[C5driver]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Weird fish.

It's evidence that adaptation can be a remarkable thing, especially considering the salinity and extremes in temperature. From Wiki:

"The Death Valley pupfish is a species of fish that is the last known survivor of what is thought to have been a large ecosystem of fish species that lived in Lake Manly, which dried up at the end of the last ice age leaving the present day Death Valley in California.

The pupfish is adapted to the shallow, hot, saline water of a particular part of Salt Creek that flows above ground year-round, and is also sometimes referred to as Salt Creek pupfish."

[allachie9]

That Death Valley Pupfish shot is amazing. I'd no idea such creatures existed. Thanks for posting.

[allachie9]

A hoverfly on a miniature yellow rose in my garden.
The hoverfly is around half an inch in length.

Stripes_3576 copy by Alan Butterfield, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

A hoverfly on a miniature yellow rose in my garden.
The hoverfly is around half an inch in length.

Great detail, color and BG bokeh.

[dcstep]

Wild Blue Flax by David Stephens, on Flickr

[C5driver]

Originally Posted by allachie9

A hoverfly on a miniature yellow rose in my garden.
The hoverfly is around half an inch in length.

Stunning! What are the details on this shot?

This is inspiring me to dust off the 100 Macro

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by C5driver

Stunning! What are the details on this shot?

Not to steal Alan's thunder, but for Flickr postings you can click on the image and see full EXIF data over at Flickr, if the poster allows. Alan does allow.

Dave

[allachie9]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Not to steal Alan's thunder, but for Flickr postings you can click on the image and see full EXIF data over at Flickr, if the poster allows. Alan does allow.

Dave

Thanks Dave and C5.
Just to add to the comments on flickr, hoverflies normally dart around and then hover for a while before darting off again. But I'd noticed that on warm, sunny afternoons (and we don't get too many of those), once the hoverfly landed on the sweet smelling miniature rose, it seemed to quieten down and get really still.
That was my opportunity !

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

Thanks Dave and C5.
Just to add to the comments on flickr, hoverflies normally dart around and then hover for a while before darting off again. But I'd noticed that on warm, sunny afternoons (and we don't get too many of those), once the hoverfly landed on the sweet smelling miniature rose, it seemed to quieten down and get really still.
That was my opportunity !

Well, now that I've heard that, I want a flight shot!

Dave

[allachie9]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Well, now that I've heard that, I want a flight shot!

Dave

I'll post one later Dave . . . hopefully !
But it won't be a hoverfly.

The Red Arrows (Royal Air Force Aerobatic team) are due to overfly our local RAF base at 19:45 this evening.
I'm going down to the West Beach to see if I can get a shot. Only problem is I'm not sure which way they'll overfly the base. They're on their way back from Stornaway (Lewis, Outer Hebrides) to their base down in England.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

I'll post one later Dave . . . hopefully !
But it won't be a hoverfly.

The Red Arrows (Royal Air Force Aerobatic team) are due to overfly our local RAF base at 19:45 this evening.
I'm going down to the West Beach to see if I can get a shot. Only problem is I'm not sure which way they'll overfly the base. They're on their way back from Stornaway (Lewis, Outer Hebrides) to their base down in England.

A little easier shot, if they come by, but I'll take it.

Dave

[M_Six]

Spotted this red tailed hawk (?) being harassed by a magpie at Garden of the Gods today. Of course I only had the 24-105 mounted, so this is a serious crop.


Garden of the Gods by Mark Johnson, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Spotted this red tailed hawk (?) being harassed by a magpie at Garden of the Gods today. Of course I only had the 24-105 mounted, so this is a serious crop.

Yeah, RTH, based on banding across midsection. Sounds like you're ready for a two-camera setup.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Yeah, RTH, based on banding across midsection. Sounds like you're ready for a two-camera setup.

My Siggy big gun was in the car, just didn't have time to go all the way back and swap it out, then get back to the hawk. The primary target for this walk was landscape. Hence the 24-105.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

And these two were having it out.


Hummingbirds by Mark Johnson, on Flickr

It would have been too much to get both in focus. Still, you can see that the OOF one is a black-chinned hummer and the one in front is a broad-tail. Great action. It'll take another three-years to catch two of them lined up in the plain of focus.

Dave

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by dcstep

It would have been too much to get both in focus. Still, you can see that the OOF one is a black-chinned hummer and the one in front is a broad-tail. Great action. It'll take another three-years to catch two of them lined up in the plain of focus.

Dave

Yep. That instant in time was just that. Those two were in the FOV about as long as the shutter speed, as the shots before and after prove. Still, I've been wondering if I should have been shooting at F8 instead of F5.6, although the one extra stop might not have made much difference.

[Itsed65]

You've got some great shots on this trip Mark

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

You've got some great shots on this trip Mark

I have DC to thank for that. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Yep. That instant in time was just that. Those two were in the FOV about as long as the shutter speed, as the shots before and after prove. Still, I've been wondering if I should have been shooting at F8 instead of F5.6, although the one extra stop might not have made much difference.

As close as you were standing, it would have taken more like f/16, then your ISO would be through the roof or your shutter speed too low.

Dave

[Itsed65]

Passing Lane by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Passing lanes are nice.

[dcstep]

I love my little EF 70-200mm f/4L IS. It's incredibly sharp, light and versatile.

Alert Doe by David Stephens, on Flickr