Here are some others:
Bald Eagle gets a drink:
The Tavern:
Bathing Eagle, one of my favorite sights of the entire summer:
![Splish-Splash - Eagles take a bath in the Potomac @ Great Falls Maryland - 1 2 3 [4]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_slpePlDsDtp_oxlw5qpxD9t8MxdcP4SmU8Ji543QE137vzD7gzXlvm16gnJBi_1cMAadSKA7CNwOrJr3_OPJzCzgihCY1WlixZjxMfyMBZmok77M8MUSIk=s0-d)
"Doggie Bag":
Bald Eagle with his Prey:
Monday, September 25, 2006
Great Falls - Summer 2006
A photographic look back at my visits to Great Falls National Park during the Summer of 2006.
Here are some others:
Bald Eagle gets a drink:
The Tavern:
Bathing Eagle, one of my favorite sights of the entire summer:
"Doggie Bag":
Bald Eagle with his Prey:
Here are some others:
Bald Eagle gets a drink:
The Tavern:
Bathing Eagle, one of my favorite sights of the entire summer:
"Doggie Bag":
Bald Eagle with his Prey:
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
World Trade Center - 1970's
5 years after the towers came down I post this image, from roughly 1970... I have the slide in my boxes of family stuff, and rescanned it today.
So sad...
So sad...
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Mugged!
One of the Sumatran Tiger Cubs mugged their mom! :p
Shot taken at the US National Zoo in Washington DC. The cubs are abotu 3 1/2 months old here (September 2006).
Shot taken at the US National Zoo in Washington DC. The cubs are abotu 3 1/2 months old here (September 2006).
Thursday, September 07, 2006
My First Year On Flickr! Some photos...
I've been flickr just over a year now.
I meant to post something for my one year flickr anniversary, but I missed it. My earlest photos are from August 31st 2005. Flickr has been 99% great, and I am truely thankful for all it has offered. Knowledge, feedback, growth, friends, inspiration, motivation, and on and on...
The above are some of my favorite images, not my most popular, some are, but I tried to pick some from a variety of locations, each of which were really good from that place, be it the National Zoo, Mason Neck State Park in Va, or Centennial Lake in MD, or Great Falls in MD, or an Airport (DCA, BWI), etc....
I meant to post something for my one year flickr anniversary, but I missed it. My earlest photos are from August 31st 2005. Flickr has been 99% great, and I am truely thankful for all it has offered. Knowledge, feedback, growth, friends, inspiration, motivation, and on and on...
The above are some of my favorite images, not my most popular, some are, but I tried to pick some from a variety of locations, each of which were really good from that place, be it the National Zoo, Mason Neck State Park in Va, or Centennial Lake in MD, or Great Falls in MD, or an Airport (DCA, BWI), etc....
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Return of the Red-Shouldered Hawks - 8/24/2006
full size
So, I used to spot a Red-Shouldered Hawk Family (2 adults, and 1 Juv I think) near my work in Maryland. About 4 months ago they vanished. Around that time I switched buildings where i worked so at first I wasn't sure if I stopped seeing them because of that or not. But, I only moved a 1,000 yards, and their nest was nearer to my new location, I think... Well, about 4 months passed without seeing them until today!
The above is one bird, the first one I saw. I ran to my car, got my camera and snapped off a few as this one was gaining altitude. Later I saw as many as 3 or 4 possibly. And still later I distinctly heard a RSH call.
They must have migrated or moved, and just came back, possibly TODAY. I'm outside enough that I'd have seen or heard them if they were already back. At one point today I may have seen 4 of them. But at a distance it isn't easy to for me to tell them apart from the other birds in the area.
(200_7303-RSH_08242006_01)
Lately I'd not post images of this quality, because I know I can take better ones, but the occasion of them returning I think TODAY requires me to document the day...
Here are a few of my previous photos of the family, err, at least the family I previously used to spot outside my work...
So, I used to spot a Red-Shouldered Hawk Family (2 adults, and 1 Juv I think) near my work in Maryland. About 4 months ago they vanished. Around that time I switched buildings where i worked so at first I wasn't sure if I stopped seeing them because of that or not. But, I only moved a 1,000 yards, and their nest was nearer to my new location, I think... Well, about 4 months passed without seeing them until today!
