Yellow Clintmore Cluster Tomato Flowers. ~ 300mm/3.5ft Macro
This morning started off like most of my mornings, I spent some time in the gardens to give all the plants a quick once-over. After checking on the tomato, cucumber and pepper plants in our front hydroponics garden I started watching a couple of Long-Legged Flies (Dolichopus) jumping all around the cucumber leaves. They are entertaining to watch as it appears as though they are playing tag with each other and their brightly metallic-colored bodies sparkle in the sunlight.
After watching for a while, I thought it would be cool to take a few pictures of them if they would just sit still for a few seconds. I went inside and got my camera and 70-300mm lens, which you may think is an odd choice of lenses, but I planned to use it in macro mode.
Long-Legged Fly (Dolichopus) on a leaf in my garden. ~ 300mm/3.5ft Macro
It wasn't easy tracking and focusing on these little guys as they are only about 1/4" in length and don't sit still for more than a few seconds. Given their rapid movements and the breeze shaking the leaves I was happy to have gotten a few decent shots with acceptable clarity of focus, although not as detailed as I was hoping for. I was trying to get the details of the little hairs around its head and eyes. Next time I suppose.
As a side note for any other home gardeners, these flies are one of the 'good guys' in the garden so don't shoo them away when you see them. The hunt around for aphids, mites, and pesky white flies, as well as larvae from other insects on your plants.
A Leaf on the Ground. ~ 300mm/3.5ft Macro
Since I had the lens already on my camera, I started taking pictures of other things that caught my attention in our gardens. Tomato vine flowers, leaves on the ground, the lizards warming up in the morning Sun, and the water drops splashing in the Koi pond.
I ended up with a wide mix of subjects and selected a few for this post today.
Brown Lizard on the Edge of the Koi Pond. ~ 300mm/3.5ft Macro
This guy was 100% aware of my presence and watched me watching him the whole time, but most of the lizards seem to be used to us being around in the gardens and don't run off right away - unless we get too close for comfort.
Pink Bougainvillea Flowers along our front fence. ~ 300mm/3.5ft Macro
We have Bougainvillea plants lining the fence of our front garden. It's been about 2 years since that last bloomed for whatever reason. Now that they have finally grown to the top of the fence, they act as a natural 'barb-wire' to keep the irritating squirrels out. 1 point for the humans.
Water drops from the Koi Pond Fountain. ~ 300mm/3.5ft Macro
I have been focused on all the project developments and events happening within our Whaleshares community lately and not posting as much of my art and photography as I should be. I will try to showcase more of my work again in the coming days and weeks.
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