Critters

[DennisM]

Kinda friendly sort!

View attachment 3049991

Them there are those sums-a-bee-ah-chez that us koi pond owners don't want in their yard.

 

[Bigburly912]

Oldie but a goodie

 

[sonofwilfred]

 

[Planterz]

Tried my hand at photographing bees in flight. It's not easy. Out of 2400+ shots, I got these.

Obviously, they move erratically. You're probably not going to catch it in flight so you wait until one lands. When you see one, you have to find it in the viewfinder, and it's a very narrow field of view in the telephoto lens. Bee is often gone by then. If you find it, then the camera has to focus. You never know when it'll take off again. You can spam your shutter, but chances are you'll hit the buffer wall before it decides to take off. The bee almost inevitably decides to take off right after you take your finger off the shutter, or if you're still shooting, between buffer dumps. If you manage to get one in the frame while it's flying, it'll probably be out of focus because even at f12 (equivalent - f8 at 1.5x APS-C crop) the depth of field is very thin. The shot with 2 bees is practically a miracle that both were exactly in that thin plane of focus. It's gotta be easier with a macro lens, but I guess that depends on the lens. My lens is no slouch (Sony 70-350mm G), but perhaps certain GM lenses could be better. I really want the new 100mm f2.8 GM Macro ($1500 though). Taken with my Sony a6700.

EDIT: Added a couple more shots taken a couple days later (2 keepers out of nearly 300 shots).

 

[sonofwilfred]

Tried my hand at photographing bees in flight. It's not easy. Out of 2100+ shots, I got these.

Obviously, they move erratically. You're probably not going to catch it in flight so you wait until one lands. When you see one, you have to find it in the viewfinder, and it's a very narrow field of view in the telephoto lens. Bee is often gone by then. If you find it, then the camera has to focus. You never know when it'll take off again. You can spam your shutter, but chances are you'll hit the buffer wall before it decides to take off. The bee almost inevitably decides to take off right after you take your finger off the shutter, or if you're still shooting, between buffer dumps. If you manage to get one in the frame while it's flying, it'll probably be out of focus because even at f12 (equivalent - f8 at 1.5x APS-C crop) the depth of field is very thin. It's gotta be easier with a macro lens, but I guess that depends on the lens. My lens is no slouch (Sony 70-350mm G), but perhaps certain GM lenses could be better. I really want the new 100mm f2.8 GM Macro ($1500 though). Taken with my Sony a6700.

They are top notch photos mate. Well done

 

[sonofwilfred]

 

[sonofwilfred]

 

[RHINOKNIVES]

Tried my hand at photographing bees in flight. It's not easy. Out of 2400+ shots, I got these.

Obviously, they move erratically. You're probably not going to catch it in flight so you wait until one lands. When you see one, you have to find it in the viewfinder, and it's a very narrow field of view in the telephoto lens. Bee is often gone by then. If you find it, then the camera has to focus. You never know when it'll take off again. You can spam your shutter, but chances are you'll hit the buffer wall before it decides to take off. The bee almost inevitably decides to take off right after you take your finger off the shutter, or if you're still shooting, between buffer dumps. If you manage to get one in the frame while it's flying, it'll probably be out of focus because even at f12 (equivalent - f8 at 1.5x APS-C crop) the depth of field is very thin. The shot with 2 bees is practically a miracle that both were exactly in that thin plane of focus. It's gotta be easier with a macro lens, but I guess that depends on the lens. My lens is no slouch (Sony 70-350mm G), but perhaps certain GM lenses could be better. I really want the new 100mm f2.8 GM Macro ($1500 though). Taken with my Sony a6700.

EDIT: Added a couple more shots taken a couple days later (2 keepers out of nearly 300 shots).

Have you given any thought to trying humming birds?
if you have any around where you.

 

[Planterz]

Have you given any thought to trying humming birds?
if you have any around where you.

Certainly, I'd love to get some good hummingbird shots. Anna's are common around here, and there's apparently more than a dozen other species. I haven't seen any yet this year.

 

[RHINOKNIVES]

Certainly, I'd love to get some good hummingbird shots. Anna's are common around here, and there's apparently more than a dozen other species. I haven't seen any yet this year.

Years ago with my last digital I attempted to get some Hummingbird pics.

I use to have a feeder in my yard here by the coast outside the kitchen window. The males are territorial little pricks with vivid colors they display & noises that they make!

With a camera like yours they would be a great choice! The desert should be in bloom soon…

 

[ice-pic]

Woody---

 

[John A. Larsen]

Woody---

I had a log butt in the backyard, that I used to throw knives in to, one day I look out from my back deck and there is a pileated woodpecker going to town on that log butt. Big bird, only time I ever saw one and have lived in this house for 35 years. I also had a male and female Mallard ducks, land in my back yard and stay for a few minutes. John

 

[Mendoman]

Banana Slug

 

[Planterz]

A couple weekends ago I was at the Pima Air & Space Museum to photograph the Heritage Flight training/certification. While the pilots were on lunch break I wandered around the area by the entrance and photographed other flying things. All shots taken with Sony a6700 with either the Sony 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 GM or Tamron 50-400mm f4.5-6.3, both of which I rented for this occasion.

I'm like 96.42% certain this is a ferruginous hawk. I was told by someone who knows more than I that this is a young red-tailed hawk, and after being explained the differences I'd have to agree.

Common raven

Vermillion flycatcher (males). These are tiny, flighty little suckers. Surprisingly hard to spot despite their bright orange/red plumage and hard to get close enough for a clear photograph. Worth the effort though.

Carpenter bees

(I think I might have to get a print made of this one)

Some other kind of bee

Painted lady

 

[Lorien]

a birb in the hand

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

 

[sonofwilfred]

 

[DBG40]

She spent half the summer, every single day inching closer and closer till that frog finally got used to her and she could put her nose on it. She looks for it every day now.

 

[DBG40]

Our Koi pond.

 

[Lorien]