previous / next (10-5-09)

This is a very delicate and fluttery butterfly that I saw in Callaway Gardens in Georgia last week. I do not remember what kind it was, all I know is it had the most fluttery, graceful wings I've ever seen before. The wings were sort of floppy and so very fluttery I was amazed that it could stay in the air. The blurry wing tips were a result of the floppy fluttery nature of its wings and the shallow DoF.

Nikon D700
Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR
1/160 second
F/2.8
ISO 200
200 mm

The trip was grueling, hectic, busy, fun...exhausting. It did not start out too well. When we got to the airport our terminal had a power failure. No way to check in, check bags, or go through security. It seems that the power was accidentally cut during construction. Luckily for us we had gotten there early and the power was restored in about 30 minutes or so.

Note to self. Leave the Giatto Rocket blower at home next time!!! My camera bag was flagged for a hand check at screening...I was not surprised and kind of expected it. What I did not expect was that during the swabbing and checking process the rubber rocket blower was going to test positive for explosives!!! Alarms went off after they swabbed the blower and put the little cloth in the machine. It was the last thing in the bag to be checked...I thought "Oh crap! I'm going to jail!" Lol...not really but it was certainly interesting. They called over a supervisor who apparently knew what the blower was and she retested it and it passed. They explained that if I touched it after using lotions or something that could set off the alarms. I do use bug repellent and sunscreen when I am out shooting and perhaps that was the cause, or maybe the use of glycerin in the studio...I don't know. I am happy to report that I did not go to jail and was able to get on the flight no problem. Mark however will never let me hear the end of it. The boys thought it was an amusing story too.

Packing up Rob's car, a 2008 Hyundai Tiburon, which is a tiny shoebox sports car was quite an adventure. Mark equated packing it to playing Tetris. I don't think we could have fit another thing in that car, it was packed to the brim, leaving little room for us. It was quite tight for us to make the more than 1000 mile trip home. We made it...still recovering though!

I hope to start catching up with everyone next week. I appreciate everyone's patience in my absence. It seems when I think I have time to get caught up, something else comes up...just crazy busy!