Just cannot believe SanFrancisco looked like this on June 3 2007. It was
all foggy. Cold and windy too. We expected a clear view of Oakland downtown from the hill but we did not see the golden gate even.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Sky n Tree Merge here
If you see the background of this shot you can see the blue and green merge. Its the sky and the tree line respectively.
You can enjoy this more thru a lens than with a naked eye.
You can enjoy this more thru a lens than with a naked eye.
A Test for your patience
If you can click a shot of a sparrow then you are either lucky or patient or both. It took me 3 days. a good amount of bird feed and quick focussing to click this shot. May be give it a try. You will realize. A slight noise, movement of any sort will make them fly off.
Finally I got this shot. I enjoyed the whole episode.
Finally I got this shot. I enjoyed the whole episode.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
My signature shot
A fun shot. Enjoyed making this one. This was shot in dark with me signing in front of camera with a small torch light ( a pen torch). Yes, the actual photo was a flipped version of this image, a reflected image. I had to flip it to bring to this form else it will look like seeing urself on a mirror.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Swan and Mythology
Swans feature strongly in mythology. In Greek mythology, the story of Leda and the Swan recounts that Helen of Troy was conceived in a union of Zeus disguised as a swan and Leda, Queen of Sparta. The Irish legend of the Children of Lir is about a mother transforming her children into swans for 900 years. Myths also exist about swans themselves. It was once believed that upon death, the otherwise silent Mute swan would sing beautifully - hence the phrase swan song. In Norse mythology, there are two swans that drink from the sacred Well of Urd in the realm of Asgard, home of the gods. According to the Prose Edda, the water of this well is so pure and holy that all things that touch it turn white, including this original pair of swans and all others descended from them. In the Finnish epic Kalevala, a swan lives in the Tuoni river, the river of Tuonela, place of death. According to the story, whoever shot a swan, would perish as well. Jean Sibelius composed the Lemminkäinen Suite based on Kalevala, with the second piece titled The Swan of Tuonela (Tuonelan joutsen). Today five flying swans are the symbol of the Nordic Countries and the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) is the national bird of Finland.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Mystical Golden Gate
Carries - 6 lanes of US 101/CA 1, pedestrians and bicycles
Crosses - Golden Gate
Locale - San Francisco and Marin County
Maintained by Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
Design - Suspension, truss arch & truss causeways
Longest span - 4,200 feet (1,280 m)
Total length - 8,991 feet (2,740 m)
Width - 90 feet (27 m)
Height - 760 feet (232 m)
Vertical clearance - 14 feet (4.3 m) at toll gates, higher truck loads possible
Clearance below - 220 feet (67 m) at mean higher high water
AADT 100,000
Opening date - May 27, 1937
Toll (as on the date of posting) - $5.00 (southbound) ($4.00 with FasTrak)
Source: Wikipedia
Crosses - Golden Gate
Locale - San Francisco and Marin County
Maintained by Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
Design - Suspension, truss arch & truss causeways
Longest span - 4,200 feet (1,280 m)
Total length - 8,991 feet (2,740 m)
Width - 90 feet (27 m)
Height - 760 feet (232 m)
Vertical clearance - 14 feet (4.3 m) at toll gates, higher truck loads possible
Clearance below - 220 feet (67 m) at mean higher high water
AADT 100,000
Opening date - May 27, 1937
Toll (as on the date of posting) - $5.00 (southbound) ($4.00 with FasTrak)
Source: Wikipedia
Colorful Dawn n Dusk...
At sunrise or sunset, the sky turns red, orange or yellow because sunlight is traveling through more air when the sun is low in the sky. The long path through the air means most of the blue and other colors with shorter wavelengths have been scattered out in different directions. Few reach your eye. You see the yellow, orange, and red colors which pass more freely through the air. The most vivid sunrises and sunsets, however, are brought by volcanoes and forest fires. This is because the expelled particles are just the right size to scatter light in the red end of spectrum.
