Weathered Tractor

One of the more interesting, to me, objects at the Octagon Barn was this weathered tractor.  To go with it was the sky was light, the grass was yellow and the trees were green.  Perfect.
I had to take a number of shots in this setting.  This was an excellent situation where the camera is totally confused by the environment.  I use spot metering.  The camera sees the center part of the subject and meters for it.  In hind sight, I should have changed to center weighted or matrix mode.  I've been bitten in the past a few times by not setting this correctly.  Thus, my amateur status is still comfortably in force.
But I did like this tractor.  The rusting is very interesting to me.  I could have done a bit better.  First, a tripod might have helped.  Or a prime lens.  This was at 18 mm.  I have a 35 that I could have worked with.  All notes for the next trip.  I bet it is beautiful there in the fall.  Road Trip.
The weathered tractor.

Weathered Tractor

NIKON D7200 Ver.1.04/18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6

18 mm, 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 100

EV -1, APERTURE Priority, Size DX

And then I have the interesting thought, what about paint for this one?

Now that screams Green Acres!

Farm Yoke

During my excursion 'off the beaten path' at the Octagon Barn, I saw two items of interest.  One was the saddle on a stand and the other was this yoke.  Again, I'm not much of a farm hand and I'm guessing this is a ceremonial unit.  The bell is a nice touch though.
This area of the barn was quite dark and it took a few shots to get it right.  I was drawn to the bell, leather strap and the red and black.
The stall where the yoke was hung was not used for a current resident.  It looked like more of a work area.  Who knows, some work room for museum pieces,
Because this was a fairly dark shot, I used Photomatix to help me even the lights out a bit.  Lots of good wood stuff in this one.  A bit of a challenge to straighten it all out.

Yoke

NIKON D7200 Ver.1.04/18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6

20 mm, 1/60 sec, f/5.0, ISO 800 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode, Size DX

Saddle Stand

Today's field trip took me to the Thumb of Michigan.  There is an agricultural museum that goes by the Thumb Octagon Barn.  The organization that runs the place had a open day for people to come out and see what they are doing.  And I did leave a donation.  In a few weeks they are having a huge party and I think this was a way to gin up some interest.
The building itself is huge.  As with any museum, there are a lot of artifacts on display.  In this case, this is farming in the early 1900s.  As a student of the world, a lot of the stuff was interesting.  As a photographer, I found a few items that caught my interest.
The first item that caught my interest was a saddle stand.  I'm not much of a farm person, so there may be a technical name for this thing, but I'm going with the simple.  This stand was not on the main 'path' through the barn.  It seems that this area was still in use by real farm critters.  Large critters.  And the odor confirmed it.  It was great.  Hay and cow/horse crap.  And next to the hay store, was this saddle stand.  With a bit of window light on it.  The scene was generally dark, except for the ray of light.  In spit of that, I got most of what I wanted.

Saddle Stand

NIKON D7200 Ver.1.04/18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6

24 mm, 1/60 sec, f/5.0, ISO 800 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL, Size DX

For fun, I thought this might be interesting monochrome.  And it turned out OK.

I don't usually do a lot of this effect, but in this case it works for me.  That looks 1800s to me.

Great Blue Herons

Last summer, when I discovered the Refuge, one of the birds I was most interested in was the Heron.  Family story, nothing to see here.
When I looked around the web for other pictures of Herons, mine didn't quite look right.  All the colors matched, the sizes matched and I was sure what I thought was a Heron was a Heron.  But all my shots were sort of bland.  On the web I saw interesting colors and interesting feather patterns.  Stuff I didn't capture.  Until now.
Maybe it is the time of year that brings out the colors?  My only guess, but what ever the reason, I'll take it.
Also, previous shots were mostly taken from the back of the bird.  This one is full frontal.  (Suitable for family viewing.)  I should have a suit that looks this good.

Great Blue Heron Standing

NIKON D7200/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL MODE, Size: 1.3

This one I watched for a while.  I thought I might get a food shot?  The bird looks like it is searching for lunch.

