Tag: adventures outdoors

White Tailed Deer

White Tailed Deer

White Tailed Deer – Wildlife has been very scarce this year. Normally there are over a dozen deer around here and this year I have seen 2 adult female deer. This one has a fawn running around, I have seen it a couple of times, still has its spots on it.

But it is just starting to come out of the woods with mom, so hopefully I will get a few photos of the fawn soon to share here.

White Tailed Deer

Below is a short video of mama deer looking for some food out of my feeder, or click here; White Tailed Deer Standing

Just looking for some food, Mama white tailed deer. #shorts

White Tailed Deer

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Dream On Dream On

Dream On Dream On

Dream On Dream On – This month is a show above all shows in the heavens called the Perseid Meteor Shower. Over the weekend was suppose to be the highlight and I just had to go out and see what I could photograph. I have not photographed the milky way in awhile.

This is a photo of my yard at midnight, I can see the milky way every night without a camera. It is an amazing sight and worth staying up for. Does it not show us how small we really are here on this planet. Creation above all else.

Dream On Dream On

The meteor shower was more noticeable right at dusk into the dark, around 10pm. Facing north one could see much more against the darker sky away from the Milky Way.

Shutter speed 20 sec, ISO 6400, f2.8, 17mm lens

Dream On Dream On

Below is a short time lapse of Saturday nights Perseid Meteor shower and Milky way or click this link, Perseid Shower

To make a video takes all night, because I am shooting with a 15 to 20 sec shutter speed, I used a go pro camera for this short video.

“Dream On” is a power ballad by Aerosmith from their 1973 eponymous debut album. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler, this song was their first major hit and became a classic rock radio staple.

Dream On Perseid Meteor Shower. #shorts

I then took my older go pro and set it to time lapse photo, facing the north. If you want to create a circle of the stars. Point your camera directly at the north star and then take anywhere from 200 to 600 photos and stacked them on top of each other.

Again at 15 to 20 sec shutter speed and ISO 3200 or 6400. The colors you see in the shot are not photoshopped. There actually different colored stars that one can only see with night photography.

I will be doing more this month as the weather permits.

Dream On Dream On

Dream On Dream On

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Black Bear Trail Cam Video

Black Bear Trail Cam Video

Black Bear Trail Cam Video – here are a few more photos of last years younger black bear that came to visit with his mom and this years young bear.

American Black Bear

I added a short clip from my trail camera of the bear that visited this year below. This clip is not on You Tube so there isn’t a link to it. You would probably have to click visit page in reader to see this clip. It shows the young bear and how it stands up to check out the empty feeder.

American Black Bear

Below is what happened when the bear finally saw me. I did not know they could run that fast.

American Black Bear

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Mom Bear

Mom Bear

Mom Bear – now this is a good size bear. These two visited our place two years ago. I saw the little bear first and again stood outside my back door with a 600mm lens and was photographing away when all of a sudden, mom came out of the woods.

I have to admit, my heart rate went up a bit when I saw her. She was so big and quite beautiful. These two trashed the feeder and again I had already put everything away when I first figured out they were here.

I don’t want them staying around, one has to respect these giant animals and give them space. They stuck around for about 4 days and then were gone. Bears are always on the search for food, if there isn’t any available they will move on as these two did.

Mom Bear
Female Bear

This years bear below.

Mom Bear

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Standing Bear

Standing Bear

Standing Bear – They sure look strange when standing up. This black bear is actually a smaller one. Standing he is shorter then 6ft. Compared to the pole I measured behind him.

This bear is about 80 yards from my house. I was standing next to the backdoor of our cabin as I photographed him. Being very quiet to not get its attention. Plus being right by the door incase I have to go back in.

I also use a 600 mm lens so I can get a closer photo.

Standing Bear
Standing Bear

Standing Bear

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

New Visitor the Black Bear

New Visitor the Black Bear

New Visitor the Black Bear – every couple of years I might get to see a black bear as it wanders through my yard. Last month this small black bear stopped for a visit.

