Brown Pelican

An adult brown pelican from one morning this week.

My wife and I along with our boys and their families spent Thanksgiving week in a cabin in the Smokey Mountains and this was one of our nightly visitors that came by. Jeff Impey

This is just like it came out of the camera except for a slight crop and a re-size to be able to post it.

Brown Pelican

An adult brown pelican perched on a piling from one evening last week.

This is another image of the Biloxi Lighthouse decorated for veterans day.and Visitors Center with that special glow from the sunrise that morning.

"Magazine Cover" Kid's Soccer

And from shooting the Master National Retriever Club hunt tests, I went to shooting little one's soccer practice...  Even in the near darkness, the kiddos were MUCH easier to shoot than the fast-moving retrievers.

I mocked up a magazine cover for this one...

Nikon D3, Nikkor 400 mm, f/3.2, 1/200th second, ISO 4000, tripod, existing (low!) light, significant post-processing ;) .

Black Labrador Retriever at Work

I spent most of the last two weeks photographing the AKC 2012 Master National Retriever Club.  It made for some long days shooting and long nights downloading and backing up.  I ended up making 23,437 exposures!  YIKES!  Of course I still haven't even looked at all the files, but when I saw this one, I knew I wanted to share it...

Nikon D3, Nikkor 400 mm w/2x teleconverter, f/6.3, 1/1000th second, ISO 400, tripod, existing light, cropped for composition.

This is the Old Biloxi Lighthouse with the Biloxi Visitors Center in the background.
Jeff Impey

This is the Old Biloxi Lighthouse with the Beau Rivage Casino in the background.
Jeff Impey

This is the Old Biloxi Lighthouse with the Beau Rivage Casino toward the center of the photo. 

Jeff Impey

Ruby Fringeflower

I noticed this dew-covered ruby fringeflower blooming in our flower beds one morning.  I decided that I needed to photograph it, so the next morning I went out to do so.  Of course it was too windy.  So a few days later, I tried again, and got this shot that I really like.

Ruby fringeflowers are an exotic ornamental that are related to our native witch hazel.

Nikon D3, 105 mm, f/11, 1/30th second, ISO 1000, existing light, tripod, slight crop.

This is an alligator that I spotted out in the Gulf Island National Seashore Park in Ocean Springs, Ms.
Jeff Impey

Last week's Nutty outing

Semipalmated Plover

I found this cooperative semipalmated plover on the weekend before Isaac came to visit.  I need to get back out & shoot some more birds, but have been too busy.

Semipalmated Plover
 

Nikon D300s, Nikkor 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/200th second, ISO 320, beanbag, existing light, slight crop.

Bad Hair Day?

I got this snowy egret shot yesterday as it tried to dry out between the repeated thunderstorms...

Nikon D300s, Nikkor 600 mm, f/11, 1/320th second, ISO 200, beanbag on truck window, existing light, slight crop.



Snowy Egret Drying Its Aigrettes

Fall Toad

Well, it's still only July, but the late summer/early fall wildflowers are starting to bloom, and the leaves are changing color...  (Well, the leaves on at least one stressed black gum anyway...).

This southern toad was hopping around the yard when I got home yesterday, and the moss and leaves looked so nice that I had to get out the camera & lay on the wet ground... ;)

Southern Toad on a Bed of Moss with Fallen Black Gum Leaves

Nikon D300s, Dine 105 mm, f/5.6, 1/200th second, ISO 800, handheld, exisiting light, slight crop.

Fire-bellied Toad

Here's a shot of a fire-bellied toad from last week. 

I put the little guy on a mirror with some black foam core supported over the mirror to give me a black background & reflection, and then I lit it with a ring-flash.

Fire-bellied Toad on a Mirror

Nikon D300s, Dine 105 mm, f/22, 1/25th second, ISO 800, tripod, ringflash as main light, slight crop.

This is a waterfall in Dogwood Canyon just South of Branson, Mo.
Jeff Impey

After  watching the Gator Boys wrestling show for the third time I was convinced that I could wrestle an alligator. After getting some valuable tips from the Gator Boys stars, Paul and Jimmy I mustered up my courage and set out to wrestle a real live alligator. After a lengthy struggle I was able to get the subject to submit to my will and I proceeded to secure his mouth for safety just like they do on TV. Below is a picture with me and the wild beast. I can now mark this off of my bucket list of things to do before I die. Wrestling an alligator is now officially checked off. Jeff Impey