Tag: Strawberries

Photography Salon 2024

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I didn’t realize that there has not been a post in a year! The Photography Salon 2024 at the Iowa State Fair has come and gone. My fifth year entering photos for the photography contest and my fifth year having at least one image chosen for display. The photography salon 2024 had some incredibly beautiful images on display and I am honored that two of mine were included.

The first image was taken with the Iowa State Fair in mind. A few years ago as my raspberries were ripening I found one last strawberry in my patch. I had made a quick photo with my iPhone and had posted it on social media stating one is not like the others. Last summer as my raspberries were beginning to ripen and my strawberries winding down, it occurred to me to make a better image of one strawberry amongst many raspberries. My image Be Different was in Class #16 Things & Still Life. This class had 153 photos entered and only 22% were chosen for display. And only 7 received ribbons. Put a smile on my face to have this image chosen by at least one judge. It takes one judge to like your image in order for it to be on display after multiple rounds of judging. To receive an award, all three judges have to like your image.

The second image chosen for display, Frosted Maple Leaves, was entered in Class #17 Flowers, Plants & Trees. This image was made a few years ago and was considered for entry a few times. This year I chose to enter it to see how it would do. This category is one of the most popular for entries and hard to get an image on display. Only 22% of the 181 images entered were chosen for display. This class too had only 7 images that received a ribbon. Quite an honor to have my image chosen. Previous years I have entered photos in this class, with this year being the first to have one on display.

The two classes were on display side by side and it was fun to see both of my images so close together.

Bird Nests and Strawberries

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We have not one, but two bird nests at our home this year. They have chosen interesting spots to build their nests.

We have had nests where the morning dove chose to build this year, but this is the first morning dove that has nested at our home. She chose to build on a post that holds up the overhang along the front of our home. A few weeks ago there was a morning dove that looked like a juvenile and has since left the nest. Now, either the same morning dove or a different one is using the nest. Do they lay eggs more than once? She is quite calm and must feel safe when we get near.

Morning Dove Nest

In the backyard, there is a robin nest. Her choice is sheltered from the rain, but it’s right above my strawberry bed. Last Sunday I started to pick the first strawberries of the year. Every time I went near the bed, mama robin flew out of the nest and perched on our fence to watch me and was quite loud. She was obviously not happy with my presence. Now, a week later and she has learned to trust me. White I pick strawberries she sits quietly in her nest. However, when entering the shed, it shakes the nest and again she flies away.

Robin nest above strawberry bed

She has allowed me to get close enough to make an image of her. I’m not a bird or wildlife photographer and my longest lens is my macro 105mm. I sometimes use it has a telephoto lens. Below is the image I was able to make.

Robin nest

I’m anxious to see the baby birds, both robin and morning dove. I’m hoping the baby robin(s) don’t fall out of the nest as our two mini dachshunds may not be so friendly to them.

And the strawberries, well they are bright red, sweet and scrumptious!

Bright red, sweet and scrumptious strawberries