I woke up to my bird feeding pole bent over to the ground which tells me a bear is in the yard. So I take down my bird feeders and put them away as I know he will keep coming back looking for food. Once I put the feeders away, he came back a couple days checking things out and now I have not seen him for a few weeks.

I put a trail camera out so I can monitor it as to what activity is going on at night while I am sleeping. He hasn’t been on the trail cam for a while now.

He sat down near my bird bath and just looked around for awhile. It was hot on this day and he wasn’t moving very fast. By the way, I am just guessing a he, I don’t really know for sure.

New Visitor the Black Bear

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

The Hummingbird

The Hummingbird

The Hummingbird – they travel over 2,000 miles twice a year. They winter in Central America or Mexico and migrate north to their breeding grounds in the U.S. during late winter and early spring.

When you see what amazing things this tiny little bird can do. It makes me realize there isn’t anything that I can not accomplish. Natures Little Wonders

Have a great weekend.

The Hummingbird
sunset and hummingbird
The Hummingbird
rufous hummingbird

Have a Great Weekend

The Hummingbird

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos – normally I always have 4 hummingbirds visiting my place. This year I have only see 2. I did not get a chance to photograph them this year and they are gone already. So, here are a few of last years photos.

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos
ruby throated hummingbird
Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird in a Dream World, abstract art work. Digital art.
rufous hummingbird

My Favorite Hummingbird Photos

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Cross the Bridge into August

Cross the Bridge into August

Cross the Bridge into August, July has come and gone. How time fly’s. These bridges here are all crossing the Mighty Mississippi River taken from the Iowa side of the river.

This first bridge is actually gone now, they tore it down this past year. Well, last time I went by there they still had a small section of the bridge left to take down. It is replaced by a bigger more modern bridge now.

It sure made for pretty photos at night.

Cross the Bridge into August
sun rising undeCross the Bridge into Augustr bridge
Cross the Bridge into August
centennial bridge Mississippi river

Cross the Bridge into August

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Same Day Stormy Weather

Same Day Stormy Weather

Same Day Stormy Weather – the same day we had the shelf cloud, the sky’s had cleared and then all of a sudden another storm was coming our way in the evening. This storm brought a couple more inches of rain and lot of thunder and lightning.

Rain was coming down in sheets as it blew sideways across the land.

As I heard the thunder off in the distance I set up my go pro camera on time lapse photos, .5 sec intervals. Trying to catch a couple of lightning strikes. The faster the interval the better chance you have of photographing one with this camera.

The camera took 900 photos, each one unique shapes and light. But, to look at 900 photos looking for a lightning strike takes a long time.

So instead I stacked them all into one photo and this is the result below. It gives movement to the clouds as it stacks each one on top of the other and it shows the lightning strikes as well. Makes it easier to go back and find the one photo with the strikes on it.

Same Day Stormy Weather
Same Day Stormy Weather

Same Day Stormy Weather

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

July Went out With a Bang

July Went out With a Bang

July Went out With a Bang as a shelf cloud came across the land a few days ago.

Shelf clouds are harmless themselves but typically indicate strong storms. Shelf clouds form at the leading edge of a thunderstorm. If you see a shelf cloud coming your way, it probably means you are about to get hit by a strong thunderstorm.

I have seen two in my lifetime and they are quite interesting cloud formations and make great photos if you are quick enough. Usually they are moving pretty fast.

July Went out With a Bang
July Went out With a Bang

This one below I took a couple of years ago, it was a much worse storm behind it then the one above. Even though the one last week did dump over 2 inches of rain and very high winds.

shelf cloud storm front

July Went out With a Bang

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

One More Bridge

One More Bridge

One More Bridge – one more bridge I did not cross is this first one here I photographed in Cloudcroft New Mexico. This one is just for looking at, it is not in use anymore.

I will finish this week off with more bridges, a view of the world around us, bridges that connect you and me.

cloudcroft trestle bridgeOne More Bridge
One More Bridge
buchanan dam bridge

One More Bridge

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Every Bridge I Cross

Every Bridge I Cross

Every Bridge I Cross

Life is an adventure with many bridges that need to be crossed. Some bridges are hard to cross like this first one, literally and metaphorically.

