cyberastrofolkie's photos

This is an image of my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP 70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on my Pentax K20D camera. I originally purchased this lens and two other Tamron Adaptall-2 lenses along with two Tamron Adaptall-2 mounts, a Vivitar KA 17-28mm lens, and my used K20D camera body on an order from KEH, which arrived in mid-September, 2010. I did some testing of this lens, but seemed to favor the other Tamron Adaptall-2 70-210mm lens on the order, the Model 19AH. I was looking for a lens that would provide me with quality close-up images up to half life-size at the sensor good for flowers, large insects, and frogs, which this lens will do, and with a good working distance. I decided this past Spring to give this lens another look and have enjoyed the results so much that I tend to grab this lens first for this type of imaging. This lens provides me with clear and sharp images and cost me all of $29 US. I imaged my camera and lens in rural upstate Columbia County, New York, USA. For this image, I used my Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D) Camera and Canon EF-S AF 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens, hand held, manually focused, Focal Length 45mm, ISO 400, f10, 1/100 sec., with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-production, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing. When I previewed this image before uploading, I noticed an error with this set-up, clearly visible in the image. Does anyone else see it?

Every day, in recent days, I would venture out into the front yard with my camera to image the insects on the flowering lilies: the grasshoppers, the butterlies, and the adult katydids. Every night I would hear the chorouses and conversations of Katy Did, Katy Didn't. On July 27, 2013, I recorded this image of this adult katydid not realizing that this would be the last katydid I would see in the yard. I no longer hear the voices of the katydids at night. In past times I have seen and heard the katydids from July through October, and only after severe frosts would the katydid's voice become silenced. Has something odd happened here in this little corner of southern Columbia County, New York, USA? Or, is this phenomenon occurring elsewhere. Is this the precursor of worse times to come? Or, is this just a temporary condition in this little place in the world? I welcome any and all feedback. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 400, f22, 1/180 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

I believe this is a juvenile Gray Tree Frog. The frog's body is about an inch long. I had gone out the front door to retrieve something from my car, after dark, in the rain, and when I started to re-enter the front door, I noticed something attached to the aluminum siding, which was this frog. I ran inside to grab my camera and take several images, this one being one of them. I imaged this Tree Frog on the side of the house in rural upstate Columbia County, New York, USA. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 200, f22, 1/180 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

This butterfly gave me many chances for a good digital capture. I imaged this one at the lower end of Sutherland Pond in Ooms Conservation Area, part of the Columbia Land Conservancy, in Chatham, New York, USA. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 400, f16, 1/180 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

For the egret, not for me. This Great Egret, Casmerodius albus, had walked the shoreline of the Roeliff Jansen Kill to a bend in the stream in front of where I was sitting and was walking past me. Because the bank is high above the stream, all of the bird visible is only the bird's head and upper neck. I imaged this scene in Copake, New York, USA, near the border with Ancram, along Empire Road where the stream runs through Snook Hill Farm. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 55BB SP 500mm f8 Tele Macro Mirror Lens and Tamron Adaptall-2 140f 1.4X Flat Field Teleconverter with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax K M Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction previously set to 500mm focal length (forgot to change to 700mm when adding 1.4X TC), ISO 400, f8 on lens (f11 with TC), 1/125 sec, with available ambient light. This lens was functioning as a 700mm f11 lens. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

Standing between a yard and a meter in height, this Great Egret, Casmerodius albus, appears to be an imposing figure when compared to the other residents along this stream. This particular Egret seemed more tolerant of my presence than the Herons and other birdlife. I was sitting on the guardrail along Empire Road, completely out in the open. I like this spot to observe and image the wildlife. The Roeliff Jansen Kill flows through the land belonging to Snook Hill Farm, bends and flows alongside Empire Road before bending again to flow under the bridge on Empire Road. This bird was walking along the shore towards the first bend where I was sitting. I imaged this scene in Copake, New York, USA, near the border with Ancram. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 55BB SP 500mm f8 Tele Macro Mirror Lens and Tamron Adaptall-2 140f 1.4X Flat Field Teleconverter with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax K M Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction previously set to 500mm focal length (forgot to change to 700mm when adding 1.4X TC), ISO 400, f8 on lens (f11 with TC), 1/125 sec, with available ambient light. This lens was functioning as a 700mm f11 lens. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

This appears to be the palest Primrose Moth I have ever seen. We have been regularly checking the Evening Primrose plant for moths and this is our first one on this plant. This is our first plant on the property in several years. Typically, these moths have pink coloring on the wings. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 200, f22, 1/180 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing. This is a half life-size (1:2), at the sensor, close-up.

