Camera adventures galore

I have been a pretty busy Mad-Photographer these days.  I've gotten in a few more kayaks and a trip to Bayfield!  I have had my camera out and about and have learned a ton.

I have a nice long lens now- as seen by the wildlife shots that I have been taking lately, and just picked up a wide angle lens too. Add that to the SUPER in between lens that I own and I have a nice set up.... though I am eyeing a few others as well.  Learning all this is quite a challenge.  I relied on automatic settings a lot over the years, and the last 6 - 9 months I have been pushing myself to go fully manual.  Then with that new information appears and I find out things I never knew about- and so I have a host of other exposure and focusing things to learn and it makes me a little overwhelmed. I have gotten some amazing shots with this camera, but I am never happy with them completely. 

 Like ever.  

Then there is this Lightroom business.  Wow that is quite an awesome editing program, says Ms. Captain Obvious.  But again- learning curve!! Thank heaven for YouTube. 

Anyway, I am glad that I have had a variety of experiences to capture lately and I will do a lot of practicing on my new skills and acquiring more info that should serve me when I go to Italy in a month...  ( SQWEEEEEEE- 32 DAYS!!!)

Wild morning in Ashland

A breakwater in Bayfield

I recently had a fabulous trip up to Bayfield with my favorite Mad-English teacher, and the scenery that day was amazing.  Waves for days.  I am looking forward to more hiking and photo shooting in a few weeks when school is done.

Houghton Falls

Spring is such a great time to take photos, there is so much water in the lakes and over the falls.  And of course no more ice so the boats are in the water!

Smith Lake

Shadowy selfie

It has been a ball to go for walks, and tho it has been really cold- the positive is that the mosquitos have not really hatched out yet.  So lots of walks and weeding and all the things that the bugs can throw a damper on.

Smith Lake

Of course part of my joy and adding to the challenge of taking photos is my kayak, of which I now have 2!  So I can take friends and relatives and possibly can get a hubby into it in the near future.

Breaking in the new Kayak

I alluded to the fact that I got a wide angle lens, and this is the first (or second) shot out of the camera with that lens  I have even more ability to get big skies with clouds.

Doze clouds, doh

Butternut Lake

I also have a new kayak partner who I surely hope I can paddle with several times this season- and conveniently she lives on Butternut Lake!  And she has insights into the eagles that live there.

Butternut Lake Eagle

Ready for take off

Wide angle lens on  Butternut Lake

I love this photo- clouds, lake, kayak.... if only I could have had my bare feet in the pic, it would have been complete.

Kayaking baby!

And of course sunsets...

Nice way to end the day

I sort of dig my watermark~ the style of it is just perfect.  Love the font- I am thrilled with it.  All these techno things that make my day..... and bring me joy.  Now time for bed!  MwAH!!

Saturday on the river and Sunday inside

 As I write this it is raining like crazy outside.  We haven't had a lot of rain lately and with all the dry grass and the windy days, the fire danger has been way up.  So it is really a good thing - and it gives one an excuse to rest inside.

It is a different Sunday from last week when the MA was frantically filing returns and mostly extensions, and was gone for 10 hours I think.  He is now doing Fred things that involve trucks and crowbars and wagons and possibly a chain saw.....  In other words, he is in his own personal heaven.  I have a little project to do myself that I have been putting off (um, blogging to procrastinate??) and probably should be reading my book for bookclub, but that will be later.

Yesterday I had lots of little plans, some of them were changed but the essence stays the same.  I went to a baby shower in the morning, after fiddling around outside for a while and then made an early exit to get in a kayak before the clouds (and rain) came in.

I miss my kayak buddy!  This is our dock and text and selfie spot (I do selfies- not him)  

I put on my wet suit thing and my splash jacket with a t-shirt underneath, because it was in the 60's.  Nice and warm for this time of the year.... the water is still REALLY cold though- hence said wet suit.  Anyway, now that I have this amazing lens and camera body (seriously - forgive me you guys for repeating myself.  I can't believe how much better this camera is than my other one.  My photos are still composed the same, but the increased ability for this equipment to pick up details and the exposure is just so different.....  I am constantly blown away by the whole thing.)  I take it everywhere.  And it is a "thing" to keep it covered and protected and tucked away under my knees, and it is another "thing" to change the lenses and keep them safe while trying to hurry to not miss a shot- ahem- you will understand this in a moment.  I am so torn between doing the kayaking thing to get activity (which I LOVE) and the whole wildlife photography thing. So I am trying to dovetail them with pretty good results.  I am going to do some pure photo shoot kayaks soon, though.  Where I sit and wait- which may outright kill me dead- but I can do it.

