Wayne Wendel's Photography : Nature- powered by SmugMug

Wayne Wendel's Photography

Nature Galleries

Butterflies : Photographing Butterflies:

Equipment used; Nikon D200 and Fuji S3 Finepix SLR Digital cameras, Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 70-180mm, Nikon AF Nikkor 300mm, and Nikon 500mm, Nikon SB-800 Flash, Gitzo tripod,Arca-Swiss ball-head with a Wimberly Side-kick.

Getting close allows you to use smaller lenses and get greater detail. You get close by; 1. approaching from the rear slowly 2. Use the camera and tripod as a shield 3. Sometimes you can stand still where butterflies are landing and they will light on a flower or leaf near you allowing you to get close with your lens. Butterflies on a group of flowers will fly off upon your approach. Pick a flower and get set up with your camera because the butterfly will often circle around and come right back to the same group of flowers to feed.

A 300mm lens with an f/4 is hard to beat. Add a 10mm lens extension and you have an excellent combination for butterflies or bugs.

Depth of Field: Your depth of field will vary depending on the amount of focus area needed for the butterfly. You want the depth of field to be as narrow as possible so the background is blurred out and doesn't become something the eye sees. Generally, taking photographs of the flat surface of the top of the wings and head you want the lens wide open. Watch your shutter speed and make sure you are at 1/125 or faster. In a dimly lit area such as enclosed butterfly gardens you should use a flash at exposure factors of -1 to -2 f stops.

Butterflies are like flowers that fly. This phase of the insect is nothing but quiet beauty. I thank God for creating such a beautiful creature. Most of the photos of these butterflies were taken in area parks. The butterflies are wild and not easy to get in front of a lens. Some of the photos of butterflies were taken at the Cockrell Butterfly Center, Mueseum of Natural History in Houston, TX. Other photographs were taken in state and national parks. I hope you enjoy these quiet beauties.

Nature's Camouflage : Nature's Camouflage:

Large animals, birds, reptiles and insects have a way of hiding themselves, either to avoid predators or as a predator to become invisible to prey. In this series of photographs I've tried to portray the hunted and the hunter and how they use camouflage to survive.

Nature's Camouflage

Alaska Wildflowers : Alaska is called the "Land of the Midnight Sun" with as much as twenty hours of daylight in June. The long daylight hours seem to yell at the wild flowers, "come forth" and the flowers respond with an abundance of color and display. It is said, spring in Alaska is May, summer is June, fall is July and August and winter begins sometime in September. The short growing season doesn't inhibit blooming of wildflowers as you can see in this gallery. These photos were taken in mid-June from Ketchikan to Fairbanks. Please leave a comment, they are appreciated.

Alaska Wildflowers

North American Elk :

North American Elk

Whales & Seals : These creatures were found on the west coast of the US, California and Alaska. The Elephant Seals were photographed in Estero Bay area of California on Highway 1 on the beaches of Piedras Blancas. There is a parking lot off the highway with a boardwalk and barriers to keep the seals and people separate. They were fascinating to watch and photograph. The Humpback Whales and Killer Whales (Orcas) were photographed on a trip out of Juneau, Alaska. Anyone going on an Alaskan cruise should take advantage of going on this side trip.

Dragonflies :

Reptiles :

Birds of South Texas : South Texas has some unique birds. Some are pictured in this gallery.

Birds of South Texas

Strange Plants : The Big Thicket Natural Preserve has some really strange plants. The pitcher plant actually eats insects. The insect is attracted to the plant, crawls down the open shoot, and never comes out. Strange.

Confrontations : Confrontations between birds are often observed by birders. You'll see crows driving owls, songbirds mobbing owls, mockingbirds dive bombing cats and other predators and even vultures and caracara harrassing hawks for killed prey. I've managed to catch some of this behavior in this gallery.

Texas Wildflowers : Texas is so big and has such a vast stretch of land that wildflowers are growing year round somewhere in the state. Take a drive through the Texas Hill Country or Washington County and you'll see why the Bluebonnet is the state flower. But bluebonnets are just a start. On any farm or ranch road you'll see a wide variety of wildflowers. I hope you enjoy the gallery.

Texas Wildflowers

North American Animals : Animals or mammals are familiar to most people who venture outside. Depending on the location in North America, you will see many different varieties which make that enviroment its home range. Some animals are nocturnal and can only be seen at night. Some animals are hunted and hunters pay states license fees for the privlidge to hunt them. Hunters are by their very nature conservationists.

The animals photographed in the following pages were photographed in a variety of ways. Some were residents of a national park or state park. Some were on private or public land and I had to stalk them to get in camera range. Even with a 500mm lens, you need to get close to you subject. Enjoy the gallery and leave feedback, thanks.

North American Animals

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