INSIDE THE OLD BARN

This old barn has collapsed even more since I first saw it back when I moved here in The Dalles.
As a photographer--I was given permission to take pictures of it and explore it recently. I took quite a few pictures.



Inside here is what looks to be an old ice box. Back in them days--when your parents were kids, they would have a central ice machine in town--so to keep your food cold you would have to have a block of ice delivered to you each week or whatever. This huge block of ice would then keep your food fresh for a while. Like the milkman--this service passed into history.



The inside was scary--I walked in only as far as my camera needed to go. A barn like this is very dangerous--I don' t have to tell you that this one was ready to collapse at a high gust of wind or a bad placed step. Also--this would have been trespassing without me getting permission. So don't get any ideas about going places like this without permission and common sense. You might be exploring a place like this and hear buckshot fly all around you. Trespassing is not smart--especially in a town like this where everybody has a gun.



I'm not sure what kind of farm equipment this is--but it's obviously as old as the barn and has been sitting here collecting years.


The inside of this barn was like a cathedral. The lighting was incredible and made for some really nice patterns.



From this picture you can see just how unstable this barn is. It must be over 100 years old.

An overview of it from a hill, this thing will come down if we have another five feet of snow like we had that one year that pushed it half in.

And this is The Dalles. You can fit the whole town in a 50mm lens. It's not all that big or impressive but the many things to photograph here make it a nice place to be a photographer.

MORE PICTURES OF THIS BARN ARE AVALIBLE e-mail me if you are interested in
seeing them.

THE DALLES CHERRY FESTIVLE PARADE

These are pictures I shot yesterday at the Cherry festival. Each year here we have a big bash. From marching bands to all the local businesses--the parade shows off just about everything in The Dalles. And this time there were more girls then I've ever seen. I'm a lonesome man. I believe in the future. A NOTE HERE: I wrote this BEFORE I met my wife and the love of my life Alina, in 2008.

There is a word for pictures and situations like this, HEAVEN.

Real horses and real wagons and all kinds of cool stuff coming through town. The guy riding shotgun looks to be holding a sharps rifle. A single action breach loader that can drop
a man from a mile away. Just about everybody in this town has a gun. It sounds like WWIII
every 4th and new-years!
The Cherry festival is yearly parade in the spring here. All the local businesses and most the people in this town have floats or drive by to advertise. From the Taxi to the community programs. Here is a square-dance club that I just might look into. I saw more HOT girls yesterday then I did all of last year. Why/where did they hide all year? Update: I am now happily married to Alina and am of coarse no longer looking for love, as I wrote above.

There were many beautiful women who won a number of prizes--or just rode with the parade. They are queens of schools, and other stuff from around here. All of them are HOT! And every one of them stared right into my big camera. I was the only one in that area at least that had sort of serious gear. And so I got sure smiles every time right at me. I think they thought I was working for the news paper.

Every one of these girls made a real effort to make sure I got a picture of them. I should have brought up my lighting for her face and fix this shot. But I want to get a lot of pictures into my website fast and don't want to get bogged down right now in fixing shots. I might do it later.
Cars of all kinds from historic to new-built classics and hot-rods. Nice cars out here.
And many of them just drove there tractors out here. I did some work on a farm a few years ago and learned how to run one of these. They were hard to drive but you get used to it as long as you control the clutch. In the older models like I rode on--many a farmer has been killed by the thing flipping over. But they run forever.


Definitely a model T era car. I'm not sure exactly what.


I got some pictures well enough without Photoshop work. This is what they all did. I was thrown off by the presence of so many incredibly gorgeous women! And thus forgot to check my levels.

I thought this was great. It was a beautiful day and if you ever come to The Dalles--come when the Cherry festival is in season. I'm not sure if they do it on the same day every year. I just ran down there when my neighbors told me it was going on. Check the internet for more info.

I SHOT MOST of the parade as far as I know. I have about 100 pictures of the different floats and displays that went by. If your interested in more pictures from this --send me an e-mail or comment.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

The most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen or photographed I captured a few days ago. The next post shows more pictures of this incredible sunrise. It's truly golden--and un-modified by imaging software. These are straight from the camera other then internet size and my name added to it. This was almost a spiritual experience for me,
Tulips came up all over my yard this year. The back yard got a bunch of Daffodils and a couple other kinds of flowers. I don't know anything about flowers, and hardly knew what these where when they just opened up in my yard. It froze here last night--hard. Will they survive?



They are interesting in and of themselves and I have a number of pictures of them. But what really gets me going is to get the wildlife that comes to them.


