JDW Photos and Life

I don't know if you recognize what is so unusual about this photograph (other than it being a very clear shot of a flighty tiny bird). I am looking down on the subject. The elevated path provided this great angle and the bird was right next to it. Thanks, Doug White https://jdwarchive.blogspot.com/

We left a car at Smith Oaks and travelled as a group to Anahuac for much of the day. We came back to Smith Oaks to pick up our car and decided to venture into the woods as a last look. About 30 feet from where we saw the black throated green warbler at the start of day, there was one (possibly the same one?) flittering around a small tree right next to the elevated walkway. Again, it was not in one place more than a second as it hopped all over this small tree. I could not believe this bird was so close to people but what a bonus! One other person was photographing the bird with her phone - it was that close and that in the open. I could stand back out of her way and still fill my frame with the bird. Total length of this bird is 4 - 5 inches and weighs 10 gms (< 0.4 oz). This is the only time I have ever photographed such a small bird so close. This bird is a perfect specimen of their spring colors. Thanks, Doug White https://jdwarchive.blogspot.com/

Well, what does BTGW mean? How about Black-throated Green Warbler. We met friends back at Smith Oaks several weeks ago and this little guy was hopping around a large tree near the parking lot. He was not close, behind limbs, and in the shade - none of this is great for photos but I managed to get a couple of reasonable shots. There are a ton of warbler varieties that migrate through the coastal regions every spring. I don't get many shots of them as you need to be in the area during those short visits and we are just a bit far. They are also very small birds rarely in the open and even more rarely, still enough to grab focus and a shot. There are some really good photographers out there that "hunt" these birds. I'm more of a luck guy and was fortunate this day. Little did I know that my luck with this bird got even better in the afternoon (tease for future pics). Thanks, Doug White https://jdwarchive.blogspot.com/

A single stem of grass in spring bloom has its own beauty too often overlooked and lost in the big picture. Thanks, Doug White https://jdwarchive.blogspot.com/

Taking a photo of a dark colored bird in the deep shadows of trees and a bright sky backlight is rarely a good idea. This little blue heron was all decked out in his best blue suit breeding colors that gives the bird its name - so I "had" to take the shot. The problem is that the human eye has an amazing ability to see through all of this contrast and still see a beautiful bird posing for us. Capturing that scene with a camera is difficult. This wide range of colors and brightness is referred to as dynamic range in the world of digital camera sensors. The technology is getting better but the human eye is still better. Most animals are said to have superior eyesight to humans. I can only imagine what a similar scene must look like to them. Thanks, Doug White https://jdwarchive.blogspot.com/

A yellow-crowned night-heron from a few weeks ago heading into the Anahuac National Wildlife Reserve. Two weeks ago, I decided to quietly stop the daily photo e-mails to see what would happen. In that time, a total of 3 people reached out to make sure there was not something wrong (prompted by the sudden stop of mail). To be clear, everything is fine. I had a feeling I was pushing unsolicited information to the majority of you and that was never the purpose. However, I think this test validates that feeling. The sudden stop of daily messages was probably a relief to your inbox. I have slightly over 200 people on these daily e-mails. All but a very small handful asked to be put on the list. Each of you mean something to me and it is my desire is to stay in touch - but preferably not on a one-way street.  To be honest, I never asked for replies or feedback. The posts were never about a showcase of talent (or lack thereof) but just a way to say you still count in my thoughts. I was ju...

A band director at A&M asked me to make a simple box to support an idea for a gift. The contact came via my previous work on the mace/baton stand for the band a few months ago. One of the associate band directors, Travis Almany, was retiring after 16 (I think) years of service to A&M and students. Each student (several hundred) of the bands/orchestras wrote their best wishes and thanks to Mr. Almany on 3x5 index cards. I was asked to make a simple/basic box to contain them. Silly me said sure despite never having made anything similar! How hard could it be and I was given sufficient time to make mistakes and rebuild if needed. After making the box and before final finish, a local shop engraved the box. The box and cards were delivered to Mr. Almany at the end-of-year concert this past weekend. It appeared to be a well-received gift. The wood is cherry with walnut splines. The cherry was cut from a single board with mitered joints that wrapped the grain around the corners (seen ...

Well, this wraps up my shots from Old Baylor. I had been shooting with the zoom same lens I used for the horse event earlier. I decided to capture a few wider angle shots so I swapped lenses and took a few extra photos. The mid-day sun and wind were a bit more intense than ideal but it was still a pretty day. If you have never been here in spring, it is worth a trip. It is such a peaceful location - just stay away from weekends during peak wildflower season. There were very few other people on this Saturday afternoon. If you look closely, you can see a hammock strung between two trees on the left of this shot. The couple were taking a break from their bicycle trip. I shot a low perspective to minimize their impact. The lines of the trees against the sky is the striking feature in this photo.. The other two shots include the back view of the chimney remains of Old Baylor. Where did the month of April go??? Thanks, Doug White https://jdwarchive.blogspot.com/