Wolverine Scanners: Revisiting your old analogue images

Simple scanner converts slides and negatives to digital

If you’re like me and have boxes or binders full of old slides and negatives collecting dust in the basement, you might be thinking of the best way to turn them into digital images.

A quick look on Amazon, Ebay or one of the many on-line photography sites turns up a host of options from flat-bed scanners that include slide and negative attachments, to small, stand-alone scanners that store the scanned images directly on to an SD card, thus eliminating the need to hook into your computer until after the scans are completed.

This image, originally shot on slide film, shows how well the Wolverine F2D can capture former analogue images whether they are slides or negatives.

There are more expensive scanners that look promising and there are even devices that allow you to duplicate your analogue images into digital with your existing digital camera and macro lens.

There is also the option of sending your favourite slides or negatives away to be done professionally. These companies will either email the scans to you or put them on a CD or DVD which can then be pulled into your computer or smartphone.

This image of ladyslipper orchids scanned reasonably well despite the higher-than-normal contrast.

The choices can be overwhelming and, depending on what you decide, can get quite expensive. The results too, are not always what you were expecting.

Years ago, I used a dedicated Canon slide and negative scanner to convert my slides to digital and the results were excellent. Unfortunately computer upgrades made the scanner obsolete unless I purchase an older computer with a SCSI outlet. The options today may be more numerous but not necessarily as good.

The key to success and ultimately satisfaction is deciding how you intend to use the finished scan.

If you simply want to convert the images for sharing with friends and family or on social media, you might be surprised about how little “quality” is required to get an acceptable image.

A few years ago I purchased an older, inexpensive Wolverine F2D (film to digital) all-in-one scanner to convert some of my favourite slides into digital images to share both on this website as well as social media.

This image shows some of the weaknesses of the scanner and it’s inability to capture the details in the reds and yellows of this scene.

Newer, more expensive Wolverine scanners such as the Titan 8 in 1, 20 megapixel high resolution film to digital converter, promise much better results with a wide array of film sizes from 35mm, to 127mm, and even 110mm. I have not tested these but if the results are as promised they appear to solve many of the weaknesses I experienced with the much lower resolution older unit.

The revival of analogue film cameras and lomography make these Wolverine scanners much more interesting and useful for today’s modern film shooters. Older models like the one below are available on Ebay and other on-line retailers for very reasonable prices.

The older Wolverine F2D digital scanner proved to be useful to convert older slides and negatives, even if the quality was not always ideal.

The Wolverine system of “scanners” boasts simplicity of use and on that note I give them top marks. All you need to do is drop in an SD card, pop four slides into the holder, push them in to the scanner, watch for the flashing orange light in the small colour window on the front of the unit where the image is shown, and press the red button twice. Voila. The digitized image is sent directly to the SD card in seconds, which can later be transferred to your computer. The same process, more or less, is carried out for scanning negatives. The whole scanning process takes seconds rather than minutes. In addition, no software is necessary to convert the negatives or slides into jpegs, making the whole system convenient and simple for those who just want to convert their old images to digital as simply as possible.

Providing the slide/negative is clean and you are not particular about the quality of the image, your work may be done. However, if you are looking for a clean, high-quality image that is a proper representation of the original image, your work may be just beginning.

I notice that on some of the on-line reviews, some users say the images that come out of the scanners are unuseable. My experience shows that this is not necessarily true and, that with a little work, most of the images are acceptable, some are very good and a few are pretty much unusable.

However, to say a good working knowledge of Lightroom or Photoshop is necessary to achieve these results, would be an understatement. Much post-processing work is often necessary to obtain acceptable results. In addition, I find E6-processed slides such as Fujichrome or Extachrome scan much better than Kodachrome. In fact, Kodachrome slides are often unusable no matter how much work is done on them.

Using the provided tool to clean the scanning bed is critical to reduce the amount of post processing necessary to clean the images.

The following are just a few images scanned on the Wolverine F2D and post processed in Lightroom.

This field of Goldenrod in selective focus is an example of a slide that was scanned successfully with the Wolverine.

This image of Goldenrod in selective focus is the type of image that converted easily from analogue to digital with minimal post processing. Its lack of extremes makes it a good candidate for scanning. Images with high dynamic range become extremely difficult to capture and the result is either burned out whites or blocked up blacks that can make the image unuseable even for most social media posts.

A major problem you’ll face with these inexpensive all-in-one scanners is that the final file size is small. On my scanner, I’m barely getting a jpeg file size over 1 megabyte. That just isn’t enough to work with. If there is any real serious post processing required, the image is just going to fall apart and make it unuseable.

However, if the original scan is good, it’s likely that you can get a very useable image.

The rusted car door below is a good example of how high-quality scans are possible with this unit. Colours are excellent and very true to the original with only minimal post processing.

An all-time favourite image of a rusted automobile in a classic car graveyard scanned beautifully with the Wolverine showing that impressive colours are possible with the Wolverine scanner.

Printing these images beyond 4x6 would be interesting and likely not result in satisfactory images for most people looking for a high-quality print. But I really don’t think these scanners were meant for anything more than sharing on social media or with friends and family.

The speed and simplicity of scanning hundreds of slides or negatives in short order is very enticing, but if at least a third of them are really not usable for most of us, then I think you have to take a hard look at whether you should purchase one. Newer models offer more options and a larger finished image size so they may provide much better results on more difficult images.

Let’s look at a few more successful images.

This wild geranium with ferns required more post processing than I wanted but the results are satisfactory.

A visit to Pt. Pelee resulted in this image of a warbler which the Wolverine captured nicely.

The Wolverine F2D captured these vivid colours beautifully along with the frost.

This fawn in the forest is an example of the scanner falling a little short.

Although this image may look acceptable, the scanner struggled to capture the pinks of the cherry tree and the much darker trunk of the tree. A considerable amount of post processing helped save the image, but still falls short compared to the original slide.

This is a good example of how the Wolverine scanner captured the image but struggled to deal with the extreme white feathers around the Great Horned owl’s head. For many of us, this may not be a problem, but for those looking to get the most out of their old slides and negatives, this scanned image falls short.

Should you purchase an all-in-one scanner?

I want to say everyone should purchase one of these scanners to convert their old slides and negatives into usable images for social media or sharing with families. However, there are many negatives which stop me from recommending these scanners to everyone. If you are looking for the ultimate scan quality, these are probably not for you. If post processing is not your thing, these may not be for you.

Dust is a big problem, and the amount of post processing in Lightroom or some other program to get usable results with some images makes me want to think that it may be too much for some.

These frosted ferns were captured nicely on the older Wolverine F2D all-in-one scanner.

If you are looking for consistent high-quality results, one of the flat-bed scanners by Epson might be a better but more tedious choice. If you have no experience in post processing or hate spending time on the computer, you either have to accept the results or opt for a flat-bed scanner with built-in software that removes dust.

However, if you enjoy post processing and cleaning up your favourite images then one of these scanners might just do the trick. The fact that you don’t have to attach it to your computer means you can sit down and watch your favourite Netflix shows while you scan hundreds of older images to an SD card.

That convenience and ease of use might be enough to convince you to invest a small amount into rescuing your old images.

Pentax Q and Mount Shield Lens: A lomographers’ dream?

This spring image shows many of the unique characteristics of the Pentax Q 07 Shield Lens that takes on the personality of both a Lensbaby and a lomography camera. Although the plastic lens renders the image mostly soft and out-of-focus, it is capable of obtaining extreme sharpness in central parts of the image.

Lens combines lomography and lensbaby effects

Is it possible that the Pentax Q is the ultimate lomography camera?

Purists would scoff at the idea that a digital camera – even one as quirky as the miniaturized Pentax Q – could ever be considered a leader in the world of lomography. But team it with the quirky 07 Mount Shield Lens or any number of vintage lenses, and lomographers might just be forced to take a little closer look.

After all, lomography is all about using cheap plastic film cameras with low resolution plastic lenses together with even lower resolution and bizarre film stocks. It’s inspired by analog techniques of vintage lenses and embraces lens distortions, light leaks, and other quirks as part of the creative process. Lomography encourages playful and spontaneous shooting and values the aesthetic qualities of the photographs that result from these techniques.

All this in the pursuance of creating artistic images with equipment that makes the finished result extremely difficult to predict.

That doesn’t sound much like the traditional Q line of cameras and lenses.

This image taken with the Pentax Mount Shield Lens and some post processing has a lomography look to it that I think works nicely.

• If you are looking for a Pentax Q, the Mount Shield Lens or any other piece of hard-to-find photographic gear, be sure to check out KEH Photographic for an outstanding selection of used equipment at great prices.

The Pentax Q was first released back in June 2011 as a highly refined, extremely well-built miniaturized digital camera in an impressive magnesium body that could be paired with its own line of high-quality lenses. It is capable of capturing incredibly sharp images in RAW or jpeg. In fact, Pentax was so concerned about obtaining the highest quality resolution that it was one of the first camera makers to remove the anti-aliasing filter from the sensor to improve sharpness.

Doesn’t sound much like the cheap plastic Diana cameras from Hong Kong’s Great Wall Plastic Co. and Russia’s Holga cameras that led the charge and resurgence into lomography.

But stay with me and we’ll try to explain the link between the Pentax Q and lomography

In the meantime, if anyone doubts the re-emergence of shooting film and the use of very low-fi film cameras, just check out this lomography.com website. It’ll change your mind in a hurry. It may also introduce you to a new style of photography.

So, how does all this relate to the Pentax Q?

Pentax Q with 07 Mount Shield Lens attached. It’s not hard to see how tiny the combination is and how easy it would be to simply slip into your pocket and take anywhere and everywhere.

Pentax releases Mount Shield Lens

Back in 2013, just about the time lomography was experiencing another resurgence, Pentax released the 07 Mount Shield Lens for the Q series of cameras. This low-fi, pinhole-style body cap lens was an interesting departure from the line of high-quality lenses released for the Q and set the stage for Pentax Q users to begin turning their trusted miniature mirrorless cameras into digital lomography gems.

The Pentax 07 Mount Shield Lens captured these children playing in a fish pond. The overall softness of the image especially toward the edges of the scene helps to give the image a dreamy look.

One look at the Pentax Q Facebook group I belong to and it’s not hard to see that Q users, whether they know it or not, are using the camera to capture lomography-style images with vintage lenses, including the little plastic Mount Shield Lens.

Pentax’s Mount Shield lens (or 07 as Pentax labels it) is certainly a low-cost, low-fi plastic lens that has been described as either the “worst lens ever made or the best body cap lens ever made.” It has a fixed focal length that comes in at 11.5mm (63.5mm equivalent on the original Q slightly wider on newer Q versions). The aperture is fixed at f/9. There’s no need or way to adjust aperture, and the focus is fixed around 0.5m (20 inches), so no need to focus. Since the lens has a relatively small f/9 aperture, Pentax says this allows objects as close as 0.3m (almost 12 inches) to about 2m (more than 6 feet) to be in focus. (Your experience may differ depending on your lens.)

The shield lens may have been one of the first, but the world of mirrorless cameras opened up a long list of vintage lenses that work on the Pentax Q – many of them with dubious quality – but all of them with a quirkyness that perfectly fits the lomography style.

Okay, so what in the world is this “lomography” style all about? Although in its purist form, lomography involves using cheap plastic 120mm film cameras and lenses, there are many iterations that now include using proper – even modern – film cameras with specialized lenses that give odd or pleasingly soft bokeh among other characteristics. In fact, many of these highly specialized, beautifully made lenses are quite expensive( see the art lenses website). Other lomo shooters prefer to use traditional lenses with specialized lomography films which can be purchased at the lomography.com website.

Pentax Mount Shield lens can create some lovely flower images with a Lensbaby look.

We only need to look at the ten golden rules of lomography to begin seeing a connection with the Pentax Q.

1. Always carry your camera with you so as not to miss chances of capturing spontaneous images.

2. Shoot in whatever light is available to get more unpredictable and “artsy” images.

3. Make photography (lomography) a part of your every day life.

4. Try to capture spontaneous moments like that we see in street photography. Shoot from the hip and have fun.

5. Don’t be afraid to get up close to your subject.

6. Try not to overthink your shots – just shoot and check out the results later.

7. Always be ready to capture moments in time rather than technically perfect images.

8. Experiment and embrace the unknown without expectation

9. Take time to assess results at a later time.

10. Most importantly have fun and break the rules.

So how does the Q-series line up with these golden rules of lomography and make the Pentax Q a digital lomography camera extraordinaire.

The Pentax Q has always been thought of as a fun camera; one that is so small you can take it anywhere and everywhere with you, and one that encourages a creative approach with its myriad of built-in filters including a separate setting for bizarre blur effects. You can play with the colour settings or go bold contrast black and white at the twist of a button. It’s small sensor means noise is likely if the camera is pushed to extremes and, when paired with the Shield lens or vintage lenses, lomography-style photographs are at your fingertips.

This image shot with the Mount Shield lens on the Bold Monochrome setting of the Pentax Q shows the focus on the hands of the baby Buddha while the rest of the image goes soft toward the edges of the frame.

Like many of today’s specialized lomography film stocks, there are built-in filters to create mono-colour images.

But, most importantly, it’s the ability to mount exquisite 50-year-old cinematic lenses on the camera to capture that highly-sought after vintage look. How about mounting the miniature Pentax 110 lenses released back in 1978 on the Q to capture images with a vintage look.

For more on using Pentax 110 lenses on the Pentax Q check out my extensive post here.

With a few adapters, the list is almost endless.

And, what makes the Q system even more exciting, is that you are not having to pay for the added expense of buying and developing modern lomography film.

Speaking of lenses, if you want to see some exquisite lenses created for lomography, check out these at the Art Lens website.

In this image, one of the many filters was used to create a lomography film effect with the Shield lens.

Shooting with the Shield lens

Everything that makes the Mount Shield lens a lomographers’ dream, also makes it appear difficult to use. Most of us are looking for sharp, technically correct images from edge to edge. That’s not what you are going to get with the shield lens.

Expect the unexpected. Odd, out-of-focus areas on your images, possible fringing, sharp central focus with softness spreading out to the edges… just to name a few. If you are using it for landscapes, chances are the entire image will be soft. Put something close to the lens in the focus zone and let the landscape drift out of focus for cool effects.

If you are taking photos in the garden, move in close to capture interesting effects similar to the style of images you may get with a Lensbaby.

Hello, World!

Combined with the many filters available in the camera and the separate blur control setting opens up a new world to photographers looking to experiment with their images.

And, after all, isn’t that what lomography is all about? Pop the shield mount on a Pentax Q and you’ve got a miniaturized camera that you can take anywhere and everywhere. There is no way to focus the lens, so shoot from the hip in whatever light you have. Experiment with filters – bold monochrome is a favourite. Try the extract colour filter which creates a B&W image that pulls out a single colour out of the image. The possibilities are endless.

This silhouette of a tree was photographed with the Pentax Q and Mount Shield Lens on the Bold monochrome setting.

Experience the joys of lomography

I know that a Pentax Q teamed with the Shield Lens or vintage lenses will never replace the joy purists have of shooting lomography film with a cheap plastic camera and lens. But the experience of shooting with an unpredictable lens in the pursuance of creative images is one that most photographers will surely enjoy and, more importantly, benefit from photographically as they push their creativity to new levels.

The fact that you can easily carry the combo around with you in a coat pocket makes it the ideal combination for photographers looking to capture their everyday surroundings.

Is it a lomographers’ dream camera? Probably not. But can it introduce digital shooters to a new creative process where pixel peeping is unheard of, mega sensors are of no importance and quirky is cool again.

Absolutely.

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The Lomography Society International was founded in 1992 to promote the use and appreciation of analog photography. Today, the brand offers a wide range of cameras, films, and accessories and a community of enthusiasts who share their work and experiences online.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.

Flower photography: How to stay sharp when winter hits

A close-up image of an orchid photographed by window light with an Olympus EM10 with the MCON-P01 close-up attachment on the 45mm f1.8 Olympus lens.

Five tips to photograph indoor flowers by window light

Flower and garden photography is not quite like riding a bike. Hopping back into taking memorable images is more complicated than simply jumping back on a bike and pedalling.

The complexities of today’s modern cameras makes regular usage to maintain familiarity almost a necessity.

If you are a photographer who rarely picks up your camera for five to six months of the year waiting for spring, hopefully this post will inspire you to use your camera regularly through the down months.

Not only will you continue to develop your photographic skills, don’t be surprised if you find yourself making some truly outstanding images.

Exploring winter photography in our gardens, natural woodlands or even in sunny vacation spots is a great way to maintain that familiarity with our cameras, but these approaches often overlook closeup or macro photography. Closeup photography is difficult enough in the best of conditions, trying to photograph a subject outdoors in winter’s freezing temperatures can be more than challenging.

That’s why indoor flower photography is the perfect pastime for those who are looking to stay sharp for gardening season.

Image shows the simple mini studio setup beside a large east facing window.

A pink pillow was used to create a lovely, pastel-coloured background. In addition, a white vignette was added in Lightroom further softening the image taken with the Olympus 45mm f1.8 with the MCON P01 macro converter.

And, there’s no better opportunity to keep our photography skills sharp than to photograph your indoor plants in full bloom.

Orchids in bloom offer one possibility for experimentation, but so too does a bouquet of flowers purchased from your local flower shop. Even better is to combine your orchid images with the bouquet of flowers.

In these images, I used flowers from a bouquet of carnations to provide a soft foreground element to the images.

• If you are looking for a macro lens or any other piece of hard-to-find photographic gear, be sure to check out KEH Photographic for an outstanding selection of used equipment at great prices.

