Up Close and Personal

Too much wide-angle can be a bad thing. I'm going to take a moment with this post and get up close and personal with my surroundings.

Residential flower garden, Bellevue. Canon SX100 IS Powershot.

Lake near Mount St. Helens. Taken at 400mm.

Alki beach. f/2.8 - 100mm macro and Digital Rebel Xti.

The hand of the Fremont Troll. Sx100 Powershot.

Inside the Tractor Tavern just before we took the stage. Digital Rebel Xti and f/1.4 50mm.

Green Lake, Seattle, Wa -- Garden Flower Macro

Flowers are an endless source of entertainment for a macro photographer. Not only do they provide color and good opportunity for creative depth-of-field, but also occasionally you will catch an insect in the act of gathering pollen.

This first photo was taken when the dew was just evaporating from the morning sun.

Golden Gardens, Ballard, Seattle, Wa

I had to stand in this bush for 30 minutes with a swarm of these bees before I was able to get this shot. Luckily they don't sting unless you bother them.

African Grey Parrot Macro Shots

Taken during a break from shooting a West Seattle Volleyball tournament, these photos of a friend's African Grey Parrot under a sun umbrella were a pleasure to shoot. Even though as I approached, he nibbled on my lens rim, he stayed pretty still. These were taken at 100 mm.

Sea Lions from the Portland Zoo

Size

One of the largest of the pinniped family, male Steller sea lions can weigh up to 3,000 pounds, and females up to 770 pounds. Males are 10 to 12 feet long (they can be larger than a bear) and females average around 9 feet in length. Females are usually about one-third the size of males.



Reproduction/life span

Males maintain large harems of females after they reach social maturity at 5 to 7 years (and are able to defend a territory). Breeding season occurs from May through June in Oregon. Gestation takes about 9 months after which female sea lions give birth to one pup. Pups weigh around 50 pounds and are nearly 4 feet long at birth. Pups are born dark brown but in 4 to 6 months they shed to a lighter brown. Females give birth about every 1 to 2 years after reaching sexual maturity at 4 to 5 years. Males reach sexual maturity at 5 to 7 years. Steller sea lions live for approximately 20 years.


Stellar Cove Sea Lions

The exhibit is home to two males, named Augustus (Gus) and Julius. Gus and Julius were born at two different Sea World Parks in 1987, and came to the zoo from Connecticut's Mystic Aquarium. They are each fed between 25 and 35 pounds of fish a day, depending on the time of year. Both of these animals are blind.