred background on the left hand side, or change the picture to portrait mode? The photograph of the heron might benefit from some sharpening to bring up the texture of the feathers. But what a beautiful collection. Thanks for sharing. __________________ Steven

Aug 20 2009, 04:52 PM	#3
DragonBuddy Senior Member Linyaari Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Dragonville, New Jersey Fan of: CS, Freedom, and Pern Now Reading: The Lady	Re: Hans 7 - flowers and animals The colors are bold and beautiful! The Frog picture is my favorite. I love the reflection in the rippling water. The hairs on the bee are amazing!

Aug 22 2009, 04:01 AM	#5
*Hans* Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The Netherlands Fan of: Pern!	Re: Hans 7 - flowers and animals You make me blush you! Yes, I have a "legit" macro lens in that my Tamron 70-300 has a macro setting. The Canon lenses are usually too expensive for me (or I don't have the perseverance to save up log enough) so that I tend to buy the dedicated lenses by other brands. The Tamron 1:4-5.6 tis a really good lens for it's price. The macro range is 1:2 to 1:3.9 I recently bought a Sigma 18-200 f. 3.5 to replace the kitlens, because I wanted more zoom without having to change the lens. This lens does not have a macro option. The Heron portrait is not cropped (except a little bit reduced in height) was shot with the Tamron tele at 1/400 and f. 7.1 at the max 300 mm. But as said, I could come fairly close as it was ignoring me Steven suggested to sharpen it and I will certainly try that, but I must say I was pretty impressed with the sharpness of this "cheap" lens. I have another two heron pics on flickr that are not photoshopped or worked on: "comic heron", because the bird in this picture had such a comical feel. Photoshop tells me the focal length for this pic was 144 mm (these two were shot with the Sigma lens), so from that you will be able to judge I was standing pretty close to the heron. and this one, which gives you a feel of the overall situation __________________ Hans, also known as Elrhan, Master Archivist Visit The Pern Museum & Archives for all your Pern and Anne McCaffrey News and Resources! The Pern Museum & Archives is the home of the Pern Encyclopedia and the Pern Bloodlines.

Aug 10 2010, 10:26 PM	#6
Lady Maelin Master Artist Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: California Fan of: Pern,The Ship Who Sang Now Reading: Anne's Pern EVERYTHING !	Re: Hans 7 - flowers and animals Hans...I love the frog in the lily...is that from your own garden pond lily pads? I also enjoyed the photos of the Heron's...they are lovely birds...especially in your photos. __________________ "To the Horsehead Nebula and back we shall make beautiful music"..."Together!" The stories of childhood leave an indelible impression,and their author always has a niche in the temple of memory from which the image is never cut out to be thrown on the rubbish heap of things that are outgrown and outlived........Howard Pyle

Aug 21 2009, 12:12 PM	#4
Farclas Inactive Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Edinburgh	What can I say? I hate you! Nah, a really impressive collection of shots - sharp focus, super rich saturation, good composition. And how about that heron? Very co-operative, or long lens, or tight crop - whatever, just great. Do you have a 'legit' macro lens? Or extension tubes?

Aug 11 2010, 02:29 AM	#7
*Hans* Master Archivist Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The Netherlands Fan of: Pern!	Re: Hans 7 - flowers and animals Yes, Maelin, the frog was photographed in our own pond, in our own garden. As for herons, I agree, but NOT IN MY POND! __________________ Hans, also known as Elrhan, Master Archivist Visit The Pern Museum & Archives for all your Pern and Anne McCaffrey News and Resources! The Pern Museum & Archives is the home of the Pern Encyclopedia and the Pern Bloodlines.

Aug 17 2021, 07:09 PM	#8
Rider of Panth Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Australia Pronouns: She/her Fan of: Pern Now Reading: Dragonsdawn	Re: Hans 7 - flowers and animals Oh the bee wings and hair! Nice detail. Beautiful clarity. And the frog : lovely little chappie. Oh to take photos like this. I'm a lazy click and snap girl. You clearly enjoy the art of photography Hans. Thanks for sharing.