This bee was caught flying inside getting pollen. With a high-shutter setting stop action pictures can be done. You will want a flash or a very sunny day for this.


One then two then twelve then almost twenty popped up out there. I found out from the neighbors that an old lady used to live here before me. She planted lots of flowers and despite the fact that they did not get any care--they just rose from the dead this year just in time for my new camera to take pictures of them.

Another shot showing even some wing motion. This bee was headed for a landing. Flowers sell--so I photograph them. I guess I got really lucky this happened. They have been dormant for over three years. A few other colors, and the other kinds of flowers have popped up. Watch my website for more.

GOLD IN THE DALLES A NEW SUNRISE

The settings had to be done right with a really steady hand as I framed this shot. My new SLR has a nice and large high-res screen so I could quickly do in-field proofing. I filled one card and then another of these incredible shots. A golden view I would never expect to find in The Dalles. This sunrise was better then any sunset I've seen in all my travels from Europe to, to Japan and Hong Kong and Java, all the way to Texas.


I got up at first light just a few mornings ago. I went outside to see the sun and check my bug lamps. I met a site that showed me why I like doing what I do so much. A hint of gold at the edge of the horizon--echoing across the clouds.

I ran back in and grabbed my camera, put my longest zoom lens on it and ran back outside. I knew I did not have much time because we have a ridge-line sunrise and sunset. It's very easy to watch it happen. I had to find a spot. First I nearly went into someone’s yard as I saw this incredible sight--which has NOT been changed or operated on with any image software. The sky was golden to the eyes as it was to the camera.

It was coming up as if the gates of Heaven itself had opened, and out-poured a light that only God could understand and produce. A state of mind and a moment, I will never forget.

I got a good spot, and without a tripod and a very steady hand I shot each one of them with my camera held steady. This sight and feeling I thought could only be in a dream, but here it was.

TASTE OF NEW PICTURES TO COME-MUCH MORE IN A WHILE

Tulips, just a small example of my sequence I am going to post on them soon. I need more time and a break. I've been working to fix my computer and rebuild my very large photo-database system. I'm burned out with computers! I have many pictures, I have few yet processed for my site. I have a backlog 100s of pictures long so hang lose and I will get to it. I have Lots of homework to do. No matter if you are a hobbyist or professional or in-between--if you want to keep your love and your sanity for life and your passion (like photography) you have to give yourself breaks every now and then no matter what.


I have not done much Photoshop work yet for these and many new shots I‘ve not even posted at all yet-like two field trips I went on! There‘s so much I have to do. I enjoy taking too many pictures and viewing them, but the home work can get hard with so many shots. Posting is a lot of work. Even limiting my DSLR to CFII 512mb only cards--I still don‘t slow down! --I have work I'm doing for other stuff too. This picture is another insect called a Bee Fly because it mimics a bee in color and action but has no bite or sting. Sadly, these pictures were made possible only because it's wing is somehow mangled. I have no idea how this happened. It could have been a defect when it hatched next to the Tulips or an attack from a insect/spider. It is now immortalized in my several dozen high-res pictures of it taken with my new digital SLR. I'm just getting comfortable with that camera--it's got so many functions it's easy to get lost in subtle details in-camera abilities alone--so sometimes when I get over-loaded I just go back to old manual mode and shoot like it was an old 60s classic SLR. Thankfully my DSLR does that mode very well but I bought too many 512 cards so they still fill up many times faster then I can process them for my website! There is much to be seen so PLEASE keep coming back. Think about buying a CD from me? Just leaving me a comment is worth it and I want to thank everyone who has.

This is some kind of gal wasp. A very close up view of the living wasp. Showing it's five eyes and even the peaces of pollen or fungi which may grow on it's body. This head was smaller then that of a pushpin or push needle. About 2mm across. So this is an almost microscopic shot made possible by my new camera and the lenses I built and added to it. This picture was taken with grate care and PAIN naturally! No--it's not held down and or chilled in a fridge. It's very good that natural live pictures are done and I am very pleased to hear people are doing things that way now days and not just killing them. The advent of high-resolution digital cameras has taken away most of the need to have a private collection of rotten dead bugs falling part by part off of there needles or plundered by ants (as most of my collections were!). I had many a bug collection--a high-macro high res camera beats it now. It is clear that even pictures in the field can be good enough to identify virtually any species just with a good series of macro shots.

I really take pride in my nature shots where I can just photograph naturally and leave. I still use jars and stuff sometimes.

BACK TO THE BEEFLY-->

Here is another shot of the same Bee fly from the side. I'm just getting down the program I setup for insect high-macro special mode I set my camera to go into with one button. (At the time I wrote this I was using a Olympus Evolt E-500. 8mp digital SLR.)

