Zooming in on the small things...

Many single blooms or blossoms can fill the frame nicely without having to use a macro lens. Here is a good example of a blossom from the flowering dogwood in my front yard. I love this tree, it was a Mother's Day present from my daughter about 9 years ago. She planted it during the day when I was working, actually I was shooting a wedding on Saturday, Mother's Day Eve, when I came home, it was dark but something looked different, it took me a moment to figure out what it was. A very nice surprise in deed and a WONDERFUL Mother's Day present!

Lighting can make or break a photograph. This brilliant leaf design wouldn't have had the impact with front or side lighting. The backlighting really accentuates its delicate crepe paper like texture.

My grandson found this little 'friend' and we watched it, talked to it, 'played' with it and photographed it for two months. We were both said when it disappeared. The praying mantis is one of my favorite insects!

These busy little insects are very hard to photograph, just when you get them in focus, they flit to another part of the flower or a different flower all together. I chased them around for about 20 minutes and this was the best I could come up with. It was also in very harsh sunlight so that made it more difficult also.

For my grandson Bobby's 7th birthday, July 26, 2007, my daughter told him he could have a birthday party with his friends and pick a theme, he's really into frogs, lizards, snakes, etc. so he picked reptiles. He had a snake cake and grab bags for his buddies full of gummy snakes and other reptilian treasures. She hired a guy to come in and bring all kinds of critters, small, medium and large. Mostly reptiles but a few other species as well. Of course I was in my glory, there was a zillion photo ops. The kids were allowed to hold and pet many of them. Well I got quite CLOSE on some shots. Here is one that speaks for itself.

These are so neat to watch. I just had to take a picture.

Cropping close to fill the frame, often yields some surprising composition and designs. It just always amazes me what neat things there are to see when you zoom in.

There are so many magnificent little creatures to discover. They never cease to amaze me. Grasshoppers are great jumpers....gee...wonder if they have grasshopper jumping tournaments....

Dragonflys are so graceful. I love watching them 'dance' through the air or from flower to flower or leaf to leaf.