View allAll Photos Tagged February2018
Stylist & Photographer: Michaela Vixen (VampBait69)
Model: Michaela Vixen (VampBait69)
Location: Vixen Creative Studios
I've wanted to photograph the wild horses of Assateague Island for years. But how do you photograph something that's been done millions of times and make it worthwhile? Sometimes you just let the animal decide! The horses were not as accessible as the might otherwise have been, and so I kayaked several miles to find them grazing the mudflats north of the bridge. The weather was not great for beachcombers, but the soft, muted light of a foggy day was eerily dramatic, making it possible to capture images without harsh shadows. I spent an hour or two with this band of ten before they finally moved off. It was a thoroughly enjoyable morning. #WildHorses #AssateagueIsland
Manizales, Caldas, Colombia, Minutes before sunset. Where there are cattle, there are Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis). This familiar species originated in Africa and is now distributed worldwide.
The Wattled Jacana (Jacana jacana) is a wader which is a resident breeder from western Panama and Trinidad south through most of South America east of the Andes.
This bird is common in freshwater marshes, flooded rice paddies, ditches, and vegetated margins of lakes and sluggish rivers in the lowlands.
Department of Caldas, Colombia in the rain.
The appropriately named Lacrimose Mountain-tanager (Anisognathus lacrymosus) also known as Lachrymose Mountain-Tanager, is another high altitude (up to 3,800 meters) species found in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
One doesn’t have to look hard to see the love between a dam and her foal. This colt is likely no more than a day or so old. He is still a bit wobbly but horses stand within minutes of birth. They have to in order to nurse, and they must nurse in order to survive. They usually begin trying to run within a day and this little guy is no exception. You can see from his stature, he is all legs. The legs of horses at birth are proportionately large compared to adults. The reasons for this are clear. #WildHorses
. . . Here is an eight second exposure of another area of the Ocqueoc River showing some foam drifting downstream into a large chunk of ice. You can see from the foreground why I didn't dare get any closer, it was solid ice!
Have a great week Facebook, Flickr, and 500px friends!
A leaf from the garden, which was about 2cm across on a green duster.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
El Ensueño, Quindío, Colombia.
The Blue-Gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus) is one of Colombia's most abundant, ubiquitous and widespread birds at altitudes below 2000 meters (6700 feet) and occasionally to 2600 meters or 8700 feet. Unlikely to be encountered in forests, they are found in great numbers in cities, city parks and gardens, rural and agricultural areas from southern Mexico south to Bolivia and northern Brazil.
* There are several sub species of the Blue-gray Tanager. This is the sub species "cana" with no white shoulder patch or wing bars. The "ssp. cana" is found in southeast Mexico south through Central America all the way to Colombia west of the eastern Andes.
See below in comments the "ssp. coelestis" that I posted on March 11, 2018.
A rarity, down here in W. Cornwall.
I just thought I'd like to get in on the act ?
Very enjoyable, as it was all gone within 2 days !
In the Department of Caldas, Colombia on a rainy day.
The Masked Flowerpiercer (Diglossa cyanea) is it is generally found in humid montane forest and its borders, including those close to tree line at altitudes above 2000 meters (6500 feet) above sea level. This image was taken at about 3600 meters. Its geographic range is from Venezuela to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The Masked Flowerpiercer is about 15 cm or 6 inches in length.
It's always nice when the snowdrops last long enough for the colourful crocuses to show themselves, these two side by side in the February sunshine.
Caption in keeping with the just-completed winter Olympics.
I've noted that the easiest bird action photography is that of shooting when a bird flies horizontally across in front of the camera. Have also suggested that it is much more difficult to get good sharp action captures of birds flying directly at the camera (or away from it, but not much reason for that kind of shot, generally.)
Honestly compels me to admit, though, that for any of these in-motion captures, much of the credit (or not) goes to the ability of the camera's auto focus to track the movement. This is most challenging when the bird (or anything else) is coming at the lens, in a straight line, but continuously changing the distance.
