FAUNA

[bakubo]

Greg, those are all great. Yeah, that lizard does seem to have a family resemblance. I assume the python is non-poisonous, right?

[Greg Beetham]

Thanks Henry, the old Broni was/is a lovely camera, bit of a lump tho, and the Python is harmless to us, not poisonous, I remember saying that to my friend also who was holding a torch on it's head so I could see to focus for the shot and then picking the snake up and taking it well off the road out into the Mitchell grass in case somone else came along and thought it was a poisonous one and killed it.
Isn't it funny that if you were to grab a wild mammal of just about any kind you most certainly would be bitten if not very careful how you picked it up, and here was a large wild reptile that was quite docile to handle, still had to be careful though, just in case.
Greg

[Birma]

Nice lizard shot Greg. Do you still use the Bronica? I'm not sure I would feel comfortable picking up a snake like that, but it was obviously the right thing to do, putting it out of harms way.

[Greg Beetham]

Thanks Birma, no I haven’t used the Broni for a while, the Agfa kits I used to use for film processing aren’t available here anymore I don’t think, although there is still a couple of kits in the fridge downstairs I doubt they would be any good now…too old. I still have some paper of various types in the fridge that might be ok, but might have to do some adjustments to the colour balance on the enlarger to compensate for age. Actually I still have a Cibachrome kit that is in powder form that might be still good, but all in all it’s a hassle now trying to do film and maybe expensive too as well, the local camera shops are all digital minded they don’t have anything on hand for film much nowdays. I still have fond memories of trying to unwrap a 120 film and separate the paper back from the film and thread it onto a Jobo film spool inside a dark bag and then load it into a film drum and put the lid on securely….ah those were fun days. I had a cardboard box just the right size that I put the film, drum and spool into, and then put the box and contents inside the dark bag, the box kept the bag from collapsing down all over everything while you were struggling, sight unseen, it used to work quite well..mostly.
Greg
Ps. The only problem with snakes is you have to know them by sight, which ones are dangerous and which ones aren’t, your quite correct Birma that if you aren’t sure it’s best to leave them alone, I knew that that one was harmless but you still don’t know how an individual one is going to react every time, they can have a bad day just like us, tired hungry irritable, headache, got a touch of the flu, injured, whatever.

[Birma]

I'm glad to have got in to this lark during the days of oh-so-easy digital . I thought 35mm film was a faff. MF film (i'm assuming that is what 120 was?) sounds like you had to be really dedicated. Digital backs I suppose are very expensive to update the system?

I've never been lucky enough to see a snake around these parts other than the tip of the tail disappearing in to deep undergrowth. I live in hope though .

[Greg Beetham]

I never looked seriously into the digital back idea Birma after I found out how expensive they were, I just thought of vaguely maybe I’ll dabble with some B&W film…some time, and yes 120 is the paper backed version of MF roll film, 220 was the longer (more frames) non paper backed version which I never tried, someone said it’s more likely to get scratched during use I think but I don’t know for sure if that’s so.
Most of the critters come out to play at night here, it makes life difficult, you have to find someone to hold a torch so you can focus and even then you don’t always nail it, I don’t remember where I found these little rockies but it might have been up at the lava tubes I went too once, (giant caves made by lava), that place was a bit touristy so the animals around there were fairly tame.
Greg
Bit of a yawn these. Bronica645 250mm (I think)

V500img097.jpg (98.57 KiB) Viewed 3910 times

[Birma]

They're a cute couple Greg - nice capture.

[KevinBarrett]

A Gulf Coast toad:

[mvanrheenen]

Our fur ball, as can be seen on the pillow which was cleaned on monday... yes, it's that bad

[CharlieWebster]

pen 42/1.2

Nikon AI 300 ED

Canon LTM 100/2

[caporip]

Leaf Cutter Bee just about to land. Sony A900;Tamron 90mm & Hvl58.

[Birma]

I like especially like the picture of the 'cow girl' Charlie - very atmospheric.

Nice capture of the leaf cutter with leaf Caporip .

[Dr. Harout]

+ 1

[mvanrheenen]

I took my a580 and 55-200 out today. Had a blast with the gear and the butterflies!

Idea leuconoe



Unknown



Caligo atreus



Parthenos sylvia



Being chased by an ant

[Juanito200]

More great shots Markus- I like #2 especially. Ian and I saw this little sea lion in the bay.