The above is one bird, the first one I saw. I ran to my car, got my camera and snapped off a few as this one was gaining altitude. Later I saw as many as 3 or 4 possibly. And still later I distinctly heard a RSH call.
They must have migrated or moved, and just came back, possibly TODAY. I'm outside enough that I'd have seen or heard them if they were already back. At one point today I may have seen 4 of them. But at a distance it isn't easy to for me to tell them apart from the other birds in the area.
(200_7303-RSH_08242006_01)
Lately I'd not post images of this quality, because I know I can take better ones, but the occasion of them returning I think TODAY requires me to document the day...
Here are a few of my previous photos of the family, err, at least the family I previously used to spot outside my work...
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Soyono takes a break from her cubs! - Washington DC / National Zoo 7/30/2006
Soyono (Soy) - Sumatran Tiger @ Washington DC / National Zoo 7/30/2006
Originally uploaded by Nikographer [Jon].
Soyono (Soy) - Sumatran Tiger @ Washington DC / National Zoo 7/30/2006
bigger
Soy walking down the steps towards the door and the location closest to the cubs that are inside. Here she shows her intense urge to be near them, in her eyes and her stride.
She walked to the bottom of the steps a few times and called out to the cubs. After a few minutes she would walk through the outdoor exhibit for a while, only to return here.
She wasn't stuck on calling out to them, she had a bunch of moments when she surely was enjoying her time away from the cubs... But she also seemed at times to want nothing more than to be inside with them again. She was outside (and away from the cubs) for about an hour on Sunday 7/30/2006.
(2006_0730_D200_23131)
Thanks for all the visits! (100,000 Views)
Thanks for all the visits!
BTW, I hit 50,000 on April 24th, 2006.
Here are a few of the tags that I've got some "interesting" photos for:
Zoo, Washington DC, D70, D70s, National Zoo, D200, Maryland, Osprey, Hawk, Animals, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D VR.
(100K_Fireworks1)
BTW, I hit 50,000 on April 24th, 2006.
Here are a few of the tags that I've got some "interesting" photos for:
Zoo, Washington DC, D70, D70s, National Zoo, D200, Maryland, Osprey, Hawk, Animals, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D VR.
(100K_Fireworks1)
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Shooting RAW+JPG or JPG - and considering space constraints
When I first got a dSLR I shot in JPG, then did some RAW, and probably shot mostly in JPG with that camera.
In March 2006 I sent my D70 in for repair and a few days later got a D200. With that I shot a lot of RAW+JPG. Occassionally I'd shoot just jpg. I got stuck on a location and time that didn't offer much good light, and was almost always shooting at long distance (Eagles at Great Falls, MD in the evening). It was very hard to get a good image here. I went over 20 times afer June 11th 2005 (and before July 22nd) but a single day stands out, June 18th, 200. The light was great, I was there mid-day, not just later, and I saw some great action. I shot almost all of these trips in RAW+JPG, maybe 30 or 40 GBs of pix/files.
In regards to shooting in JPG only, I shot the above Osprey in JPG, and shot that day in JUST JPG all day. The light was perfect, and the encounters kept on coming.
RAW can help, but there is no making up for conditions and encounters. I've also learned to tweak my camera and adjust for a lot, some of which the RAW format allows for after the shooting, like exposure comp. With these Osprey and good light I lowered my ISO a good bit. When I was on the boat I raised it some to avoid having the motion of the boat blurring every image. Half way through that boat ride, it was so good, I switched to RAW+JPG.
After nearly a year of shooting, almost 70,000 pictures between my D70 and D200, space has become a problem on my computer and DVDs that I make backups to. I think I've got about 300+GBs of pix. I've made about 100 DVDs of backup copies and keep two copies on HDDs when I am caught up in all my steps for backups.
Disk space being what it is, and the curve I've been on for learning, I think it might be time to start deleting at least some copies of images I've taken. I don't need 3 copies of the 20 pix it took to get the one good shot, or the 100 it took to get the 1 good shot.
