Although dragonflies can be challenging subjects, in watching them you become familiar with their behaviour and can often anticipate where they will land. The dragonfly in the first photograph was on a perch just above the water which made for a pleasing background. They are one of my favourite insects to photograph.
Although this photo was taken in November, the trees were bare and the sky overcast. It looks more like mid winter than late fall. Of all the squirrels in our woods this variety of eastern grey is the most watchful.
It was late fall and the geese would be flying south soon. When the trees are bare I get a different feel for the landscape. I can appreciate its starkness and see the detail that is normally overlooked in summer. The geese add additional interest to the scene.
I featured a version of this photo several years ago. When I look back at some of my older photographs, I see what I might try differently. I converted the photo to black and white, reduced the clarity and saturation and removed a bit of vegetation that overlapped the mallard’s bill. I think it makes for a better photograph. My style and skill have developed over the years and it’s nice to see the progression. Of course when you have a subject like this you can’t go too far wrong 😊.
I liked the way the frog was posed on the lily pad, rather prince-like. The frogs in this cove are very small. You get a sense of this from the plants that surround them.
This photo was taken a few years ago in Spring. The trees are not in bud yet. They’re still covered in snow but we’ve turned the corner on winter; the sun’s a little warmer and the temperatures not quite as cold. As I’ve mentioned before, chickadees remain here year round and they too must be anticipating the warmer days to come.
There are several kinds of turtles in our waterways. These photos feature two of them – the painted turtle and the Blanding’s turtle, which has a domed shaped shell and bright yellow throat. It’s on the threatened species list so it’s pretty exciting when we see one.
