A unique angle on an Alligator

I captured this wildlife picture of an American Alligator from a pedestrian boardwalk at the South Lake Howard Nature Park in Winter Haven, Florida. The boardwalk gave me a unique advantage to take this wildlife picture from nearly directly above it. This was a relatively small specimen at only four or five foot long (if that long). I captured many other equally nice wildlife photographs of it that day and will at some point in the future add them to this blog.

Legoland's Cypress Gardens Island In the Sky (short ride) video clip

  I created this short video using my GE X2600 digital camera on a tripod while seated on Cypress Garden's Island in the sky attraction. At it's height the ride reaches 150 feet in the air and does at least one full circuit. As you can see the view can be spectacular. If the above link fails here is the youtube link: https://youtu.be/7l9ktrZ-gGA . I have not used the Video feature on this camera very much and was pleasanty surprised at the quality of the the image. 
  I have never (yet) had an opportunity to use a DSLR camera from Nikon, Canon or Sony, but in the future (sometime) I intend on finding out if they are actually better than my current camera. My beloved camera is actually a "bridge" camera between a point and shoot camera and a SLR camera. For what it is, it takes very good photographs in sixteen megapixel size when using the highest resolution setting. It also has other lower resolution settings that I almost never use. Overall, I have always been more disappointed in the photographer than the camera. When this camera has failed to produce a quality picture, I have been able to trace the problem to the nut behind the lens. Like any camera it does have some limitations and shortcomings that the person behind the camera can overcome with some thought and practice. The major drawback that I have encountered is a lengthy cycle time (several seconds) between pictures when shooting at it's highest resolution. This can, however, be easily overcome by simply partially depressing the lens button partway and then releasing it briefly before composing and shooting the next shot. Using this method you can probably be ready for the next shot in about a second. Another drawback to this camera is the onboard flash unit that can not readily keep up in high speed shooting situations. In conclusion, I have always been pleased with this camera while waiting for the money to get my first (better?) DSLR camera. 

A Bullfrog as wildlife art.

I created this wildlife picture of an Bullfrog sitting on the bank at the Circle B Bar Reserve. It was a little bit challenging to get the angle on the shot I wanted due to thick brush and undergrowth and still use my tripod for the best possible picture. I would have loved to have gotten several different angles on this wildlife picture but could not get a clear shot elsewhere. The Bullfrog is one of the largest amphibians in the United States. It also has a reputation for being a culinary delicacy in some locales. Spending large amounts of time outside taking  wildlife pictures is one of my greatest pleasures. Bullfrogs even have historical note in Samuel Longhorn Clemens works. 

A fine art photograph of a common Anole

I recently created this piece of wildlife art using my GE X2600 digital camera. What you see is a common Anole lizard. I believe that it is a male Anole that is trying to attract a female Anole by displaying a brightly colored pouch under it's throat area. This lizard is among the most common type of lizard in Florida. Here are some fun facts about a related subspecies of anoles: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Anole.cfm

Boeing Model 75

I took this modern art photograph of this Stearman Biplane at Winter Haven, Florida's Gilbert Field. This Boeing-Stearman Biplane is owned and maintained by Preston Aviation.

Demanding Nature Photography

  Nature photography can be a demanding and rewarding pastime that frequently runs past the time that you planned for it.

It is just so easy to get busy watching all of the wildlife that you are seeing that you forget to watch the time that is flying by. Then the electronic leash in you pocket starts demanding your attention and pulling you home. Just like the hunting dog that doesn't want to quit hunting, you pull and strain to take that last wildlife picture of that interesting animal you see.

  You really do not have to take far flung trips to enjoy nature at it's finest. If you just look you can often see wildlife as close as your backyard

or the county park just down the road a few miles. For those of us who grew up in “the Country” it was simple to slip out the back door and disappear into the woods for several hours. You quickly learned to leave a note or tell your parents where you were going to avoid a “trip to the wood shed”. If you are old enough you know that that trip lead to pain when “the board of education” met the “seat of learning”.

  If you live in the suburbs, as I do now, it is easy enough to spot squirrels, birds and various insects in the backyard or in or on any trees near your house.

Humans seem to have the eyes of a predator, meaning that they are best at spotting movement before they spot an outline of the camera's prey. Try not to stare directly at something unless you have already seen the movement out of the corner of your eye. I have notice that you will stare right past wildlife that is not moving because it has seen you first and quite possibly walk right by it without seeing it until you hear it leave quickly beside or behind you. Regardless it is a missed opportunity to get that outstanding wildlife picture.

  In Florida state hunting lands are called Wildlife Management Areas (WMA ) and can be expected to produce some great opportunities to further your Nature photography experiences. If it is managed to provide hunting opportunities, it is managed to help the majority of wildlife thrive and survive during the non-hunting seasons.

  In order to excel at nature photography you need to work on many of the same skills that a hunter would need to put food on the table. One of the primary skills both need is the ability to move slowly and quietly while using your ears to help locate any wildlife that is outside your current line of vision. You also want to pay attention to the direction of any wind while you are hunting for that next wildlife photograph. It is normally best to be “nose into the wind” or “cross wind” instead of “upwind” of the animals that you are hunting. You really do want to see them before they smell you and leave without you getting a clear shot with your camera. This 

or this

is not what you want to see when trying to take a wildlife photograph. 

And now a shameless plug for my website to sell my art: http://chris-mercer.artistwebsites.com/. I have a large number of artwork pieces there. 

Gorilla

I took this picture of an ape at a local Zoological facility. This is actually a Silverback Gorilla. I could watch these apes on a daily basis and still be amazed at them on a daily basis.