Aloha & Nature Photography

Post by **LovelyLadyLux** » Mon May 02, 2011 1:57 am

During my time in Hawaii I gained a new and real appreciate for all those professional photographers of Nature magazines who must sit for hours and days to get the perfect shot.

While out on a stroll I came across this little guy

He was pretty well camoflauged. I was actually first attracted to the bark of this particular type of palm tree

and didn't really notice this little lizard 'til he moved. He is actually sitting down on towards the roots and wasn't up on the actual tree truck.

Cause I'm now aspiring and hoping to become another Ansel Adams/World Famous Photographer

;) I decided to track these little guys and take photos of 'em. Accordingly I started looking for them (OMG they move slow, rest often and then dart like crazy to a new resting spot) and when I spotted one I waited for him/her to DO something. For the first day after I near got sunstroke and both feet went to sleep I then decided to look for another one in the shade. DUH!

Didn't have much luck finding one in the shade so I went to a local Starbucks to re-hydrate and as I was litting on the lanai and contemplating I looked over and "LO and BEHOLD" OMG there was this little guy!!!

He couldn't have posed better if I'd of asked him to and

I hate to say how many photos of him I took but more than I can count on my hands (and ok my feet and YOUR hands and feet too)! Scored big and this little guy just sat and sat.

Being successful and confident I walked around the gardens in the park for the next couple of hours and didn't see another one. Couple days later I was over at the Hilton and there, sitting on a bronze elephant statue, on the trunk was this fellow

Having put some effort into tracking down these little guys and having no real 'natural' success I now have a much deeper appreciation for all the action shots professional photographers get. Those guy must develop butts of steel and they all must have the patience of a saint.

Post by **Christine** » Mon May 02, 2011 10:42 am

I love Lizards, these photo's are great.
I can remember not that long ago chasing some of thier larger cousins ( Iguana) around my friends garden while staying with her on vacaction on an island off of the coast of Belize, fascinating creatures and boy do they run!!
When they got tired there they were sunning themselves on her neighbours roof

Post by **Horus** » Mon May 02, 2011 11:08 am

Fabulous pictures once again

whether you intended it or not, you have taken some excellent 'Bokeh' type pictures with a shallow depth of field that has given you the sharp focus on the lizard and blurred background, your second lizard picture (on the red flower) shows the effect very nicely.

Post by **Kiya** » Mon May 02, 2011 11:57 am

Lovely pictures LLL

Post by **Grandad** » Mon May 02, 2011 2:48 pm

Sorry, that pesky Server Error and I had a double post

Post by **Grandad** » Mon May 02, 2011 2:53 pm

You know LLL, if you take a hundred shots to get just one that you like it is well worth it......your photography is really going places now.....super duper shots

:

My passion at the moment is trying to snap birds in flight......as a little tip I think that if you study your subject for a while you will detect their movements pattern and then predict what they might do. I am sure that the wildlife pro's do just that and also take thousands of shots to get 'the money shot', that one with commercial value.

I am mostly selecting shutter priority, pre-focussing where the subject is (switch off auto focus), and switching on continuous shutter release to fire off a sequence if the subject is moving.....this way the camera release time is much faster without an auto focus delay.....

Post by **Grandad** » Tue May 03, 2011 4:08 pm

If you like lizards see Brians thread for small ones and monster ones

Digressing as usual, this is one of my latest efforts at trying to capture birds in flight......

No 'Bokeh' I'm afraid H.....f5.6 is the best my 200mm lens can manage at the long end

Post by **bigken** » Tue May 03, 2011 6:25 pm

What shutter speed was you using GD

Post by **Grandad** » Tue May 03, 2011 8:06 pm

1/1250sec Ken. I prefer at least 1/2000 but with only f5.6 at the long end I still needed to push the ISO to 1600 to get something near acceptable.

The robins are quite friendly and perhaps I will try with the 35mm f1.8 if they will let me get close enough.

The first chick fledged today. I don't know if they have more but this one is very demanding and the parents will now have a second brood....

Post by **Horus** » Tue May 03, 2011 9:22 pm

Cracking sharp pictures Grandad

Post by **LovelyLadyLux** » Tue May 03, 2011 11:23 pm

You betcha - gorgeous photo Grandad!! Excellent. I'm going to have to get out there to try my luck.....YOUR EFFORTS always inspire me!!

Post by **Grandad** » Wed May 04, 2011 9:38 am

YOUR EFFORTS always inspire me!

And I return the compliment LLL....your flower pictures are great

Must stop this mutual admiration society or we will have people talking