OPENING THE BACKLOG --a look at some of my most liked shots

9-30-2007
This is a collection of some of the pictures I like the most on my site. I shot all these with my own modified lenses and in fact with nothing more then a modified compact digital camera. NO kidding. 6mp Kodak DX-7630. I want to thank all those who have complimented me for doing so. I am going to change my situation and how I take pictures. Teaching and learning. Two things I like to do.


I soon will explain here how I took these pictures, the gear I used and built myself, as well as taking questions or advice.
















A "bee fly"
The change I am talking about has been a long time coming. This winter and even through my travels to Bali, I became aware of a serious pain in my hip. It did not go away, and now I am facing surgery for it. I am greatful that it's not anything worse like cancer. This spring here in The Dalles was dry, and I was unable to get any of the shots that I wanted to.


















I have decided to only place my name into the image I am working with. Tell people what kind of gear, camera, and system I use without any secrets being left. Even how to build my own lenses and how I did that. I'm not sure about sending it all into Popular photography yet.
I will however, put it here.















A relative of the tiger beetle. It is very fast moving--this was a lucky shot. There are many tricks I may show when I can figure out how to put my short digital videos onto this site like it says I can. I can show you tricks --like the dancing spider--or how to put the spider where you want it without even damagingly the web. And how to corner and approach insects and spiders. Tests were done on young children with spiders and snakes and other animals. Evidence suggests our fear of spiders is a cultural thing and it starts when we are a child.





















Anyway, pictures like these are what I like to shoot. Wildlife in action. More like, "Spiders in action". I want to show some of the amazing tricks I know how to do with spiders---such as make them dance (I'm serious)--I have been playing with them as far back as I can remember and have always been fascinated as I continued to learn. I hope to get new gear for my digital SLRs soon that will let me shoot even closer and more easy.

















No, this is not an opium poppy. It is just one I thought was a bit weird in my grandma's garden.















Now this is strange, this lady spider called the "grass spider" sometimes--is a hunter and as you can see she has been in one hell of a battle. It is likely that she escaped an attack from another spider species. Some spiders can dislocate there coax and let there legs fall off to escape danger without bleeding to death. This spider is very lucky and could not eat if it lost just one more limb. I have actually taken care of spiders in bad shape and had a few success I want to write about later.












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I love crab spiders--they are incredible and hard to find sometimes. I get exited and have now figured out there are two species that live out here in the desert conditions.














They call this the cross spider. Here, the "garden spider". She can get huge and I've been bit so many times I assure you that they are harmless. I will do an article about how many spiders and of what kind I have been bitten by.















I am fascinated by the huge number of moth species and the verity of them out here. 100s of species--many only a few millimeters long and some that are not very easy to find. Once ever couple of years if i am lucky. I have yet to find another hawk moth.















Tiny droplets of water--it is so cool to be able to get them look like this.