Duck Pond round 2

I really have been enjoying spending time at the pond on campus with all the duck families in the last few weeks. Here are some pictures I took in the evening a few weeks ago. There are a lot of light and reflection and some cool close ups. Love this setting and have been learning alot just practicing with the light and the compositions. 

This is looking through the bridge. I just love all the colors and how clear the reflections are...

and now a baby duck. Love how the water is rippled and all the green 

the other side of the pond as the sun was setting. The light was so pretty on the water and I love that I got the little falls in it 

I was busy watching the ducks under the bridge,turned and there was this squirrel just looking right at me so of course I had to take a picture :D 

This mama was just standing and looked so majestic I had to take her portrait

One of the trees beside the pond. I loved the shape and how the light was filtering through the branches

One of the baby ducks in the shallows. Love how simple this one is

this baby duck was peeping for its mama and I actually got the shot. It could have been better but still think its pretty cute

loved how this mama was getting ready to sleep but was still aware that I was walking near her and her babies. Ever watchful and so cute :D 

another portrait of a mama -- I loved the shape and color of the water behind her and the texture of the rocks in the front

this baby was sleeping in resting in the grass and I crept up slowly to get this close up 

just more baby duck cuteness

and a whole group of babies that were resting on the shore -- so cute to see them all together 

some turtles basking in the sun 

and caught a father duck quacking -- and I love that you can see it in the shadow also 

more families from across the pond. I love that you can see a reflection and babies all around

and got a cool capture of one of the painted turtles swimming in the water

I love the position of the duck in this on and the reflection of the flowers in the water

I love this one because the mama is leading the way and I caught just the right moment

And again this is all about the light -- I love how both ducks are hightlighted and also I love to shapes of the leaves around them

Thanks as always for sharing my photos with me. 

Turtles, Ducks, Owls, Eagles and Frogs

Over the last week I visited the Duck Pond on Campus and Shavers Creek. Saw some pretty intersting and cute creatures. I was practicing alot and here are some of my favorite good shots. I have a bunch that are better than these, but I am saving those for my website .. 

This turtle was sunning itself on the rocks. I love the light and the colors ....  could have made it a little closer but still pretty happy with it 

this again is a pretty good capture. I would have liked it a little better if the water was stiller so you could really see the reflection.... 

This one is just cute and fun. I will probably use this on the website too 

Loved how I caught this one while it was peeping. the mouth is a little fuzzy but still pretty good 

I loved the light on this one -- the ducklings are sooo cute. I would make this a little better by cropping the brown grass on th left side ...

I love the colors and reflection in this one and it is a really good shot. I would take out the extra shadow in the top. The better one I have has its beak pointed up and is super cute

Another fun shot and that I captured mom speaking. The perspective could be a little better still like it

I love the one in the middle of this one however I find the other parts of ducks a bit distracting

I love this photo except that I cropped in a bit too close and cut off the back foot..

Love the position and the reflection -- however the focus on the small turtle is a bit soft. I have one where it is in focus :D 

A fun group shot, I have a lot of these so decided to share one. I would like it better if they were looking at the camera, but still cute 

A family shot -- Mom has her eyes closed and it could be a little tighter but not bad..

This cutie was resting on the rocks on the side. I should have cropped out the other foot on the top..

I was trying to get the ducks in a row and then the 4th one swam in on the right ...

I had a couple of these so am sharing this one. Catching them in the shallow water was awesome

I like the activity in this one-- would have liked it a little closer

This one again is pretty cute but the focus on the babies is a little soft...

Another shallow water shot which I like but once again I zoomed in a little too close 

tad poles by the board walk at Shavers Creek

Shavers Creek Raptors

Love this shot -- think if I did it again I would make it vertical

This eagle came out pretty good. I would like it a bit better if I did not have the fence on the left...

Close up. I like it because it says proud to me. I would like it a little better if the fence shadow was not on the lower right and if it was looking at the camera...

A pretty fun shot overall except that there is a blurry path right in the front -- I belive it is from the fence on its habitat..

This one was striking a pose . I would like it better if the lines in the wall behind it were straight but still pretty cool

Love the barn owls and the lighting on them in this one. it would be better if the smaller one was looking at the camera and if there were not feathers on the right ...

Love this one except that the green on the bottom shows its not in a cage ...

These were very difficult to capture -- I would have liked it better if the one on the right wasn't so hunched over...

I love the pose and the angle -- however I could do without the glare from the glass...

Again a decent shot -- but the corner behind it is distracting to me...

The expression on this one is great but I cut off the toes ....and its a bit tilted..

Bigger tad poles. I would have liked this shot to be a little closer ...

The tad pole itself came out good but there are a lot of specks in the water..

A good capture of the frog but a tiny bit over exposed and I think the leaves in the lower left are distracting because they are bright and out of focus...

Thanks as always for sharing my photos with me. By looking at all these, I can see where my eye and skills with the camera just keep getting better. And it was so great to just be able to practice ....