Great Blue Heron on Mud Bank

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15 /70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 450 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL MODE, Size: 1.3

This bird was making me laugh a bit.  Looks like he has foul mod face going.

Great Blue Heron on a Log

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15 /70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

450 mm, 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 160 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL MODE, Size: 1.3

Last year when I saw these birds, they were quite skiddish.  This year, I could move around a bit.  Again, maybe a seasonal thing.

Red Winged Blackbird

Is it a Red-Winged Blackbird or a Tri-Colored Blackbird?  I dunno.  I swear on line, the same picture are used for each.  So I go with the Red-Winged Blackbird here only because the Refuge website lists only the RWB as being sighted in the area.  Who am I to argue with the 'professional' birders who log their findings to some bird site?  Both birds belong to the AGELAIUS family.  They are about the same, so I'm comfortable with my decision.
This 'backyard bird' usually wouldn't catch my eye.  I like the bigger birds of prey.  However, my interests are expanding.  I watched this little one for a while.
The challenge with the smaller birds at a distance is I really don't have the right equipment for (small) birding.  Yet.  The reality is that my reach of 450 mm, or 600 mm in 1.3 size, really isn't enough.  I've crabbed on this before and there will be post at some point when I'm ready to pull the trigger about what to get to ease the situation.  Also, I need to get better with the environment.  I still left some lens in the bag, that is I wasn't at max mm.  I can do better. 
These images are very aggressively cropped and needed lots of software help.  They are OK on the monitor test.
The Red-Winged Blackbird chowing on something.

Red-Winged Blackbird Pecking at Food

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

330mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 720 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode, Picture Size - DX

And the same guy (yes, it is a male!) in portrait mode.

Red-Winged Blackbird

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

330mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 800 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode, Picture Size - DX

The nice thing about the Refuge is there are lots of birds, and other critters, varying in size and mobility.  Much better practicing on sea gulls.  And to be fair, there are sea gulls in the area.  Great way to spend a few hours of the day, expanding my horizons.

Red Hawk in the Trees

Today's trip to the Refuge promised better weather than yesterday's trip - although for mid-July that was not a difficult ask.
The goal was to try to get a better shot of the Osprey.  Quick to the end, that didn't happen.  The Osprey was in the same location, but not really photography ready.  Time to go for Plan B.
Life is going well if the Eagles are plan B.  And today, that was the case.  
Although there were not many good images from the day, I did see the adults and juveniles out and about.  I'd like to think there was some Eagle training in progress.  I did get some good shots in, but they are at distance.
But the clear winner for the day was this Red Hawk (?) diving out of the trees.  I had seen something 'red' out of the corner of my vision and followed it to the trees.  Anyway, when he/she/it launched out, I was able to get this.

Red Hawk in the Trees

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600mm, 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode, Picture Size, 1.3

The picture is good, but not 'real' good.  The end of the right wing is out of the focus range.  However, for subject I'll take it.

I got my Osprey

When I'm out and about on the Net doing some bird watching, one of the more photographed birds is an Osprey.
The Osprey is a fish hunting, eating machine with wings.  From a distance it looks almost like an Eagle - but the dead give away is the difference in leg color.  The Osprey's legs are white, while the Eagle's legs are yellow.
I've seen the Osprey is native to the Shiawassee nature Refuge but I did not see any last year.
Today's adventure didn't produce many good images.  There was a weather front moving through that provided a number of great stock sky images.
So back tot he Osprey.  I was absolutely delighted when I saw this one.  I've seen the Eagles in this area, but just looked a bit different.  Lucky day for me.  I'm guessing this 100-120 yards away.  (I need a range finder!)  I think for this one, I was out of the truck.

Osprey in the Dead Tree

NIKON D7200/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 110 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode, Picture Size 1.3

Shortly after taking this shot, while resuming the drive I saw one floating, relatively, on the breeze coming toward me.  I did have some time to roll down the window so I have a few good shots.