We have to choose which bridges to cross to see what might be on the other side. This bridge in the first photo is the only one I have not crossed. But I can see the other side from here and I know it is just as beautiful as this side.

I will cross that bridge when I am called to. 🙂

Every Bridge I Cross

Arizona

Texas

Every Bridge I Cross

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

A Green Thumb

A Green Thumb

A Green Thumb means having a natural talent for growing plants. Well, I am not sure if I have a green thumb yet. I photographed these flowers down south using a faster shutter speed to give get the black background, which goes well with the purple flowers.

I have planted lots of flowers this year at home here, mostly for the hummingbirds, but by the time the flowers actually bloom the hummingbirds will be gone. It seems to be a slow year for me and growing flowers.

I have lots of green leaves everywhere but no color yet. So I guess I can say I have a green thumb. 🙂

A Green Thumb
A Green Thumb

A Green Thumb

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

No Jumping From Pier

No Jumping From Pier

No Jumping From Pier – Pelicans Talking

“George, are you going to jump? It says no jumping”

No Jumping From Pier

“But look at all those fish down there, I’m jumping”

No Jumping From Pier

Woo Hoo

No Jumping From Pier

“Look at George go, I’m going next”

No Jumping From Pier

Lunch is served

No Jumping From Pier

Short video below of Pelicans on the pier. There isn’t a link for this one, so you have to click visit to go to the web page to see it. Have a great weekend.

Have a great weekend.

No Jumping From Pier

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

The Double Crested Cormorant

The Double Crested Cormorant

The Double Crested Cormorant – The double-crested cormorant gets its name because during breeding season adults sport two tufts of feathers, one above each eye; the rest of the year, these tufts do not appear.

But what I find so fascinating about this bird is its teal colored eyes. This is not a clear photo but look at the ring of teal color at the bottom of the eye. It almost looks like it is lit up. I will be trying to get a better photo of this next year.

During the high of the breeding season, a cormorant’s teal-blue eyes, bright yellow throat pouch, and tufts of feathers just above the eyes (for which the bird is named) cause this bird to stand out among the rest

The Double Crested Cormorant

The Double Crested Cormorant

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

 Incredibly Complex

 Incredibly Complex

Incredibly Complex – Our eyes are amazing machines that help us process life visually and provide us with a lifeline to everyday tasks and moments.

Cat eyes are so unique, it is like looking at a masterpiece of intricate detail and function with amazing colors.

Do Cats Blink? Well Cat eyelids don’t work like ours do, mainly because they have three of them.

“They have upper eyelids, lower eyelids and a third eyelid (also known as the nictitating membrane) that they use to protect and cover their eyes,”

Another unique quality of cat eyelids is that they don’t fully close.

Incredibly Complex

A study done by the University of Portsmouth and the University of Sussex revealed that if your cat’s blinking really slowly at you, it’s his way of smiling at you

How often do cats blink?

Cats blink pretty regularly, but they don’t need to do it as frequently as people do. They usually will win a staring contest with you.

Incredibly Complex

Incredibly Complex

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Sweet Color of Sunlight

Sweet Color of Sunlight

Sweet Color of Sunlight – Out of all of the colors, Yellow is the most noticeable to human eyes. This color is said to aid in analytical thinking. It also brings up feelings of happiness and optimism in those who see it.

Sweet Color of Sunlight

Though too much yellow at one time can actually lead to annoyance and agitation from viewers and may also make you visually fatigued. Who knew one color held so much power!

Sweet Color of Sunlight

Have a wonderful weekend.

Sweet Color of Sunlight

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts

Swallow Tailed Kites

Swallow Tailed Kites

Swallow Tailed Kites, I finally got to see some of these flying high. Some folks told me about this bird when I was down south. They said they only pass through the area and stay for just a few days. They actually look like kites gliding up above.

Swallow-tailed Kites spend most of their time in the air, capturing and swallowing their food in flight. Rarely flapping their wings, they soar and make tight turns, rotating their tail to steer.

Swallow Tailed Kites

Swallow Tailed Kites

Sandra J

Sandra J’s Photography & Fine Arts