Benefits of photographing indoors

Unlike photographing flowers in the garden, there is no wind to contend with and the flower positioning can be easily manipulated to capture the best natural window light. Setting up reflectors is easy enough as well as a flash if window light is difficult to come by.

Using foreground flowers from a bouquet of carnations adds a complementary color to the image taken with my Pentax K5 and a vintage Kiron 105 manual focus macro lens wide open at f2.5. The ability to open up the lens to F2.5 creates the selective focus effect in the image.

Again the Kiron 105 macro lens allows for an extreme close-up image with a lovely soft foreground from an out-of-focus bouquet of flowers. The fuchsia flowers pick up on the colour of the inside of the orchid.

The possibilities with indoor flower photography are endless. Challenge yourself to embrace new creative approaches, whether that means experimenting with some of the “art filters” in your camera or exploring the effects of changing your f-stops or playing with high-key effects.

For more on flower and garden photography, please check out my other posts:

• Closeup and macro photography with Hutton

• Flower photography in the garden

• Ten tips for better garden photography

This image was taken with the point and shoot Lumix LX7 in macro mode. The results are excellent for a compact point and shoot camera and shows what can be done with these high-end enthusiast cameras.

Five tips to photograph flowers indoors by window light

1. Bring your subject (flowers) as close to a window as possible, but preferably one that is getting indirect light on it. If you’re lucky enough to have a snow covering outside, your images can benefit from a lovely soft white light reflecting off the snow and and lighting your subject. Place a white reflector opposite the window to reflect some of the outdoor light back on the dark side of the subject to crate a more even light.

2. Watch your backgrounds. If you have a busy background, simplify it by adding your own either be using a commercial background or, even better, common household items that complement your subject. In the image above, I used a soft pink cushion to create a simple, delicate background for the orchids. A towel, colored sheet or colored paper can all be used to add a background. Most importantly, have fun and experiment with different backgrounds.

3. Experiment with different f-stops to create more or less depth of field in your images. Attaining a perfectly sharp image with a smaller f-stop (f11-f16) might be the original goal of the photograph, but once you have attained that sharp image, open up your lens and experiment a little. By placing other out-of-focus flowers in front of the lens and using wide-open apertures (F2.8) you can experiment with selective-focus effects.

4. This is the perfect opportunity to experiment with the various “art filters” that come with today’s modern cameras. These filters may not be used often for serious photography, but shooting indoor flowers lends itself to being creative. The soft focus filter is a good place to start for flower photography, but check out other filters such as a high-key filter that you may not normally consider. In addition, most digital cameras have a double exposure setting where you can shoot an overall image of the flower juxtaposed with a closeup of the same flower. Feel free to experiment more with in-camera double exposures.

5. This is also an opportunity to give your lenses and cameras a real workout. You may have a lovely little point-and-shoot camera that excels in macro mode. My Lumix LX7, for example, has a reputation for shooting excellent macro images from mere centimetres from the subject. This extreme closeup capabilities can be tricky to use out in the field, but under controlled conditions, moving in this close is much simpler. Many of today’ point and shoot cameras have excellent built-in closeup capabilities worth trying.

Final thoughts on indoor flower photography

It’s important to get out with your camera and photograph the simplicity of the winter garden, including our avian visitors. Snow simplifies our gardens and offers some outstanding minimalist opportunities. Try photographing your ornamental grasses protruding through the snow cover, black eyed Susan seed heads covered in snow or garden scenes after a fresh snowfall.

But, let’s face it, photographing in the heart of winter can be difficult.

That’s when we take our hobby indoors and push our creativity to its extreme limits. Exploring the art of indoor flower photography forces us to push our creative juices to new levels, while at the same time sharpening our photograph skills so that when spring begins to bloom we are ready to capture it in all its glory.

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Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of the award-winning website Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and enjoys sharing his garden photography with readers.

Fields of gold: How to create ideal wildlife habitat

This image shows a goldfinch feasting on a sunflower in a long naturalized border of sunflowers, asters, coneflowers, goldenrod and other native and non-native flowers.

How to create a naturalized flower border for wildlife habitat

The combination of dozens and dozens of colourful Goldfinches and monarch butterflies feeding on hundreds of sunflowers and a mix of other native and non-native plantings was simply too much to pass by.

As a gardener and photographer, these are situations begging us to explore further. The massive border stretching along a roadway leading into an old cemetery is obviously not natural. Although parts of it were planted, it had been left to naturalize on its own resulting in the creation of a wonderful wildlife habitat that would not be difficult – except for its sheer size – to duplicate in our own gardens

This is not a typical precious garden border we see in so many urban landscapes.

Creating a naturalized flower border with a combination of native and non-native flowers, with an eye on providing seeds for birds and other wildlife, is the key to creating ideal wildlife habitat.

(All the images on this post are from the flower border wildlife habitat.)

A goldfinch perched on a sunflower among other wildflowers and a colourful cosmos.

How to create wildlife habitat

These plantings grow together creating a wall of foliage where birds, red squirrels, mice, insects and who knows what else can seek refuge in a natural wildlife habitat.

What it’s not is a single coneflower planted in a sea of mulch, or a grouping of three sunflowers held erect with poles and supports.

There are no individual plants in this naturalized border.

This is habitat – real habitat. Habitat that birds, butterflies and a host of other wildlife flock to for food and cover.

A small portion of the naturalized border that could be duplicated in our gardens on a small scale.

If you ever wanted to create outstanding wildlife habitat, this is the way to do it. Take notes, take pictures and work to create something similar in your own backyard.

The border measures at least the length of a football field, yet it is only maybe 10-12 feet deep running along the side of a chain link fence.

In late summer and fall, it is truly a magnificent entrance to what many would consider a solemn place.

But here, it works as a celebration of life if there ever was one!

Goldfinch on sunflower at naturalized wildflower border.

Lessons learned from the ultimate wildlife habitat

Besides its obvious wildlife benefits, the naturalized border’s greatest gift is an opportunity to learn from its magnificence.

We can explore it, study it and learn from it with the idea of creating a smaller version that offers the same benefits to our backyard wildlife.

This is actually a form of mini meadow created from what would have been a wasted strip of grass running alongside a roadway leading into a cemetery. (See posts: Making a mini meadow, and the Making of a Meadow.

It’s really a shame that more cemeteries, golf courses and other public areas don’t adopt a similar approach to wasted spaces where grass seems to be the only option in their minds.

A goldfinch tucked in among the sunflowers growing in a naturalized garden.

The naturalized border provides us with an opportunity to record – even if it’s only in our minds – the vision of a more or less naturalized border incorporating sunflowers, coneflowers, goldenrod, cosmos and a host of other native and non-native flowers.

I love using natural areas as inspiration for our garden. Check out my link for more inspiration on learning from what Mother Nature offers.

Back to our naturalized border and wildlife habitat.

I stumbled upon the magnificent naturalized flower border while out photographing Great Blue Herons and White Egrets at a nearby pond.

It’s not always necessary to move in extremely close to your subject. Don’t be afraid to step back and create a more environmental image showing the bird’s surroundings, especially when they are this beautiful.

After an afternoon with the herons and egrets, (see images below) the flower border literally stopped me in my tracks and forced me to drive over for a closer look.

Goldfinches were not the only ones feasting on the abundance of sunflowers.

As I drove up to it, the long, naturalistic border of sunflowers, coneflowers, New England asters, goldenrod and cosmos, – just to name a few – slowly revealed its true magnificence. Birds and more birds feeding voraciously on the sunflowers, coneflowers and other seed heads that filled the border.

If you ever wanted to see nature at work, it was here in great abundance.

Goldfinches to be more exact. Sure, there were a few chickadees, sparrows and even a couple of hummingbirds that joined in on the feast, but for the most part it was primarily goldfinches. I am sure other birds join in on the action over the course of a day but the overwhelming number of goldfinches was hard to ignore.

Monarch butterflies also visited the plants regularly as they prepared for their long journey south for the winter.

It was a spectacular scene and one I knew I had to return to the very next day.

And that I did, accompanied by an arsenal of cameras and long lenses. Truth be told, I actually returned for a second day because the action along the border was too good to ignore.

It was also the perfect opportunity to try out various cameras and lenses for my camera reviews on this site.

Cameras and lenses used to document the wildlife habitat border

While my Pentax K5 and 300mm F4.5 * lens documented most of the action, I have to admit that the Olympus EM-10 equipped with the 40-150mm kits lens resulted in many of my favourite images. Pentax’s X5 Bridge camera with its built-in 26x optical zoom, offering 22-580mm equivalent (35mm) held it’s own with the goldfinches but was by far the most difficult to use. Once I set the the camera to multiple burst mode, my success rate improved.

The overall results during the two-day shoot were well worth the effort.

More images of the naturalized border here.

A monarch lands on a chocolate coloured sunflower with its complementary colours.

Photographers: Don’t pass up a perfect opportunity

The first quick visit to the border following the afternoon at the pond photographing egrets and herons, was enough to tell me that I stumbled across something very special with a lot of opportunity.

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If you are thinking about creating your own wildlife habitat in your backyard, Prairie Up, An Introduction to Natural Garden Design, is a good starting point. In this book, Benjamin Vogt shares his expertise with prairie plants in a richly photographed guide aimed at gardeners and homeowners. His step-by-step blueprints point readers to plant communities that not only support wildlife and please the eye but forces us to rethink traditional planting and maintenance.

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The fact that no other photographers were there capturing the incredible scene told me that maybe no-one else noticed the potential opportunity.

Turns out I wasn’t alone, however. On my visit the next day, it was obvious that this scene did not go unnoticed. A number of other photographers also recognized the potential of the naturalized flower bed and were already at work when I pulled up.

Although most of the images show a soft green background, I was able to position the camera in such a way to create a blue sky background in this image.

It’s important that we photographers don’t pass up good opportunities to capture great images, especially when they are presented to us so readily.

Whether it is in our own gardens, or at a nearby cemetery, or public flower garden, these opportunities are simply too good to miss.

That may mean visiting the location over and over again looking for a variety of photographs from close-ups to more environmental images.

Also, situations like this is the perfect opportunity to experiment with different lenses and cameras. Try different vantage points. Get down low to use the sky as a background, or move around to get a more pleasing background. Change your depth of field to create soft backgrounds.

A wide angle view of a naturalized border designed to create wildlife habitat at its finest. Notice that the plants grow together rather than as individual plants.

Don’t be afraid to even pull out your wide angle lenses (see image above) to document the entire scene.

The wide angle images are perfect for obtaining an overview of the of the border and then use it to plan your wild habitat border in your own yard.

In this image, the soft out of focus flowers creates a pleasing background that highlights the Goldfinch.

Wild border is perfect place to experiment with your cameras

Try not to simply set the camera lens and shoot away all day with a single setting. By adjusting your f-stop, you can create dramatically different images using a combination of depth of field, different focal lengths and even a variety of cameras.

The flower border that originally caught my eye was hard to miss from the road leading to the pond where I was heading to photograph wading birds. But, it was easy to admire and pass by if you were too focused on getting to your original destination.

It’s always a good idea to take the time to investigate these types of opportunities.

For more images from my two-day shoot, be sure to check out my photo gallery here.

Below are a couple of images from the nearby pond. While they are good enough images of a heron and egret, the location failed to provide the variety that the sunflower border offered.

In my mind, time was better spent at the naturalized border.

Great blue Heron at the nearby pond. Photographed with Pentax 300 f4.5 and 1.4 converter.

White egret at the pond. Photographed with Pentax 300 f4.5 and 1.4 converter.

While the majority of the photographers in the area were focused on the big birds, I preferred to turn my cameras on the smaller birds among the sunflowers.

Two goldfinches work the sunflowers in the naturalized border.

Although the birds were skittish to some degree, their frenzied feeding allowed a closer approach than normal allowing me to get good frame-filling images at the long end of the zoom.

Use your car as a blind whenever possible

As the day passed on, all the other photographers left leaving me alone with the birds. This presented me with the opportunity to use my car as a moving photographic blind. By driving slowly along the road, I was able to get even closer to the birds and butterflies that showed little fear of the car.

Sunflowers and goldenrod grows together in the natural border helping to create the ideal wildlife habitat.

Best of both worlds: A flower border for wildlife photography

Stumbling upon this beautiful, naturalized flower border and wildlife habitat was, to me, the perfect ending to the summer. While many of the flowers had lost their lustre and it was obvious the border would soon be little more than a graveyard of dying flower stalks, it was also full of life.

This image show a small part of the naturalized flower border. It’s not hard to see how much of a great wildlife habitat it makes for all types of wildlife.

In death, the dying flowers gave life to the birds, the bees the butterflies and the many insects, reptiles and mammals that no doubt called the flower border home.

It is only fitting that it all takes place at the front entrance to a magnificent cemetery.

For me, it provided an opportunity to combine my two greatest loves in life – gardening for wildlife and photography.

It also provided an opportunity to learn, experiment and be creative without travelling hundreds or thousands of miles in search of photographic opportunities.

The location of this wildlife habitat was a short drive from my home, and I was able to get a sneak peak at how I can recreate that same wildlife habitat right at home in my own garden.

Next year I hope to get similar images without even leaving my backyard.

Embracing fall: Ideas for gardeners both indoors and out

Embracing the warmth of fall colours begins in the garden but there’s no reason we can’t celebrate the season indoors too.

Fall by far is my favourite time of year. The garden takes on its tapestries of colour, and cool misty mornings make the coffee in hand so much more appreciated.

It’s also a time of transition – from shorts and T-shirts to sweaters; from flowers to grasses and bright berries.

In the home and on the patio there are changes happening too. It’s a good time to put away the bright colours and adopt the earthy, warm colours of fall. It’s also the time to begin thinking about gift giving and get a head start on the holidays.

We’ve put together some helpful suggestions to assist you in the transition and offer some great gift-giving ideas.

This fun door mat from Anthropologie is a fun and very seasonal way to welcome visitors to your home.

Let’s start at the front door. Nothing says welcome to our homes like a fun door mat, especially one that celebrates fall. This Oh My Gourd coconut fiber doormat can welcome visitors at the front or back door. It’s exclusive to Anthropologie, and is a great starting point in the transition from summer to fall.

These lovely brass numbers will add a touch of class to your front entry. Also from Anthropologie.

Anthropologie also features these elegant brass and black house numbers that are a welcome addition to any front entryway. These are only available online but can be picked up at a nearby store to reduce shipping costs. They are sold individually and come with their own mounting hardware.

There is nothing more synonymous with fall than the captivating smell of pumpkin spice and these candles bring it indoors or out. Check out a wide selection from Anthropologie.

Staying on the Gourd theme, Anthropologie also offers a number of pumkin themed candles in exquisite containers that will warm up any room – indoor or outdoor – that you place them in.

Fall, with its cooler temperatures, is the time we enjoy being outside enjoying the migrating birds, the butterflies and the evolving warmth and texture that begins taking over the woodland.

A barbecue with family and friends is the perfect weekend activity.

Fall is the time to get out and do some entertaining in the backyard. These colourful acrylic glasses are the perfect companion.

These Lucia Acrylic Goblet Wine Glasses are perfect for the deck, patio or under a pergola as the rain falls all around us. They come in a variety of colours from mint to cobalt, turquoise and a lovely hot pink.

If you are lucky enough to have a sheltered outdoor space, extending the entertaining season well into fall offers numerous possibilities.

A small woodburning firepit or gas fire table can bring us outside through fall and even well into winter.

The Sedona fire bowl from Woodland Direct adds warmth and a touch of class to your outdoor space.

WoodlandDirect specializes in fire pits, fire bowls, outdoor fireplaces and the like and offer an incredible variety of choices and styles to suit even the most picky of buyers.

The Sedona Copper Fire Bowl, above is a good example of the exquisite detail available from WoodlandDirect.

The popular Solo Stoves are available at Walmart.

Less expensive options are also available from less specialized stores. Walmart even carry the popular, contemporary styled Solo Stoves (above) that are small enough to take with you to the cottage or even camping, but still have a place in your backyard.

For a full look at the firepits Walmart offers, including many that are on sale click here.

Of course fall is the time to get into the garden and muck about digging out, transplanting and clearing areas in preparation for next year. Muck boots make a variety of garden boots and shoes to tackle even the dirtiest of jobs with a little style. Check out their full line of women-, men- and kid-approved boots for the garden or everyday use.

For those lucky enough to have a covered garden area, fall is the perfect time to transition from summer colours into the warm tones associated with autumn. This scene from Anthropologie focuses on just that with an assortment of warm colours and textures. One of the highlights is the Abstract Pillar Compote planters featured on the table and below.

Decorating this space is always fun and adding a modern touch seems to work well in these spaces. These Abstract Pillar Compote planters are the perfect size to act as a focal point a gathering place. Use them for plants, but don’t be afraid to use your imagination. A bird bath, even a contemporary bird feeder to welcome the chickadees into your more personal space.

Imagine them full of large pine cones or simply covered in a rich layer of exquisite moss or planted with the simple elegance of a maindenhair fern.

The Boston fern is from Macy’s outstanding collection of natural looking plants.

Finally, if you need plants around you all winter, but can’t seem to keep them alive indoors, Macy’s offers an outstanding collection of extremely natural looking plants. These are not your craft store collections that neither look natural, nor stand the test of time.

Macy’s Department Store collection is both extensive and exquisite in their realism. The above Boston fern is just one example of the detail of these plants. Place them on your enclosed patio or porch (recommending for indoor use only) and bring them indoors to enjoy them throughout the winter. No muss, no fuss.