To put it bluntly, the quality of an image is not determined by the format it is recorded in, be it JPG or RAW. Sure you can crop and enhance much better from a RAW file, but if the light is poor, subjects far off, is it worth it to take tens or hundreds of pix at RAW+JPG and keep buying DVDs and HDDs to protect this data?
I'm currently of the mind that I can now shoot 90% of the time in JPG only and get the best (or nearly the best) results I can and still keep my storage loads to a modest amount. When a spot is rockin' I will switch to RAW+JPG, but otherwise I don't think I will.
-Jon/Nikographer...
In March 2006 I sent my D70 in for repair and a few days later got a D200. With that I shot a lot of RAW+JPG. Occassionally I'd shoot just jpg. I got stuck on a location and time that didn't offer much good light, and was almost always shooting at long distance (Eagles at Great Falls, MD in the evening). It was very hard to get a good image here. I went over 20 times afer June 11th 2005 (and before July 22nd) but a single day stands out, June 18th, 200. The light was great, I was there mid-day, not just later, and I saw some great action. I shot almost all of these trips in RAW+JPG, maybe 30 or 40 GBs of pix/files.
In regards to shooting in JPG only, I shot the above Osprey in JPG, and shot that day in JUST JPG all day. The light was perfect, and the encounters kept on coming.
RAW can help, but there is no making up for conditions and encounters. I've also learned to tweak my camera and adjust for a lot, some of which the RAW format allows for after the shooting, like exposure comp. With these Osprey and good light I lowered my ISO a good bit. When I was on the boat I raised it some to avoid having the motion of the boat blurring every image. Half way through that boat ride, it was so good, I switched to RAW+JPG.
After nearly a year of shooting, almost 70,000 pictures between my D70 and D200, space has become a problem on my computer and DVDs that I make backups to. I think I've got about 300+GBs of pix. I've made about 100 DVDs of backup copies and keep two copies on HDDs when I am caught up in all my steps for backups.
Disk space being what it is, and the curve I've been on for learning, I think it might be time to start deleting at least some copies of images I've taken. I don't need 3 copies of the 20 pix it took to get the one good shot, or the 100 it took to get the 1 good shot.
To put it bluntly, the quality of an image is not determined by the format it is recorded in, be it JPG or RAW. Sure you can crop and enhance much better from a RAW file, but if the light is poor, subjects far off, is it worth it to take tens or hundreds of pix at RAW+JPG and keep buying DVDs and HDDs to protect this data?
I'm currently of the mind that I can now shoot 90% of the time in JPG only and get the best (or nearly the best) results I can and still keep my storage loads to a modest amount. When a spot is rockin' I will switch to RAW+JPG, but otherwise I don't think I will.
-Jon/Nikographer...
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
Photography and Flickr
I've been reading the writings of some famous photographers lately.
One article I read recently was by Galen Rowell. He worked for National Geographic, and is a wealth of information. His articles are here: Galen Rowell's Articles.
In his "Grand Illusions" article he talks about how an image should inspire a mental response, and how analyzing a photo on its technical merits can break the spell or vision the photo created.
I've recently been trying to find the best way to present an image on flickr, and, when it is one that I think tells its own story I need to lay off the long commentary and let the image do the talking...
This osprey photo is one of those photos I think, and I just made a title: "Happy to meet you OR happy to eat you?"
-Jon
One article I read recently was by Galen Rowell. He worked for National Geographic, and is a wealth of information. His articles are here: Galen Rowell's Articles.
In his "Grand Illusions" article he talks about how an image should inspire a mental response, and how analyzing a photo on its technical merits can break the spell or vision the photo created.
I've recently been trying to find the best way to present an image on flickr, and, when it is one that I think tells its own story I need to lay off the long commentary and let the image do the talking...
This osprey photo is one of those photos I think, and I just made a title: "Happy to meet you OR happy to eat you?"
-Jon
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Flickr's down, OM*G!@#$!
Lol, ok, not the end of the world...
I worked today, and then went to Great Falls afterwards, for about my 24th or so visit since June 11th 2006. Not sure, but I think that's a bit more than every other day since I first went.
Going in the evening after work is more about the experience than the potential photographs. Sure there might be some nice sunset light, or even a nice sunset, but the main thing I go for is the eagles. The eagles are situated in evening shadow with the sun setting directly behind them. Possibly the worst conditions... I guess it could be pitch black, and that'd be worse.
