2010, Day 120 - Aphids

The warmer weather had brought out the pests and there were aphids crawling all over this flowering shoot.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/250 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 119 - Delicate flowers

I don't know what plant produces these sprays of little flowers but I believe it is some kind of succulent. Regardless, the structure is just enchanting.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 118 - Burnside Park

Today's duties took me out to West Linn so while I was there I decided to stop off at Burnside Park. The main trail is wide and well used but there are a number of small side trails that are slightly grown over but very pretty.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L

48mm, f4, 1/50 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L

27mm, f4, 1/30 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L

42mm, f8, 1/50 sec @ 400 ISO

2010, Day 117 - Friendly assassin

I found an assassin bug wandering through the house, probably looking for a sunbeam, and he kindly posed for me.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 116 - Holly

I never knew that holly flowers but there are millions of tiny little flowers all over right now.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f4, 1/100 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f4, 1/200 sec @ 400 ISO

And some bleeding hearts just because they're pretty.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f4, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 115 - Sprout

This little ewok is Sprout, my friends Stacey and Debbie's Border terrier. He's a little ball of cute cuddly energy and was my assistant while I helped to make meatballs for our bum-feeding session tomorrow.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L

40mm, f2.8, 1/80 sec @ 800 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 24-70/f2.8L

54mm, f2.8, 1/125 sec @ 640 ISO

2010, Day 114 - Cumpleanos

Tomorrow is my friend Dario's birthday but he threw himself a party this evening. It's always a lot of fun and he has finally stopped being such a control freak, people are allowed to help now!

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 50/f1.4

50mm, f1.4, 1/80 sec @ 1600 ISO

2010, Day 113 - Antique Pearl

Portland's Pearl District has changed a lot in the last ten years. Old buildings have been renovated or rebuilt, trendy shops have moved in but the thing that hasn't changed are the people who have found themselves on the street. This and Thomas Hawk's $2 Portrait Project are the inspiration for today's picture. It's an attempt to humanize the people who eek by on the generosity of strangers.

When I explained the project my subject was reluctant to give his name but we did talk for a little bit. He's lived in Portland for the last two years and says he's spent the last eleven "travelling" across the United States. Work has been hard to come by and he's trying to get help but often he can collect enough money in a day to get by but it takes all day. He admits that everyone is struggling and it makes him all the more grateful for whatever people can give.

Sigma DP1

17mm, f8, 1/125 sec @ 100 ISO

Sigma DP1

17mm, f7.1, 1/160 sec @ 100 ISO

2010, Day 112 - Time to relax

Busy day and while working at my desk I turned around to this sight. I think Boo was taunting me with his nap in a sunbeam on the sofa.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f4, 1/30 sec @ 400 ISO

2010, Day 111 - Pure hearts

I don't know what you call a bleeding heart that does really show signs of blood. Maybe they're pure because they're completely white but they seem a little sterile...

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/200 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/200 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 110 - Buckeye

More flowers, but on a larger scale. This cone-shaped spray of flowers came from what I believe is a buckeye tree that is about forty feet tall and covered with these fragrant flowers. There is already some wilting on this spray and the buds nearest the top haven't even opened yet...

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/125 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f32, 1/200 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f32, 1/160 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 109 - Creek in Linnton

Now that spring is here the farms on Sauvie Island are beginning to open again. I usually make a trip out once a week to get produce, it's fresh, local and inexpensive. On my way through Linnton I noticed a trail into Linnton Park and a creek so I stopped on my way home to catch a picture.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II

16mm, f22, composite of 1/2, 0.8 and 1.6 sec @ 100 ISO

2010, Day 108 - Laurelhurst Church

While I don't like institutionalized religion I do like places of worship and Laurelhurst has a beautiful old Mission style church. What I like about it really is the style, Mission architecture is so rare in the Pacific NW that it is even more impressive.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II

23mm, f8, HDR of 1/15, 1/5 and 0.6 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 107 - Lilac

The lilacs and in bloom and with temperatures in the high sixties and the windows open I can smell them anywhere in the house.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/160 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f22, 1/200 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 106 - and the bees...

We've already seen the mason bees begin their springtime activity and now the honey bees are starting to show up. It's so heartening to see them and to know that people in the neighborhood are active bee-keepers. With reports of the bee population diminishing it is nice to know that there are people out there keeping them safe and encouraging the growth of the colonies.

As an experiment I wanted to see how well Canon's 70-200 zoom handles when coupled with an extension tube. The tube moves the elements further from the focal plane allowing for focusing at a close distance than usual giving the lens a semi-macro capability. The results are nice although they don't allow for the same level of magnification as a true macro lens.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon Extension Tube EF25 II

200mm, f5.6, 1/400 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon Extension Tube EF25 II

200mm, f5.6, 1/400 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon Extension Tube EF25 II

200mm, f5.6, 1/400 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon Extension Tube EF25 II

200mm, f5.6, 1/640 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II with Canon Extension Tube EF25 II

200mm, f5.6, 1/500 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 105 - Tulips

With a promising forecast I drove out to Woodburn to see the tulips. It's a pretty amazing sight, acres and acres of vibrant color and with the scattered clouds it was all the more dramatic when the flowers were dappled with shade and light.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II

16mm, f16, 1/60 sec @ 100 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5.6, 1/250 sec @ 100 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5.6, 1/200 sec @ 100 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

105mm, f16, 1/50 sec @ 100 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

105mm, f16, 1/125 sec @ 100 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

105mm, f16, 1/60 sec @ 100 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

175mm, f5.6, 1/320 sec @ 100 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5.6, 1/250 sec @ 100 ISO

2010, Day 104 - The buzz

There is a big buzz around my house these days. As the afternoon sun warms the earth the mason bees become very active. They are great pollinators but produce no honey and because of that they are very slow to agitate. While they may look like normal honey bees these guys rarely sting so walking through a small swarm is something I do on a daily basis and after living in this home for almost six years I have never been stung.

I hope to get more pictures of them as time goes on but for now here are my favorite shots of my seasonal friends.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f4, 1/400 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f8, 1/125 sec @ 400 ISO

2010, Day 103 - Portland Evening

It was a lovely evening so I headed south to the Sellwood bridge to take a few pictures of Portland and the south waterfront. This is my favorite shot of the evening because it captures the colors and the light beautifully.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 16-35/f2.8L Mark II

35mm, f5.6, hybrid of 10 and 25 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 102 - Gastropod

I spotted my new friend on a walk with the dogs and ran back to collect him after I got the boys home.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f16, 1/60 @ 200 ISO

Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 100/f2.8L IS

100mm, f16, 1/60 @ 200 ISO