48 Hours

[rtbaum]

Friday afternoon 4/18/14


Canada Goose

low 40's

Sunday afternoon 4/20/14


Wood Frog calling (note air sacs)

low 70's

Spring has sprung, the sap is running;
(and they ain't caught me yet)

[IzzieK]

I was just about to ask you the other day if Spring has sprung over your way... We also have low 70's here yesterday so I went with hubby and 2 others dogs to our hangar.

BTW, I like #1 better, as if you asked. But #2 is a bit confusing to my old tired eyes...it is the black against the honey beige (?) BG that made the difference...nice way of showing us your weather over there though -- through your shots. Hopefully you do not have to blow anymore snow off your driveway from now on...

[Shadowman]

We are getting the temperature swings as well. Nice images.

[rtbaum]

Izzie, I think #2 reminds me of life rising out of the primordial soup. I had to sit there on the edge of that vernal pool for quite a while before the little frogs started to call. They are so tiny that one could fit on my thumb nail. The color has not been enhanced, that was what attracted me. As far as the driveway, I'm not quite ready to empty the gas from the snow blower quite yet.

[Brownbear]

Hi Randy,

I like the nesting Goose, beautifully sharp and nice detail. No doubt challenging to photograph in the reeds and snow.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Randy, I like #1, nice colours and sharp image

[rtbaum]

It just proves how contrary I am lately, as I really like the frog shot better.

I think it because I am biased by the circumstances. A Canada goose photo is just too easy for me in my area, we actually export our geese as they are out of control. Minnesota is known as "land of 10,000 lakes", it is a misnomer! Minnesota actually has somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 lakes and they all have geese.

The frog shot required sitting on a stump next to a tiny pond on a particularly nice day, after 5 months of particularly nasty days. I sat on that stump for half an hour on Easter, listening to the laughter of children, waiting for they frogs to begin calling. Tiny frogs go silent at the slightest disturbance. After sitting, just breathing the fresh air, they began to call. Soon more began to call and the sound became quite loud, and they were everywhere. I became the Machine Gun Kelly of All Photographers . I was obsessed with getting a shot of one calling, with its throat sack in full expansion. The reflection of the surrounding cattails gave a strange primordial color to the water.

But.....I will admit that it is a little strange

[Brownbear]

I love your story about the frog.

I took another look at Mr. Frog. I love that you captured his eyes so beautifully, with the throat sac fully expanded. I also love how you captured him peeking out of the water.

I moved him around in the light box and I like the image with a closer crop (off of the bottom where the water is not as sharply focused) and/or perhaps with a little off of the right side or the top so more attention is on the frog. Personal preference... the water doesn't seem real to me, ie; perhaps I just like muddy pond water.

It just proves how contrary I am lately, as I really like the frog shot better.

I think it because I am biased by the circumstances. A Canada goose photo is just too easy for me in my area, we actually export our geese as they are out of control. Minnesota is known as "land of 10,000 lakes", it is a misnomer! Minnesota actually has somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 lakes and they all have geese.

The frog shot required sitting on a stump next to a tiny pond on a particularly nice day, after 5 months of particularly nasty days. I sat on that stump for half an hour on Easter, listening to the laughter of children, waiting for they frogs to begin calling. Tiny frogs go silent at the slightest disturbance. After sitting, just breathing the fresh air, they began to call. Soon more began to call and the sound became quite loud, and they were everywhere. I became the Machine Gun Kelly of All Photographers . I was obsessed with getting a shot of one calling, with its throat sack in full expansion. The reflection of the surrounding cattails gave a strange primordial color to the water.

But.....I will admit that it is a little strange

[Scouse]

Nicely done Randy. Always good to see the Honkers. The second one I had to back up to see where you took it.
Alligators in MN...? Good capture.

[Scouse]

Nicely done Randy. Always good to see the Honkers. The second one I had to back up to see where you took it.
Alligators in MN...? Good capture.

[John 2]

Coupe of nice shots Randy. No.1 for ne if I have to choose.