The Boston fern, for example features deep green fern leaves extending outwards and created from the finest materials. The natural looking stone planter is included.

Arbour creates vertical planting space, privacy and shade

Consider planting native vines to provide nesting habitat and food for wildlife

A rose arbour has been at least ten years overdue in our backyard.

I’ve never really been a fan of roses, but after a neighbourhood cat started hanging around a birdhouse in our yard, I decided a rose would help provide a safe place for the birds to raise their young. Eventually, however, the birdhouse fell apart and I removed the cedar pole leaving the rose on its own.

Fast forward to this spring when my wife and I decided it was time to add an arbour to give our old white iceberg rose the support it’s been craving for years.

These arbours are examples of the different ones available with some ideas on how you can use them in your garden decor.

It came in a tidy box. I pulled out the sections of black iron and built it in the comfort of our family room before moving it out into the garden. Four spikes – included in the box – were easily hammered into the ground to provide support and, before I knew it. our black iron arbour was taking up a prominent spot in the woodland garden.

I tied the rose canes to the arbour, being careful to gently bend the rose over the arbour, and voila.

If I knew it was going to be that easy, I would have added an arbour years ago.

Our backyard arbour provides support for our mature climbing white rose and creates a gateway into an area of the woodland garden. A garden bench nearby affords the perfect spot to relax and can be seen as a destination through the arbour and along the walkway.

I was surprised how the allure and practicality of a rose arbour helped elevate our outdoor space, adding a little romance to our surroundings, as well as provide numerous benefits beyond its aesthetic appeal.

Birds now have a safe place to land, and the thorny rose on the arbour provides an ideal spot for birds to safely build their nests tucked between the canes.

A nearby garden bench provides a quiet spot just to sit, admire the roses and the birds that feel totally safe among the branches and thorns. More on the Garden Bench as art.

Arbour creates focal point and perfect gateway to the garden

A rose arbour also serves as a stunning focal point, adding elegance and charm to any garden or patio.

In our case, it works as a gateway to an area of our garden that was often ignored because it lacked a more formal entrance. In fact, I had even built a small pathway through the area that now leads directly to our rose arbour making it look like it’s been there forever.

Its simple design and graceful arches create a sense of grandeur, instantly transforming an ordinary outdoor area into a more picturesque retreat enticing visitors to stroll along the pathway leading to the arbour.

A quick look on the internet and it’s clear that there are a host of styles to choose from. Of particular note are the arbours that create a small room like the one below.

This Bird Cage arbour from Costway is the perfect way to create a small private retreat. Grow some roses or vines up and over the arches and it becomes the perfect place to relax with your morning coffee or an evening glass of wine with friends.

This birdcage arbour from Costway provides the perfect secluded spot especially if it is covered in vines and/or roses.

Amish-made bird feeder is built to last and perform in your woodland garden

The Amish crafted large gazebo vinyl birdfeeder is the perfect addition to any backyard. Include it as a finishing touch topping feeder for your bird feeding pole, or use it as a stand alone feeder on a separate pole. If you use it as a stand alone feeder, be sure to include a squirrel baffle to keep squirrels and racoons of the feeder. This handmade and handcrafted feeder includes a clear plastic, built-in seed storage container that can hold up to four pounds of bird seed.

This makes it an ideal feeder to fill-and-forget for a week or two while, at the same time, protecting the seed from the elements and providing our feathered friends with a comfortable and sheltered place to feed. The fact that the feeder is made from high quality vinyl, plastic and cedar ensures it is a long-lasting, easy-to-clean and maintain feeder.

An arbour is a perfect addition for a small yard

Whether you have a small yard or a sprawling woodland garden, an arbour can effortlessly elevate the aesthetics of your outdoor space.

There are so many different styles that can be used to fit any garden – from a romantic more formal design, to a rustic arbour design featuring metal branch-like supports that fit in beautifully in any woodland or natural garden.

Now that we’ve explored how a rose arbour can enhance an outdoor space, let’s explore the enchanting world of creating a romantic ambiance with blooming roses. Imagine strolling through your garden, surrounded by vibrant and fragrant roses in full bloom.

The sight and scent of these beautiful flowers can instantly transform any outdoor area into a captivating sanctuary.

Whether you’re planning a romantic dinner under the stars or simply seeking a serene spot to unwind, a rose arbour adorned with blooming roses sets the perfect stage for unforgettable moments with friends and loved ones.

Forget the roses, consider native vines for wildlife

Let’s not limit ourselves to roses, however.

An arbour can simply be a convenient way to add more vertical gardening space to what otherwise might be lacking in many of our garden spaces, especially in a smaller garden or a new one that lacks tall trees.

This Tree of Life Arbour is the perfect addition to a backyard woodland garden with it’s intricate details adding an artistic touch to the backyard landscape decor.

A perfect addition to a woodland or naturalized garden is this “Tree of Life” arbour that is, in itself, a beautiful work of garden art. Add a native vine growing up and over the arbour and you have the ideal entry into a back woodland garden.

Consider growing native vines on the arbour and even up through the rose to provide both a food source as well as more nesting space for birds.

Virginia creeper or wild grape are great choices, but so too are annual vines like Morning Glory to attract hummingbirds. Clematis and honeysuckle are also favourites because they tend to be less aggressive and their flowers can attract pollinators and hummingbirds. The possibilities are endless.

Sweet Autumn Clematis (C. terniflora) is a great fall performer in our area where it can be a little aggressive, but puts out a mass of beautiful tiny white flowers for the bees and other pollinators at a time when many flowering vines and shrubs have finished blooming.

There is a huge variety of garden arbours available to suit everyone’s needs. Here are just a few examples of garden arbours from Amazon to consider.

This twig-style garden arbour is ideal as garden decor in a woodland garden. For more check out this link.

The simplicity of the garden arbour with its metal branch-like look, (above) works perfectly in a woodland-style garden.

Arbour is ideal way to create privacy and shade

Now that we’ve explored how an arbour can enhance your outdoor space and create a certain romanticism in the garden, let’s delve into the practical benefits it offers beyond aesthetics.

One of the key advantages of a rose arbour is the shade it can provide especially in a yard that lacks large trees.

As the sun shines down on your garden, the arbour’s structure casts a cool and refreshing shadow, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors even on hot summer days.

Additionally, the dense foliage on the arbour can be used to create a natural privacy screen, shielding you from prying eyes and creating a secluded area in your own backyard.

Moreover, the sturdy framework of an arbour serves as excellent support for climbing plants, such as vines and ivy, giving them the opportunity to flourish and provide not only a dense shade but plenty of privacy.

So, not only does an arbour add charm and allure to a garden, it also offers practical benefits that make it a valuable addition to any outdoor setting.

Focus on vintage Pentax 110 lenses on the Pentax Q

The 110 lenses also fit micro four thirds and fujifilm cameras

No one could blame you if you thought the vintage Pentax Auto 110 lenses were made for the more modern Pentax Q line of cameras.

It’s just that 46 years ago, no-one would have dreamed that a miniature digital camera would even exist let alone continue to be so popular today.

This garden image, taken with the vintage 18mm lens from the former Pentax Auto 110 system, shows the capabilities of these vintage lenses especially if complementary post processing is used to bring out the best in these old lenses. In this image, I created a moody feeling that I think works well with the image.

These exquisite, tiny, almost miniature 110 lenses could not be more perfect for the Pentax Q line of cameras unless, of course, they offered full auto focus capabilities. However, even the Pentax “Toy” lenses, – the wide angle, telephoto and fisheye lenses – made especially for the Q series – do not offer auto focus capabilities.

So, the 18mm, 24mm, 50mm and the outstanding 70mm Pentax 110 lenses are almost too good to be true for Pentax Q users. All that is needed is a simple, inexpensive adapter to convert the lens. These adapters to convert the 110 lenses are also available for Fuji FX X-Mount camera X-PRO2 X-E1 X-E2 X-A2 X-M1 X-T3 X-S10 etc.

Grasses and dogwood with 18mm lens.

The build quality of these vintage lenses is also outstanding. Although the first three are made of plastic, it’s not your everyday plastic found in many of today’s inexpensive lenses.

These are extremely solid lenses that feature weighted almost perfectly silky focus.

• Be sure to check out my full post on using the 07 Pentax Mount Shield Lens on the Pentax Q.

The Pentax Auto 110 from 46 years ago beside the more modern Pentax Q. Notice how the 110 film size is similar to the Pentax Q sensor.

Can Pentax 110 lenses be used on other camera systems?

Just by adding another simple and inexpensive adapter, these vintage lenses can even be used with Micro 4/3rd cameras like those available from Olympus and Panasonic brands.

In fact, the sensors in the Micro 4\3rd cameras fit the rear element of these lenses almost perfectly, meaning there is no lens vignetting.

When used with these camera systems, the crop factor is only 2X meaning the 18mm becomes the equivalent of a 36mm f2.8 lens, the 24mm becomes a 48mm, the 50mm becomes a 100mm and the 70mm becomes a 140mm.

The image shows the four Auto 110 lenses and the #01 standard Q lens for comparison. The 50mm 110 lens is on the camera along with the adapter.

What are the crop factors of 110 lenses on the Pentax Q cameras?

If you are wondering how these lenses translate in the world of traditional 35mm on the Pentax Q series, consider the 5.35 times crop factor of the original Pentax Q and you are left with the following: 18mm = 96mm, 24mm = 128mm, 50mm = 267mm and finally the 70mm = 374mm. The same lenses on the Q7 or Q-S1 – with a larger sensor and a crop factor of 4.65 – results in the following: 18mm = 83mm, 24mm = 111mm, 50mm = 232mm, and finally 70mm = 325mm. These numbers are rounded off, but you get the idea.

All of these lenses are manual focus, fixed f2.8 lenses that do not transmit any information to or from the camera. Just set your Pentax Q on Program, Aperture or shutter priority and let it choose the proper exposure. The over and under compensation button will correct for any unusual lighting conditions.

In addition, with the proper firmware, the camera’s in-body stabilization will work on these lenses after you program the lens’s focal length into camera.

This image shows the resolving power of these lenses.

Pentax 110 70mm is a real gem

The one lens in the group that really stands out to me is the 70mm.

I am drawn to telephoto lenses anyway, so the all-metal 70mm F2.8 Pentax 110 lens that is a made-in-Japan masterpiece is by far my favourite if I need the reach. The 70mm actually translates into almost a 400mm lens (374 mm in 35mm equivalent) on the original Pentax Q.

Pentax’s exquisite, all-metal 70mm f2.8 lens from the former 110 Auto system mounted on the original Pentax Q.

The slightly swirly bokeh on the lens can be beautiful and the silky smooth focus reminds me of the old Takumars.

All this in a package that could easily slip into your coat pocket and weighs in at a mere 240 grams (Pentax Q is 80 grams, plus the 70mm 160 grams = 240 grams). This lens has 6 elements in 5 groups and even uses the traditional Pentax 49 mm filters – perfect for standard circular polarizers and even high-quality close-up lenses.

This Blue Jay was taken with the 70mm lens at f2.8. The bird is sharp enough but the background bokeh with the lens wide open is very pleasing.

Speaking of filters. I was lucky enough to get filters mounted on the entire set I purchased on-line, but if you are looking for your own, here is a list of the filters you will require for these lenses: 18mm takes a 30.5mm filter, 24mm takes a 25.5mm filter, 50mm takes a 37.5mm and the 70mm takes a 49mm filter. Of course with step up rings you can use larger filters such as standard polarizers.

How about image quality?

The build quality, aesthetics and fun factor means little if the image quality falls short.

Some users would argue that the image quality of these lenses does fall far too short to take them serious, but others would say that, with a brilliant little hack, the image quality on these lenses can be very good to excellent.

This image of Joe Pye Weed in a natural woodland was photographed with the 24mm with the rubber washer used to create the effect of an approximately F8 lens.

Simple hack helps sharpen focus

What’s the hack that turns these soft, fixed f2.8 lenses into sharp, high-quality glass?

It involves a $1.00 rubber washer and about one minute of your time. That’s it.

If that’s too much trouble, you can always pick up a box of ring binder reinforcements, use a black sharpie to darken them, and simply stick them on the back of the lens’s plastic surround. That will turn the lenses into about an F8 lens with the accompanying greater depth of field and a significant increase in sharpness.

These images show the rubber washer inside the Q’s adapter: first image is from the back of the adapter closest to the sensor. Second image shows the rubber washer just behind where the lens connects to the adapter.

Although the ring binder reinforcements get a lot of praise on-line, the rubber washer works very well and you could create two or three with different hole sizes to give you more access to different f-stops.

Ring binder reinforcement on the back of one of the 110 lenses.

The rubber washer is simply pushed inside the adapter and sits in a concave position from the camera mount and sensor. From the back of the lens, the rubber washer sits comfortably in a convex position. (see images above).

If you want to shoot the lenses wide open, the rubber washer is extremely easy to remove from the adapter and then replaced in just a few seconds.

Anyone who thinks these lenses are not capable of achieving sharp focus might be surprised with this shot from the 18mm Auto 110 lens that clearly shows the pollen on and around the Bumble bee.

Using these lenses successfully requires the photographer to slow down.

On the above image and the one below of the bees, I hand held the camera and shot several images to get a sharp one.

However, if you are shooting landscapes, woodlands or your garden flowers, put the camera on a tripod, turn off the anti shake option, use the 2 or 4 times built-in magnifier and focus peaking on the Q to focus precisely on the LCD and use the 2 second delay timer to get the most sharpness out of these lenses.

You will be rewarded for your efforts.

Bumble bee on Blue Lobelia hand held and taken with 18mm lens with rubber washer hack.

Is lens sharpness over rated?

When it comes to lenses, there are those who consider only pin-sharp lenses as acceptable. Others, however, look for qualities in the lenses that give them a look and feel that works with their style of photography whether the lenses are tack sharp or not.

Let’s face it, most images are only ever seen these days on social media where sharpness is already compromised through the social media platform.

I consider these 110 lenses as somewhere in the middle. They are capable of creating very sharp images but the combination of having to manually focus them on the back of the LCD panel and being more than 40 years of age, makes getting tack sharp images difficult sometimes. This difficulty is only increased if you are shooting the lenses wide open at f2.8.

Image of dogwood shot with 18mm lens.

Even with a tripod, sharp images are not the easiest to obtain, especially since so many of us have been spoiled with autofocus lenses.

But, if you use the rubber washer or ring binder reinforcements these lenses really can shine.

The 110 lenses are fun, they fit the Q cameras aesthetic and are usually inexpensive if you can purchase them as a package.

With a little work you can create more than acceptable results, and with a little creativity, you can create masterpieces.

How to make nectar (sugar water) for hummingbirds

A natural food source such as this bee balm is always the most ideal nectar for hummingbirds but a combination of natural and commercial feeders is the ideal way to attract the tiny birds to our gardens.

Aim for a combination of natural and commercial hummingbird feeders

Hummingbirds are truly remarkable creatures and providing them with homemade nectar (sugar water) in our feeders is a great way to watch them up close. By making homemade nectar, we can attract hummingbirds to our yards in early spring on their migration routes and then use native flowers to keep them in our backyards all summer, where they will raise their young.

Once we have encouraged them to stay and raise their families, there is a good chance they will return year after year.

Their vibrant colours, tiny size, and incredible flying abilities, have captured the fascination of gardeners and nature enthusiasts all over the world.

Attracting them to our backyards by providing feeding stations is very different from feeding other birds in our backyard.

One of my many digital paintings of a hummingbird eating at a Cardinal flower. Go here for more images including digital paintings.

• Check out this post for more hummingbird images and digital creations.

It’s always best to provide natural nectar by growing many of the native and non-native plants that hummingbirds feed on. Cardinal flowers, columbine, cuphea, fuschia, trumpet vine, bee balm and salvia are just a few of the flowers hummingbirds are attracted to in our gardens. These vibrant blooms will not only provide a natural food source for hummingbirds but also add beauty to your garden.

For more on attracting hummingbirds to your garden, check out my earlier posts: Cardinal flower, Best plants to attract hummingbirds, How to photograph hummingbirds.

For more on hummingbirds in the garden, check out the following posts:

• How to help Hummingbirds during migration

• Five tips to attract hummingbirds

• Create a hummingbird hangout in your yard

• Where do hummingbirds go in winter

A commercial feeder provides a never ending source of nectar for the hummingbirds. Be sure to use a 4:1 ration of water to sugar. Cuphea is seen below the feeder to provide natural nectar choices for the birds.

In our backyard, I have even created a “hummingbird haven” that is aimed at focusing our hummers on a corner of the yard where there are several feeders – both natural and commercial feeders – as well as a water feature and perches where the birds can rest. For more, go to my recent post on the hummingbird haven.

How to make nectar for hummingbirds

Making nectar to feed hummingbirds is not difficult, but there are steps you can take to ensure it is a healthy choice for these little birds.

Checklist on how to prepare your own Hummingbird nectar.

First, let’s dive deeper into understanding their favourite food – nectar, and how we can make it at home.

Hummingbird nectar is a simple mixture of sugar and water that closely mimics the natural nectar found in flowers. The key ingredient is white granulated sugar, as it provides the necessary energy for hummingbirds.

Avoid using honey, brown sugar, or artificial sweeteners, because they can be harmful to these tiny birds.

This image shows a hummingbird working a small feeder placed beside a convenient perch to give the birds an opportunity to rest.

What is the ratio of sugar to water

The ratio for making hummingbird nectar is important to ensure the right balance of sweetness.

The recommended ratio is four parts water to one part sugar.

