We’ve had triple-digit temperatures for nearly half the month of August, with the last six days being somewhere between 92-98º. It’s back to low one hundreds, reaching 104º yesterday.
Texas in August. Whew.
Here area few shots from shady spots around the garden yesterday afternoon using my newish and incredible Fujifilm X100V.
I have an adapter that allows me to use old manual-focus Minolta lenses on my micro four thirds cameras.
I made this particular lockdown garden shot – one of three Bulbine’s we have in pots on the back patio – using my Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 and a Minolta MD Rokkor X 50mm ƒ/1.4 lens that I’ve had for years.
I shot it square, there’s no cropping, but I did run it through the Urban Acid action, adding a few personal tweaks.
A twilight shot, the camera was pointed into the sun-less early evening sky, I shut it down a bit to get more of the flower and buds in focus – plus a smaller aperture allowed me to move the camera in closer. No flash, all natural light.
Titled “Yellow Bulbine,” I like this shot bunches.
Oh, and sorry about the really poor Mason Williams reference. Sometimes I just can’t help mysef.
I spent the first Saturday morning of February walking around Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin. Around 10 folks showed up for Simi’s PhotowalksATX gathering.
There were a few familiar faces – Greg, George, Ed, Ana – and a few folks I’d not met before – Justin, Derrick, Another Ed, Scott – and some folks whose names I did not get nor hear.
It was a beautiful Winter morning in the garden.
It was a beautiful Winter morning in the garden. A little chilly to start, but by the time folks were heading to lunch, it’d warmed up nicely.
It was my first visit to Zilker Gardens. Beautiful grounds. It has a lot of nice winding, gently sloped, paved paths, for ADA compliance I’m guessing, but there were also steps to use. Thoughtful.
I brought along the Sony RX100 III, my trusty Panasonic Lumix LX100, and it was my first outing with the Fujifilm XQ1.
There were a few paper whites popping out of the ground, and rose blossoms, pansies, and a few other flowers, but since it’s the dead of winter, mostly palms, ferns, and well, just a whole lot of green.
… it was my first outing with the Fujifilm XQ1.
Entrance into the gardens was $7 US for me, a senior, but that included parking. Not bad really.
There was a beautiful waterfall in one section of the gardens that I’m pretty sure everyone got a shot of… my picture was a little off-center, but it managed to catch a little cool lookin’ sun flare.
I was so busy focusing on getting into the gardens that I didn’t notice the front entrance gates, but the Rose Garden Gate on the north side of the property was something to behold. The only reference to the artist that I could find online was Lars Stanley and Louis Herrera.
Lunch was at Schlotsky’s on South Lamar. There weren’t as many folks as on the walk, but it was still a good crowd.
Simi’s photo strolls are always awesome.
I finally had a chance to visit Laguna Gloria in Austin last Saturday morning, participating in a photowalk put together by the good folks that run Round Rock Image Creators.
It was well attended, bunches of fun, and getting to see all that amazing art was right up my alley.
I walked around the sculpture garden with the group, then after everyone else left I wandered around the art school that shares the grounds, peeking into classes that were in session.
I used the Panny GX8 and a couple of different lenses, the Fuji Instax SQ6 instant film camera, and the Blackie App on my iPhone 8.
I shot some 35mm film, too. The Minolta XG-1, Olympus Stylus Epic, and the Sprocket Rocket. All C-41. I have a few more shots left before I can get those processed.
Pretty cool.
Russ Morris. Slightly Obsessed With Photography since 1964. 