Merry Christmas Greetings

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The Reclining Buddha- Phra Buddha Sai Yat

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The Best Places to Take Pictures of the Iconic Mt. Fuji

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Magnificent Sunset in Japan

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Friendly Butterflies

By on June 11, 2012

These are very attractive and adorable creatures. When the sun shines, the colour of the wings are glittering.

After the dry,here comes the wet.Dry summer months has ended and here comes the rain again. To the place where I live, We are currently experiencing dark cloudiness  brought by the southwest moonsoon that brings rain to other areas. From June to September, the ground is always wet, and dry season occur from December to May. The first week of June greeted the land with heavy downpour, It rained continously that drove the insects away.

However, Today is a blessing! The morning sun is up  and I feel comfortable to hang out at the bench of the backyard garden. I feel relaxed, sort of a therapy that relieves my stress after a hard day’s work. Relaxing in the garden simply means enjoying with the company of the birds, bees and butterflies.The scene around is more entertaining to view. Two beautiful and friendly butterflies visited the flowers and again, I don’t want to miss the lovely scene.They move slower than expected. See how it looks!  My camera is always ready for a scene like these. How friendly? They were very friendly that they  don’t change direction every time.

I only have 2 wishes upon chasing them; not the rain drops and the wind blows. Sometimes, If you don’t have the patience to follow these butterflies, You’ll not succeed. When the wind blows, the flowers are shaking, makes the  butterfly moves on so quickly fast turning into another direction or just flew away.I hope these guys will come back again tomorrow for another photoshoot. My wish for them, they will live longer for more weeks. I will just treat them the way they deserve to be treated.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Beautiful Winged Creature

By on June 1, 2012

Our garden provides me a new subject everyday. Here’s the new one but I’m not so sure if this is a butterfly or a moth. It’s smaller than the standard size of the butterfly but still, alike and similar with each other. For me, It’s more of a moth as the body is too fat and hairy. Anyway,To see the difference between both creatures; a butterfly and a moth.You can compare the 2 creatures.Both lovely and attractive!

This winged creature is so attractive in color. See the color pattern. The only difference I can see is the furry body and legs of a moth, It’s bigger and fat compared to a butterfly. The butterfly on the other side is thin.I’m not so sure if I’m right. Any gardeners out there? What’s this creature? Is it a butterfly? or a moth? Anyone?

 

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

100 Most Beautiful Photos of Honeybees

By on May 21, 2012

My summer collection of honeybees.These honeybees keeps me busy during summer.Call it,”My summer love affair with the honeybees”. It’s not easy to snap these flying insects under an extreme setting, exposing my skin under the bright sun, however,it’s quiet easy to photograph something in our own backyard garden.

These photos will help you understand of what is being described in my previous post. Got a hundred images for now, But soon, I’ll upload more for my specific topics. With these great number of images, so worried that I will wake up one day and see no more bees around. I would be missing them.

To let them stay longer? Honeybees are truly attracted to a small white flower of Muntingia Calabura. I really need to take care of these trees in order for the bees to stay longer. Somehow,  nature will do the rest. I was inspired to post it here as a reminder of the long summer vacation. It might be a great time pass and entertainment to view. Feel free to point the best one. Over a hundred photos of honeybees to view!

(Click on images to view larger)

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Heart-Shaped Wildflower

By on May 16, 2012

I was captivated by the beauty of these wildflowers in my own backyard. How nice to see them over and over again. What do you think makes these flowers different from the rest? It was naturally formed into a  heart-shaped,which  makes it unique from the rest. It blooms in its own way of style and fashion.Lovely, isn’t it?

It’s  a heart that blooms! Summer months, all wildflowers in our garden burst into blooms.It’s my wish to know how flowers grouped  like these.I really need to visit the garden everyday to understand it sufficiently.

Although, it’s already a common species of wildflower,but, it creates unexpected surprise of art and creativity in the morning.The good thing about wildflowers,I don’t take particular care, just leave them and they will naturally grow in the garden.I’m still hoping to have many more flowers to form several shapes tomorrow.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Bee Buzz

By on May 9, 2012

(Click on images to view larger)

It seems, I have captured something hidden! Cameras could really reveal something interesting that cannot be seen by our naked eye. Caught on camera, the most interesting part of pollination. You can clearly see here the pollen grains has sticked to the hind legs of the baby bee. Click on image to see and believe. The pollen grains color is dark orange.The bees hind legs was fully covered with pollen grains. When the bee fly to another flower,the pollen grains are transferred to the stigma of the flower. These baby bee is performing the process of pollination. The bees body and legs are fully covered with hair, the reason why pollen grains can easily stick on it.

Lately, I have scheduled myself for a summer photo-shoot for the insects, It  started 2nd week of April. Obviously interested to snap them and it’s a full package. I have completed the photos for the movement of pollination. Previous posts was the close-up photos of honeybees which will show you the clear body parts of a bee. Now, I need to compile everyting in order for easy uploading for the next post. I have photographed and collected more than 50 clear photos of honeybees  already. You’ll surely see it next post.