For example, you can use one cup of sugar with four cups of water. This ratio closely matches the sugar concentration found in many flower nectars and provides the optimal nutrition for hummingbirds.

It’s crucial to dissolve the sugar completely in hot water before cooling the mixture. This helps prevent fermentation and ensures the nectar stays fresh for longer. Remember to always use plain, unchlorinated water, as chlorine can be harmful to hummingbirds. Boiling the water helps to remove any chlorine that might be present in the tap water.

By understanding the ingredients and ratios for hummingbird nectar, you'll be able to create a delicious and nutritious treat that will attract these beautiful birds to your garden.

Now that we know the ingredients and ratios for hummingbird nectar, let’s dive into a step-by-step guide on how to make it at home.

First, gather your supplies: a clean container, white granulated sugar, and plain, unchlorinated water.

Start by boiling four cups of water. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, carefully measure out one cup of sugar. Slowly add the sugar to the boiling water, stirring continuously until it completely dissolves.

This hot mixture helps prevent fermentation and ensures the nectar stays fresh for longer.

Next, allow the nectar to cool completely before pouring it into your hummingbird feeder.

It’s important to never use hot nectar in your feeder, as it can harm the delicate beaks of hummingbirds. Once the nectar has cooled, carefully fill your feeder with the homemade nectar.

Our hummingbird corner has been set up to encourage hummingbirds into a corner of the yard where we can better watch and photograph them.

Make extra nectar to always have a supply ready

I like to double up on the recipe and store it in the fridge to either top up my feeders or refill them BEFORE the nectar begins to ferment. In addition, it is not uncommon for insects to squeeze into the feeders and quickly contaminate the nectar. By having a ready supply in the refrigerator, keeping the nectar fresh is much easier.

Remember to clean your feeder thoroughly before refilling to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Place the feeder in a shaded area, away from direct sunlight, and enjoy watching the hummingbirds flock to your garden.

By following this simple step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to create a delicious and nutritious treat for these enchanting creatures.

Now that you know how to make homemade hummingbird nectar, let’s explore some tips for attracting and caring for these delightful creatures.

Looking to add a hummingbird feeder to your garden? Here are some of the best feeders available at Amazon.

Hummingbirds have a high metabolism and need to consume large amounts of nectar daily.

Regularly cleaning your feeders prevents the growth of harmful bacteria and ensures the health of the hummingbirds.

It’s also important to place your feeders in a shaded area, away from direct sunlight. This helps to keep the nectar cool and prevents it from spoiling too quickly.

Lastly, consider providing perches or small branches near your feeders. Hummingbirds often rest between feeding flights and having perches nearby allows them to conserve energy.

By implementing these tips, you'll create an inviting environment that will attract and care for hummingbirds, bringing joy and wonder to your backyard.

A digital painting of a hummingbird at a cardinal flower.

A little background on hummingbirds

If you are just embarking on feeding hummingbirds, or want more information about these tiny birds, here is some background that might help you on your journey.

Did you know that hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world? They weigh less than a nickel and can beat their wings up to 80 times per second.

These tiny powerhouses can fly in any direction, even upside down, and reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Their unique ability to hover in mid-air and move with such agility is simply awe-inspiring.

Hummingbirds are also known for their iridescent feathers, which can shimmer and change colour depending on the angle of light. This makes them appear like living jewels, adding to their allure.

Additionally, hummingbirds have an incredibly high metabolism and need to consume large amounts of nectar to fuel their energy. They play a crucial role in pollination, as they transfer pollen from flower to flower while feeding.

So, not only are they beautiful to observe, but they also contribute to the health and diversity of our ecosystems. Now that we have a glimpse into the fascinating world of hummingbirds, let's dive deeper into understanding their favorite food - nectar, and how we can make it at home to attract these delightful creatures.

Lumix LX7: Perfection in a tiny, full-featured package

The Panasonic Lumix LX7 captured the fine details of this scene at a local restaurant. The incredible small size of the LX7 made it easy to slip into my pocket enabling me to take it along without it getting in the way.

First impressions of this tiny Leica-equivalent workhorse

It’s difficult to imagine Panasonic jamming more features into its tiny LX line of enthusiast cameras without it looking more like a full-sized digital SLR. But they have, or should I say, they did way back in 2012 when they released the DMC-LX7 to succeed the highly acclaimed LX5.

The combination of having manual control f-stops at my fingertips (just like the old days) on the extremely fast and superb Leica lens, as well as image dimension control, put this camera at the top of my must-have list. The traditional style aperture ring covers F1.4 to F8, with detents at every third stop. These features built into the lens makes it much easier to set both the aperture and picture dimension without having to dig deep into the camera’s menus. There is a separate switch on the side of the lens that sets the focus from autofocus, manual and autofocus macro.

In addition, the LX7’s mostly metal construction gives the camera the proper heft reminding you that this is a serious camera. A redesigned grip makes the camera comfortable in my hand, leaving the most important controls within easy reach.

Click on the link to see a complete list of Panasonic’s Point and Shoot cameras.

For more information on the LX10, click on the link to go to the Panasonic Lumix site where you can purchase the camera directly from Panasonic on a monthly payment plan.

Add to that the camera’s close-up capabilities and it becomes an ideal camera to take out into the garden to capture flowers and insects. In fact, the DMC-LX7’s macro setting allows the photographer to focus on a subject that is only 1cm away from the camera when the lens is set to 24mm wide-angle.

That’s impressive.

The Panasonic Lumix LX7, shown here with a high quality TT Artisan optical viewfinder, is a nice combination for street photography, capturing quick snapshots of kids in action as well as garden images (see below.)

The Leica lens showing both the aperture control and the image dimension control rings.

What about that impressive Leica lens?

It’s a 4.7-17.7mm, F1.4 - F2.3 lens, or the equivalent of a 24-90mm in the world of 35mm. Now, imagine what it would cost you to purchase an extremely fast Leica 24-90mm lens, and you’ll realize just how good of a deal this camera is if you are looking to create outstanding images with a pocket-sized camera.

The lens alone is worth the price of admission.

The rear view of the Panasonic Lumix LX7.

Why should we care that the lens is fast?

A fast lens allows us to do two things: first it helps to get images in low light situations, and second, it allows us to capture images with more pleasing out-of-focus background. A soft background is generally more pleasant, especially when you are taking portraits or focusing on a butterfly or flower in your garden.

Most point-and-shoot style cameras force you to either dig into the menus on the back of the camera to change the f-stop, or use a wheel on the back of the camera. The LX7’s placement of the aperture ring on the lens – where most of us old timers are used to it – makes it both convenient and nostalgic for anyone who used a 35mm film camera in the past.

I can honestly say I have not been disappointed in the least.

One of the many filter modes available on the Panasonic LX7 that creates a B&W image extracting only the objects in red. Other colours can be chosen to extract in the image. A nice feature that is good to get familiar with to create some interesting images.

Why buy the Panasonic Lumix LX7 over the LX5?

The LX7’s sensor and image processor have both been improved over the LX5, resulting in less noise at high sensitivities.

Other new features on the Lumix LX7 include the aforementioned manual aperture ring, higher resolution LCD display, a built-in neutral density filter, 11 fps continuous shooting, HDR capabilities, and the ability to record movies at 1080/60p (with stereo sound).

Panasonic has also built 70MB of memory into the DMC-LX7. The LX5 offered only 40MB of built-in memory. The 70MB will hold five RAW or sixteen JPEGs at the highest quality setting – perfect for those times you either run out of room on your card or forget to insert it before going out for a day of photography. It will at least allow you to capture those special moments until you can get your card back into the camera.

The image shows a garden vignette taken with the Panasonic Lumix LX7 featuring the impressive Leica 24-90mm (35mm equivalent) lens.

The extremely fast lens together with the camera’s impressive optical image stabilization (OIS) helps you get images in even the lowest light conditions.

These additional features are added to an already impressive array of features that have made their way into the LX-series over the years, resulting in a very capable camera that can serve the photo enthusiast as well as the professional looking for a second camera to carry in their pockets.

So far, in my small sample-size usage of the DMC-LX6 camera, I have found little to dislike.

Lumix LX7 weaknesses worth considering

It would have been great if Panasonic had made it possible to be able to screw filters on to the front of the lens – especially a polarizing filter. However, there is an ingenious accessory available for the camera that makes it possible to add filters to the front of the camera.

I am also a big fan of having built-in viewfinders on my cameras. LX7 users have to rely on the large LCD screen on the back of the camera, unless they are willing to put out a few hundred dollars to purchase Panasonic’s impressive EVF accessory. The electronic viewfinder snaps into the camera’s hot shoe and offers full integration with the LX7’s electronics. It’s an excellent addition, if not a little pricey and only available on the used market.

The high-quality TTArtisan viewfinders work well on the LX7 but offer no communication with the camera’s electronics.

Alternatives are available including third-party accessory optical viewfinders such as the TTArtisan viewfinders. (see image above) The TT Artisan optical viewfinder works well on the LX7 as an alternative to the more expensive Electronic Viewfinder offered by Panasonic as an accessory. Click on the link for my earlier post on these inexpensive TT Artisan viewfinders.

Finally, the camera’s feature packed menus can be a little difficult to navigate at first. It would be wise to spend some time in the menu system navigating to your favourite features to be truly comfortable using the camera.

Why should you buy the LX7 now?

The fact that the Panasonic LX7 is now available on the used market for a fraction of its original cost ($499 U.S.), makes these cameras a steal for anyone looking for the highest quality enthusiast camera in a very small, but full-featured package.

Although the LX-series are holding their price better than some 10-year-old-plus digital cameras, it’s important to realize that these were never meant for the inexpensive digi-cam market.

Who should buy the Lumix LX7?

This is an ideal tool for any photo enthusiast looking to have a camera with them at all times – either in the garden, on vacation, or snapping shots of the kids (grandkids) going about their business.

Small enough to slip into a coat or even pants pocket, a small purse or camera bag, the LX7 is totally capable on its own out of the box. Add the external electronic viewfinder, filters etc and these little Leica equivalent cameras leave little to desire.

Maybe you’re thinking that the 90mm equivalent lens just won’t cut it at the long end when you’re trying to get shots of birds or pull in distant scenic shots.

Well, Panasonic solved this problem in the LX7 by including Ai intelligent zoom that doubles the 90mm equivalent to 180mm. Yes, there is some loss of quality at the longer end – which would be expected – but consider the tiny size of the camera and the fact you can get a fast 180mm equivalent Leica lens without having to lug around an oversized camera and lens.

By lowering the image size, you can also use the Extended Optical Zoom feature to get similar results.

The LX7’s wide angle capabilities are ideal for capturing general garden scenes that require a fast lens.

Just slip this baby in your pants pocket and you are good to go.

This is not a camera for someone interested in bird or wildlife photography. Yes, you might get lucky with a friendly bird or chipmunk, but generally even a 180mm lens is not long enough for most serious bird photography.

If you are working around the garden, however, deadheading or watering your containers, its a great camera to have at your side. Pull out the LX7 for a quick shot of the butterfly or the perfect spray of cardinal flowers. Who knows maybe a hummingbird working the flowers. Just zoom in with the telephoto to get the shot or go to the 24mm equivalent for a wider shot of the garden in its prime.

The outstanding Leica lens can pick up beautiful details and colour even with the camera's relatively small sensor.

Features of the LX7

• High sensitivity 1/1.7-inch MOS sensor (10.1 megapixels)

• 24 – 90 mm (35 mm equivalent) ultra wide-angle f/1.4 - 2.3 Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens (3.8x optical zoom)

• POWER O.I.S (optical image stabilizer)

• 3.0-inch (920,000-dot) TFT LCD

• Optional full manual operation

• HD 1080p/60 quality movie clips in AVCHD and Motion JPEG format

• HDMI output

The Panasonic LX7 close-up capabilities make this camera perfect for taking out in the garden.

History of the LX-series of cameras

Panasonic’s LX-series cameras have long been a favourite for premium compact cameras for the past decade.

The LX7 is the final version of a long list of LX enthusiast cameras beginning with the LX1, that combined the expertise of Panasonic with the exquisite craftmanship of Leica lenses. The pairing works beautifully.

Known over the years for their larger-than-average sensors, more recently the LX series (beginning with the LX3 and moving through the LX5 to the LX7), have earned their reputations for their fast and superior Leica lenses.

In fact, the LX7 is almost identical to the Leica D-LUX 6 which was made in the same factory by Panasonic for Leica. Check the link for the full scoop on the Leica D-LUX 6.

A close up image of a hosta with ferns is captured beautifully by the Leica lens.

The LX7 was replaced two years after it was first introduced by the LX100 in 2014.

The LX100 is, in many ways, a significantly different camera to the LX7. Not only does it sport a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF), it features a larger sensor.

The impressive LX100 takes the LX line of cameras to an even higher level.

The Lumix DMC-LX100 (above) has managed to squeeze in a Four Thirds sensor, whose area is twice as large as a 1" sensor and five times bigger than the 1/1.7" sensor in the LX7.

While the LX100 has the larger sensor in comparison to the LX7, it doesn’t actually use the entire sensor, instead cropping it to allow for multi-aspect shooting (similar to how the LX7 uses its sensor).

The result is that the effective sensor area on the LX100 is really 1.5X larger than 1" and 4.3X the size of 1/1.7".

For more information on the LX100, click on the link to go to the Panasonic Lumix site where you can purchase the camera directly from Panasonic on a monthly payment plan.

A columbine is captured beautifully by the Panasonic Lumix LX7.

What’s so special about the LX-Series of cameras and the LX7?

If you are a lover of small, full-featured cameras than the LX7 will appeal to you.

Add in the beautiful Leica lens and it’s really hard to go wrong. You can shoot this camera in full manual mode (including focus) or flip it to Ai for full automatic exposure. The camera even shoots RAW as well as aperture, shutter and program priority modes. There is also a complete offering of modes that leave little to be desired.

For old-school photographers there is even a step-zoom feature that allows you to jump to five preset positions (24, 28, 35, 70, and 90 mm).

In addition you can take double exposures, time lapse photography and HDR (high dynamic range) images.

You can also choose from sixteen special effects filters, that can be used in both stills and video, and can be fine-tuned to your creative preferences.

The LX7 vs a Smartphone

You may be thinking, “I don’t need a camera my smartphone is all I need.”

Well, think again.

The LX7 is smaller than most smartphones, boasts a fast Leica lens, offers features too long to list as well as excellent video capabilities, and can be purchased for a lot less than your average smart phone.

It’s small enough to take everywhere and there is no doubt you are holding a finely crafted piece of machinery.

You could go out and buy the Leica equivalent for two or three times the price, or just be smart and nab yourself the Lumix LX7 and all the accessories for an even better price.

There is something about that Leica lens.

For a in-depth look at the Panasonic Lumix LX7, go to DPreview’s review here.

Discover the Beauty and Versatility of Virginia creeper

A high value ground cover for birds and other wildlife

There are many reasons why our native plant Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefoliais) is a fantastic addition to most gardens, from its stunning visual appeal to its practical benefits and value for wildlife.

So, let’s dig a little deeper and unleash the magic of Virginia Creeper.

When it comes to enhancing the aesthetics of your woodland garden, few plants can rival the beauty and charm of Virginia Creeper. With its vibrant green leaves that turn into a stunning display of red, orange, and purple in the fall, this versatile vine adds a touch of elegance and drama to any garden landscape.

Here is an example of Virginia Creeper in our garden acting as a ground cover.

Virginia Creeper is hardy in zones 3-9, drought tolerant, and grows in pretty much any soil from poor to humus-rich woodland soil. It can handle both wet and dry conditions as well as sunny or shady areas.

It is a woody deciduous vine that can climb or trail up to 30 - 40 feet (up to 12 meters). The only real limiting factor is the structure it is climbing on, whether it be a tree, fence or trellis.

Virginia Creeper climbs by means of tendrils with discs that fasten on to bark, rocks or any structure. Although it is often said that the vine will damage brick, it is not true. The discs will, however, leave unsightly marks on siding or bricks and can push into spaces between brick and siding or, if left unchecked, into spaces above the home’s faschia.

Its coarsely toothed leaves have five leaflets (occasionally as many as seven) that radiate from the tip of the petiole. It is one of the earliest vines to begin changing colour in fall.

The delicate tendrils of Virginia Creeper gracefully climb up trees, fences, and walls, creating a picturesque scene that is sure to captivate anyone who sets foot in your garden. Whether you’re looking to create a romantic, cottage-style garden or a more contemporary design, Virginia Creeper is the perfect choice to add depth, texture, and visual interest to your outdoor space.

First memories of Virginia Creeper

I remember the first time I came across Virginia Creeper. It was early fall and I was working on a photographic slide show about a creek and meadow that ran behind our first home. In a wooded area I noticed a beautiful vine growing over an old tree stump. The combination of vibrant colours – greens, yellows, oranges and reds – together with its delicate tendrils caught my attention and resulted in a prolonged photographic study of the plant.

It wasn’t until later that I learned the name of the plant and the fact that it was native to our area.

I’ve loved the plant ever since. There was no need, however, to plant it in our current garden, the birds took over that job for me.

All I needed to do was recognize the plant both for its beauty, its benefit to wildlife and its role in the woodland garden, and let it do its thing.

Images of Virginia Creeper shown here in it’s many colours and uses from climbing walls and trellises to being used as a ground cover.

How Virginia Creeper transforms your woodland garden

In addition to its stunning visual appeal, Virginia Creeper offers a range of practical benefits that make it an ideal choice for your woodland garden.

