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Spot metering and shooting sunsets

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Swan Lake near Vernon - it was a perfect evening for shooting a sunset. Whenever I shoot sunsets, I change my camera's metering system to spot.  There are three, sometimes four, different ways that your camera has to measure light.  The standard one involves the camera reading light from numerous places in the scene and determining an exposure value (EV) based on that information.  This is the Matrix, Multipattern, Multisegment, and Evaluative metering systems found in some of the different camera brands.  Spot metering is different and records the light coming in from one point in the scene and uses that to determine an EV. OK, what's an EV?  An EV (exposure value) is a number, usually expressed as an integer, and may go as low as -6 to +18 and is measured in stops.  A stop is a doubling or halving of light and is usually expressed in seconds (1/2 to 1/4 is a change in time by one stop) or aperture (f/5.6 to f/4 is a change in light coming through the lens...
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European paper wasp - how the nest is made.

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Queen wasp sits atop her throne - a small open-faced nest that she has been building. It's spring, and nest building has begun in earnest, not just for birds, but for insects of all types.  Included in this throng are the Hymenoptera - and more specifically, the Vespids.  Vespidae are the paper-wasps, so called because they construct nests out of chewed-up wood pulp that they turn into "paper." The formulation of the substance nests are constructed of is simple.  Wood pulp, from dead trees or wood from boards (fence boards are a favourite), is created by using the hardened jaws to shred small amounts of fiber.  It is mixed with the wasps' saliva creating a fluid-like pulp akin to papier-mache.  It is then applied to a surface and shaped, where it will dry and harden. The thing that makes this work is the saliva.  It is rich in proteins, specifically proline, which acts as a binding agent.  The saliva/fiber mixture is applied in thin layers and dries qu...
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Up Periscope! Not being seen helps avoid predation.

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Canadian geese hiding in long grass help them protect their nest. In order to successfully raise offspring, they have to be protected during all stages of their development.  From egg to hatchling to fledgling to flying, they are at risk of predation.  There are other dangers too, but the largest comes from animals that would fill their stomachs with defenceless creatures under the care of doting adults. We walked through Vernon's downtown park along the improved pathway that allows pedestrians and cyclists to get from there to the Okanagan Rail Trail by Kalamalka Lake.  The town recently improved the meandering stream with rock, grass, and deadwood.  The gravel banks were a perfect place for killdeer to nest and raise their young.  I must have seen 12 or more breeding pairs, their nests cleverly hidden in the low berms.  It also happened to be a place the crows had discovered as they swarmed the killdeer in the attempt to drive them off their nests and to ...
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Northern Harriers - sexual dimorphism in birds of prey

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Male (bottom) and female (inset) northern harriers photographed at Swan Lake Bird Sanctuary, Vernon. I was fortunate enough to photograph both sexes of northern harrier today.  Early in the morning, I walked the 1.8 km pathway in the sanctuary and later on, my wife and I kayaked beside it.  I photographed the male on my walk and the female while kayaking. Between the two of them, I took 48 photos.  They ranged over a wide area and the two photos above represent the best of the bunch.  I also got a photo of crows harassing the female, but they are too blurry to present here.  These two images are the best shots I have ever gotten of the northern harrier. Females are larger and dominant to the males, but males may breed with multiple females.  While the female tends the nest (which is on the ground), the male provides food.   Every time I see one, I have the sense that it may be an owl.  These birds have the most owl-like face of all the raptor...
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If you have an iPhone, do you need another camera?

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Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park - from the lower trail at the point.  Taken with my iPhone 15 Pro. It used to be that I would pack two cameras, one with a long lens meant for wildlife and the other with a mid-range zoom used for landscapes and portraits.  Now that I pack an iPhone with me, I rarely bring my second body and mid-range zoom.  It has become redundant.   The iPhone is capable of shooting 48 mp raw images, not unlike my mirrorless Z7ii camera.  It has a zoom range of around 16 mm to 300 mm or so and can take filters such as polarizers or magnifiers for macro.  It is much easier to carry, fits in a pocket, and has the additional functions of being a phone, source of money, and entertainer.  So, do I need my second body anymore?  In fact, can I get along with just the iPhone and lose my long-lens camera too? The answer highly depends on what it is you want to do.  While I am impressed with my iPhone's ability, it has serious limi...
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Spotted sandpiper at Swan Lake, Kelowna

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Spotted sandpiper surrounded by flying midges I saw a pair of spotted sandpipers this morning.  They seemed to be a bonded pair as I witnessed one of them bobbing and spreading its wings in what appeared to be a courtship dance.  I got some decent photos of one of them (above) and a set of images (below) of it finding, catching, and eating a relatively large insect. Spotted sandpiper finding, catching, and eating an aquatic insect. I mostly see spotted sandpipers by themselves, although I have seen them with a chick.  This is the first time I have seen them together as a pair.  It is interesting that the males tend the nest while the females are protectors of the territory.  The females may breed with more than one male.  The females are also the ones that engage in courtship behaviour, not the males.   Thanks for reading.      www.ericspix.com
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Swan Lake near Vernon at night

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The full moon gave an ethereal cast to the willow trees at Swan Lake near Vernon. It's early May and we are camping.  It was 27° yesterday; the evening managed to cool down to 11°, an improvement from the near-freezing temperatures we had last week.  The clear skies beckoned me to photograph some sunsets and, at 2:00 in the morning, the call to pick up my camera was too loud to ignore A full moon in a clear sky presents a great opportunity to play with long exposures.  I shot the above photo at f/5.6, ISO 100, for a full minute.  I turned the long-exposure noise reduction off, as the low ISO kept the electronic noise in check.  Besides, I hate waiting around for the camera to finish the NR Job.  There are good NR filters that can be applied in post as well. The scene looks entirely different in the day.  I photographed it earlier from a similar position.  It's amazing how the world looks at different times.   Swan Lake an hour before sun...
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