Tag: spring

abstract, art, flowers, nature, photo-of-the-day, photography, plants, spring

Throwback Thursday: during a short rain break

solaner

It’s mid of May. So, we’re in the middle of spring. To be honest, usually, spring starts in March over here outdoors, sometimes even in late February. First trees getting their leaves, spring flowers are blooming, temperatures are rising, and blue skies replace the grey blanket above our heads.

This year, we have spring flowers, but quite late and the trees are getting their leaves, but the temperature won’t rise. We still have temperatures between 10°C and zero. The sky is merely still grey without any structure and it’s drizzling very often. Not much rain, but enough to annoy us, while nature does not benefit because the amount is too small. 

In German, we have a weather rule “Der April weiß nicht, was er will” (April does not know what he wants). This describes the overall fast-changing weather conditions we experience in April. Even snow and ice are still possible and could possibly remain for a few hours. But, the overall statistics say, April 2023 was colder and wetter in comparison with the average since the beginning of weather recording more the 100 years ago.

Take care!

 

monochrome, nature, photography, spring

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #243: It’s Tricky

solaner

It’s Tricky to find a proper answer to this week’s topic at The Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Donna is asking for.

Today, it’s first of April. This means, some guys feel, they can fool everyone. Some of these fools are really funny while others are mean. I don’t like this approach at all. Despite, when a fool is easy to recognise and clear for everyone. A synonym for fooling someone could be to play tricks to someone and I assume, that’s what Donna had in her mind when picking this topic. But, I choose to take it literally. Thus, I had to dig a bit in my archive and I hope, you like, what I found there. Enjoy!

  1. photographing a match in the moment it catches fire

 

2. photographing smoke

 

3. photographing an insect in flight in the nature

bee fly (Bombyliidae) / Wollschweber at 750mm focal length (35mm film)

A guy, I’m following on Vero, posted an image of this insect a few days ago and reminded me to search for mine, I was lucky enough to capture more than a decade ago. For very long, I haven’t seen one in real live anymore.

 

4. photographing fast birds in flight

southern carmine bee-eater (Merops nubicoides) / Karminspint oder Karmin-Bienenfresser

These guys hunt flying insects. To capturer them, they can either sit on twigs and wait for them or they can actively fly after them. They are quite successful with both strategies. It’s the same way European bee-eaters get their food. In Namibia, I was able to see a third strategy: they pick up insects from the water surface and quite often they go even down into the water because of the steep hint angle. I even have a few images when a bird just emerges from the water. But, I chose this one, because the whole scene is visible.

5. photographing a hummingbird moth north of the Alpes

When following this link, you can learn a bit why it is so tricky to photograph them.

 

As usual, click on the images to enlarge them.

Maybe, I was able to inspire you to dig in your archive and find some images, you can publish your images on your blog and set a link to Donna’s inspiration post. Don’t forget to tag it with LENS-ARTIST, so we can find it.

Take care!

monochrome, nature, photography, spring

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #241: spring

solaner

As usual on weekends, I’m participating in the Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge. It’s hosted by Sohpia this week. She challenges us this week with “spring”. It seems to be a perfect fit for me because next week we have the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere.

First of all, I think of lambs when thinking of spring. Second, the awakening of nature and popping up of spring flowers. Some of the spring flowers, like i.e. bluebells and wood anemones, have to hurry to complete their full circle of fertilization before the surrounding trees close the roof with their leaves.

 

As usual, click on the images to enlarge them.

Maybe, I was able to inspire you to dig in your archive and find some images, you can publish your images on your blog and set a link to Sophia’s inspiration post. Don’t forget to tag it with LENS-ARTIST, so we can find it.

Take care!

photography, spring, world

Throwback Thursday: Rewarded!

solaner

I assume, most of us like sleeping a bit longer on weekends or public holidays. Me, too. But, sometimes certain ideas require something else.

