Thursday, April 15, 2010

Week 50, Day 350, April 14, 2010, Skunk Cabbage

I went for a walk through the von Engeln Preserve after work.  I've never been there in the spring time before.  I almost feel like it's my own personal preserve.  I have been there several times, and have never seen anybody else.  I think that very few people even know that it exists.

I know that there is a small pond in this preserve, and I hoped to catch a glimpse of some ducks or geese.  I did find two geese on the opposite side of the pond.  They were both sleeping or resting.  I took some photos, but didn't think they were as good as this one.  I plan on returning at various times to see if they will nest, and raise their young on this pond.

  There is also a large bog in the Preserve.  The Skunk Cabbage is pushing it's way through the moss all through the wet areas.  It seems to have an alien look to it in the early stages.

Lessons Learned:
  • Geese are an interesting subject.  I can easily go to areas where they are familiar with people, and get very close to photograph them.  Somehow I find it more special to find them in remote areas.  It's much more difficult to take great photos of them, but somehow it seems more natural.
  • Like a lot of places the von Engeln Preserve takes on a different look at different times of the year.  It's worth returning time and time again, and look for the changes.
Photo details: Exposure time 1/100 sec, Aperture f/3.2, ISO 100, Focal Length 195 mm, Lens Canon 70-200mm f2.8L USM, tripod.

    3 comments:

    Andrew said...

    Interesting - I would not have guessed this was shot at 195mm. You can usually tell. Cool shot!

    Gallow said...

    Thank you. I was standing on a board walk that they have over the bog. I had the tripod as low as it would go.

    AB said...

    Wonderful shiny leaves