Source: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/otx/outreach/ttalk/colors.php
Source: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/otx/outreach/ttalk/colors.php
Monday, March 26, 2007
Eurasian Collared Dove
The Eurasian Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto, also called the Eurasian Collared-Dove or simply the Collared Dove, is one of the great colonisers of the avian world. Its original range was warmer temperate regions from southeastern Europe to Japan. However, in the twentieth century it expanded across the rest of Europe, reaching as far west as Great Britain by 1953, and Ireland soon after. It also now breeds north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia. It is not migratory. It was introduced into the Bahamas in the 1970s and spread to Florida by 1982. Its stronghold in North America is still the Gulf Coast, but it is now found as far south as Veracruz, as far west as California, and as far north as British Columbia and the Great Lakes. Its impact on native species is as yet unknown; it appears to occupy an ecological niche between that of the Mourning Dove and Rock Pigeon; some have suggested that its spread represents exploitation of a niche made available by the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
Shuttle Explorer
The Space Shuttle Explorer is a full-scale replica of a Space Shuttle. The Explorer includes replicas of the interior spaces. It is located at Kennedy Space Center, and accessible by tourists. Externally, the mock-up features simulated thermal protection system tiles (bearing numbers, as the genuine flight articles do), paneling that looks like reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels on the leading edges of the wings, and Michelin tires on the landing gear. Handling points are also shown, but the external detailing does not extend to the inclusion of thermal blankets.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
Saturday, March 24, 2007
San Francisco Downtown from Sausalito
One of my favourite night time shots. I somehow don do lot of night time photography. Its an art. I got to capture the sky. the water and the skyline of SF downtown here. This was shot from Sausalito. I want to do a whole series in the night and with summer approaching the weather may not prevent it. Otherwise it was the weather which prevented me from doing so.
Pelicans and Symbolism
A pelican is any of several very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae. Pelicans can grow to a wingspan of three meters and weigh 13 kilograms, males being a little larger than females and having a longer bill. Pelicans are gregarious and nest colonially, the male bringing the material, the female heaping it up to form a simple structure. Pairs are monogamous for a single season but the pair bond extends only to the nesting area; mates are independent away from the nest.
The Louisiana State seal consists of a heraldic charge called a "pelican in her piety," representing a Brown Pelican (the Official State Bird) representing a mother pelican wounding her breast to feed her young from her own blood. This symbol, emblematic of Christian charity, is also found on the Louisiana state flag.
Source: Wikipedia
The Louisiana State seal consists of a heraldic charge called a "pelican in her piety," representing a Brown Pelican (the Official State Bird) representing a mother pelican wounding her breast to feed her young from her own blood. This symbol, emblematic of Christian charity, is also found on the Louisiana state flag.
Source: Wikipedia
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Never miss this show
If you ever get to visit Disney Land in Orlando make it a point to be there for "The Show" in the evening at MGM Park. One of the most amazing use of laser, water and fire. A phenomenal show. Its a treat to your eyes. I have never seen a show of that quality before.
Which is original left or right?
Spot the original picture. There are 2 pics on this pile. One is original and other one is an inverted version of the original. Which is original, the one on the left or right?
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
View on a Clear day
There is a hill right next to the Golden Gate bridge and the view from the top of the hill on either side is amazing. GoldenGate is on one side and a winding road down hill to beaches on the other side. Driving up that hill sharing the road with bicyclists, joggers and onlookers is a challenge. There are various points on that 1 mile or so drive to the top where you can stop to catch a different view of the bridge. The one here is the view from the top. You can see the bridge, SF downtown and even Oakland side at a distance.
Golden Gate at Sunset
Shot from a ferry returning to Fisherman's Wharf after a trip around Alcatraz and Golden Gate bridge. Watching Golden Gate bridge from the ocean is a sight. I was able to shoot the horizon at sunset with the bridge right above the horizon. Had it not been an overcast day, the colors would have been much better. It was a very cold day (Thanksgiving Saturday) to sit on a ferry.