I like to go to a newly discovered place up until the point where it doesn't keep offering new sights and experiences. With the DC Zoo that took about 25 visits from roughly Oct 23rd 2005 to March 2006. Since then I've still gone, maybe every other weekend or a bit less frequently. I think I've been about 35 times now as of mid-July 2006.
Anyway, back to Great Falls and going a lot.
So I've been now 20+ times, how can there be new stuff? Well, last weekend there was a Kayaking competition. I photographed some of the first run they had on Saturday through the main falls. Probably a couple hours worth of shooting. This was fun, and I ran in to someone I know from the DC Zoo's photoclub. We walked up to the area where you can spot the eagles, and did see one of the adults, but the adult stayed in a tree across the river... Later this day I had my first encounter with the Red Fox that lasted more than a half second. I've seen the fox twice before this day and each time for not even a split second... The fox encounter was really awesome. To see him in his natural environment, and either unaware or unconcerned with my presence was a gift. I later left rejuvinated from the experience...
Last night I went, and took a few photos, some eagle shots of the eagle in a tree, and the other adult in the river (drinking/cooling-off), and some sunset photos, but nothing came out that good. I need to learn to shoot photos better in lower light. Be it a tripod and much lower ISO, or flash and different areas in Great Falls, I don't know what will work. When I was there mid-day over the weekend the light was excellent.
Wow, looks like flickr is up, just checked and it is somewhat responding. They must be getting crushed right now.
I used the time to post this, and to start some much needed backups of the stuff I've shot since 7/1/2006. I almost never get this behind, and now I've got to burn about 7 DVDs worth of data (to make it fit right most of the disks have between 3 and 4GBs of data...)
Happy flickring now that it's back up.
-Jon/Nikographer ;)
p.s. it appears that almost none of the images are being served right. I'd guess that most of the recent photos are there and available, it's just that the servers are being overloaded at the moment......... so DON'T hit refresh a million times, you'll make it worse. Give it a bit and then check back :D
Flickr Outage Message Posted here for this one:
http://blog.flickr.com/flickrblog/2006/07/temporary_stora.html
Lol, ok, not the end of the world...
I worked today, and then went to Great Falls afterwards, for about my 24th or so visit since June 11th 2006. Not sure, but I think that's a bit more than every other day since I first went.
Going in the evening after work is more about the experience than the potential photographs. Sure there might be some nice sunset light, or even a nice sunset, but the main thing I go for is the eagles. The eagles are situated in evening shadow with the sun setting directly behind them. Possibly the worst conditions... I guess it could be pitch black, and that'd be worse.
I like to go to a newly discovered place up until the point where it doesn't keep offering new sights and experiences. With the DC Zoo that took about 25 visits from roughly Oct 23rd 2005 to March 2006. Since then I've still gone, maybe every other weekend or a bit less frequently. I think I've been about 35 times now as of mid-July 2006.
Anyway, back to Great Falls and going a lot.
So I've been now 20+ times, how can there be new stuff? Well, last weekend there was a Kayaking competition. I photographed some of the first run they had on Saturday through the main falls. Probably a couple hours worth of shooting. This was fun, and I ran in to someone I know from the DC Zoo's photoclub. We walked up to the area where you can spot the eagles, and did see one of the adults, but the adult stayed in a tree across the river... Later this day I had my first encounter with the Red Fox that lasted more than a half second. I've seen the fox twice before this day and each time for not even a split second... The fox encounter was really awesome. To see him in his natural environment, and either unaware or unconcerned with my presence was a gift. I later left rejuvinated from the experience...
Last night I went, and took a few photos, some eagle shots of the eagle in a tree, and the other adult in the river (drinking/cooling-off), and some sunset photos, but nothing came out that good. I need to learn to shoot photos better in lower light. Be it a tripod and much lower ISO, or flash and different areas in Great Falls, I don't know what will work. When I was there mid-day over the weekend the light was excellent.
Wow, looks like flickr is up, just checked and it is somewhat responding. They must be getting crushed right now.