So all credit to my camera for being able to track this hen throughout its landing sequence, every shot in perfect focus.
Ask many people about North America's wild horses and they will tell you that they were introduced into America when Europeans ventured across the Atlantic, bringing their horses with them. Many feel they are, therefore, an invasive species. The story is a bit more complex than that and the birth, local extinction, and homecoming of a truly native American species is and continues to be a story of triumph and tragedy.
#WildHorses
Eilean Donan is recognised as one of the most iconic images of Scotland all over the world. Situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet, and surrounded by some majestic scenery, it is little wonder that the castle is now one of the most visited and important attractions in the Scottish Highlands.
Although first inhabited around the 6th century, the first fortified castle was built in the mid-13th century and stood guard over the lands of Kintail. Since then, at least four different versions of the castle have been built and re-built as the feudal history of Scotland unfolded through the centuries.
Partially destroyed in a Jacobite uprising in 1719, Eilean Donan lay in ruins for the best part of 200 years until Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911 and proceeded to restore the castle to its former glory. After 20 years of toil and labour the castle was re-opened in 1932.
There are four generations of the MacRae family past, present and future who are still the Constables of Eilean Donan Castle today. You can explore nearly every part of the castle and enjoy a journey through the history of the area. Some people say Eilean Donan is the most beautiful castle in Scotland. Come and decide for yourself!
The castle is regularly described as one of the most photographed monuments in Scotland, and is a recognised Scottish icon, frequently appearing on packaging and advertising for shortbread, whisky and other products. Eilean Donan has made several appearances in films, beginning with Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1948 and The Master of Ballantrae in 1953. The castle was the setting for the 1980 short film Black Angel, filmed to accompany screenings of The Empire Strikes Back in cinemas. It featured prominently in Highlander (1986) as the home of Clan MacLeod, was backdrop to a dance scene in the Bollywood movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998, and served as the Scottish headquarters of MI6 in The World Is Not Enough in 1999. In Elizabeth: The Golden Age Eilean Donan stood in for Fotheringhay Castle in England. In the movie Made of Honor Eilean Donan can be seen as home of the groom's family.
The Isle of Skye has always been seen as a magical place. Along with the beautiful landscape there are plenty of myths and legends to stimulate your imagination. With the landscape it’s easy to believe these stories. The Sligachan Bridge has a great tale, and what’s more you can gain eternal beauty from dipping your face in the waters below the bridge.
Sligachan has long been an important junction on Skye, and the bridge across the River Sligachan forms part of the only road leading to the west end of the island.
The oldest known bridge is that still standing alongside the modern road. Whether it replaced an even older bridge, or more likely a ford, is uncertain. The bridge itself appears to have been built in the 1820s and consists of three arches. The middle arch is the widest, but the side arches are not mere flood arches, as the River Sligachan is a wide and ferocious piece of water for most of the year. The roadway is slightly humpbacked over the large central arch and only single track.
The new bridge at Sligachan is similar in style to the many 1930s bridges built in the Highlands, although a definite date has not yet been found. It has a single, wide concrete arch to span the river, and is then rubble faced to help it blend into the landscape. The junction between the A87 and A863 remains immediately to the west of the bridge, with the slight change being that the A863 has been extended slightly northwards to meet the A87s new alignment.
Our lives are generally fast paced. We work hard. Sometimes that ethic bleeds over into our recreational time. I frequently find myself frequently trying to do and see too many things in a short period of time. When I visited the wild horses on the Pony Express trail this year I knew I only had a day or so to spend. I decided to pass the time enjoying those horses that I managed to encounter easily rather than running from place to place to find others. I also took some time to play with exposures and walk the landscape. At one point, a few horses came running by. I slowed my shutter speed and did a few panning shots. Panning photos, for those that are not familiar, are essentially motion blurs but with one caveat. The one necessity is that at least one portion of the photo should be in relative focus. Otherwise, you simply have a blurry photo. Not everyone loves pan shots but I love the sense of movement and activity that they convey. It also allows me to slow down and enjoy my time in the wild. #WildHorses