No -- this picture was not taken by me, but rather by Sam Javanrouh and it does have birds.
I've been subscribing to his daily emails since I enjoy his use of extreme wide angle lenses at perspectives that appear normal -- contrary to most other extreme wide angle shots. He is careful to have parallel verticals & exemplary in accurate exposure for what are often cloudy or night views.
As nature/bird photographers we often forget that there is more to photography. One exception among the blogs I visit regularly is John Mikes of the Weekend Shooter. Another who has just gotten into wide angle shooting is Craig of Craig's Birds.
They and Sam are inspiring me to look at wide angle shooting (which seems contrary to most ideas of nature/bird photography). I plan to do so when I take off next Thursday for a week of bird photography in Eastern South Dakota out of Blue Cloud Abbey.
For more of Sam's pictures, go to his site here and explore his talent. If you like what you see, sign up for the daily emails -- they certainly brighten my day and challange me to do better.
Look at Samsung! Last Tuesday I posted about a 5 megapixel phone -- now we have an 8. (They even have a 10 in their line that I haven't explored.) This 8 megapixel phone seems to blur the line between phones and cameras.
The LG Secret is a new 5 megapixel camera-phone that can also shoot DivX video at 120fps. At just 11.8mm thick, the LG Secret is the slimmest 5 megapixel camera phone on the market. Photo and video editing features include facial editing and SmartLight, a feature that automatically adjusts the picture’s light settings. After its European launch, the LG Secret will be launched in Asia and South America, followed by the rest of the world.
If this phone were available in the U.S. today, I'd be tempted! Since I almost always carry my cell phone, I would almost always have a 5 megapixel camera with me.
The above Osprey was pictured just outside of the Wargo Nature Center.
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Both of the adults were present, but due to their fast flight it was nearly impossible to get them together in the same shot.
... a few more to come
Some flight shots next.
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This one caught my eye because of the long reed it's dragging. Click on the picture to see a larger version. American Coot maybe? -- but Coots don't have eye rings.
At first I thought this was a Cowbird, but the head didn't seem brown enough, particularly in the next shot.
This one has me stymied.
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Yes, I know that's a Song Sparrow.
But what is this? Are sparrows (if that's what it is) changing into their fall camouflage already? I have 4 field guides on my desk -- and they didn't help.
And what is this? With the distinctive head & tail markings it should be easy to identify -- but I can't.
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