THIS is my place- the water in Wisconsin

So I had the MA and the Barber (the Barber was important, as he is the one with the cell phone)  take me down to the boat landing as they had something to do with the truck, and I took off.  I had to show them kayaking tricks first (lol- they are so goofy) which involved turning and paddling backwards and me generally showing off- the MA asked me to, so...   I think that someone is trying to brace himself for a paddle in his future.  Fred is not a big fan of water- when you come right down to it- but he is willing to go kayaking.  It will not be windy that day... long story.

Buffleheads- I didn't consider this the best picture, but it ended up being kind of interesting

I had started out my trip thinking that this was going to be mostly an exercise/fun trip down the river but within about 100 yards there was the first group of ducks - which I just looked up and it is something called a Bufflehead- huh.  Who knew. Followed quickly by Mallards and others that I couldn't see well enough to identify.  Then I saw a swan floating up river a bit.  So- ok- not just an exercise trip.  I kept feeling rushed as I wanted to get to the Lower Dam before it totally clouded up and try to get a good picture of the barn that belongs to Fred's aunt- used to be his Grandparents farm. The pic I got was fine, but I know that mornings are better, so I will be doing that trip again.  

The Farm

It was a fun paddle up that river- I stopped and changed lenses a badillion times.  Each time I switched to my landscape lens, I would see another animal....  I am SO grateful I thought to bring a little chocolate with me for a snack- I didn't have any other portable foods that wouldn't make a mess in my dry bag- and of course water.  It was tough paddling in some places, the river was going faster than it usually is and then on the way back there was the wind. All this is stuff I love, so don't feel bad for me.  :)  Anyway, I shed my splash jacket in favor of a t-shirt eventually and it was a comfy 2.5 hours.

One of my favorite shots so far this year.  Tundra Swan.

I caught up with the swan a couple times that trip, trying to get a little bit close to it, but not pushing it's personal space too much.  Obviously since I have lots of flight photos, I spooked it a bit.  Sorry swan.  But wow some great shots.  I have learned from a photog friend how to set my camera up for bird action shots, which I am really starting to understand.  Some of my  pix were a little out of focus yet, but that I imagine is the relative newness of my Canon 100-400 lens.  He's heavy and also the kayak seemed to always turn in the direction counter to the flight of the birds.  But cool to know I am getting the hang of panning the camera and all.  I do need to set up my camera body for multiple shots instead of single....  I am a slow learner I guess.  

Lift off!

So the annoying part of this trip was I had once again- in anticipation of said barn- switched to my landscape lens, which was a trick to stay heading in the right direction and not end up on a rock or whatever.  So I am almost there and I spot on a rock the biggest Snapping Turtle I have EVER seen or imagined.  Holy crap.  It's shell looked too small for its body- I can't even describe how massive this thing is.  Bigger than the one I saw last year way up by the other dam.  I guess it is possible that it is the same one, but jeez.  It seemed bigger.  So yeah- frantic switching of lenses almost commenced and then I decided to shoot the pic with the lens that was attached and as I floated even with him he bailed.  ARGH.  Oh well.  I will say that later, while practically zooming downstream (there was a current- lol) I saw this kind big thing poke its head out of the water- of course the turtle in question- he was checking me out.  LOL- keep your dogs and small children away from the water people.  A dinosaur lives in the Flambeau.

However these adorable little painted turtles gladly posed.  

Anyway, 6 miles is a long way for your second kayak of the season.  LOOOONG.  The last mile was tough going, but I just set my mind to it and dug down and went.  Didn't see quite as many things coming back, which was fine.  I was no longer in the photo taking mood.  I just wanted to get back so I could 1.) get to my bathroom 2.) take that wet suit off and 3.) quit paddling.  My shoulders were tired and my hands were getting sore.  Thank you to weight lifting for my endurance- and I know where I have to add to my routine- traps and the top of my shoulder.  Dumbbell shrugs are in my future.  I texted the Barber, who was with the MA, that they needed to drop what they were doing and get me.  They were waiting and I was grateful to let them load the 'yak and I babbled on about turtles and swans.

