'Shrooms Amanita

I took this shot in RED Creek Campground at Dolly Sods (Monongahela National Forest) West Virginia during our camping trip last weekend.

He loves me he loves me not!

If you want to do this game this is a perfect flower for you, easy to pick and only a few, you'd get it over and done with in a jiffy, hopefully the odds are on your side but why use a flower why not ask him instead . . .

This shot I took at the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington DC one Saturday afternoon last year. Using our new macro lense.

Creepy Crawly in my backyard

I took this photo in my backyard when I lived in Kathmandu with my first Digital Camera, my last year in Nepal. I'm almost always happy with the result of this camera's shot. I do have to take hundreds of course. It's my old faithful macro gadget. Since I got the a small canon that fits in my pocket I have not carried the Sony around that much anymore.

Orange beautiful

The same one from the previous post, only with petals this time. I love the contrast between the orange and green. This photo is a little blury . . .

Flower at the park

I think this particular one has lost its petals or perhaps is starting to bloom.

The Wild

A photo I took last August while walking with my son through the woods. I took several shots but still didn't get a spectacular one. I've discovered that being heavily pregnant makes it difficult to get macro shots . . . well . . . a challenge anyway.

Once a year - flower!

This flower blooms only once a year. When we just moved in Kathmandu some of the flower pots that I have inherited from the previous tenants of our new house had this one single flower. In my entire 2 years and a half in Kathmandu that was the only time I say these planst bloom. The rest of the time, there were only hints but didn't actually flower. I didn't get the name of this one! I tried searching on the internet but it just to much hardwork when you don't know much.

Behind the Glass

A Dragon
Nikon D70

I think this is the "Australian Inland Bearded Dragon" though I am only about 90% sure (LOL). One of the displays at Washington DC Zoo at Reptile Discovery Center. No alteration on the photo whatsoever. I kind of like it this way, almost just the eye in focus.

Dancing Lady

Orchid - Dancing Lady
Sony DSC85

This orchid is called Dancing Lady because as you notice or look closely each flower looks like a lady dancing or doing a flamingo.

The image above is one of the first macro shots I took. I was quite happy with how this photo turned out. This shot was taken from my mums flower garden, one of her collections.

Mango and Soy sauce

Sweet and Salty

Nikon D70, Sigma DG Macro 105mm 1:2.8
20 August 2007

I grew up eating mango when it's raw with soy sauce, a good "pinoy tuyo" (soy sauce). A friend once said it is a crime when we don't let the mango reach is prime (ripe) and taste the ultimate mango flavour. I reckon you should enjoy mango in every possible way you can, eating it raw, in a salad (they do that in Lao) with salt or "tuyo" (soy sauce) or with vinegar mixed with garlic and salt.

This photo is a little grainy. I took it inside the house and it was overcast outside, no lights and no flash. I just love the color.

Autumn

I still haven't figure out what this is, didn't really look into it. These are fallen fruit/nut during the fall of last year. Picture was taken at Centennial Park near Columbia on one of our family walks. Maybe you guys can tell me!

Wild Flower

Hardware: Nikon D70
Macro Lense: EX Sigma, DG Macro 105mm 1:2.8
Software: Mac's iPhoto

Swing

Tot's Swing
17 July 2007

The metal chain from the nearby Tot's Lot's swing. Still practicing how to use the Macro Lense and the DSLR itself.

The Color of Sweets

Tic Tac Mints Fruit Fantasy
limited edition

A trip to Bed bath and Beyond got us these colorful mints. I love the colors. They taste nice too. Sometimes I use one to bribe my son, just one and it always works.

Herpetarium

Shake Rattle and Roll
a resident of St. Louis' Herpetarium
14 June 2007

This is an Eastern Diamond Rattle Snake. It must have been very hungry because when we got there (his cage) he was moving around, very restless. My husband and I took turn on taking the photos, like we were almost in competition who gets the best one, ha ha ha ha. I am still practicing with my macro skills and how to use the camera.

According to the Herpetarium management:

This impressive, heavy-bodied snake may exceed eight feet in length, making it the largest of the rattlesnakes. It makes its home in the burrows of armadillos or gopher tortoises. Range around Southeastern United States and the Florida Keys most commonly found in woodlands; abandoned agricultural and logging areas.

Destruction of its habitat threatens this species, especially in Florida. Another growing threat in the Southeast are rattlesnake "round-ups." Zoos and other conservation groups have long been critical of these events, and support their regulation or prohibition. Did you know that this snake is venomous?

Somewhere out there!

One of the shots I took while trying to get used to the macro lens we just got for our DSLR. It's harder than I thought. A tripod would be useful. Anyway, this seems to turn out okay! I am happy with it anyway.