Wandering Around the Garden

I'm slowly starting to get out. We have been making trips to our little raised bed in the community garden to water. During each visit I've been wandering around looking for interesting things to photograph with my little travel camera. It's a Canon T1i that I picked up used. I put a 100 mm macro lens on it and it's a great little camera to carry. God's love and blessings upon your week, chris #TeamCanon

Buzzing About

This morning I started with some domestic chores around the house. Then I headed downtown to get my lovely locks shorn (Nice job, Beth!) and drop off the recycling at the recycling center. My last stop was to buy some flowers for some hummingbird photography at San Hedrin Nursery. While I was looking at the flowers I spotted a number of wasps landing in the aquatic plant barrels to get water. I plopped my self down next to the barrels and got some nice wasp images before heading home with my flowers. I'm looking forward to some hummingbird photography tomorrow. God's love and blessings to all, chris. Both images created with a Canon7D mkII and a 100mm macro lens. #TeamCanon

The Mint is in Bloom Again

We started many years ago with a simple six pack starter of tiny mint plants.(See where this is heading?) I was skeptical and didn't want to plant it in the backyard. Now over twenty years later even after completely landscaping the backyard a patch of mint still grows. It battles both us and the Jasmine around the garden pond for space. Periodically we have to completely chop it all back or it will take over. Right now it is blooming and the nectar loving creatures and others love it. I plonked my self down in a chair next to it this afternoon and had a wonderful time photographing bees, butterflies and others. One black and yellow wasp landed upon the mint but it wasn't feeding on nectar. It sat waiting patiently until a honey bee landed next to it. In a flash it was on it stinging and biting it to the ground where it then finished the poor bee off and flew off with its prize. Wow, quite the backyard drama. Now for some great drama of another sort. I was very excited this afternoon to receive the advance copy of my book "Secrets of Backyard Bird Photography" from the publisher Rocky Nook. It really turned out fantastic. If you or someone you know wants to learn how to photograph birds in your backyard then this is an invaluable tool for instructing you step by step the process of how to go about it. Please take the time to check it out or buy a copy of it for yourself and a friend. The book is available for preorder on Amazon and other fine book sellers. God bless and enjoy the images, chris All images created with a Canon 7D and a Canon 100-400 IS lens with a 36mm extension tube added for close focusing. http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Backyard-Photography-Chris-Hansen/dp/1937538559

The Local Buzz

This morning I was able to photograph a wasp on a Zinnia flower right after I dropped off Jay at school this morning. It is really hot today. Funny thing is just as I typed those words a litle breeze started kicking in from the coast. Maybe it won't get too hot today after all. I guess I shouldn't complain I'm not in Afganistan. My niece Chelsea is though so say a few prayers for her safety as well as others in the armed forces who are continually in harms way.

God's light and love to all,

chris

Backyard Bugs

Earlier this week I spent some time chasing insects around the backyard. The flowers are in bloom so there are plenty of insects to photograph.

God's love and precious blessings to all,

chris