One of the key advantages of this vine is its ability to provide natural shade and cooling effects. As the tendrils climb and spread into nearby trees or trellises, they can create a dense canopy that helps to reduce the temperature in your garden, providing a cool and comfortable environment for you to relax in during hot summer days. This natural shading also helps to protect delicate woodland plants from excessive sunlight, preventing them from wilting or drying out.

Another practical benefit of Virginia Creeper is its ability to act as a natural privacy screen. As it grows and covers fences, walls, or trellises, it forms a thick barrier that shields your garden from prying eyes, creating a secluded and intimate space for you to enjoy. This can be particularly valuable if you have neighbours nearby or if you simply prefer to have some privacy in your outdoor sanctuary.

This image shows Virginia Creeper in different stages of growth. Insects are obviously munching on the plants. Virginia Creeper is a host plant to the Sphinx moth caterpillar.

Furthermore, Virginia Creeper is known for its low maintenance requirements. Once established, it is a hardy and resilient plant that can withstand various weather conditions, including drought and frost. It is also resistant to most pests and diseases, making it a hassle-free addition to your garden.

For more information on ground covers to consider for your garden check out the following posts: Bunchberry: perfect ground cover, Three Great Ground Covers for a woodland garden, Easiest ground cover to grow, How to grow and care for creeping thyme, Moss and moss-like ground covers

How I use Virginia Creeper in our garden

In our garden, Virginia Creeper is used primarily as a ground cover in a natural area as well as a climber that is scrambling up one of our mature locust trees, where I can easily keep my eye on it.

Used as a ground cover, Virginia Creeper spreads readily to fill bare spots locking its tendrils onto the cedar mulch and going to work covering the ground with a thick cover of green leaves followed by berries in fall. Right about the time the berries appear, the plant’s leaves begin turning the ground into a beautiful tapestry of fall colours of red, orange, yellows and purples.

I like to grow it along with numerous other groundcovers such as stonecrop, epimedium, wild geranium and Mayapple. The result is a tapestry of woodland groundcovers that compete for their place on the forest floor.

Yes, Virginia Creeper can spread rapidly and cover small plants, stumps and even climb trees and shrubs. As explained later in this post, that is its task in the natural world. As gardeners, we need to accept these traits and just learn how to control them as much as exploit them.

Valuable habitat for backyard wildlife

Lastly, this versatile vine serves as a valuable habitat for wildlife. Its dense foliage provides shelter and nesting sites for birds, while its berries attract a variety of insects and small mammals. By incorporating Virginia Creeper into your woodland garden, you are not only enhancing its natural beauty, but also creating a welcoming haven for local wildlife.

Birds such as chickadees, nuthatches, mockingbirds, finches, flycatchers, tanagers, swallows, vireos, warblers, woodpeckers, and thrushes will all feast on the berries and the insects this vine attracts. Deer too, will gladly sample the grape-like fruit.

The green to blue-black berries mature in late summer or early fall and persist on the vines until eaten by wildlife.

So, whether you're looking to create a cool and shaded retreat, add privacy to your garden, minimize maintenance tasks, or support local wildlife, Virginia Creeper is the perfect plant to fulfill your practical needs.

“As a culture we have allowed ourselves to hate a plant that we enabled, while it yet serves us a massive purpose we fail to recognize widely.”

— Johnny Nativeseed

The pros and cons of planting Virginia Creeper

Not everyone agrees that Virginia Creeper is a valuable addition to a garden. One only needs to scan Facebook’s garden forums to witness the hatred many gardeners have for this native plant.

The problem is that most of these gardeners are unaware of how to properly use this sometimes aggressive native vine and the role it is meant to play in the natural environment.

Gardeners who are looking for small, neat and tidy yards made up of well-behaved plants growing in individual clumps, will likely not appreciate the aggressive growth of Virginia Creeper.

Virginia Creeper tendrils makes their way through the mulch adding texture in summer and a tapestry of colour in fall.

These same gardeners will probably not appreciate the qualities of other aggressive ground covers as well, whether they are native or non-native.

It’s important to understand the role Virginia Creeper plays in the natural environment.

In an informative essay by Wisconson-based Johnny Nativeseed on Facebook, Virginia Creeper is given its due as an early and important colonizer in the natural woodland.

In their words: “The lies told about this plant are a projection of those who despise it rather than truly know it, or it’s purpose in nature.

“While it’s abilities to climb are vaunted, and hated by humans who decimate the environment it calls home, it is humans who have caused this plant to appear as nemesis, when really its true purpose is in a forest environment that never intended humans to strip it bare… .

The author goes on to explain that “Virginia Creeper and Wild Grape both hold great value to nature in many ways.

“They both host various native fauna, and they both grow in like environments, sharing the duties of an important job in what was once vast, unending forest.

“In the endless canopies of former ancient forests that blanketed this land prior to the arrival of colonizers, if a tree died of disease or age, it’s weakness while dying, or it’s eventual death would punch a hole in the dense canopy under which both Virginia Creeper and Wild Grape Vine typically grow small, muted, ineffectual, and unnoticed.

“That new source of light however is all the batteries needed to juice these two valuable vines into becoming super performing plants bent on their fulfilling their multifaceted purpose.

“The vines sudden rapid growth in the newfound sunlight causes them to race for it, greedily feeding on the light, reaching massive, accumulative size in an extremely short time.

“They know their time in the sun will be short, by their perspective….

“In a world we have deforested, defoliated, colonized and bent to our will, these two vines have been wrongly vilified by the true villans themselves.

As a culture we have allowed ourselves to hate a plant that we enabled, while it yet serves us a massive purpose we fail to recognize widely.

These plants both are major food sources for insects and animals alike. This includes an invasive species we have all come to despise.

The Japanese Beetle: Virginia Creeper and Wild Grape

The author goes on to explain how Virginia Creeper and Wild Grape are magnets to the Japanese Beetles.

“Japanese Beetles will favour Virginia Creeper and Wild Grapevine before almost any other native, vegetable, or ornamental plant.

And it is with this magnetism that we must shift our perspective on to see that these vines are our allies….

The author uses the vines to attract the beetles so he can very easily pick and flick them into soapy water, daily….

“The vines, in their new purpose, act as a foil and in doing so, save the entirety of the other garden/prairie/yard space.

So while some may scream to get rid of the vines for false fear that they destroy healthy trees, or attract a hated invasive beetle...knowing fact and purpose while shifting perspective is all that is needed to utilize, co-habitate, and have success with these two venerable and useful native vines.”

Conclusion: Embrace the Charm and Benefits of Virginia Creeper in Your Woodland Garden

In conclusion, Virginia Creeper is a truly remarkable vine that brings both beauty and practical benefits to your woodland garden. With its stunning visual appeal, it enhances the aesthetics of your outdoor space, adding a touch of natural elegance and charm. But it doesn’t stop there. This versatile plant also offers a range of practical advantages that make it an ideal choice for any gardener.

From providing natural shade and cooling effects to acting as a privacy screen, Virginia Creeper creates a comfortable and secluded environment where you can relax and enjoy the serenity of nature. Its low maintenance requirements make it a hassle-free addition to your garden, allowing you to enjoy its beauty year after year without constant upkeep.

But perhaps one of the most rewarding aspects of incorporating Virginia Creeper into your woodland garden is the positive impact it has on local wildlife. By providing shelter and nesting sites for birds and attracting insects and small mammals with its berries, this vine becomes a valuable habitat for various creatures, contributing to the biodiversity of your garden.

So, whether you're looking to enhance the aesthetics of your woodland garden, create a cool and shaded retreat, add privacy, minimize maintenance tasks, or support local wildlife, Virginia Creeper is the perfect plant to fulfill your practical needs. Embrace the charm and benefits of this remarkable vine and let it weave its magic in your outdoor sanctuary.

• Looking for more garden news, check out Feedspot for a list of some of the best garden websites including Ferns & Feathers Woodland/wildlife gardening site.

Olympus PEN camera delivers sophistication in a stylish package

First impressions of the Olympus PEN E-PL2

Very few camera manufacturers can successfully make retro cool again, while still delivering modern features.

Many of the major brands have tried and failed. Olympus, on the other hand, has never lost the “cool” factor with its PEN series of digital cameras beginning with the PEN E-P1 and running through a series of successful launches to the current E-PL10 model. (See image below)

A combination of sophisticated style and retro looks is packed into the highly capable E-PL10 package shown in this Olympus promotional image.

Not only has Olympus maintained the “cool” factor, it has also introduced a sophistication to their PEN series. There is also something to be said for big performance in a small compact body.

Cool, sophisticated and incredibly capable all wrapped up in an exquisite package that makes you just want to make memorable images.

Looking for more information on Olympus cameras, check out my review on the Olympus E-M10.

This image of a chipmunk was shot with the Olympus Pen E-PL2 with the 40-150mm kit lens.

But the PEN series actually got its start before many of us were likely even born. Its roots trace back to October, 1959, where it began life as an inexpensive, analog half-frame SLR compact camera that enabled photographers to double the output of a typical role of 35mm film.

It remained in the Olympus 35mm film camera arsenal until the early 1980s.

In 2009, Olympus released the PEN E-P1, a digital mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera, and the digital story of the Olympus PEN series began.

Today, the E-PL10 sports handsome styling in a compact package that uses a 16 megapixel sensor and impressive 3-axis in-body stabilization, along with a host of features including a flip-down touchscreen display, UHD 4K video capture, 6.1 frame per second burst shooting with continuous autofocus, Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth connectivity and 121-point autofocus system. It’s available in three colours – black, mocha and white – and will set you back abour $600 U.S. for the body only.

More recently the Olympus Corporation’s camera division – including the Digital PEN series – was purchased by Japan Industrial Partners, and is currently run under the name OM Digital Solutions.

The PEN’s compact size, sleek design and impressive feature-packed offering makes it a favourite for advanced amateurs looking for an everyday carry camera that performs like a full-sized near-professional camera.

Our Japanese-style garden taken with 14mm lens and TT Artisan optical viewfinder.

I was lucky enough to score an older, used PEN-E-PL2 model complete with both kit lenses (14-42mm and 40-150mm) and the impressive fisheye converter (Olympus FCON-P01 Fisheye Converter) for a very reasonable price.

The fisheye converter is a high quality lens attachment made in Japan specifically for the 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 ll MSC lens. It snaps on via a bayonet mount to the front of the 14-42mm lens and is used best at the 14mm end. There is also a scene mode that should be set to get the most out of the attachment.

Olympus states on its website that the fisheye converter “lens attachment allows you to easily take fisheye-style shots. In addition to capturing unique and intriguing shots of pets with a fisheye effect, you can also shoot photos with emphasised perspective when shooting up close since you can get as close to the subject as 7cm from the lens front.

It weighs in at a hefty 112 grams, includes a built-in metal tulip hood and is constructed with 3 elements in 3 groups. Olympus states it is the equivalent of an 11mm lens (22mm in 35mm equivalent). This falls a little short of the angle of view most stand alone fisheye lenses provide, but the fisheye effect works well with the additional width.

Check out this Olympus post for more on getting the most out of your fisheye photography with Olympus cameras.

Although these PEN series cameras are holding their value better than some older digital cameras, they are still available for a fraction of their original price if you take your time tracking down a solid example on Ebay or other online used-camera retailers.

The Olympus E-PL2 is a 12-megapixel Micro Four Thirds system camera with in-body stabilization released in 2011 to sit above the E-PL1 (released in February 2009) in the product line, but beneath the E-P2. If that’s a little confusing it’s because Olympus actually has two PEN lines – a higher end line and a “light” line that is aimed at more novice photographers rather than the solely enthusiast camera consumers. Both used the same sensor, with the E-PL line dispensing of a back control dial opting instead for a wheel and adding a built-in flash.

This unfiltered Bee Balm image is shown in the first of a series of images below taken at the 14mm length.

The Bee Balm taken at 14mm with camera filters set to Pop art.

The Bee Balm taken at 14mm with camera filters set to soft focus.

The E-PL2 was actually the fourth Olympus PEN camera released over a two-year period back in its day.

More importantly, the E-PL2 sported an improved LCD screen over the E-PL1 that increased to 3 inches and a doubling in resolution to 460K dots. A higher ISO rating, face detection AF mode and some variations in the Art Filter modes, as well as a new at the time collapsible M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 ll MSC lens that takes the fisheye attachment as well as two other converters – a wide angle and macro converter. (MSC is a connotation signalling that lens can be zoomed silently for use in video work.)

It also features the Olympus super control panel on the back LCD screen that puts most of your settings in one convenient place. It’s just part of the customization available with the camera that allows users to set the camera up to their liking.

The E-PL2 went through some minor cosmetic changes to give it a more curvaceous look over its predecessors improving ergonomics and giving it a touch more style.

On the back, a blue tooth accessory below the hot shoe –aptly named the Pen pal – allows you to add a small device to transfer your images from the camera to the smartphone.

In addition, an electronic EVF – the VF-3 – can be purchased separately. It sports a high resolution of 920,000 dots, a 100% field of view, long eye relief of 17.4mm, and 90° tilt mechanism. The EVF enables stable framing for outdoor, low-angle, and telephoto shooting and can be found used on EBay and other used-camera outlets.

A couple of chickadees photographed with the Olympus 40-150mm kit lens.

For a detailed review of the camera specs, check out the extensive review at DPreview.

I’m not interested in getting into the fine details of the camera. That’s the expertise of the people at DPreview (see link above.)

I’m more interested in how the camera performs in the garden, in everyday use and on vacation. First let’s get it out there that although the PEN “light” series is a simplified version of the PEN series, it doesn’t feel like a “light” version. These cameras have a premium feel and touch to them and are no way considered lightweight and flimsy like many cheap point-and-shoot models.

I’ve been using the camera off and on for the past month or two and am thoroughly impressed. Truth be told, I miss the digital viewfinder of my Olympus E-M10, but that aside, the camera and kit lens packages have performed admirably.

The compact size and light weight makes it an easy choice if you just want to grab a few shots in the garden.

A close up of our clematis flower taken with the Olympus Pen E-PL2.

Put the camera on Program mode and shoot it like a typical point-and-shoot camera without much thought. Switch it to IA and the camera picks the most suitable program mode to get the shot. Non-photographers will love the convenience of these modes, but if you are looking for a little more control, the camera offers full shutter, f-stop and manual modes.

The selection of “Art filters” can add a nice creative touch to your images, if used judiciously. To add an even more creative approach, there is the ability to shoot double exposures, HDR photography and time lapse exposures.

Using the built-in soft focus filter on flowers can be effective in the right situation.

Not bad for a stylish little camera that can be tucked into a pocket as easily as a purse.

The E-PL2 is a 12-year-old camera and it shows at times. The LCD panel is fixed on the back of the camera. I would prefer it to at least articulate to allow a low image without having to lay on the ground. Newer PEN cameras offer and articulating screen.

Focus is good, but obviously falls short of today’s more modern cameras. There is certainly some hunting when trying to focus on a smaller subject with a busy background.

It has face detection that is excellent for getting in-focus shots of toddlers on the move. It also has follow focus and continuous autofocus, but I prefer to leave it on single autofocus most of the time.

Focusing with more vintage, manual focus lenses can be difficult, but live mode makes full use of the LCD screen and by using the magnifying glass you can move in closer to nail the focus.

Olympus did not make focus peaking available for manual focus lenses until around the time of the E-P5.

Video is only 720P at 30 frames per second, which is good enough for most users but falls a little short for serious videographers. The camera sports only a single microphone but an accessory can be added to get stereo sound if you need it.

The TT Artisan optical viewfinder works well on the Olympus E-PL2. The viewfinder is considered “dead” and does not communicate in any way with the camera’s electronic system.

The PEN series of cameras does not come with a viewfinder.

To combat that, I added the The TT Artisan 28mm optical viewfinder which is a nice addition to the Pen E-PL series of cameras. This optical viewfinder has no electronics built into it and therefore transmits no information from the camera.

For more on the TT Artisan viewfinder, check out my earlier post here.

The camera’s selection of art filters is impressive and fun to use. Everything from soft focus, (see clematis image above), to pop colour, B&W and dramatic colour as well as pinhole is available for experimentation both in photo and video mode. The camera also allows for filter stacking –combining filters for even more varied effects –combining pop art and pinhole for example to create a real retro look.

The TT Artisan optical viewfinder looks like it was made for the exquisite styling of the Olympus E-PL2.

Several scene modes simplify the process still further and the various colour modes – natural, vivid, monochrome, muted – further enhances the creative choices. I prefer natural for most of the garden shots, but vivid offers an almost “velvia” look to the images.

There are buttons that let you customize the menu and set up shooting styles and preferences in advance.

A less expensive but still usable alternative is this tiny, plastic optical viewfinder that lacks the clarity of the more expensive glass and steel TT Artisan finder.

If you are looking to capture images of flowers or insects up close, there is an accessory that clips on the hotshoe and allows the photographer to aim small LED lights at the subject.

The close-up spotlight is an excellent accessory for garden and macro photographers that slides on to the hotshoe of the camera and provides the photographer with two movable LED lights that can be positioned to add a constant light source for flower or inset photography, for example.

Battery life is good considering the sole reliance on the back LCD panel.

Pentax K5: And Day In the Life of My Garden

This female cardinal spent several minutes gathering nesting materials from the hanging baskets. Pentax K5, 300mm lens F*, f6.3, 3200 ISO.

A 13-year love affair with the Pentax K5

The Pentax K5 was released in 2010 as the venerable camera brand’s answer to to the Canon 7D, Nikon D7000 and Olympus E-5. The launch price of $1,600 for the body only certainly showed the enthusiast camera market that Pentax was serious about playing with the big boys when it came to digital cameras.