Saturn V - The Moon Rocket
The original Saturn design originated with a concept developed by Wernher von Braun in 1957. The rocket bore a striking resemblance of the German aggregate series A9-A12 (which were however never realized). He submitted a proposal to the United States Department of Defense, outlining a need to develop a heavy booster with thrust in the 1.5 million lbf (6.7 MN) range. Such a booster would be able to place a payload of 20,000 to 40,000 lb (10 to 20 t) in Earth orbit, or 6,000 to 12,000 lb (3 to 6 t) elsewhere in the Solar System. The two most important members of the Saturn family were the Saturn IB and the Saturn V. There were 12 launches of Saturn V, the Moon rocket that carried Apollo astronauts to the Moon.
Source: Wikipedia
It was an amazing sight to see this 30 storey tall rocket in the Kennedy Space Center's Saturn Center. They have the original Saturn Rocket that was manufactured but not used.
Source: Wikipedia
It was an amazing sight to see this 30 storey tall rocket in the Kennedy Space Center's Saturn Center. They have the original Saturn Rocket that was manufactured but not used.
HailStorm hit Atlantis on launch pad
When I visited Kennedy Space Center March 5 2007, the space shuttle Atlantis was on the launch pad. It was scheduled to go up some time end of march. But around Mar 2 or 3 it was hit by a hail storm and the launch had to be cancelled. If you see this photo in larger version, you can see the scars on the External Tank (the orange one). This photo was shot from a distance of 5000ft. It was an amazing sight. The shuttle is on the otherside of the tank.
For official version of the story visit this NASA link here
For official version of the story visit this NASA link here
Monday, March 19, 2007
Spring is back
Spring is back. San Jose is full of flowers. It was leaves flying all over for couple of months. Now its the flowers and pollen that is all over in the air. Spring is back and summer is round the corner....
Barren Gloomy Winters
This tree is a perfect example of how barren winter is. Trees turn into bunch of sticks and no leaves. Weather is gloomy most of the time. In sub tropical zone winters are green and summers are barren. But here in the US summers are green and beautiful. Winters are beautiful but sure gloomy.
Familiarity breeds Fearlessness
This is one of favourite shots. The birds slowly go out of focus with one in the front absolutely in focus. The green/yellow blurred background adds to the beauty. All these pigeons have no fear of human beings. These live and feed around Penitencia Creek Park in San Jose where people walk jog and play. All the pigeons sat around me giving me ample photo ops with no fear. I got what I wanted.
Canadian Geese
This well-known species is native to North America. It breeds in Canada and the northern United States in a variety of habitats. However, the nest is usually located in an elevated area near water, sometimes on a beaver lodge. The eggs are laid in a shallow depression lined with plant material and down. The Great Lakes region maintains a very large population of Canada Geese.These birds feed mainly on plant material
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
Great White Egret
The Great Egret is a large bird with all white plumage, as much as 101 cm long and weighing up to 950 g. It is only slightly smaller than the Great Blue or Grey Herons. Apart from size, the Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet. It also has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes and spoonbills, which extend their necks.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
Sunday, March 18, 2007
First Successful Night shot
This was my first successful night shot. I shot this on my friends Canon Powershot A80 in manual mode with proper exposure and aperture settings. I was amazed at the way it came out in the end.
An overactive animal
Squirrels are generally hyper active. Trying to catch them on a camera is not so easy. You should wait for moments like these for them sit a place for a moment. Wait for those moments and shoot them. This one came out cute and nice.
Source: Wikipedia
Trivia: Unlike rabbits or deer, squirrels cannot digest cellulose and must rely on foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Source: Wikipedia
Trivia: Unlike rabbits or deer, squirrels cannot digest cellulose and must rely on foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Banding of birds
The bands that we see on the birds have a number on them. An organization tracks these birds using those numbers. One of my viewers pointed it out to me. If you view this photo in larger version, you can even read the number on it. Then you can report that number at the following site http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/. This band reads Y09.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Birds and Reflections
I always wonder what runs in the mind of the bird when it sees its reflection. It always makes a beautiful shot when we capture a bird on water with its reflection. But do the birds enjoy it ???? We may never know.
Flamingo Upclose
Pink plastic flamingos are one of the most famous of lawn ornaments, along with garden gnomes and other such ornamentation. This one photographed here is not a plastic one. They are lovely creatures to watch and shoot.