Osprey in Flight

NIKON D7200/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

540 mm, 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode, Picture Size 1.3

I'll probably go back tomorrow.  With any luck, there will be better light.

Traverse City Airshow Thunderbirds

I've been sitting on these images for a few weeks.  Sorry.  Lazy.  Lots of aircraft images in the last few weeks.  The nature preserve where I've been getting my critter opportunities has been closed longer than usual due to the incredibly wet spring.  It opened today, but access will be on a limited schedule.  The limited schedule will not cramp my ability to get out there so I'm OK with this.  I see critters in my weekend!
But this is a aircraft post.  Let the correct subject posting begin.
I have no favorites between the Thunderbirds and Blue Angles.  And I would travel 90% as far to see a second level jet demonstration team such as the Patriots.   And I say second level with all the respect in the world.  All these pilots and support teams put on one hell of a show.
I was talking with a new friend on the UHH and said that I now have time (and financial resources) to go to air shows and how much I am enjoying this year.  I've got one, if not two solid travel trips planned for 2020.  Certainly more are possible.
I've said this before.  I like the air show flights, the small aircraft flipping over and rolling around.  But I am really there for air power.  Afterburner.  Noise.  Heat.  I want to see USAF, Navy, Marines and the Coast Guard.  The demo teams are top notch for sure, but show me the F22, F35, AV8 and helos.  Show me the B52s, not the band although that would be a fun intermission, and the B2s.  Bring on the Canadians as well.  And hook me with the legacy military aircraft.  It's all great.
It's been many years since I've seen the Thunderbirds.  this was first show as a civilian.  And the same can be said of seeing the Blue Angles, but I'm ex-USAF so really, really excited to see the T-Birds.  This show, over the water didn't disappoint.  
There isn't much story to go with each of images because the Traverse City Airshow has been talked about already.  So here are the images so far:

Thunderbirds Four Ship Diamond

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

360 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/5.6 ISO 140 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode

Thunderbirds Four Ship Formation

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/5.6 ISO 200 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode

Thunderbirds Inverted

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

450 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/5.6 ISO 180 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode

Thunderbirds Mirror

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

450 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/5.6 ISO 180 (Auto)

EV 0, Manual Mode

All these were fun to take, but the show was quite far away.  Not only are the mm's high, but they are cropped aggressively.  Lucky for me, they are scheduled to be at Reno later this year and should be a bit closer.  Just breathe, Kurt.  Act like you've been there before.

AV-8B II And the Water

There are a few things in life where either you or an opponent have a clear advantage, or as I like to say - bringing a gun to a knife fight.

The object is to have every advantage.  And aircraft like the AV-8B II Harrier have that advantage.  Aircraft with wings should go fast, and the faster the more advantage.  And sometimes you just have to be different.
I had seen the original Harrier when I was stationed in Okinawa.  When I saw the upgraded version earlier this year in MCAS Beaufort I was truly impressed.  This is not what the scientist Bernoulli envisioned.  Speed and an airfoil create lift.  Or....  Vectored thrust.
Sometimes life just ain't fair.
My earlier image of the Harrier was a bit over cooked.  Call it excitable.  Now I've been there.  Time to act like it.
In this case, the aircraft had made a few higher speed passes and then settled into a hover.  This is the transition from hover to forward flight.

AV-8B II Harrier in Transition

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200 (Auto)

EV -0.67, Manual Mode, Polarizer

And a cool as that is, this was spectacular.  Something you won't get at an air show over an air field.  As the aircraft hovers at a lower altitude and closer to the water, the water spray is very cool.  I like this shot because you can see the spray front.

AV-8B II Harrier and the Spray
NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6
247 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 180 (Auto)
EV -0.67, Manual Mode, Polarizer

In a perfect world, the Harrier would be larger in the image with more detail.  The subject to me in this image is not the aircraft, but the water spray.  Audience participation for those up close.