The week before Easter, I got a hint about a special occasion on Holy Saturday morning in Cologne. Cologne is not that far away, only a nearly 1-hour drive. So, I set my alarm clock for 4:00 a.m. When it rang, I got up and checked the sky if stars were visible. They were. So, starting the coffee maker was the next step before heading to the shower. Less than half an hour later, I sat in the car heading to Cologne.

Unfortunately, there were a few fleecy clouds between me and my target. Nevertheless, the results are quite satisfying, except for the black sky. Approximately 20-30 minutes later, the sky would have been perfect.

I gave it a second try on Easter Sunday morning, but now, the moon went down in a different position, so the composition wasn’t possible anymore. According to the source of the hint, this image is possible only once a year. So, Easter Sunday was already too late. The last image is taken on Easter Sunday morning, the others are from Holy Saturday.

Take care

 

 

abstract, landscape, photo-of-the-day, photography, plants, seasons, winter, world

Monochrome Monday 8-48

solaner

 

 

I took this image on Saturday before last. It’s already early April, and just like the old farmer’s rule says, April does whatever she wants. Just like last April, we got snow in die mid of spring. But, fortunately, this time most of the fruit trees didn’t have their blossoms so early. Over the last weeks, the weather was very nice and sunny, but cold. But, the magnolias (tulip trees) were affected again. It started snowing Friday at noon and until nightfall, we had a quite solid snow cover on the ground. Saturday morning, I had approximately 15 cm of snow on my car. Although the snow was nearly completely gone by Saturday noon, nearly all petals of the magnolia blossoms were already on the ground. What a pity. The already short period of magnolia blooming time was cut even earlier.

The tree in my image is a white-pink blooming magnolia tree all covered by snow.

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It’s sometimes hard to find images fitting to a certain challenge. For these tasks, I’m using the help of Excire Foto. I told the software where my image library is located and it starts analyzing the images. It recognizes the main colors in the images as well as the contents (what is in the images) and tags them automatically. Later, I can use the user interface to search for images with certain tags. Currently, you can save a few bucks when ordering Excire Foto, because it’s on sale. With coupon code Eggcire22, valid until 18.04.2022, you can save 22%.

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Take care!

landscape, nature, photo-of-the-day, photography, seasons, spring

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge 190: “moving closer”

solaner

There’s a quote from Robert Capa (born Endre Ernő Friedmann;[1] October 22, 1913 – May 25, 1954), a Hungarian-American war photographer and photojournalist. I guess, nearly all people know at least one of his photos, the dying soldier. Robert Capa took that photo during the Spanish Civil War. I shows the soldier while he was falling backwards still having his gun in the right hand after being hit by a bullet less than a second ago. you can see that photo also on Wikipedia. Robert Capa once said, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” He definitely was close enough Not only for the image I mentioned above, but during all of his work. Patti challenges us this week with this topic for The Lens-Artists Photo challenge and here introduction also starts with this quote

When watching the news, one topic dominates them currently: the war of Putin against the Ukraine. So, Robert Capa seems to fit in this unpleasant time. Unfortunately!

I don’t want to show war images. I’m neither a photojournalist nor a war photographer. Thus you can find different images in my archive.

I took the series below today three weeks ago. Last year I found that place at the end of the booming time and made a reminder in my calendar for this year. The blue crocuses are blooming a little earlier than the yellow ones. Fortunately, I was right with my guess about the time. Especially this huge patch was capturing my attention. I started with a kind of an overview images, although it does not show the complete patch. Slowly going closer and closer to the tree, ending with an image of a small group among all the flowers.

I cloud have go even closer by using a macro lens. But, my aim was showing the beauty of the blue crosses ant not botanical details. Taking macro images is a completely different topic.

Now, even the blooming time of the yellow crocuses is over. In a few places with a lot of shadow you can still see one or another, but in general, you can only see the green leaves and the faded petals. Don’t worry, the next wave of spring flowers is already in the starting blocks. Today, I noticed the first grape hyacinths.

Take care!