I am trying to make a kinetic photo for a contest, and it looks like I won't make the deadline. . [Correction: It's not a contest, it's an assignment.] . The camera must be moving for a kinetic photograph. I did not want to copy someone else's idea. Like when someone flips a compact camera in the air for a random exposure and try to catch it, lest it break. Or where the camera is attached to a moving car. My idea was to go for the effect of a space ship moving through a star field.. I mad... Read Full Story

My wife and I were invited to dinner at the home of some friends. It was just a few of us grown ups--no kids. Most of the time, I resist those things, but as long as our family is not segregated on a regular basis, I'm okay with it. To be honest, on this particular night, I was more than okay with it. There were six guests plus the two who invited us. Since it was just grown-ups, I was on my best behavior. . Before dinner was served, we sat around making small talk. The hostess walked ... Read Full Story

Yumpin' yimminee! Look at how this little grasshopper is content to sun himself in a patch of mulch. He was only about an inch (2 cm) long. I took another macro of him, where I tried to get a detailed look at his face. I wanted to show you his simple eyes (ocelli). The facial macro did not come out as clear as I had hoped, but I'll add it below anyway. You'll need to enlarge the photo to see the details. . Since I wanted to zoom in on a still shot of the face, I asked if I could pick him... Read Full Story

Two long tables had been joined together for a chili cookoff. These are the kinds of competitions a person can really sink his teeth into! It is critical to take small portions, especially if you want to taste as many varieties as possible. Instead of serving one bowl, I carefully grabbed a bowl AND a cup in the same hand... that way would spend less time waiting in line. As they were making announcements and presenting the judges, I wondered if the shredded cheddar would come out okay i... Read Full Story

This squirrel was gorging itself in this tree. Here, you can see it getting ready to consume one more tasty red morsel. Our squirrel leaned as far as it could and pulled the branches closer to reach the prize. Sometimes, I wish I could do that for the weekend -- just streeeeetch out and pull it closer. This weekend, I'll be hanging out with close friends, worshiping in community with local saints, and hopefully taking a Sunday afternoon nap. But at the time of this writing, that feels ju... Read Full Story

How do you identify bugs? This one was out in front of the house. I looked it up at bugguide.net. . Sorry, that's all I got now. I'm swamped, and generally having a scummy day anyway. Read Full Story

I hope I don't have to pick up too many more leaves around here. Oh, there are a few stubborn remants in my neighbor's Maple, but I expect they'll drop before very long. Instead of raking the leaves off the lawn, I like going over them with my mulching mower. It bags them at once, so I think it's much neater and less exhausting than using the rake. It is the best way to gather the leaves from my tree, because the Craver house inherited a Honey Locust with lots of wee-little leaves. . I ov... Read Full Story

What in the world is going on up there? It looks like a wake in the sky or ripples in the stratosphere from a cosmic concussion. . Hmmm... could these clouds be mimicking a farmer's plowed field? . This was one of those times, when there as absolutely no talent or special equipment required. I mean, who needs a trained eye to see that this sunset commands us to take notice. The sky was awesome, and everybody down here was looking up, soaking in the gorgeous sight. I would not be surprise... Read Full Story

What a sloppy snout! I was under the impression that bugs were better at grooming than this cricket. His muzzle is messy with lint or something, and it even looks like he's drooling! Maybe they usually are, but when I found it, this one was already dead. I scooped it up from the floor, put it on a paperweight (rock), placed a blue sheet of paper in the copyholder, lowered the desk lamp and snapped the photo from approximately two inches away -- no flash. The filthy face is probably lint... Read Full Story

This may come as a surprise to you, but I'm not into Halloween as much as other folks. It used to be so fun to dress up as one of the classic monsters. My favorite costume was a latex face mask for the Wolfman. It had multiple pieces, so that it moved realistically. These days, I am less likely to say an approving "cool," when I see lawn decorations, but instead wonder what is so great about prolific depictions of murder as a reason to celebrate. Yeah, yeah, call me a killjoy... whateve... Read Full Story