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John Hadden Photography

Photography of the Natural World

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July 2013

The Heart of the Milky Way

Looking south into the heart of the Milky Way
Looking south into the heart of the Milky Way

Last night’s clear skies beckoned, and I set up my camera out in the front field at around 10:00PM. The Milky Way stretched above me from north to south. In this shot, we’re looking south into the center of our galaxy. The brightest clump of stars directly of the above the trees in the center of the frame are in the constellation Sagittarius and mark the center of the Milky Way. Interstellar dust creates dark lanes in the stars as they arc north and east.

Nikon D600, Nikon 18-35mm lens @ 18mm, ISO 1600, f/4.5, 15 second exposure.

 

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Leaf and Horsetails

A single bright poplar leaf nests in horsetails along the shore of Indian Lake.
A single bright poplar leaf nests in horsetails along the shore of Indian Lake.

Nikon D600, Sigma 105mm macro, ISO 800, F/3.3, 1/400″.

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Lily Haze

A day lily in hazy, humid morning light
A day lily in hazy, humid morning light

I went out in the morning with my camera into the hazy and humid air that seems to be the rule this summer here in Vermont. I took several photos of day lilies and other flowers, but didn’t realize that my camera’s optics had kind of hazed up due to the humidity. Most of the photos were unusable, but this one had an dreamy, soft smoothness to it that I kind of like. I suppose you can pay good money for a filter that does the same thing (or do it in software), but there’s nothing like a happy accident!

Note to self: give you equipment time to acclimate!

Nikon D600, Sigma 105mm, ISO 800, f/14, 1/640″.

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Patient Beetle

A very patient beetle poses for the camera
A very patient beetle poses for the camera

This as-yet-unidentified beetle waited very patiently on a pond side stalk of grass for me to get this shot. He’s a hansom fellow!

Nikon D600, Sigma 105mm lens, ISO 800, f//8, 1/250″.

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There be Dragons!

A gorgeous purple damselfly that I can’t quite identify…
A twelve-spotted skimmer pauses briefly above the water
A female familiar bluet
A male rainbow bluet
A twelve-spotted skimmer above the water
Perhaps a rainbow bluet?
The hunter becomes prey: a damselfly falls prey to an orb weaver.

I spent some time this afternoon dragonfly hunting along the banks of our pond. The overcast sky helped to even out the light. Naturally busy predators, dragonflies are hard subjects to capture as they are constantly flitting about above the water seeking their prey. The range and intensity of colors that these insects sport is stunning!

Photo Info: Nikon D600, Sigma 105mm macro lens, ISO 800, f/3.2 to 8, 1/200″ to 1/3200″ exposure.

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Fern in Water

A single fern frond caught in mid-wave splash
A single fern frond caught in mid-wave splash

Morning sun backlights this single fern frond and droplets of wave splash along the shore of Indian Lake. A fast shutter speed freezes that action.

Photo Info: Nikon D600, Sigma 105mm macro lens, ISO 1250, f/3.2, 1/800″ shutter.

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Green Tea

Green reflections and tea tinted waters
Green reflections and tea tinted waters

A close-in shot of tannin tinted, tea colored water and reflections from the surrounding trees. This is from the same Adirondack stream of my previous two posts. Here, I’m experimenting further with shutter speed and the levels of reflectivity that can be “dialed in” using a circular polarizing filter.

Photo Info: Nikon D600, Nikon 24-120mm lens @ 65mm, polarizing filter, ISO 1250, f/4.5, 1/40″ exposure.

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Tannin Stream in the Adirondacks

Tea colored waters flowing into Indian Lake
Tea colored waters flowing into Indian Lake

The tannin tinted waters of an unnamed stream flowing into Indian Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Recent rains have made many of these smaller brooks run high.

Photo Info: Nikon D600, Nikon 18-35mm lens @ 18mm, polarizing filter, ISO 100, f/20, 5″ exposure.

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Tannin Waters

Tannin tinted water falling over mosses and rock
Tannin tinted water falling over mosses and rock

This shot is from shoot yesterday up on Indian Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The tannins in the water come from decomposing vegetation and color the water a lovely tea color. The 1/13″ shutter speed blurs the water just enough to bring out what I call the “light scribbles” in the water. More photos from this shoot to come…

Photo Info: Nikon D600, 24-120mm lens @ 92mm, polarizing filter, ISO 3200, f/16, 1/13″.

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