A rare shot--the underside of a female very fast and shy grass spider. This one is above one of my bug lights. I've been bit by more then one of these spiders. Usually for me it's tingling and a little pain for a while then it goes away. But you can have reactions so I always say treat every spider with much respect as you do not know how it will effect you.

Again recent highlights here, my yard had an unexpected explosion of flowers from old bulbs. These huge red tulips turned up all over my yard. And then there were Daffodils, and a few other kinds. I have been told these bulbs may have been moved by rodents. I don't know a thing about flowers but I am very proud of the work I did yesterday. I spent all day yesterday nearly--taking shots of these incredible flowers and the bees and insects that came to the area. I have some shots I want to enter into contests and will not be put on my site, but I will make sure that some nice ones do make it here. This was a great opportunity with my new digital SLR which did not let me down in shooting over 250 pictures of these incredible flowers that popped up out of nowhere in patterns.


What I first saw before the buds opened--recent rain made water 'lenses' and with my macro setup I was able to capture many of these really cool globs that show surface tension and the optical properties of water. This reminds me of an old trick, it is actually been done. You can start a fire with water! That is, if the water is in the shape of a lens so that it focuses the same way you would to burn a leaf in your back yard with a magnified glass. The same can be done with ice if you keep the ice in mild motion while it is freezing.


The Bee Fly again, it really put on a show. I have set this post up how I did these pictures. From one thing to another. I have recently really understood the value of having a second camera to use. If you can use your old camera as a back up or a second system so you don't have to change lenses so often it can really help you get pictures as long as your old camera is not really low-res. I was able to get very close to this beefy.

The Daffodils popped up as well. Incredibly, I was told that moles and other rodents can move bulbs and thus move flowers that will grow up to YEARS later. Apparently the bulbs in my yard are at least five years old and since I moved here I have only seen about two or three tulips. Now they have gone crazy and I'm getting lots of nice flowers and insects-it's great because I'm selling some shots. My back yard has changed too--the dandy lions are largely gone for some reason and replaced with new kinds of plants that I hope will flower to attract more insects and spiders.

Of all the pictures that I got of water, I thought this one was definitely worth showing. Look at the tolerances and the way it acts optically as if it is made of glass. I could take 2000 shots of these droplets in high-res because they are so interesting. For several reasons however I cannot post very high-res pictures on my site so I'm sorry you can't see these details without BUYING a CD from me.

WILL I EVER FINALLY KEEP A WEBSITE NAME! ?

ABOVE- a number of pictures I printed last year. A few of which sold. My site is now and forever known as Mostly Macros. It's name changed in 2006 from "Spiders Insects and other pics". In 2011 I have kept the same name and even had it ripped off back a few years ago by one letter. Now Mostly Macros is more then just the name of this blog. It is the name for my photographic creations and selling them.

As it might seem I cannot come up with a name for my site that I want
to keep. I changed it to fast--for those of you who found my site in
Google or another search engine, you know they only just found out
I changed my old website site name! I apologize for all this name
change. My URL or actual Internet address remains the same.
gabebeas.blogspot.com I had to show something more then just
“My interesting Images”. Since most of my work is Macro and even
Micro--I had to change that name so that hopefully people will be
more likely to explore my website. “MACRO” IS NOT my website.
That button is a link like “Steve’s spider picks” and “Just pictures”.
These linked to Internet friends of mine who shoot similar types of
pictures as I do.

MOSTLY MACROS and more will finally stay as the name of my
website. I thank my mentor Ron for doing the html work needed
to change my site name, again. If you wish to re-name your site-
BE SURE about it and give yourself time to really think.

Flies, Ants, Flowers, Mountains, birds- The Dalles

This is one of my all-time favorite pictures. It shows the power of my new digital SLR. This tiny fly was about 1/3rd the size of any housefly you might notice. It was nearly the size of a gnat. I'm not sure what family it's in or what it is. Not well labeled due to it's size--I just don't know. I am very proud of this shot and how it shows what I can do now. This picture was also taken with one of my home-made add-on micro-macro lenses that can extend a normal macro lens or extension tubes by as much as 5 to 15X. Yes, that is a blade of grass! I like my macro lens.