I was later treated to a trip to the Mad-Middle Son's house and I got to see Greg and Sarah and the babies and the doggies....  SO nice.  Then Mikey came over and ended up having steak for supper with his dad.  I of course did not have steak...  But the grill has gotten a good work out the last 24 hours.

Peaceful - it makes me sad, though.  I thought swans mated for life.  Poor thing.  Hope it finds one when it gets to the tundra

It was a long tiring day, but in a totally good way.  And last night I fell asleep to the spring peepers calling and the rain falling and I passed out until almost 7 this morning.  THAT is sleeping in for the Mad-Artteacher.  Haha, I am pathetic.  But always joyful!  Hope you are having a lovely relaxing Sunday all of you lovely peeps! 

Photo-drive!

This past Sunday found me waking up feeling sulky over the cold and nasty (read: snowy) weather that had occurred over the previous 2 days.  Friday afternoon had us all giddy from the early release from school: a half snow-day. Saturday, I was in a fine mood- though it was cold- it was sunny and man, I needed that.  Got a walk in, and planned to drive back to the stone house  to take some nice sunny afternoon pictures.  I was a little miffed when it clouded up  by the time I got home and so much for sunny pictures.  Ugh.  So Sunday I woke up sort of sad, which has been characteristic of my Sundays lately.  Weird, as I don't really dread Mondays, but oh well.  Anyway, I had made pancakes and was cleaning up and saying "see ya" to the MA, when I noticed patches of blue skies to the north and west!!!! Oh. Yeah. Baby.

The boat landing, you can see the ice and the ducks and geese

I am always on the look out for interesting clouds/landscapes so I grabbed my camera and headed out the door to the field.  Well, that was all fine, but I decided instead of sitting in the house and pouting, I would go for a drive.... since my chauffeur was otherwise occupied at the office.  I had only my camera and my regular lens, but had the conscious conversation with myself about how angry I would be if I had the chance to grab my long lens and didn't..... so I did!

Receding clouds 

Here comes the sun... 

I began in the yard, actually, but started the road trip down at Smith Lake.  Those were some tough shooting conditions- the sun is directly in front of you at this time of the year at 8:15.  I got a few pretty acceptable shots, and I took my self into the car and went over to the stone house to grab some shots over there.  In my usual optimistic way, I was thinking how nice it was to walk around in the grass that was slightly covered with snow- a. the tall grass was beaten down and b. no ticks!!  Combine the snow with the fact that it was close to 0 the night before and the ticks are temporarily suppressed.

Yes, I would like to kayaking in you by the weekend, thank you.

Though the highlights are blown out, I do love this picture I think.  :)

Moody back view of the stone house

The stone house has some challenges as well- there is this amazing stone foundation that is left over from an old barn.  It is really hard to get that foundation in any recognizable form, as it is long and narrow and there is so much vegetation.  Even at this time of the year, a lot is obscured by the branches.  I have an idea for the next time I get there, so I'll take another crack at it.  Otherwise, I was so happy walking around and finding other angles to shoot.  I had the MA's voice in my head warning me about where to step, as you never know where there might be an abandoned well.

Part of the foundation and an apparent silo

It was fun to shoot there and at the quickly degrading house across the street, and so where to go next?  I had seen in one of the many snowfalls this past week a little pond that is up the road towards town.  I had seen the boy who lives in the house next to it fiddling around with a canoe in that pond during the week (this water will dry up later in the spring), and he left it on the shore.  I noticed this picture as I was driving past to go to work several mornings in a row, so I parked and got that shot too.  I am not 100% happy with this, but it will do.

The canoe is waiting

So after a quick stop at the grocery store, I decided that maybe I should drive up to Butternut Lake and see if I could get some cloud shots over the lake. The clouds were sort of cooperating and I thought of a few places that I could try out.  Since I was on the highway I drove up to the boat landing on the far end of the lake.  I have no idea if you would consider that the north side or the east side or what the hell ever... but I went to the little boat landing - Koch's landing- for those of you in the know.  I was scoping out the state of the blue sky and where the sun was as I was driving into the area and was stunned by the sight that greeted me.  There was open water by the shore, ice after that and a bunch of waterfowl!!  Probably 10 swans (tundra swans) and a bunch of geese and ducks as well.  **I would like to thank my intuition for insisting on taking along the telephoto lens**  Anyway, I quietly exited the car and avoided actually getting knee deep in the swampy margins of the lake, and found a frozen path out past much of the brush that was obstructing my view.  I realized about 30 min. later that I was seriously underdressed and had inadequate footwear! Oh well, feet can be warmed and car seat heaters can be turned up. I do get myself into places I don't expect, lol.  Even with the size of my new lens, I was still a bit far away, but the quality of my camera allowed some serious cropping of the photos of these birds.