The new Pentax camera boasted a 16.3 megapixel CMOS sensor with a higher maximum sensitivity (ISO 51200) than any APS-C camera up to that date, continuous shooting at 7.0 frames per second and a 1080p full HS video mode, not to mention an upgraded SAFOX IX + AF system, and a few new digital filters and custom image modes.

The 13-year-old Pentax K5 still looks good and performs well after all these years. Pentax marketed the camera being able to reach an ISO rating of 51200.

For more images taken on Sunday, June 18th, check out my Pentax K garden images.

What does all this mean in 2023? It means, despite its age, the Pentax K5 remains a very competent camera that is more than capable of capturing garden images, documenting travels or creating lovely images of your children, grandchildren pets and wildlife.

Cornus Kousa dogwood in full bloom in the fern garden. Photographed with 28-105mm Pentax lens, ISO 1600, 28mm, f5.6.

In fact, it is my go to camera when I’m looking for the best quality in my, admittedly aging, arsenal of cameras.

Together with the trusty 300mm F4.5* Pentax lens, it is responsible for most of my favourite images in the garden.

I consider the Pentax K5 my workhorse camera.

The Pentax K5 is not a particularly pretty camera to look at or super fun to use. It just gets out of the way and gets the job done, day in and day out.

Not to be overlooked, a convenient backlit window on top of the camera makes setting and checking exposure extremely simple even if glare from the sun makes the back LCD screen impossible to read. The small window provides all the basic information a photographer needs to know to obtain proper exposure including: Shutter speed, ISO, Aperture, Exposure compensation, battery level, and much more.

Top panel information for the Pentax K5

Hummingbird at feeder with swing in background. Pentax K5, 1/125 sec, 800 ISO, f4.5 on the 300mm f4.5*.

Today, the camera is available for a fraction of its original selling price. A quick look around used prices shows that a good quality body could be easily picked up for between $200 and $250. Some come complete with a kit lens or even better.

If you look hard, you may even find an used body with one of Pentax’s prized limited series lenses for a good price.

Check out the prices here at Adorama, or here at KEH cameras, or here at Canadian owned Henry’s Cameras.

Although prices have come down considerably for the former Pentax flagship model, the K5 can still compete with many of today’s newer cameras. The 11-point autofocus system, ergonomics, and tough weather and dust resistant body has withstood more than just inclement weather.

Later models of the K5, especially the K5 lls, where Pentax removed the anti-aliasing filter, are especially competitive with newer full-featured bodies. The IIs is almost identical to the K-5 II except that its anti-aliasing filter has been removed. (Removing the built-in filter helped start a trend in DSLR cameras that resulted in sharper images, albeit with the introduction of moire in some rare situations.

The back LCD screen and top viewing screen of the Pentax K5.

The K5 is certainly larger than many of the camera’s in my arsenal – especially the tiny Pentax Q camera system (Links to my earlier posts) and my new Olympus kit – but the K5 is not too large or heavy to carry around on a regular basis.

Thankfully, most of my images these days are created just steps out the back door in my woodland/wildlife garden. The ability to create a range of images right outside your door opens up a lot of opportunities that are difficult if you are having to travel long distances to capture images.

On this day in the middle of June 2023, just as the garden flowers were beginning to emerge, I decided to work on my first “A Day in the Life of my Garden” feature documenting the garden using one camera and a couple of lenses.

Chipmunk captured on an old rotting log. Pentax K5, 1/160sec, ISO 400, F4.5.

The day began around 7am in my favourite chair in the back garden, a huge mug of coffee and, of course, my dog Holly (link to post about Holly – a dog with a heart so big she needs a pacemaker to keep it going.)

Focus on Hummingbirds

My first challenge was to capture the hummingbirds working the feeder at my new Hummingbird Hangout (link to my post). They start early taking turns at the various natural and commercial feeders and offered up a series of images with the 300mm F4.5 mounted on a monopod.

Hummingbird at feeder. Pentax K5, 1/125 sec, 800 ISO, f4.5 on the 300mm f4.5*.

The fact that it was still early morning and the light was low made capturing the fast birds a little tricky, but by cranking up the ISO to 3200 on the K5 and shooting wide open at F4.5 on the 300mm, I was able to score a few reasonably sharp images of the hummingbirds in action without having to resort to using a flash.

The crop factor of the APS-C sensor turns the 300mm lens into the equivalent of an approximately 450mm f4.5 enabling me to get good frame-filling images of the hummers feeding. I particularly like how the slightly out-of-focus swing frames them in the background.

A hummingbird works the Cuphea. Photographed with the Pentax K5 and 300mm. Shot at 1/1000sec,ISO 1600 at f8 with a heavy crop.

On the K5 I use back-button focus almost exclusively. It helps to get fast moving action without the camera constantly searching for focus. It is especially useful when the bird or animal is sitting in one spot for a period of time. (Back button focus takes the focusing duties away from the shutter button on top of the camera and transfers it to a separate button in the back. I find the back button setup on the K5 very ergonomic and easy to get to with my thumb while my index finger works the shutter.)

Photographing hummingbirds can be challenging. Using electronic flash is the best way to stop their wings in flight and bring out the beautiful colours in their feathers, but I enjoy the challenge of shooting them without flash by waiting for them to stop for a brief moment in their flight.

There is no question that the K5 drive was set to high resulting in numerous images to sort later in the day.

A huge crop, (almost 50 per cent) on this tiny wild geranium (Herb Robert), shows that the 16 megabyte files can stand up to heavy crops and still look acceptable. Pentax K5, 50mm macro lens, 1/125 sec, f2.8, ISO 200.

Cardinals, sparrows gather nesting material

At the same time, a female cardinal and chipping sparrow intent on starting families began pulling out parts of our coco mat hanging basket liners to use for nest building material.

A Chipping sparrow joined in with mama cardinal gathering nesting material from our hanging baskets.

Still armed with the 300mm made photographing the female cardinal focused on gathering nesting material relatively easy. Later, a chipping sparrow joined her in the search for nesting material.

Going back and forth between the nest builders and the hummingbirds kept me busy for most of the morning.

(see more images in the photographic gallery)

Capturing the garden up close

After giving the K5 a good workout capturing nest-building and hummingbird action, it was time to do a little macro photography.

The jury is out on whether to use a tripod for macro work these days. The combination of being able to crank up the ISO to high levels and the availability of impressive in-camera stabilization has convinced many photographers to forego the tripod and shoot handheld. Although I have shot using this method in the past, the situation lent itself to using a tripod.

Clematis shot with Pentax K5 and 50mm F2.8 manual focus macro lens. Pentax K5, 1/50th sec, F7.1, ISO 400.

Using a tripod can be a real pain, but it forces you to slow down and think about what you are trying to achieve. At the same time, a tripod allows you to use a lower ISO to create an image with less noise and more apparent sharpness.

The Pentax manual focus 50mm f2.8 macro lens was used to capture this image of fuschia. Pentax K5, 1/125 sec, f3.2, ISO 200.

Few flowers were blooming at the time, but I was able to use the remaining early morning open shade to focus in on a combination of annuals and perennials using the 50mm SMC f2.8 “A” manual focus macro lens on the K5.

Unlike more modern mirrorless cameras, the K5 offers nothing special to assist photographers with manual focus, except the live view mode that shows the image on the large 3-inch, 912K pixel LCD screen on the back of the camera. There are no “marching ants” to help ensure the subject is in focus, but the Live View is a useful feature to help nail manual focus on the camera.

The 50mm macro is a sweet lens that I use both on my Pentax cameras – the K5 and IstD – as well as my Olympus kit. I can also use it with the Pentax Q system with an adapter. On the miniaturized Pentax Q, the 50mm macro becomes a 250mm macro with the crop factor. On the Olympus, with a crop factor of two, the lens becomes a sweet little 100mm macro.

The 50mm macro is perfect for flower photography. If I was shooting insects or butterflies, I would have used a 100mm macro allowing the same magnification from a longer distance.

When using the tripod, it’s a good idea to turn off camera stabilization and either use an electronic shutter release, or the 3-second delayed shutter release built into the camera’s operating system. A button on the back of the camera gives you instant access to the delayed shutter, which is more convenient than having to go into the camera’s menu.

Speaking of the camera’s menu system, anyone familiar with using Pentax will find the menu system is easy to use and laid out in a very intuitive way.

Agapanthus in bloom in the garden.

This image shows clematis flowers just prior to blooming. The 50mm macro together with the K5 was able to pick up details such as the fine hairs on the plant. Pentax K5, 1/100 sec, f2.8, ISO 400.

(see more images in the Pentax K5 gallery)

Taking advantage of a backyard studio and photo blind

Unless you can find some open shade or use a flash to even out the light, mid-day is usually a good time to take a photography break.

Later that afternoon, I decided to test the camera and 300mm lens out in the photographic blind and small outdoor photo studio I created in a corner of the yard. It’s a small reflection pond with a natural backdrop that has helped me capture many good images of birds, squirrels and chipmunks in a natural setting. Here’s a link for more information on creating a natural outdoor photo studio.

The combination of a portable Tragopan photographic blind and the DIY outdoor photo studio creates the ideal opportunity to create professional looking bird and wildlife images at any time.

Although I was unable to get the chipmunk or birds to work their way down to the water where it’s possible to get reflection images, I was able to get a few nice shots of one of the local chipmunks.

I set the blind up about 10-12 feet from the outdoor studio and am able to get frame-filling images with the Pentax K5 and 300mm lens. A small hill filled with wildflowers and shrubs behind the outdoor studio helped create a natural, soft green background.

Here are a few images from an hour or two of shooting in the afternoon.

A chipmunk is photographed in a natural setting in afternoon light with the Pentax K5 and 300mm lens. A Tragopan blind together with a DIY outdoor natural studio helps make these shots possible. Pentax K5, 1/160sec, ISO 400, F4.5.

The Pentax K5 and evening light

As evening settled in, it was a good time to change over to my 28-105mm wide angle lens for some general garden photography.

Even after hundreds of images, the battery remained strong. In addition, the K5’s impressive viewfinder showing 100% coverage and includes diopter adjustment, proved comfortable to use over the course of the day.

Look for interesting compositions in the garden. It does not have to be an extreme close up of a single flower. I used the 300mm lens to capture this image and create a more compressed perspective. Pentax K5, 1/250 sec, f5.6, ISO1600.

Ergonomically, the camera is comfortable in the hand with a large protruding grip in the front that makes handling even larger lenses easy. A wheel in the front and another in the back provides easy access to controls, and the separate exposure compensation button and ISO button on top of the camera provides access to two of the most-used features photographers need.

The camera is well laid out and is easy to use. A separate drive is available but not necessary unless you feel you need the extra grip and battery power.

Pentax K5: A water and dust resistant work horse

There’s a good reason that the Pentax K5 has garnered a reputation as a stalwart work horse. Its 16 megapixel CMOS sensor, together with its easy handling, in-body stabilization and array of modes and filters makes it an ideal camera for photo enthusiasts and advanced amateurs. Add to that it’s water and dust resistant, making it a good choice for outdoor professional photographers, especially if it is teamed up with one of Pentax’s weather resistant lenses.

If specifications are your thing, please click on this link to go to the Dpreview photography website, where you will be greeted by more specs than you could ever hope for in life.

Here is a list of the key features of the Pentax K5.

• 16.3Mp CMOS sensor

• ISO sensitivity span of 80-51,200 (equivalent)

• 1080p HD movie mode

• Limited in-camera movie editing functionality

• Socket for external microphone input

• Triple-axis sensor-based shake reduction (horizontal, vertical and rotational correction)

• New SAFOX IX+ 11-point AF system (improved over the K-7)

• Support for older Pentax lenses with manual aperture rings

• Magnesium alloy body shell

• Improved handheld HDR function (JPEG mode only)

• Continuous shooting up to 7fps

• 100% viewfinder coverage (0.92x magnification)

• Choice of PEF or DNG RAW files

• 3in, 921k pixel LCD screen

Would I buy the Pentax K5 today?

Buying a Pentax K5 today could be an exceptionally good purchase for a photographer looking for a solid camera at a very good price. If you are an advanced amateur looking to dive deeper into nature photography and have no need for the latest and greatest camera, I would highly recommend tracking down a good used body.

The weather and dust resistant qualities of the camera make it exceptional for outdoor use in inclement weather conditions and the availability of high quality Pentax lenses and those from third-party manufacturers, makes it an affordable choice.

If you can get the IIs version without the anti-aliasing filter, always choose that one over the regular K5 or slightly upgraded K5 II.

Happy shooting.

Simple solar fountain adds sparkle to your birdbath

This Robin was attracted to the moving water of the DIY solar fountain that was originally a dripper. (See image below.)

Moving water attracts birds and creates sound in the garden

Solar fountains not only look and sound great, they can become a big factor in attracting a greater variety of birds to our bird baths.

We have several solar fountains in the garden operating in our water features, including one in a new project that incorporates a solar fountain driving a mini waterfalls in our container pond. There is also a larger solar panel powering our on-ground bubbling rock where birds, chipmunks and squirrels regularly visit to either bathe or get a drink from the bubbling rock or the small pond where the water pools.

In another area, a floating fountain bubbles over in our DIY naturalistic bird bath. This is a favourite of chickadees, cardinals, nuthatches and a host of woodpeckers as well as squirrels and chipmunks that can easily access the bird bath from a nearby dogwood or a small concrete bench.

And finally, a lovely copper and slate dripper turned DIY solar fountain, provides a source of moving water in our most prized copper bird bath. (Click on the link, for the full story on converting the dripper to a DIY fountain)

Together, these water features combine to help create a backyard wildlife garden that is attractive to an assortment of wildlife from birds, to mammals, amphibians and reptiles. What many of us probably don’t realize is that a water source is vital to all types of wildlife. In fact, our garden wildlife are more dependent on water than most of us realize.

It’s important also to provide garden wildlife with water they can easily access. A birdbath doesn’t always accomplish that for small animals.

For more on adding water to your garden, check out my earlier posts

• Tips for using water to Attract Birds

• Garden Pond vs Patio pond.

This dripper was hooked up to a solar-powered pump to convert it to a small solar fountain. The solar panel can be seen in the background on the evergreen.

What birds art attracted to moving water?

Many birds are particularly attracted to moving water. Visually, the sparkle of moving water catch the attention of birds either flying over the garden or simply moving about. During migration in spring and fall, the moving water might be a factor on bringing unusual birds into your garden for a brief visit.

In addition, the movement of the water is a signal that the water is not stagnant and may send a message that the water is fresh and a more healthy choice.

Hummingbirds, Orioles, Jays, Robins and Goldfinches are just a few of the birds that are attracted to moving water. Add to that list Bluebirds, Chickadees, Nuthatches and even Woodpeckers.

Our large solar panel (8X13 inches), complete with its separate solar battery controller, is used to drive our small bubbling rock. The battery allows the pump to be used on shady days and into the evening when there is no sunlight available.

Why use solar rather than regular electrical outlets?

The solar panels I am speaking about are ridiculously inexpensive.

I usually order mine from Amazon, (link to solar fountains) but recently purchased two for a great price from Walmart’s on line outlet. The solar panels and pumps were less than $25 each and arrived to my home in less than two weeks. These pumps are so efficient that they likely pay for themselves in the first year.

But, more importantly, unlike traditional electrical outlets that limit where you can use the power, these small solar panels and pumps can be moved around the yard to your liking.

The small solar panel come with a long electrical cord to allow the panel to be moved a distance to catch the sun.

Want that bird bath in a different corner of the yard? Just move it along with the tiny 4.5-inch X 4.5-inch solar panel and tiny pump.

In addition, the safety aspect of using these small solar panels makes them indispensable in the garden.

With solar, there are no more worries about having children or pets around potentially dangerous electrical outlets combined with water.

Sure, the power output of these little pumps is nowhere near the potential power of traditional electrical outlets, but in most cases that amount of power is not needed unless you need a heavy flow of water over a waterfalls or a bubbling rock. Solar can still deliver that kind of power but it involves purchasing a much larger and more expensive solar-powered system.

A floating solar powered fountain can be an ideal addition to a larger birdbath that spends enough time in the sun to keep the floating fountain on for significant parts of the day. I use stones to keep the fountain in the centre of the birdbath.

Solar falls short in the shade

Of course, these solar pumps are far from perfect.

If you are looking for power to drive a lot of water, you won’t be satisfied with these mini pumps. And, if you set up your fountain in a shady part of the garden, you may not get enough sun to power the pump through the small solar panel.

Even if you do get sun at the location you have set up your fountain, you’ll have to move the solar panel throughout the day to follow the sun. Thankfully, the panel comes with a long chord to help you find a sunny area near the pump.

The solution is to step up to a solar panel that includes batteries that store the power so that it is always available, including in the evening when there is no hope of tapping into the suns energy.

Similar to solar lights that store the sun’s energy during the day and then operate at night, these solar panels include a replaceable battery or batteries that enables the user to flip a switch in the evening to run the water pump.

The solar pump we use to drive our bubbling rock incorporates a solar battery that allows us to drive the water and a small LED light during the evening. The problem is that the solar panel is much larger and harder to hide in the garden. If you are okay with garden visitors being able to see your larger solar panel (8X13 inches) than these higher end solar pumps solve that problem nicely.

External viewfinders compared: TTArtisan vs Lichifit

You get what you pay for with tiny Lichifit external viewfinders

When it comes to the tiny Lichifit external optical viewfinders, you definitely get what you pay for.

For the cost of a couple of fancy coffees from your favourite barista, you can have the tiny, all-plastic optical viewfinder on your favourite digicam setup.

