I am getting used to using the zoom lens for macro photography especially when insects are involved. Being from a distance, you can leave the subject undisturbed. Here are two perspectives, one focusing on the flower where you can see details like the pollen and the other on the busy bumblebee.

Here, I liked how the warm colors contrasted with the greens.

This one, the low light and dark background emphasized the bright bloom.

So this is it for this collection. Short and sweet. See you at the next one (probably Fall related)!

Last spring, I decided to take pictures throughout the season, from different DC locations. The pictures here are mainly from the US Arboretum and the Anacostia River Trail. The latter became my weekend ritual for long walks and biking. Very underappreciated.

Also, I got to try out my new lenses, a telephoto zoom AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR and a macro AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED. And as always, more pics and high res can be found here.

Kicking off with a macro shot. It was early March, the day was overcast and the light was optimal. It helped bring out the color contrasts. My apologies, forgot to jot down what kind of tree this is.

For this picture, I used the same settings as above.

Here I had more light, all the same as above, except exposure time was 1/100. Slower risked “bleaching” the picture, thus taking away the detailed features of the dried flower petals.

I went back to the Arboretum two weeks later. It was getting busy, since the cherry blossoms were near peak. Also, magnolias were in full bloom. Keeping with the season’s theme, here are some cherry blossoms.

Here, taken with the same settings and lens as above, I tried to bring out all the contrasting colors, the pink blooms, blue sky and dark grey trees. But at the same time, I wanted to emphasize the blooming branches.

This excursion, honestly, was not about cherry blossoms. I wanted to try my new telephoto zoom lens on some birds. Walking past the conifer section, I looked up and saw this little fellow. It’s an Eastern Phoebe. Full disclosure, I had no idea what t was at the moment. Still learning my birds. It is found in open woods, clearings, and yards. There is a yellow hue on its belly. It is one of the first migratory birds in the region, one would say announcing the beginning of Spring.

Nearby I came across a Tufted Titmouse, same settings as above. If any of you own bird feeders, you may have seen this frequent visitor.

The next two photos are of, I think, an female Eastern Bluebird. I chose two different exposure times, the top at 1/1250 and the bottom at 1/500. Same aperture (f/7.1) and ISO (400). While the longer exposure time brings out the colors, a faster one is my favorite; darker, brings out some colors especially the brown in the belly, while at the same time the bird blends into its surroundings.

Near Kenilworth at the Anacostia River Trail, I spent some time watching this Cooper’s Hawk try to hunt and then eventually fish. We had one hang out at our alley in Capitol Hill. Plenty of rats there…

The azaleas are coming soon and the Arboretum has an incredible collection. Here, I used the telephoto zoom as a macro lens. While most use them for distance shots, telephoto zoom lenses can be excellent macro lenses for subjects that are not very close, like in many nature trails where it is expected to stay on the trails to not disturb the ecosystem. It is also useful for macro insect shots where some distance is always helpful.

And this is from the roof deck, both of us waiting for the storm to hit…

Thank you and more to come. As always, more pics and high res can be found here.

The light was great most of the days. In the picture below, I took advantage of the light shining on the leaf and using it as a natural “flash” to showcase my subject. I am not a big fan of flash. Actually, I do not like it at all.

The light was about right, showcasing the fall colors.

This was taken on our last day I think. It was mostly cloudy but as the sun set, a few rays broken through highlighting especially the yellow colors.

We did visit the Biltmore as part of the trip. Impressive grounds and of course the actual mansion or palace. It felt like a palace with all the rooms. Well this is short but more photos can be seen here.

The following two are from a visit to the Hillwood Museum. DC local or not, you must visit. The gardens are incredible especially in the Fall. We took my in-laws there and they quite enjoyed it. OK, back to the pics. Both pictures were taken with my Nikon D780, Nikkor Lens VR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G, ISO:400, f/6.3. The top the exposure time is 1/4000, the bottom 1/400. Taken at 4pm, there was still a goof amount of light. Yet the top gives you the impression the rose is taken in a dark place with a distant light shining on.

The next two were taken at Kingman Island, also a great place to visit if you are living in or visiting DC. Same camera, lens and time as above. The ISO set at 400, f6.3, exposure times: top 1/200, bottom 1/30. The longer exposure brought out the spider webs on the branches, but the shorter brought out the deep orange of the leaves (I prefer this one).

Same area, different day I took a picture of the riverbank. Same setting as above except, f/7.1. The top 1/640, the bottom 1/1250. Longer time brought out the trees and the reflection of sky yet the shorter time brought out the details on the sky.

