Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Photo Tips

There is a porch running the full length of our house on the south side. Sunday morning while sitting at the computer, I noticed movement out on the porch. A roadrunner was investigating the porch. The roadrunner is a regular feature around our place. I've seen him several times over the past couple of weeks, but always at distances impossible to photograph with our camera. This shot would only be highly improbable.

The smart thing to do would have been slowly and quietly getting up from the computer and fetching the camera, but of course, that's not what I did. Instead, I yelled for Jo to "Come see". Jo heard but couldn't make out what I said, so she started shouting back wanting to know what I said. All the shouting convinced Bucket there must surely be a visitor outside so she tore off through the house barking loudly. Roused from his nap if front of the stove, Rusty was clueless but assumed he should join in the cacophony. Needless to say, when the riot subsided the roadrunner was long gone -- probably into the next county.

Photo Tip #1: When intending to photograph a roadrunner, "Be Quiet!!!"

Later Sunday, I decided the below freezing temperatures forecast for overnight indicated I should split a few more pieces of firewood. (There's no need to get too far ahead with wood splitting at winter's end.) One of the log sections I split was full of photographic subject otherwise known as ants. I'd only taken a few (not very good) photos when the camera indicated its battery was low. Back inside the house I popped in a fully charged battery pack, but when I returned to the split firewood, I discovered that this photo shoot was over. Most of my subject matter had been eaten.




Photo Tip #2: When photographing insects, do not leave a robin guarding your photographic specimens.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is funny, Marvin. I have done the same thing more than once. With the robin and carpenter ants.

Abraham Lincoln

imac said...

Thanks for the tips, Great shot and post.

Tom Arbour said...

Marvin- Thank you for the laughs. Robins probably sniffed those bugs out from miles away.

Tom

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Oh Marvin you crack me up. This sounds like one of our conversations when I spot something out the patio doors and my DB is back in his computer room. Lots of shouting back and forth and the bird or critter is usually gone by the time the other reacts properly. Ha...

I didn't dream you would have a roadrunner on a mountain. They are one of my favorite birds.

I saw a RR family out in Texas one summer. It was such fun to watch the adults lead the youngster around.

Anonymous said...

Marvin, wonderful photography tips! LOL . . . I will have to try and remember these! :)

Tom said...

Fantastic post.. I had to laugh as I'm sure many will have gone through something like this.. Great to see and read the humour in your post today.. the robin was just a bonus.
Tom

brucesc said...

Very funny--wonderful visuals. I too can see the porch and the feeders from my computer. I keep the camera right at hand in the printer tray. But now, even being quiet doesn't help. If I reach for the camera, my Dobie, Comet, is up and out his flap door like a flash to find out what I might have found interesting. Whatever it was immediately leaves in panic of course.

Cathy said...

What a great pix. That's a real smile maker.

Mary said...

Awww, Marvin. This made me laugh. Don't scare the Roadrunner! It sounds like the conversations at my house.

That little Robin photo is great. Full of ants.

Lana Gramlich said...

*LOL* Great tips!

smilnsigh said...

-giggles- You have been having a time of it, with photography of late, hu? ,-)

But you got a very nice shot of this robin!!!!!!!

smilnsigh said...

And I don't even know what a real Road Runner looks like!

We have "Road Runner" cable internet/phone/tv connection and they have a drawing, for their logo. But I highly doubt it looks like the real thing.

So now, I'm really sorry you missed your chance to show me. -pout- :-))))