If you can see some blurry photos of bees here, well, Don’t ever think my luck was about to run out. It doesn’t make me feel better but, it’s a shame to hide it as well. You’ll make me feel better to call it, just an amateur mistakes! This is definitely the place to criticize photos. I will welcome it! LOL! It’s ok bees, go for it!

 

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Garden Fish Pond

By on May 7, 2012

It’s summertime and the the long vacation gave me the chance to practice test shooting again.It’s photography, writing, cooking, and gardening that keeps me busy nowadays.I’m glad,I get to do these things in my free time.I’ve been doing photography for quiet 5 years now and I can honestly say,I’ve improved a lot.Lately,I took a shot of a beautiful garden fish pond in Taiwan.I was inspired to post it here today!

The pond water was so clear that you can clearly see the Koi fish deep down there. The Koi fish color and pattern is very attractive. Some Fishes has a beautiful and unique color combination,just like a tatoo designs.You can also see the  reflection of the tall trees in the water.

I was told, before the fish pond were made, It was a dry and empty field.Now, it was a well developed architectural garden with trimmed and flowering plants located in the center of the city. It was a good experience to document something that will make you remember your previous trip. My journey will continue, and I will post more beautiful and interesting photos for you!

 

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Wild Flower- Muntingia Calabura

By on May 3, 2012

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This is a typical kind of wild flower called, Aratiles or Muntingia Calabura and the favorite of the bees. A very small flower but, looks so beautiful and attractive.

Here in the Philippines, We call it  Aratiles flower but,according to my research, it came out to be very different.The fruit looks almost the same with the aratiles fruit I’ve seen in the book but, the leaves looks different from the rest of sample pictures. I’m just curious about it!

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Beautiful Tree

By on May 2, 2012

 

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This beautiful tree caught my attention and made an immediate stop on my way. Although, it was an old tree as you can see the large trunk but,it was cleanly cut and well-trimmed.How wonderful to see a well shaped tree,looks natural.I don’t know how old is this tree. It looks like a beautiful bonsai tree.  This was taken in Taiwan last month. It seems, I’m not only an insect hunter,I’m also a plant hunter now.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Complete Movement of Bees Pollinating a Flower

By on April 30, 2012

This is the continuation of the first 3 posts I’ve posted earlier,it’s all about bees as an ”agent of pollination.’ Although it’s similar with the previous one, Oh well, actually, I’m curious on how they pollinate and how fast they move.I’ve photographed entirely the complete and exact movement, as well as body parts. What I have here is the step-by-step and continous  movement of bees upon pollination. Let’s get started!

(Click on images to view larger)

The first step, A honey bee approaching the white flower.

It’s just a curiosity, I want to know time consumed upon pollinating.

The right foreleg  landed first before the middle and the hind legs. Without using ant tripod to shoot. I’ve moved my camera quietly and slowly.I don’t want to distract the bees movement.

The honeybee is now on top.

The honeybee close-up. You can clearly view here the 2 forelegs is now closely attached holding the anther of a flower. The clear view of the bee’s body parts; antennae,compound eyes is shiny black, head is triangular in shape,proboscis, foreleg and middle leg, ocelli and the black thorax.

This is the back view.

The 2 forelegs bringing the anther closely to its jaw. The bee has 2 antennaes, you can simply see it here. Body parts covered with hair.

The balancing act while sipping the nectar. This is how a bee maintain the right balance on the air. This is just based upon my observation and the photo itself will show you what I’m describing.

It really shows here, the foreleg and the middle leg each holding the anther.The hindlegs maintain to keep the balance.

A bit closer to get a full and clear view.The abdomen have curled  a little bit.

The proboscis is very clear in the picture. The bee is now very busy sipping the nectar of this flower.It took only a second for a bee to pollinate a small flower.

It’s now the turn of the hindlegs to get the anthers.

Pushing even more deeper downward. but, where’s the stinger?

I’m swinging my camera to the left and to the right to get a sharp focus.

This is the final part of pollination.After sipping the nectar of this flower, the bee flew to another flower. It’s really a busy bee! I have learned a lot from these bees. I have exerted more effort focusing downward,upward, bending, and twisting. It’s really tough to photograph a flying insect, it keeps on changing directions every time.Never mind about the noisy buzz and the sting, I’m doing my part to cover a very interesting subject of science.

 

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Yellow Butterfly Pollinates a Small Flower

By on April 26, 2012

I’m about to snap a flying bee, and this beautiful yellow butterfly landed unexpectedly in front of me. What a sudden surprise! A beautiful yellow butterfly has the power to stop me photographing the previous subject. Instead of bees, my attention was into a butterfly. I was scared to missed the beautiful sight! It caught my attention, and took a snap right away.

For more than a week now, I’ve been very busy photographing agents of pollination like; honeybees, butterflies, and other garden insects. The good thing about it? I’ve learned a lot from these garden insects. I will continue to capture more interesting photos of insects in the garden.

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