Now, with these with a little post editing, I could achieve a happy medium but I prefer to leave as is.

And now some fun, I am done talking. Enjoy.

During lunch, this little beauty that reminded us of a young Sardine wanted our food and showed some great acrobatic skills.

The next one is rare. To anyone who owns cats, they know how hard is to get a shot like this. Normally they ignore you.

The next one was taken after sunset at Τραχύλι (Trachili) in Chios.

Common sight in Greece, sometimes near a small church but normally a small memorial for someone lost to an auto accident.

The following are two different exposures, 1/160 (top) and 1/400 (bottom), f/7.1. I prefer the shadows of the bottom version.

The butterfly below was seen in a trail, in Naxos. There was no tripod, so in these cases you need luck, a steady hand and patience.

Somewhere in Naxos… A tower.

And a beach sunset.

We finally made it to the Monastery of Hozoviotissa. While the views amazing, they were not as breathtaking as the taxi ride back to the port.

And of course cats.

So learning the new gear, especially since the camera has plenty of new features. The following pics were the last set I took with my 55-300mm DX zoom.

The next series were taken using the Nikkor macro lens, 105mm.

The last one…

For high resolution and additional images, please visit the complete collection.

Both islands have a lot in common; similar geography, home to merchant marines and ship magnates, as well as an aversion to mass tourism. Just like the people in Andros, Chians we want our peace and quiet. So if you visit either island remember, you are a guest expected to respect and follow the house rules.

Here are some highlights. More pictures here.

The next pair is from a series of shots taken. The camera was held at the same spot as the wind blew. I was able to get two photos with different focus points of the same branch.

You can check the high resolution images and more pics from this excursion here

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I was planning to go to the Maryland Trailhead but it was quite a busy day so I chose to visit Murphy Farm and take pictures of the Bull Falls at Shenandoah river. The farm has quite a history as it was a Civil War battlefield and the site for the Second Niagara Movement pilgrimage in 1906.

Light was good perfect for foliage and pics of the Shenandoah River and Bull Falls. More photos are here.

The following are two pictures of Kingman Island. On the top exposure was on the low end and allowed me to bring out the blue of the sky and its refelction on the Anacostia. The bottom a little bit more exposure brining the island’s green out.

We got some great views from the deck.

Some of our fall flowers.

The proximity to DC and the excellent foliage reports by the Pennsylvania DCNR were the reasons I visited the Forest. Michaux State Forest is near the border with Maryland about 20 minutes from Frederick. It is named after Andre Michaux, a botanist that named many of the forest’s plants.

It was a good day for photos. I wanted to really play with the diverse array of colors, yellow, orange, red and green that dominated the forest. These are from the southern part on the forest, near Green Ridge. The full collection is here.

To the pictures now. The weather cooperated quite well. Some spots were still green, but others were a mix of different colors. With strong light, it is a bit of a challenge to bring out the color in photos so there was some post-processing in some of them. Enjoy! As always the full collection is here.

After visiting home, we decided to head to Syros. We stayed at the main town, Ermoupoli. Syros is in the Cyclades but it stands out from the other islands. If you think you will visit Syros and see the blue-white houses of Santorini, Mykonos or Paros well I have news for you. You won’t. The architecture is neoclassical, with many mansions. Ano Syros (upper section of the town) is more medieval, built by the Venetians after they took control of the island in the early 13th century. Syros is a very interesting place. As my partner in travel, crime and life very eloquently said “Syros is the faded old-world starlet who has lapsed into her eccentricities with time. She is dusty and a bit fallen to ruin, but hints of her lovely bone structure and glittering past remain.”.

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First the fun stuff. New Years Eve in Iceland is nuts. Fireworks. Be prepared, Icelanders go all out. Here I managed to capture some of the smoke on the foreground.

We also made some friends while driving.

The following two pictures I played with aperture and exposure time. I left the ISO on auto. For the top, we got f7.1, 1/40 exposure time. It captured the color and scenery accurately. The bottom, I set it at f4, 1/60 giving the scenery a purplish hue.

Another set…

Ending with a geyser and window photos. For more pics you can check out my portfolio.

Given this state of flux, the numbers always varied. But 2014 was part of a long stretch of high feline numbers. And anyone who has visited Greece will quickly realize that cats in Greece have quite the personality ranging from extreme affection to utter contempt. I am not a cat person but must say cannot resist their personalities. So here they are, the cats of the Vatakis estate, circa 2014.