Category: Zoo

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #229 Perfect Patterns

This week Ann-Christine challenges me to find perfect patterns and tell us why I think they are perfect.

Animals

An answer to an often-asked question, “Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes?” The answer is, “Black with white stripes!” Shave one and you will find black skin beneath. When exploring this fun fact I learned that scientists still have not discovered the reason for their stripes. Not an easy question to solve so it seems. No matter, I still find them perfect.

Zebra stripes
Maine Coon Ca

Giraffe spots are unique. And by the way, their tongues are long so that they can forage on trees that others can’t eat.

Abandoned beehive
Alligator Lizard
Pelican feathers
George’s beautiful Tortoise Shell

Plants

This cactus flower will bloom once at night. In the morning it will be done. I learned this from my neighbors, Bob and Bea. I received an urgent call one night and was told to come over quickly. Worried, we rushed over. The cactus was blooming, and they didn’t want us to miss it. I was relieved since these neighbors were elderly. They gave us a cactus we named, Bob and Bea, and it bloomed after many years. That is until a neighborhood squirrel thought this cactus was tasty.

Cactus flower
This squirrel came each afternoon and ate until there was nothing left. So much for saving for a rainy day.

Found on the coast of California, I love the papery look of these colorful flowers.

Iceland Poppies

Lots of other flower patterns some perfect, and some almost. Which one do you like?

Daisies
Dandelion
Yellow Rose

Natural World

Rocks in the American River
Shell on a lava stone

Taken many years ago on The Big Island. Currently, lava is flowing again.

Lava flow
Sedona rock formation. Inspiring and peaceful

Magnificent!

Mount Rainier National Park

Art inspired patterns

Glasswork of a leaf

Color, reflection, and repetition are all captured in one photo.

Decorating a casino in Las Vegas.
The back of this caned chair creates a comfortable pattern.
Skyscraper hotel patterns. Privacy, view, interest, or lighting? Why?

That is all I can say about seeing the world and discovering all the perfect patterns that surround us. Do you have any perfect patterns around you?

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #212 Motion

This week, Patti invites me to explore the movement of objects or people in my photos. You have several options to do this. Here’s one way: set your camera on auto and let it do most of the work. It will automatically increase the shutter speed and freeze the action. You can also manually adjust the speed settings. That’s when the real fun begins.

Sometimes I just plan to have motion be my subject.

Merry-Go-Round Escape
Taffy in motion
Jelly Bean River
Patriotic Motion

It is always tricky to capture animals in motion. Here I stopped the action with a fast shutter speed.

Lion cubs at play
Jack rabbit on the run

Sometimes a slower speed enhances the motion.

Just tucking myself in!

Sometimes a slow speed will create a ghostlike image.

Crosswalk pedestrians at night
My backseat passenger Charlie
Dancing the “Hora”
Some Lens Zooming

I hope that you enjoyed my quick tour of my motion photographs!

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge # 203 Local Vistas

What are your local vistas? Where do you photograph when you don’t have a lot of time or are not on vacation? What about your hometown excites you? Is it the countryside, city, gardens, amusement venues? This week, Anne Sandler: Slow Shutter Speed wants me to tell and show local vistas.

Sacramento has been home since 1980. Yet with my local camera group I still find new things to photograph. There is a certain seasonal flow of vistas that show up during the year. For instance, Anne and I visited the Lotus Flower Garden “Peace Pond” this week. When I turned on the television Rob on the Road was interviewing the person responsible for this amazing Sacramento site. Started in 2005 this is now another reason the go to Land Park.

Asked to take a photo of some friends, and we got to talking

Within Land Park there is also the WPA Rock Garden. Always something to photograph.

The Sacramento Zoo is also located in Land Park, currently. There are exciting plans afoot in the coming years to move this zoo to Elk Grove so that it can provide a better habitat for the animals. Just a little further to drive.

The flamingos welcome you at the entrance of the Sacramento Zoo

In the coming weeks the sunflower fields located in Yolo County calls for photo captures. This image was taken last year.

No sunflowers were harmed in the taking of this photograph.

For people watching I head to Old Sacramento. No matter how many times I visit I find something new to focus on. But it is often the people wandering around. And people with dogs are my favs.

Trawler and his owner live on a houseboat that was docked in Old Sacramento.

This dog wants to share a drink.
Musician on a lunch break. His dog has his eyes on the fries!

Located in Old Sacramento is the California State Railroad Museum.

I find museum locations good when the temperature rises. This week June 2022 the temperature will be over 100° for multiple days. Also a good time to be home and blog!

Well that is just a touch of what I find locally around Sacramento.

The Natural World around me!

I have gone on a couple of photoshoots since the reopening from quarantine. Each was outside and I mostly stayed to myself. Usually, after an outing, my CTD group likes to grab a bite to eat. I’m not there yet and pass on the friendly banter with my fellow photogs.

Old Fair Oaks Village provided the backdrop of my first time out with my friends. Easy for me since it is about 5 minutes away.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

WPA Rock Garden and Land Park Pond provided a nice opportunity to get out and use my Fujifilm 80mm 2.8 macro lens with my Fuji xt2.

I captured the magenta and green combination in the morning light.

Walking around William Land Regional Park I find all kinds of wildlife enjoying the pond. Dragonflies, ducks, and turtles all using the pond in peace.

Since none of the Lotus flowers were in bloom I headed over to Vedanta Society of Sacramento.

Now this is how to keep social distance when meeting friends.

The Sacramento Zoo has now reopened. As a zoo member, I was invited to preview the new format as it reopens. Only members were allowed during the first two days with a set appointment time. CoVid 19 guidelines are stated online. As I entered the zoo I was reminded to stay with my flock, wear a mask, and stay 6 feet away from others. I had a 1pm appointment time. Not my usual zoo time since I like to visit first thing in the morning. I was lucky, and the weather was very mild. Perfect.

The zoo has been closed for 3 months, but the facility has been making some changes to accommodate new zoo occupants. Flamingos welcome the visitors.

I’m practicing social distancing!

And these flamingos have gotten all sorts of mixed signals. It’s confusing! And possibly not in the best interest of the flock, or in the case of flamingos a flamboyance.

Black Crowned Cranes are dealing with issues.
Ok. All is good with Black Crowned Cranes.
Got an itch.
  • Just passing through.
  • Maybe I’ll stay awhile.

An ostrich, a duck, an emu, and a Himalayan Monal all walk into a …….

Don’t bother me, I’m napping.

Usually, when I arrive at the zoo in the morning the Red Panda is sleeping. Found this one ready to pose for a close-up.

I wonder what the front of this animal looks like?
Here is an Okapi. One of two that reside at the zoo.
Just hangin’ out. Glad to see visitors.

New residents here at the zoo.

A new giraffe joins the tower.
American Alligator takes his place at the Sacramento Zoo.

As a nod to Tom Paxton and the cd Goin’to the Zoo I’ll call this “Allen gator. A little alligator with a great big bite, he was Allen gator he wanted to do what’s right!”

And I hope that everyone does what’s right!!!