I have been offline for several weeks with chronic computer issues. I have a bit of a backlog of digital images to upload. I captured this one today at Roy Swamp Wildlife Management Area in Sharon, Connecticut, USA. I took this image in late afternoon light. The original image was edited in FastStone to lighten the shadows and add a bit of contrast and sharpening to bring out some detail. This image was cropped a bit as well to remove the part of a second duck and most of the doughnut bokeh above the duck, typical of the mirror lens that was used for this image. There are just a few doughnuts remaining, in the upper left and lower right. This duck is only one of six siblings, all unafraid and eager to pose for me. I was standing on the shoreline only about twenty feet, or so, away. The mother and father were nowhere in sight and I would enjoy the opportunity to image them as well. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 55BB SP 500mm f8 Tele Macro Mirror Lens and Tamron Adaptall-2 140f 1.4X Flat Field Teleconverter with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax K M Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 700mm focal length, ISO 800, f8 on lens (f11 with TC), 1/180 sec, with available ambient light. This lens was functioning as a 700mm f11 lens.

I spent a little time in the drizzle this afternoon imaging the Cedar Waxwings and managed to capture this one in the beginning of a flight. This Cedar Waxwing was imaged in Royal River Park in Yarmouth, Maine, USA. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 55BB SP 500mm f8 Mirror Lens and Tamron Adaptall-2 140f 1.4X Flat Field Teleconverter with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax K M Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Manual mode, Shake Reduction set to 700mm, ISO 1600, f8 on lens, 1/350 sec, with available ambient light. My lens was functioning as a 700mm f11 Mirror Lens. This full resolution Large JPEG was edited in FastStone to darken the highlights slightly and increase the contrast slightly

I'm generally pretty good at identifying birds. I have never seen anything quite like this one. This bird looks like a warbler and behaves like a warbler. I imaged this one in Thorne Head Preserve in Bath, Maine, USA, on a pine tree collecting green caterpillars. The bird's colors are bright, orange on the neck and upper breast, green on the lower breast with black stripes on either side. Note the green and dark stripe through the eye. There is a hint of white on the wings. I only have this view from below. I have exhausted searches in my "Peterson's Field Guide to Eastern Birds" and "The Audubon Field Guide to North American Birds, Eastern Region" and internet searches. The original image is rather dark. I lightened the shadows and slightly increased the contrast in FastStone. I have not adjusted the saturation or hue. These values are Straight Out Of Camera. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 55BB SP 500mm f8 Mirror Lens and Tamron Adaptall-2 140f 1.4X Flat Field Teleconverter with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax K M Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Manual mode, Shake Reduction set to 700mm, ISO 400, f8 on lens, 1/125 sec, with available ambient light. My lens was functioning as a 700mm f11 Mirror Lens. This is a full resolution Large JPEG.

I had a little time before sundown tonight to take a little walk along Center Street by the motel with my camera and macro set-up for 2:1, at the sensor, macros. I captured this image by the corner of Stanley Street and Center Street in Auburn, Maine, USA. This fly is sitting on a Queen Anne's Lace flower. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52BB SP 90mm f2.5 Macro Lens and Tamron Adaptall-2 18f 1:1 Tube and Tamron Adaptall-2 01f 2X Flat Field Teleconverter with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax K A Mount, all mounted to Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused by moving the entire assembly back and forth, Shake Reduction set to 180mm, ISO 400, f8 on lens, 1/180 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a Full Resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, editing, adjustment, cropping, or re-sizing.