The tiny Lichifit external optical viewfinder looks at home on the compact Lumix LX7.

Some photographers will definitely prefer to save their money to buy the fancy coffees rather than fork out the money for this viewfinder, but there will be plenty of photographers who are satisfied with this inexpensive accessory that fits into the hotshoe of their favourite camera.

Judging from the number of street photographers using these inexpensive finders on YouTube, the viewfinders’ quality levels are not a limiting factor to their usage.

The Olympus Pen E-PL2 with the TT Artisan viewfinder.

For more on using external viewfinders, check out my post on the Olympus PEN series of cameras. Go to the Olympus camera website for more information.

Their popularity may be the result of street photographers not needing the highest resolution in a viewfinder. Let’s face it, many of the images they create are shot from the hip and are not even seen until the photographers review their images at the end of the day.

It’s all about speed and getting the shot rather than taking the time to examine the details in the image.

These viewfinders are perfect, stealth accessories that work well if you are just grabbing a shot and need a quick framing of the scene.

Click on the link for my comprehensive post on the high-quality, TTArtisan 28mm viewfinder pictured below on the left.

The external optional viewfinders on these Pentax Q cameras show the significant difference between the TTArtisan 28mm viewfinder and the tiny Lichifit 28mm viewfinder.

How small are they?

These things are extremely small and super light.

The good news is that they are so small that you can easily slip a digicam with one of these viewfinders attached into a camera bag or the pocket of a jacket. The viewfinder itself (or several viewfinders for other prime lenses) could also be tucked into a pocket of your camera bag or pocket and pulled out when you need one.

The tiny Lichifit 28mm external viewfinder fits nicely on the miniature Pentax Q line of cameras.

It’s hard to imagine how small these viewfinders actually are.

In fact, I ordered the 28mm TTArtisan finder at the same time as I ordered the 28mm Lichifit finder. When the package came, I didn’t even know that the lightweight Lichifit finder was even included in a separate padded bag.

It wasn’t until I went to throw out the packaging that I noticed the tiny viewfinder tucked away in an envelope in bubble wrap.

Small and lightweight is an understatement.

A rear view looking through the viewfinder of the tiny Lichifit 28mm external viewfinder fitted atop the Pentax Q.

Are they good for landscape and garden photography?

I’m not sure these viewfinders work as well with landscape or garden photographers as they do for street photographers. Landscape photographers need to see a higher level of detail through the viewfinder than, say, a street photographer.

The slightly blurry image and distortion that these finders deliver would be, I believe, frustrating for some landscape, garden and travel photographers.

If given the choice, I would rather save my money and purchase the TTArtisan viewfinder even if it is probably triple the cost of these cheap, mini, plastic viewfinders.

For these photographers, investing in a higher quality viewfinder like the TTArtisan is something you may want to consider.

The good news is that the Lichifit finders are so inexpensive to purchase, that it might be worth it to try one out and decide for yourself if you can live with the slight blur and distortion caused by the plastic in the viewfinders.

This image shows the Olympus Pen system with the viewfinder attached.

Why you might want a Lichifit viewfinder

• If having an inexpensive, quick look is more important than seeing a crystal clear image through the finder, then one of these may work for you.

• If you are looking for a tiny, extremely lightweight viewfinder, then you might like this accessory.

• Or, if you need a large selection of viewfinders to match up with your many prime lenses, a set of these inexpensive finders may just work well for you.

• They are available in a range of funky colours that might work with your camera, especially if you are the owner of one of the Pentax Q custom coloured cameras.

It’s important to note that, like the TTArtisan viewfinders, no information is transmitted from the camera to the viewfinder. There is no f-stop, shutter speed or focus confirmation in these viewfinders. They are used to get a view of the image at times where you either don’t want to use the camera’s LCD or are unable to use it because of excessive glare on it from the sun.

Two Pentax Qs show the size and style differences of the optional external viewfinders.

If the TTArtisan line of optical viewfinders are exquisitely made, stylish accessories with high-quality optical glass, these Lichifit finders can almost be described as the exact opposite.

In other words, the Lichifit finders are tiny, cheap and not very sharp.

They also lack the highly-desirable vintage look that the TTArtisan finders exude with confidence.

Add to that, there is much less of a coolness factor using one of these whether you are out in the field or at the coffee shop reviewing your images.

I do like the tiny footprint, especially when I use it on my miniature Pentax Qs and the equally small Lumix LX7. They look good on these cameras and I can live with any parallax problems that might occur.

The company says the viewfinders are “small transparent and bright, and are very coordinated to install on various side axis cameras.”

They advertise the finders, which come in 28mm, 35mm and 40mm options, are good to “replace an old, broken or non-working optical side axis viewfinder, easy to use and stable performance.”

The company does not recommend they be used with high SLR cameras because of the potential for parallax problems.

Unfortunately, where these quick-and-dirty viewfinders fall far too short are the optical qualities. Looking through the viewfinder’s results in a slightly blurry image that is probably just a little too soft for my liking, even considering the price.

Does that mean I can’t or won’t use the little 28mm? No, not by a long shot. It’s usable, but it won’t be anywhere near as enjoyable to use as the TTArtisan viewfinders.

If given the choice, I would rather save my money and purchase the TTArtisan viewfinder even if it is probably triple the cost of these cheap, mini, plastic viewfinders.

Why you need the TTArtisan optical viewfinder(s)

Exquisitely made, exceptionally beautiful: And they work great

The TTArtisan optical viewfinder makes the perfect addition to any digital or film camera that lacks an optical viewfinder. The viewfinders, available in both 21mm and 28mm are exquisitely made, elegant to look at and an ideal companion to anything from a Leica to a Pentax Q.

If a viewfinder on your camera is important to you, but you are stuck with one of the many modern non-viewfinder digicams, you owe it to yourself to check out one of the TTArtisan optical viewfinders.

And, if looking sophisticated while you’re out photographing in the field or checking out your images at the local coffee shop ranks right up there with your photographic results, then you need to run out immediately and pick up one of these little gems as fast as physically possible.

For more on the TT Artisan, check out my story on the Olympus PEN camera system.

Are there parallax correction problems? Of course. Without the highlight lines in the finder, it’s difficult to get exact framing. And, if you look into and to the right or left in the viewfinder you are able to see much more of the view. My response: by using the viewfinder regularly, you’ll get a good feel of how the it performs and, unless you are a real stickler for details, you’ll be happy with its performance.

“Like the sound of a Leica shutter in action, there is something simply elegant about a beautiful camera with an exquisitely designed viewfinder that makes you want to bring it up to your eye and use it at every opportunity possible. ”

The TTArtisan optical viewfinders are an elegant photography accessory to any camera but especially those that lack their own viewfinders forcing the photographer to use the LCD screen on the back of the camera.

Whether it’s the 28 or the larger 21mm optical viewfinder, these exquisitely made glass and black anodized aluminum viewfinders made in China are an absolutely gorgeous addition to even the most expensive digital or 35mm film cameras. Leica comes to mind, but I’ll be pairing my 28mm TTArtisan viewfinder with my Pentax Q and Lumix LX7 cameras. Panasonic does sell it’s own very similar optical viewfinder for a considerably higher price.

It’s important to note that none – not a bit – of the information like F-stop, shutter speed or focus indicator is passed through to the finder. There are no electrical contacts on these viewfinders.

(Click here for my review of the Pentax Q)

The TTArtisan optical viewfinder pairs beautifully with the Pentax Q system of miniature cameras.

The company’s information points out that: “The TTArtisan viewfinder can be used on cameras with cold shoe mounts, such as the Ricoh GR, the Leica rangefinder cameras, old-fashioned film cameras, etc. For cameras with the original viewfinder, the TTArtisan viewfinder can be used as a great decoration.”

My recommendation is: Just get one. You won’t be disappointed. Heck, pick up both the 28mm and 21mm while they are still reasonably priced.

I got mine on sale from AliExpress for a good price, but you can also purchase them from Amazon and some of the better photographic outlets.

The TTArtisan 28mm optical viewfinder pairs beautifully with my Lumix LX7. While lacking all of the communication available with the Panasonic electronic viewfinder, the TTArtisan is still useful at the wide end and adds a touch of class to the camera.

This image from the TTArtisan website shows the viewfinder being used on the very popular Ricoh GR digital camera.

Trust me, you’ll love using it and, as a bonus, look incredibly cool in the process.

I have to admit that, while I need a viewfinder for those bright sunny days when trying to read the back of the LCD screen on my cameras is next to impossible, it was actually the cool factor that really got me to pull out the credit card.

Not that I need to look cool. Thankfully, I’m well past that time in my life. What’s cool, however, is the camera – any camera – with one of these mounted on the flash hotshoe.

Image shows both the 28 and 21mm TTArtisan viewfinders. The 21mm is significantly larger than the 28mm.

Why does adding a viewfinder even matter?

It matters for two reasons.

First is that using a viewfinder rather than the LCD on the back of the camera will almost always give you a sharper image. The viewfinder acts as a point of contact with your face and can be an important factor in getting a sharper image.

The second reason a viewfinder matters is because a camera that you fall in love with is a camera that’s going to get a lot more use. Holding the camera, bringing the viewfinder up to your eye, and looking through the optical glass can be truly inspirational if not a little nostalgic.

There is no denying the joy I get from using the finder. It just makes you want to take the camera out on the streets and into the garden to put it to use.

The 28mm TTArtisan veiwfinder is an elegant addition to everything from a Leica film camera to a modern digital camera that lacks a viewfinder.

Like the sound of a Leica shutter in action, there is something simply elegant about a beautiful camera with an exquisitely designed viewfinder that makes you want to bring it up to your eye and use it at every opportunity possible.

And, let’s face it, photography for most of us is about enjoying the process, being inspired and making works of art that satisfy our creative needs.

We all know, however, that looks aren’t everything. In the end, the product needs to provide some semblance of utility to make it worth purchasing, carrying around in your camera bag and taking the trouble to attach it to the hotshoe.

How do the TTArtisan viewfinders perform?

Do the TTArtisan viewfinders perform as expected. Absolutely.

Are they perfect? Absolutely not.

To be a little critical, the viewfinder’s biggest problem is the lack of lines on the glass that allow the user to compose the image accurately. Higher-end viewfinders will include engraved lines that show the user what they can expect to capture with say a 21mm, 28mm or even 35mm … lens.

The 28mm TTArtisan viewfinder adds a sophistication to the Lumix LX7 digicam.

My 28mm viewfinder, for example, should have lines showing a 28mm point-of-view and maybe even a 35mm view. That would make it the perfect optical finder, and allow me to use it with greater confidence that I would capture the exact image I was trying to capture at both the 28 and 35mm focal lengths.

As one reviewer wrote: “Good looking, excellent optics and build. BUT... Guys, why no bright frames inside !?!?
You can’t make accurate framing and composing – can’t tell the actual frame border without help of bright frame inside viewfinder!..”

A fair comment. Most of us, however, don’t use a viewfinder like the TTArtisan for precision framing of our images. On the street, we’re using it to get a very quick, general idea of the image we are taking without having to look at the camera’s LCD. In the garden, we just need a general idea of the image and any cropping needed can be done in post processing.

Even the packaging that comes with the TTArtisan viewfinders hints at the quality of the item.

If the sun is bright and the reflective glare off the LCD makes it difficult to view, we just need to get a good idea of what we are photographing. This viewfinder delivers under those circumstances.

I think that a high precision optical viewfinder complete with focal length lines was much more important when photographers were shooting only film. With the evolution of digital photography, where images can be cropped easily in Lightroom, Photoshop or another post processing tool, the ability to see precisely what we are photographing is less critical. And, if we have a situation where it is critical, we can always use the LCD on the back of the camera.

So, unless you can’t live without critical information showing the exact image you are photographing, the TTartisan 21mm and/or 28mm optical viewfinders are a perfect addition to your viewfinderless digital or film cameras at a very reasonable price.

Two external optional viewfinders compared. The TTArtisan viewfinder on the left compared to the tiny, inexpensive Lichifit 28mm finder on the right. For the complete comparison post, go to external viewfinders comparison.

A rubberized surround makes it easy for photographers to use the viewfinder with glasses and a convenient carrying pouch helps protect the viewfinder when it’s tucked away in your camera bag. I have not experienced it but apparently the rubber surround can be easily knocked off the viewfinder. If this becomes a problem, a little supper glue will probably solve the problem.

The company also notes, in its on-line literature, that the “optical glass has good light transmittance and multiple high-quality coatings, which provides a good experience for framing.

• Rubber Eyepiece: The side of the eyepiece is wrapped with a circle of odorless rubber, which protects the eyes well.

• Compact and Portable: The viewfinder weighs only 51/33 grams

• Anodized Aluminum: Elegant design complete with aviation aluminum material

The optical glass in the TTArtisan viewfinders provides excellent clarity.

Lens and optical viewfinder - the perfect combo

I am planning to use my viewfinder with zoom lenses that include the 28mm focal length, but the veiwfinders are ideally meant to be paired with prime 28mm and 21mm lenses including, of course, the very affordable TTartisan lenses sold for various camera manufacturers from Leica to Sony, Fuji and the like.

Pairing the optical viewfinders with their lens counterparts make for exquisite combinations that create the ideal photographic experience while increasing the “cool factor” off the charts.

Mastering photography in the garden, on vacation and at the computer

Cashing in on KelbyOne’s photographic expertise

Let’s face it, our smartphones are great, but to capture truly memorable images of our gardens, vacations, pets or our kids and grandchildren, we are going to need a decent camera.

And we are going to have to learn at least the basics before we begin using our camera with any real confidence.

That’s where KelbyOne comes into the picture.

This on-line treasure trove of how-to videos has not only made learning to use our cameras extremely simple, it offers the budding photographer the opportunity to grow their skills and knowledge at your own pace in the comfort of your own home. Need to be part of a community for one-on-one interaction and problem solving? They’ve got that too, as well as a regular newsletter to help photographers take their images to higher levels through the use of Photoshop, Lightroom and other valuable photo software.

And it’s fun.

Heck, it’s a lot of fun. Just the idea of sitting at home with a tea or coffee – being able to call up one of the more than 900 videos on the laptop and getting help from expert instructors – is almost unimaginable to this grizzled old photographer who cut his teeth on Kodachrome slide film and grainy B&W film.

How times have changed.

It was a few years ago that I purchased my first 35mm camera right out of university and went to work learning everything I could about it and the art of photography.

I still have many of the original books that I poured over to learn about the master photographers and outstanding photojournalists of their day – Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa, Ansel Adams and the like. The impressive, but completely out of date, Time Life series of books still sit on one of our shelves collecting dust.

Yes, times have certainly changed.

KelbyOne offers a terrific close-up course or macro photography course.

What type of photo courses are offered at KelbyOne

I still love my old photography books, but they just can’t compare to the ease and enjoyment of on-line learning from some of the best photographers in the industry. Experts in their field coming straight into the comfort of your home to give you a course on macro photography, capturing backyard birds, travel photography, photographing children, toddlers, pets, portraiture, architecture and, of course, perfecting landscapes, just to name a few.

Speaking from experience: On-line courses are valuable resource

I have been lucky enough to take two of the KelbyOne courses recently.

The first – Fujifilm ambassador Karen Hutton’s informative close-up and macro photography course – proved to be truly inspirational. Although the detailed information she imparted on equipment was useful, it was her approach to using close-up and macro photography as a means to create a photographic story that inspired me to take a new approach to my own close-up and macro photography.

Click on the link for my full story on Karen Hutton’s close-up photography course.

Hutton encourages photographers to take multiple images of a subject, showing it in its natural environment before moving in closer to capture finer and finer details. The resulting photo essay provides a more complete picture than a photographer could hope to create with any single image.

This approach gives both the photographer and the viewer a much greater understanding of the subject.

Hutton’s enthusiasm for her work adds to her inspirational approach and creates a friendly feel to the whole experience. Watching her video is more akin to hanging out in the field with a photo friend, than it is about an hour of photography instruction.

I highly recommend enrolling in her close-up and macro photography course if you have any interest in documenting your garden and its inhabitants up close, or if you have stayed away from close-up photography because you have been uncomfortable with the traditional tools needed to be successful.

Rick Sammon's course on photographing backyard birds is an excellent way to learn about photographing birds.

Photographing backyard birds with Rick Sammon

The second on-line course I was lucky enough to take was from Rick Sammon.

His course, like Karen’s, is not designed for expert bird photographers with the longest, most expensive lenses.

I would recommend this course for anyone looking to use their existing lenses to capture backyard birds as well as birds at sanctuaries and parks where they are accustomed to people. If you are simply looking for tips or to brush up on your skills, this course will set you on the right path.

Rick loves to share his knowledge almost as much as he enjoys sharing his work.

Click on the link for more on Rick Sammon’s course on photographing backyard birds.

That includes, at last count, more than 50 books on photography, regular monthly articles in Outdoor Photography and an envious portfolio of more than 25 instructional courses on KelbyOne, The Ultimate Source for Photography Education. In fact, Photographing Backyard Birds is his 25th course offered on KelbyOne.

The one-hour course features a total of 250 slides to help illustrate his talks and keep viewers focused on capturing great photographs. Many of the images include tips on post processing in both Lightroom and Photoshop, including examples of images that many of us would discard. Rick also shows us how most can be saved through post processing.

Rick starts with the basics and progresses through photographing around garden ponds and lakes. He offers tips on ISO settings, anticipating action, creating controlled backyard sessions, and tips to learn from your mistakes.

He kicks off the video with 11 tips every bird photographer needs to know. The tips provide an ideal starting point for viewers and helps to set the tone for what to expect.