Here is when having good macro power is worth it. I am fascinated by the macro and micro world. Here is an ant which is less then 2mm long. I wish I had this system a few years ago! When I was traveling, I saw lots of weird ants. Some of them stung BAD--others were just annoying. In the Martial islands one of the most fascinating ants I saw is less then 1mm long! Literally microscopic--it was about 1/3 to 1/2 a millimeter! Not only was it there size that amazed me--it was there speed. They jolted around faster then any ants or for that matter insects, I've ever seen. And I've been from Java to Norway looking at bugs. They say the Tiger Beetle is the fastest Insect for body size--but those tiny ants could run at nearly half or a bit more the walking speed of a normal person (the ants probably were doing 1mph). There super speedy ants followed sent trails as at that speed. The eyes and brain could not respond to anything else. When I go back to the martial Islands I will get some pictures. Unfortunately I still don't know if I can ever put a movie or video clip in this site to show you. This is something you almost have to see to believe.


And here is a size perspective. I was not really aiming well as I had to hold the ruler and the camera at the same time. That's hard when doing very careful macro shots. But this gives you an idea of size. I can get even closer then this but most insects and other stuff don't require that. As the ruler says--it's in millimeters (here about 4-5mm across)

THANK YOU FOR COMMENTS-I HOPE MY SITE NAME CHANGE WAS WISE
Thank you for all the comments you have made and continued sales. I could really use more sales--my budget is low. And I want to thank my Mentor in Photography Ron Beasley, for helping me build this site. I cannot afford a full commercial website. So e-mail me if you are interested in buying the full sized file version of any of these pictures. I can mail a CD or send full size pictures to anyone via high-speed Internet. I very much enjoy suggestions or comments or questions--notice you can leave one without leaving your e-mail address but you must remember to leave your e-mail address for me to reply to a question or request. Thanks for all your compliments and acknowledgements so far. Hopefully my URL and insect names will keep people looking for insect and spider pictures as well as the rest of my pictures with my new website name.

I had this camera as my main video camera. If anyone has a 3CCD or pro-cam out there and wants to give it to a good cause-- please let me know! I could sure use it and any camera/video gear. I would be glad to pay for shipping. I am a low budget artist trying to get known and can use any help I can get. Thank you.



Above--A starling I think, that wildlife lens I got really does the job. I love it. I can sit out there for hours watching these strange little birds. It's incredible they keep warm given there size.

VIEWS FROM THE DALLES

I saw this as I walked home from my photo-walk yesterday. Dusty dirt roads, old buildings and many machines and cars from all ages, if The Dalles has a soul it's that timeless quality that does not go away. A small town can be good--or bad. One thing is for sure--I hate first impressions. In small town like this I've more then once done a very good job and making horrible ones! Living in a small town can be hard--so I go see my dad and Step mom in California whenever I can.


I thought I would show some of the views we have here in The Dalles. Even though I can't find a woman and it can be really boring sometimes--you cannot beat The Dalles. A small town which from the top of the ridge you can fit into a 50mm film lens. The views, shades and lighting are incredible here. These pictures were taken not far from my home. Make sure to click on these shots for large views!


More hills painted with many colors. From snow to greens now. They look small, but this is very much a mountain ridge. There are several highways with full sized semi-trucks on them which cannot even be seen on these mountains. Not until you zoom in with a high powered lens do you really realize how big those mountains are. This is across the Columbia river to the Washington side.



Another shot from a slightly different place. The hills are on each side of the gorge,
but the Mountains are on the Washington side. It's deceptive how large those hills
are. I will do some closer zooms sometime and post the highway up there. These
mountains are a long ways away.



Less then a month ago these Mountains showed the snow we had far longer then we had it on this side of the river. These mountains change color and I've taken way too many pictures of them. You just can't get over the view here. It is incredible.



On the other side of the scale, my wildlife lens is able to capture birds as I already have posted. I got this one just yesterday as the sun went behind the ridges. These starlings (I think that is what they are- I need a field guide) are often only 3-4 inches (70 to 85mm) high.



This is the same fly from a defend angle. This is not a fly you would normally notice. It's about 1/3rd the size of a normal house fly. I'm not sure what species this is but it's a super small one. My new digital SLR lets me get very clear pictures in-field of insects and spiders smaller then two (2) millimeters! By far the best setup I have ever had. Not to brag--but I added over 5X the power of my macro lens with an add-on I put together.



I found this and another one under my house. Guess what it is? It's a praying mantis egg sack. Those praying mantis shots from last year are probably the same mantis which laid this egg. It has not yet hatched but it will when it gets a bit warmer here. The praying Mantis is one insect that in some places is not all that common--and it's every bit of a "good bug"--eating only insects or other arthropods--even more then the ladybug--it's an insect you want to have around. The praying mantis does not eat any plant material and so if you see one of these you should let it be--if you have a garden you might have allot of help against pest insects.