Tundra swan

Beautiful in flight

Oh, and I stopped at the big boat landing on the west side of the lake too!  

I learned a lot about my camera on this trip, and from some photography discussions I learned what I REALLY should have set my camera setting to.  Lol.  I was so happy with this day!  In spite of not being able to get out to kayak yet, and the cold, and the snow, I did use some of these conditions to my advantage!

I admittedly slapped a preset on this one!  :) Its a bit bright.  haha

Of course part of learning new things is being frustrated with not knowing instantly how to do everything, if that makes sense?!  So even after successfully solving a few issues with the camera, the editing program offers its own array of bang-your-head-on-the-table moments.  Thank heaven for YouTube.  I found one guy, who I LOVE listening to (Swiss accent- I am a sucker for an accent) but he sort of over-edits.  But I have found so much technique that I can use and I needed to start somewhere. So I am loving the way most of these pictures are turning out, but there are flaws in all of them.  And they make my eye twitch.  But, I am showing you the ones that don't make me slam my computer shut in irritation, so there is that!! Lol

Anyway, I am finding my way around this new technology and feel like I am making some progress.  I sort of thrive on these sorts of challenges and am looking forward to more.  I am itching to get some portraits now, I wonder if I have any grandchildren available for practice??  :D That will certainly be a joy!

Best of the summer- wildlife photos and maybe some not so wild

Whilst perusing the summer photos for these posts I very much enjoyed seeing all the kinda good animal pictures that I got this summer.  I like animal pix, but I don't always have the patience to wait for the critters to stand still or come close or what have you.  A longer lens would be pretty awesome and quite helpful.

Loon on Smith Lake

But because of previously mentioned (to the point of obnoxiousness I am sure) kayak, I have been able to get a little bit closer to those creatures that hang out by navigable bodies of water.  

The Eagle who hangs out on the north side of Butternut Lake

Strange looking deer near Golden, CO (not kayaking but oh well.  Its my blog and I can go off topic if I want)

It took me a while to get the hang of the whole paddling and maneuvering the camera, but I managed.  Getting the dry bag for my DSLR was super helpful, as it is tucked down between my knees and readily available for use!

Early spring Loons with baby

I surprised this deer who was wading in the water on Smith Lake

I saw things that I never would have, because I have control over when I could get out onto the water.  And a lot of the time I was just lucky!

32 turtles, baby (Flambeau River)

The Loons on Smith, apparently doing a male domination ritual.  That was fascinating.

Really lucky!

Juvenile Merganzers (Boulder Junction area)

A very noisy young Eagle over near Boulder Junction

I was thrilled to get this shot, those blue herons are shy and flighty!

Blue heron- they are the reason I decided I need a longer lens!  :D

Mama of the noisy young Eagle as previously shown

So I had lots of good shots from the kayak, but I also found a few interesting things in my own back yard, or there abouts.

Tree toad- a very little tree toad that perched on my door's window

Tree toad that had been on my garage door and fell onto the side of my car!  Not quite so teensy

I have this guy hanging around all the time!  But there are lots of other places that I found sort of not real wild life.

Jac says hi!

This guy is always happy to see me, and the feeling is mutual!!

Mama deer and baby seen near the bike trail

I have a big old spider to add to the mix, but did not stop to shoot (as I had no GUN) the bull snake that was lying across the Tuscobia during my bike ride.  I was too busy shrieking and cursing.  I don't do snakes well at all....

Lookie the little spider I found on the horse bucket.  She's pretty cute

LOVE this guy.

The MA thinks I should try to find the Leopard frog that is lurking about the area but I didn't feel like it.  If he presents himself in the next day or two, I may add him below.  Do not hold your collective breaths.  That little sucker is fast.

Some of my best pictures of the year!  I can't wait to see what else I can get, as my adventures are not done yet.  And that gives me a lot of joy...