I was told this one looks like a clown face. "You have a funny face. You should be a clown." I heard that comment, as told to my friend several years ago. "This guy even has a green rubber nose..." I spent some time, today, at Jamie's Pond Wildlife Management Area in Hollowell, Maine, USA, just outside of Augusta. This site has always had opportunities for close insect face macros. I try to build up a good working relationship with the insects by first imaging them at lower magnification and at farther distances. As the insect starts to feel comfortable with my presence, I slowly increase the magnification and decrease the working distance. When I made this image I was down to a working distance of about 5-6 inches. This particular Dragonfly became so comfortable with me and would see an insect fly by, fly off to catch it, and return to the same spot a few seconds later. This is a 2:1(twice life-size), at the sensor, macro image. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52BB SP 90mm f2.5 Macro Lens and Tamron Adaptall-2 18f 1:1 Tube and Tamron Adaptall-2 01f 2X Flat Field Teleconverter with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax K A Mount, all mounted to Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused by moving the entire assembly back and forth, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 400, f8 on lens, 1/90 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a Full Resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, editing, adjustment, cropping, or re-sizing. There is good face and compound eye detail visible in the Original Size.

This storefront business sign seems perplexing to me. Just the name of the business has the potential to insult a future client. How could this be good for business? I imaged this storefront sign in the Tilden Flea Market along US 20 West/NY 22 South in New Lebanon, New York, USA. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 400, f22, 1/250 sec, with available ambient light. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

I imaged this storefront sign in the Midtown Mall along US 20 East/NY 22 North in New Lebanon, New York, USA. What are they trying to say? For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 400, f22, 1/180 sec, with available ambient light. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

I encountered and imaged this Dogbane Beetle on a Daisy flower in the parking lot of the Neilmann Preserve in Wilton, New York, USA. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 400, f22, 1/180 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

We were exploring several preserves and conservation areas today in search the Karner Blue Butterfly, which is on the US Federal Endangered Species List. We started out at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, where Karner Blue Butterfly Walks were given throughout the day with none of these butterflies observed. We then drove north to the area of Wilton, New York. There are about a dozen separate conservation areas or preserves within Wilon, New York, USA. There were predictions posted online of an expected hatch of the Karner Blues this week at the Old Gick Farm section. We explored part of that area without any Karner Blue sightings. I did observe a lot of other insect activity there and came back with 105 images of various kinds of insects from that section. We then drove over to the Camp Saratoga section where my friend, Barbara (mudder_bbc), came upon a small cloud of newly hatched Karner Blues along the trail and this image is of a few of them. We estimated there were 40+ butterflies in this location. Most were in one little area along the trail and some were flying nearby and landing on flowers and other vegetation. I took many images there and came back with 152 images from the Camp Saratoga section. I have many to choose from. For this image, I used my manual focus Tamron Adaptall-2 Model 52A SP70-210mm f3.5-4 CF Tele Macro Lens with attached Tamron Adaptall-2 Pentax KA Mount on Pentax K20D Camera, hand held, manually focused, Shake Reduction set to 200mm, ISO 400, f22, 1/125 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, adjusting, editing, cropping, or re-sizing.

I imaged this member of the 2013 Magicicada Brood II where it landed on a low branch of a small tree in the parking lot of Poet's Walk (park) in Red Hook, New York, USA. There were quite a few active adults in the trees and the sounds, to me, sounded like what you might hear if you were operating an electric weed wacker. For this image, I used my AF Tamron Model 572D 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD lens in macro mode on my Pentax K20D camera, hand held, manually focused, focal length 300mm, ISO 400, f11, 1/90 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, editing, adjusting, cropping, or re-sizing.

This member of the 2013 Magicicada Brood II flew from a tree to the ground in the parking lot of Poet's Walk (park) in Red Hook, New York, USA, where I took this image. There were quite a few active adults in the trees and the sounds, to me, sounded like what you might hear if you were operating an electric weed wacker. For this image, I used my AF Tamron Model 572D 70-300mm f4-5.6 LD lens in macro mode on my Pentax K20D camera, hand held, manually focused, focal length 300mm, ISO 400, f13, 1/90 sec, with fill-in flash from camera's built-in electronic flash. This is a full resolution Large JPEG and is Straight Out Of Camera (SOOC) and is without any post-processing, editing, adjusting, cropping, or re-sizing.