CIOPhoto

- A few weeks back I mentioned that our big sewing machine spider had disappeared after finishing her egg sac. She had spent most of the summer under the Bloodgood Japanese maple. Last night when I watering the planters on the deck I walked into her new large web. I'm not sure who was more scared me or her - well I'm pretty sure it was me. After a while she ventured back out and I took this closeup photo. Canon 7D, 1/50 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 1600, 100mm macro lens.

- This lone bloom was sitting amidst the dark green lily pads and the dark water. I liked the picture in black and white but decided to try adding the focal color for the center of the bloom. Canon G11, 1/1000 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 200.

- Dylan was a model for my natural light portrait photography lesson with Erin Manning on Friday. He was a real trooper putting up with us for two and half hours. This was one of my favorite shots of him. Canon 7D, 1/320 sec @f/5.6, ISO 200, 105mm focal length. Thanks to Dylan and his mom Teresa for modeling for us.

- A high flying pro skateboarder at the Vans "Off the Wall" exhibition at the East Coast Surfing Championship in Virginia Beach this week. Canon 7D, 1/4000 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 400, 70-200 zoom at 95mm focal length.

This weekend is the East Coast Surfing Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia. On Friday afternoon Haley Watson cuts back into a wave. She finished second in her heat for the Pro Women and advanced to Saturday's semi-final. I captured this photo using my 100-400 zoom fully extended to 400mm. There is an almost identical photo taken by another photographer of the same scene and its posted on the official ECSC website . Canon 7D, 1/2500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400.

- Are Closer Than They Appear! Canon G10, 1/400 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 100.

A match at the instant of ignition. Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 1/125 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, Canon Macro MPE 65mm lens, tripod and focusing rails used.

- Stars explode out from the light core. This is one of those fiber optic light wands photographed with my Lensbaby using the star creative aperture disk. The little different colored points of light at the end of the fibers create a specular highlight. Because they are out of focus, they take on the shape of the camera's aperture. In this case the aperture is a cardboard disk with a star shaped opening. Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 1/30 sec @ ~f/2.8, ISO 800.

Early morning on the Pamlico Sound looking northwest from Hatteras Island North Carolina. It has been a while since I posted a nice landscape photo that wasn't a sunrise or sunset on this blog. This was from a trip to Hatteras Island back in September 2008. Looking at this photo has an amazing calming affect on me, taking me back to a great late summer get away. Canon 40D, 1/125 sec @ f/14, ISO 200.

This wasp was visiting the Lotus blossoms at the Lotus Gardens on Sandbridge Road in Virginia Beach, Virginia this afternoon. The morning rain is beaded up on the floating leaves in the background giving it the sparkly look. Canon 7D, 1/2500 sec @ f/6.2, ISO 400, 100-400mm zoom at 275mm.

- This little sandpiper was strutting his stuff at Sandbridge Beach this evening. He had a strip of about 20 yards of beach that he was working with each wave. When ever another Sandpiper landed on his beach, he promptly chased them off. Canon 7D, 1/200 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 400mm.

The Hummingbird Sage or Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph'. This the developing bud for the bright colored multiple blooms that will appear at the end of this stalk. Canon 7D, 1/100 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro. Check out the B&W version of this shot at The World in Black & White .

- Another macro photo for my bug week. The Lantana really attracts the bees and butterflies. Canon G10, 1/2000 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 400 in macro mode.

- Yet another butterfly photo the gulf fritillary from the Butterfly House at Norfolk Botanical Gardens. This was a really productive day in terms of getting great photos. We started early so the butterflies weren't real active yet making the chances of getting a good image much better. Canon 7D, 1/60sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

- This Buckeye butterfly was a perfect specimen. While it hard to see at the resolutions used for the blog, I was very happy with the detail in this photograph. With three insect photos in a row, I guess this is bug week. Canon 7D, 1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

- The bees were out in force Saturday morning in the border garden at Norfolk's Botanical Gardens. They were so busy that it was very difficult to catch them in focus on the macro lens. With such a short depth of field and the need to focus manually - it was quite a challenge. I took lots of shots most of which were either soft or had the bee exiting the frame. Into the bit bucket with those. But if you take enough, occasionally you get a few good ones. You've got to just love digital photography! Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro lens, hand held.

- The female argiope spider are also known as sewing machine or garden spiders. She is quite an impressive site. This very large spider is found in flower gardens. Mine has been in her web for a couple of months now and has one large egg sack complete. The much smaller male spider disappeared two weeks ago, after fulfilling his role - he met his fate. The male spider is definitely a "fully committed" partner. Canon 7D, 1/160 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

- I participated in a sunrise photo shoot at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens this morning. We were set up in the Enchanted Storybook Forest section near the northeastern most part of the gardens. This is looking east towards the Little Creek Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach. Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 200, mounted on a tripod.

- Pampas grass on the shores of Back Bay at Knotts Island North Carolina . Canon G10, 1/640 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200.

-A Black and White photo from my Strobist Water Drop series. Canon 40D, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, 50mm focal length. Check out some of my other B&W photos posted at The World in Black & White . For more great black and white images see The Weekend in Black and White .

- Another butterfly picture from my weekend photo shoot at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Canon 7D, 1/400 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro lens.

- One of my close friends once commented about first meeting our cat Sasha with "David, that's one crazy cat you've got there." Well that she is! Recently she has taken to sitting on top of opened doors looking down on us mere humans. Canon 7D, 1/60 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 800.

- The street lights and stoplights sparkle in this long exposure of a night street scene. A ghostly bicyclist peddling along the sidewalk leaves a wobbly streak from his taillight. Canon 40D, 55mm, 5 secs @f/20.0, ISO 100 mounted on a tripod. Check out some of my other B&W photos posted at The World in Black & White . For more great black and white images see The Weekend in Black and White .

Another photo from yesterday's "Butterfly Shoot" at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens . This pair of mating Gulf Fritillary or "Passion Butterflies" were oblivious to to a bunch of photographers and constant camera clicking. Canon 7D, 1/500 sec @ f/5.0, ISO 400, 100mm macro lens.

This morning I took part in a "Butterfly Shoot" at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens in Norfolk, Virginia. Had a great time in the butterfly house and got some great pictures of butterflies and caterpillars. This is the Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar . Look for more pictures from the shoot is future blog posts. Canon 7D, 1/200, f/3.5, ISO 400, 100mm macro.

- There's nothing like a hot Krispy Kreme doughnut. The melt in you mouth sugar bomb is a Southern tradition. It takes super human powers to pass up when the "Hot Now" sign is lit up. Canon G10, 1/15 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 80, mounter on a tripod and taken in a light rail. The picture is just OK but the doughnuts were outstanding.

- Canon 7D, 1/250 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 100, indirect reflected flash from below and behind.

- The setting sun nicely silhouetted this power line tower. Canon G10, 1/640 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200.

- Since the new season of Project Runway just started I thought I'd share a photo I took back in April when we visited Mood Fabrics in New York City's Fashion District. It is just totally overwhelming. Canon G11, 1/50 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400.

From 2010 Blog - This wild rabbit has been seen in our yard off and on all year. This evening he was just sitting there and I got close enough to make this portrait. Canon 7D, 1/25 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800, 400mm focal length, image stabilization on, camera braced on a fence post.

From 2010 Blog Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do, I'm half crazy all for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage - I can't afford a carriage, But you'd look sweet upon the seat Of a bicycle built for two. From the chorus of " Daisy Bell " composed by Harry Dacre in 1892. Canon G11, 1/200 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400 in macro mode.