Source: Wikipedia
Trivia: A flamingo's eye is actually larger than it's brain!
Source: Wikipedia
Trivia: A flamingo's eye is actually larger than it's brain!
View of Everglades marshes
There is only one Everglades in the World.
Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. The area boasts rare and endangered species, such as the American crocodile, Florida panther, and West Indian manatee. It has been designated an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance, in recognition of its significance to all the people of the world.
Source: http://www.nps.gov/ever/
Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. The area boasts rare and endangered species, such as the American crocodile, Florida panther, and West Indian manatee. It has been designated an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance, in recognition of its significance to all the people of the world.
Source: http://www.nps.gov/ever/
A Show we miss
I shot this from my window. It is always great to see such a colorful dawn. Your day gets a great start. This is something we miss to watch everyday. Nature runs a show at dawn and dusk but we run to catch some other shows. Watch one atleast once a week.
Amazing Creatures - Jellies
One of the most amazing creatures I have seen ever. Drifters move slowly. Basically they drift and so the name. I got to see them at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They have tons of them in different types and colors.
For more info visit - Monterey Bay Aquarium Site
For more info visit - Monterey Bay Aquarium Site
Doing a split
Oooh yeah see this one doing a split. Grass does not grow tall enough for these poor ones. This giraffe was almost 14 ft tall.
Trivia: The Giraffe, a distant relative of deer and cattle, lives solely on the plains of Africa.
Trivia: The Giraffe, a distant relative of deer and cattle, lives solely on the plains of Africa.
The troublesome ones
These ostriches stop every car (sedan only). They let all SUVs and minivans passby and peck the windshields non stop for minutes. These stopped my Honda Accord and pecked the side view mirrors and windshield for 10 mins. I drove away everytime I saw them after my first pecking experience.
Trivia: When fully grown an ostrich has one of the most advanced immune systems known to mankind.
Trivia: When fully grown an ostrich has one of the most advanced immune systems known to mankind.
Details of the Pelican's wings
I like this shot so much for the beauty of the details of wings I captured. It would have been greater if the background was better. May be photoshop should help me.
MidAir Action
The Western gulls that fly over the ferries in SanFrancisco are one amazing bunch. They chase the ferry like an invasion. All you can see from the back of the ferry are these invading birds. They do this because people throw fries for them. And they catch them in mid air. It is a wonderful sight. It should added as a part of attractions you get to see when take the ferry ride.
Trivia: The automating of the lighthouses, and the closing of Alcatraz Prison, allowed the species to reclaim parts of its range. They are currently vulnerable to climatic events like El Niño events and oil spills.
Trivia: The automating of the lighthouses, and the closing of Alcatraz Prison, allowed the species to reclaim parts of its range. They are currently vulnerable to climatic events like El Niño events and oil spills.
Turkey Vultures - A bunch of them
I had never seen a vulture before and the first time I saw them I got to see a bunch of them.
A Wild Encounter
Shot in the marshes of Everglades Park, Florida. We took a ride on an airboat (like hovercrafts). In one area of the park, this alligator was seen on the water. It came close to our boat within 2ft. It stayed there watching us for almost 10 mins. When the boat started its engine again it moved back and vanished. This gator was almost 7-8 ft long. It was very scary. You never know what runs in their mind
Trivia: The alligator has a broad snout while the crocodile has a narrow snout.
Trivia: The alligator has a broad snout while the crocodile has a narrow snout.
The American RamSita - Purple Gallinule
Shot in the marshes of EverGlades Park, Florida. This bird does not mate for first three years and thereafter it finds a partner and mates for life. If the partner dies the other one dies too soon after. They are the Romeo-Juliet of the marshes.
Trivia: The bird’s large feet enable it to walk atop aquatic plants (such as spatterdock) in search of food.
It came running to our boat atop the aquatic plants.
Trivia: The bird’s large feet enable it to walk atop aquatic plants (such as spatterdock) in search of food.
It came running to our boat atop the aquatic plants.
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