I used the time to post this, and to start some much needed backups of the stuff I've shot since 7/1/2006. I almost never get this behind, and now I've got to burn about 7 DVDs worth of data (to make it fit right most of the disks have between 3 and 4GBs of data...)
Happy flickring now that it's back up.
-Jon/Nikographer ;)
p.s. it appears that almost none of the images are being served right. I'd guess that most of the recent photos are there and available, it's just that the servers are being overloaded at the moment......... so DON'T hit refresh a million times, you'll make it worse. Give it a bit and then check back :D
Flickr Outage Message Posted here for this one:
http://blog.flickr.com/flickrblog/2006/07/temporary_stora.html
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Melanie Mason Performs @ Lake Kittamaqundi, Columbia Maryland 1 [2]
Melanie Mason Performs @ Lake Kittamaqundi, Columbia Maryland 1 [2]
Originally uploaded by Nikographer [Jon].
Here's photos:
![Melanie Mason Performs @ Lake Kittamaqundi, Columbia Maryland [1] 2](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vJC59bp6XMyP_21Wpf-r4O7RlTHMUtwvMZGtiS56JppkMmt92QjXxAvCNFwCTKTmTSjF-75e8H5D72AGP6xsm3zaRNawOOLTZkwprIN7LmzEMSE00bWzc=s0-d)
The other concert I went to was Dani Cortaza @ Centennial Lake in Howard County Maryland on July 12 2006, yesterday...
-Jon
Saturday, July 01, 2006
This week I learned to cast aside pixels and long lenses.
American Airlines landing at Reagan National (DCA) 7/1/2006
Originally uploaded by Nikographer [Jon].
So, I've been shooting lately with a lens OTHER THAN my 80-400mm VR one. I've used my 18-200mm Tamron, as well as today when i used the nikkor 18-70mm on my D70s.
The week I also experimented with fill-flash. Here's one where I think it helped, but I wish I could have dialed it down just a bit more.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Juvenile and Adult Eagles @ Great Falls
Today was the first day that I've seen the Juvenile Bald Eagle at Great Falls National Park in Maryland out of the nest and flying! It was awesome.
This image is a collage of one of the adults and the juvenile playing follow the leader or something... The background is a GBH that was just handing around ;) I probably took 200 shots today and only 15 weren't of eagles.
This was my first glimpse of Jr flying:
This image is a collage of one of the adults and the juvenile playing follow the leader or something... The background is a GBH that was just handing around ;) I probably took 200 shots today and only 15 weren't of eagles.
This was my first glimpse of Jr flying:
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
First Day of MY Summer (2 Bald Eagles, 2 Great Blue Heron)
First Day of MY Summer (2 Bald Eagles, 2 Great Blue Heron)
Originally uploaded by Nikographer [Jon].
Thursday, June 15, 2006
The one in the tree makes me laugh
Lol. Another photo of Great Blue Herons from Great Falls National Park in Maryland.
-Jon
-Jon
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Bald Eagle(s) at Great Falls National Park in Maryland
So, I found a new place to visit and take photographs. I've been going to a hand full of places during the past few months (Mason Neck Va, DC Zoo, Centennial Lake, Greenbelt Lake) and decided to venture out to a new location.
I'd heard of Great Falls, but never realized how close it was to me (about 20 miles) and how cool it is. There are hundreds of Great Blue Heron. The three eagles, and also many geese, ducks, and even some Black-Crowned Night Herons.
Yesterday I saw all three eagles, the 2 parents and one the youngster. Here's one of the parents about to land in some shallow water to cool off and take a bath. He stayed in the water for what seemed like 25 minutes.
I plan to probably go here a lot in the next weeks and months. The eagles nest is a couple hundred yards away, and I don't think that Junior has left the nest yet. Junior did however eat the fish on his own.
My other photos from Great Falls are in (and will be added to) this flickr photo set
Sunday, May 21, 2006
F-15E Strike Eagle @ Joint Service Open House 5/21/2006
I made it to the air show this weekend and it was well worth it. Really excellent to be at one for the first time. The Joint Service Open House 2006 event was well run and I was thoroughly impressed with the entire setup, even though the hamburgers were way overcooked and charred. :/
A few other cool shots from this weekend are here:
A few other cool shots from this weekend are here:
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