For those of us thinking about getting into backyard bird photography, Rick’s course is an ideal starting point. For those who have some experience shooting backyard birds but want to take it to the next level, Rick’s expertise is worth tapping into for just a few dollars.

Since, we have already spent a lot of money on cameras, lenses and accessories, it makes sense to spend a little more to learn from Rick’s expertise.

What is the KelbyOne photography program?

Before I explain the KelbyOne on-line photography program, let’s take a look at the founder of the program, Scott Kelby.

I was introduced to his work many years ago when I purchased one of his incredibly informative Photoshop books from my local Costco. Since then, he has gone on to write a plethora of books and articles on everything from Lightroom and Photoshop to getting the most out of your iphone camera.

Scott is the brains behind KelbyOne, the extensive on-line photography educational program boasting more than 100 of the world’s best and most entertaining photographers sharing their knowledge and expertise with the photographic community and anyone looking to expand their knowledge about their hobby or their chosen profession.

It’s all online and can be accessed from your computer, tablet or even from your phone. There is no need to leave the comfort of your home to gain a wealth of knowledge.

There are courses on everything from iphone photography to travel photography, portraiture, creative landscapes and Black & White photography to name a few of the more than 900 on-line courses available. There are several courses on using and mastering Lightroom and Photoshop

Students can purchase courses individually for as low as $9.95 or by monthly subscriptions for less than $20.00. There is also a yearly membership for those looking for the ultimate learning experience. The courses offer something for everyone whether your are a beginner, hobby photographer, or a seasoned professional.

“Our goal here is to make learning something that you look forward to. This way you, our community of photographers, can move past the hurdles and bring to life the images that are stuck inside of you. We feel like the content has to be fun, cinematic, and inspiring, and taught by the most personable and experienced photographers in the industry,” states the KelbyOne site.

From a tiny acorn, a mighty Oak grows

Our mighty oaks have humble roots

“Large streams from little fountains flow, Tall oaks from little acorns grow”

– D. Everett in The Columbian Orator, 1797

Our neighbour’s giant oak tree crashed to the ground several years ago. I guess it had lived its life to the fullest and was now offering itself up to the earth.

But, its work was not finished.

All around it, in our yard and, I imagine, many yards in the neighbourhood, this giant oak’s offspring had already begun their own lifelong journeys.

All from a little acorn that had fallen from the old oak tree and likely forgotten by a resident squirrel after it buried the acorn in the ground with the hope of using it for a meal in the cold of winter.

Just in case you were not aware, the seed of an oak tree, the “nut,” is called an acorn.

There is no tree more important in our yards than the oak tree. While some can grow massive, there are others that can work in today’s smaller yards.

It is believed that the average 100-year-old oak tree will produce as many as 2,200 acorns per year. That number will go up significantly during high production years that can occur every four to ten years.

I often find small oak saplings growing on our property. In spring, I move them to safer areas to grow in the back of the garden where they are safe and have a much better chance of growing to maturity. Often, during the move, remnants of the woody acorn shell remains on the small roots, a stark reminder of the the saplings’ origins.

If you are trying to decide whether or not to plant an Oak tree in your yard, The Nature of Oaks will certainly help you make that decision. This valuable book highlights the incredible benefits of these important trees.

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For more on the importance of oak trees in our garden and natural landscapes take a few moments to check out my other posts on Oak trees:

• What tree should I plant in my yard.

• Columnar Oak: Perfect for today’s smaller yards

• Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy.

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It should not be forgotten that of the more than 2,000 acorns per year that fall from a mature oak, very few of those seeds grow into oak trees themselves. In fact, it is estimated that only one acorn in 10,000 will grow up to be an oak tree.

Some species of oaks bear acorns yearly, while others bear every two years.

The remainder provide food and even shelter for much of the wildlife in our yards.

It’s hard to believe how hard oaks work for the earth’s creatures.

How important are oaks to our wildlife?

In his highly acclaimed book Bringing Nature Home, How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Douglas Tallamy spells out clearly the vital role Oaks play in the natural environment and how important they are to include in our gardens.

He writes: In a study in Illinoise, John Nill and Robert Marquis (2003) found that a singe white oak tree can provide food and shelter for as many as 22 species of tiny leaf-tying and leaf-folding caterpillars, insects most people never notice on their walks in the woods.”

And that is just a tiny fraction of the fauna in your garden that depend on a single oak tree. In fact, the mighty oak supports 534 species of fauna, more than any other tree we can plant in our gardens.

It is followed by the willows, cherries and plums, in importance to fauna. All good choices when it comes to deciding what tree to plant in your garden.

If the Oak’s importance to wildlife is not enough, consider that of the 400 species of Oak, North America boasts 90 different species with 75-80 in the United States and 10 in Canada.

How long do Oaks usually live?

Oak trees traditionally live for hundreds of years. There’s a good chance your children will be watching the tree enter middle age long after you’re gone.

In Ontario and northeastern United States, that white oak you plant will grow more than 35 metres (that’s more than 114 feet) tall, can live for several hundred years and produce thousands of acorns every year to feed deer, squirrels (including flying, red and gray), chipmunks, wild turkeys, crows, rabbits, bears, mice, opossums, blue jays, quail, raccoons and even wood ducks just to name a few.

As Tallamy points out: “The value of oaks for supporting both vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife cannot be overstated.”

He explains that oaks along with hickories, walnuts and American beech, have stepped up to the plate following the demise of the American chestnut in supplying nut forage for various forms of fauna.

In addition, oaks – both living and dead – provide nesting cavities for our backyard birds ranging from chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, owls and even bluebirds.

The tree species real genius, however, is what we alluded to earlier, and that is the astounding number of insect herbivores that oaks support in the forest ecosystem.

“From this perspective, oaks are the quintessential wildlife plants: no other plant genus supports more species of Lepidoptera, thus providing more types of bird food, than the mighty oak,” Tallamy writes.

(If you are wondering what a Lepidoptera is: They represent an order of about 180,000 species in 126 families and 46 superfamilies of insects that includes butterflies and moths. It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect order in the world, and your average oak is full of them.)

And all from the tiny acorn.

Squirrel proof bird feeder strategies: Going for gold

Best squirrel proof bird feeders: How to set up a feeding station and cages to keep them out

Our squirrels train everyday to beat us at our own game. Like the ultimate Olympian, they don’t seem to give up, don’t feel fear, and don’t seem to care about a little pain or even feel sorry for us when they win gold and walk away with a full belly of our finest bird food.

A cage helps, so do weight-sensitive feeders, but it takes more than just throwing them up in the nearest tree to guarantee successs.

So how do we keep squirrels out of our bird feeders?

They know what so many of us fail to accept – there are no squirrel proof bird feeders. There are feeders that work well most of the time and baffles that stop them in their tracks – for a time anyway – but there is nothing that can guarantee that squirrels aren’t getting fed on any given day.

We can try to keep squirrels at bay with a host of elaborate combinations baffles, cages and pressure sensitive feeders, but in the end there is always that one squirrel that accepts any challenge we throw at it with great gusto.

Baffles go a long way to keeping bird feeding station free of squirrels.

I have a name for these squirrels. I call them my Olympic calibre squirrels and right now we have one that comes in the form of a large grey male squirrel that, I swear, has no respect for me, my expensive bird feeders or the baffles meant to keep him on the ground.

My approach to keeping the squirrels off my feeders is a simple one and involves a single, centralized feeding station in an area where the squirrels are unable to access from above or from ground level.

He may not respect me, but I have the utmost respect for him.

I can live with one squirrel occasionally getting up on the feeder. The problem is when the entire neighbourhood has access to my expensive feed.

And, I can say with great certainty that there are very few yards with more squirrels than mine. Winter, spring, summer, fall, it doesn’t matter. There are always a handful of squirrels looking for a handout. Grey, black and red squirrels with a good mix of chipmunks thrown in just for fun.

Our resident red fox has taken care of some of them but the squirrels and chipmunks are always ready to restock with their kin whenever the numbers get manageable.

So it goes without saying that my vigilance is paramount at all times.

Harming squirrels is not the answer

First, let me say that I never harm our squirrels in any way. I don’t use the hot, spicy bird seed and I refuse to use the spinning feeders that just seem cruel to me. Maybe the squirrels like to go for a spinny ride once in a while, but I can’t help but think that the spinning feeders go just a little too far to protect a handful of bird seed.

My approach to keeping the squirrels off my feeders is a simple one and involves a single, centralized feeding station in an area where the squirrels are unable to access from above or from ground level. Although there are a lot of trees around the feeder, any limbs are kept cut back enough that even an Olympic calibre squirrel can’t score a medal with its best jump.

By using a bird feeding station rather than individual feeders, I am able to use a number of different, less expensive feeders and specialty feeders that the squirrels can’t get to. These include everything from simple hopper feeders to suet feeders and compressed seed cylinders.

The key is to keep the feeding station away from areas that allow the squirrels to jump up or down on the feeders.

I could give readers specific distances that the feeder station needs to be away from objects where the squirrels are capable of leaping from, but I think every situation is unique and needs a certain amount of individual experimentation. A good starting point, however is at least four feet off the ground and about ten feet from above for the daring aerial acrobats.

Our biggest weakness is usually an approach from ground level where, like a basketball player, a good vertical jumper can score almost every time.

The most success our squirrels have had is when I have left a feeder dangle too low to the ground.

Our most talented athletes manage to take a running leap off the large baffle flinging themselves into the air – often with an impressive twist or even what appears to be a salkow? – and then grasping the feeder with a toe hold any Olympic wrestler would be proud to have in their arsenal.

Squirrel and raccoon baffles are excellent deterrents

I use a combination of a large steel raccoon baffle as a first defence followed by a cap baffle (see image above) that sits on top of the raccoon baffle and provides the final defence. If they can jump past this combination, the bird seed is toast.

Once defeat is guaranteed, I’ve got one more deterrent that works well. Like any good defence, it involves bending but not breaking and works on the premise that all that work to get up on the feeders probably isn’t worth it.

I like to call it “the pantry is almost empty but go ahead and help yourself.”

It involves simply refraining from the urge to fill up your feeders to the point where it’s not really worthwhile for the squirrels to make the effort to get on the feeders. This won’t stop them for a second, but it will cut your losses if one or two manage to out jump your barriers and go for gold.

What if you can’t or don’t want to use a single pole bird feeding station?

There are lots of reasons to not want to use a centralized feeding station in your yard.

I love the look of beautiful bird feeders hanging in a tree being visited by cardinals, chickadees and a host of finches.

It’s an idyllic look in any woodland garden and one that we should all be able to enjoy without the annoyance of having squirrels swinging like monkeys from every bird feeder in the yard.

There are lots of options available. A quick search on Amazon provides a long list of squirrel proof feeders with some obviously more effective than others.

Squirrel deterrent feeders can be expensive

The answer involves the ability to dig into your pocket, pull out your wallet and hit the cashier at the high-end bird feeding store with your credit card without flinching.

It can get expensive.

Eliminator from WBU

A good feeder is not cheap, but there are reasons feeders designed to keep squirrels at bay without a series of baffles and bobbles can get very expensive.

First there is the feeder itself. If you are buying, pay what it takes to get a good one preferably one that shuts out squirrels and other critters depending on their weight.

Wild Birds Unlimited, for example, sells its “Eliminator” model that closes off access to the seed once the squirrel sits on the base of the feeder.

Wild Birds Unlimited describes how the feeder works: “When a squirrel touches the perches or perch ring, its weight closes the seed ports, foiling its seed-stealing plot. The Eliminator’s unique technology allows you to set the sensitivity level, so you can also exclude large birds such as pigeons or doves.”

Does it work? Absolutely. Can squirrels figure out a way around it? Absolutely. They will try their best to hang from a branch or even the top of the feeder so they do not add weight to the spring loaded seed dispenser.

By positioning the feeder in a location that makes it difficult for the squirrels to access it from a low hanging branch, the chances of keeping the squirrels at bay increases. Consider adding a half dome to make access from the top more difficult.

But even if the squirrels can’t extract seed, the raccoons will take their turn at it once the sun goes down. The result can be an expensive birdfeeder on the ground and susceptible to a hungry, snarling raccoon. I don’t like the feeder’s chances here.

Caged bird feeders are a good choice: Droll Yankee is top choice

Add a solid cage around the feeder and the problem of squirrels and even raccoons is more or less solved.

The best caged feeders work very well. There is a reason Droll Yankee feeders are a little expensive in comparison to other feeders. Their reputation as a company that builds solid feeders that work well is undeniable.

The Droll Yankees Domed Cage Sunflower Seed Bird Feeder is an example of a bird feeder, cage and dome built to keep the critters away while providing excellent access for he birds to high quality seed.

The six feeding ports on the feeder that takes 2.5 pounds of food provides plenty of choice for smaller birds to feed.

The cage allows our smaller songbirds to eat while keeping larger birds like blue jays and starlings away from the feeders. At the same time, squirrels and other undesirables can’t get to the feeders.

The plastic dome provides some shelter for the birds during inclement weather, but more importantly helps to keep the seed dry during rain or snow storms.

Of course the Droll Yankee feeders are not the only recommended caged feeders.

Fundamentals squirrel proof feeder.

The “Fundamentals Squirrel Proof Feeder” from Wild Birds Unlimited is anotheer effective caged feeder. They describe their Fundamentals feeder in the following way: “Our Fundamentals Squirrel Proof feeder is weight-sensitive, so when a squirrel gets on the feeder the feeding ports close, denying access to the seed. Birds can use the four perches or they can cling to the metal shroud to feed.

If it makes sense to add a dome over the entire feeder assembly, it can go a long way in keeping the bird seed dry, while at the same time helping to keep squirrels, chippmunks and raccoons off the feeder.

If raccoons are a problem, just try to remember to take the feeder in for the night or locked away in a safe spot outside away from the racoons but also in an area where mice and rats are not attracted to it. A large galvanized garbage can with a solid lid works for me.

Bird feeder arms: A handy addition to any bird feeding station

Perfect for holding accessory feeders, orange halves and nesting material

If you have set up your bird feeding station but still feel you need more options, a bird feeder arm might be exactly what you need.

I have two bird feeding arms that prove extremely helpful when it comes to adding small feeder accessories or additional places for feeding our feathered friends, including extra orange halves for the orioles.

Both of my feeder arms are sold as accessories for the Wild Birds Unlimited’s (WBU) Advanced Pole Yystem, but similar items are available with other systems and there is no reason you can’t add a WBU arm to an existing pole bird feeding system providing it fits on your pole.

Bird feeder arm showing the Wild Birds Unlimited’s Decorative Branch Perch being put to use with Oriole feeders and orange halves and DIY jelly containers. On the far right you can see the cylinder used to hold the natural branch bird feeder arm. At the time there was no branch being used in the holder.

Our main arm is called the Decorative Branch Perch and consists of a heavy gauge, curved, approximately three-foot steel rod with four decorative wire leaves that are perfect for holding everything from orange halves to nesting material, not to mention the ability to hang small, lightweight feeder accessories from.

Of course, the stylized branch that can be moved around the pole for best positioning, is meant primarily as a perch for birds waiting their turn at one of the feeders, but I like to put it to use whenever possible.

More tips on setting up a proper bird feeding station on my earlier post.

It is a favourite spot for mourning doves to rest and I’ve seen hummingbirds also taking a breather on the thin wire that forms the stylized leaves.

Wild Birds Unlimited describes the Decorative Branch as: “the perfect way to give your birds a little R and R between feedings. Some birds will take turns eating at a bird feeder. Typically, they will wait out of view in a nearby tree or bush. Our decorative perch allows birds to remain in sight while they wait to eat. It can also be used to hang additional lightweight feeders.”

I put it to use most in the spring to stuff last year’s ornamental grass cuttings into the open wire leaves for the songbirds to use as nesting material, as well as oranges for the Orioles. The solid perch allows the birds to sit comfortably on the heavier wire and pull out the nesting material or work the orange halves.

Most of the year it works as a perch for birds just waiting to get to the feeders.

It can also be used to hang small accessory feeders to hold fruit of even meal worms for Blue birds and the like.

This blue jay was photographed on a natural branch fixed to a bird feeding pole via an accessory bird feeding arm attachment.

Natural branch bird feeding arm is excellent addition

The other bird feeder arm I use on the pole system is really nothing but a cylinder that fits on the pole system and holds a single, mid-size tree branch.

This, of course, looks more natural and allows me to choose the type of branch to use as the arm. All that needs to be done is to find a branch with the right diameter to fit into the hole and then tighten the screw to secure the branch in place.

A chickadee sits on a natural branch fitted to an accessory on our bird feeding pole.

Although I use this primarily as a photographic tool to capture birds on an ever changing natural branch, it also comes in handy to hang small, lightweight feeders from. I can also spread bark butter (see my earlier post) on the natural branch to encourage woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and other suet-loving birds to come to the branch to get their photographs taken.

The beauty of this bird feeder arm is that the branch can be easily changed to create a new look. Finding a branch with lichen already growing on it is ideal for photography. When that branch is finished, just add another.

The accessory can also be moved around the pole to put the bird in the best light or have it against a nice clean background.

I also find that backyard birds will readily go to the natural branch as a first choice for perching. The more textured surface provides them with a natural perch, and larger birds can get a better grip on the branch.

It also provides the perfect opportunity in the spring to cut a flowering branch from, say our crabapple tree or another flowering shrub, to use as a photographic perch for the songbirds.

But, even if you are not taking the birds’ photograph, the memory of a cardinal, indigo bunting or goldfinch perched on a flowering branch, is not one you’ll soon forget and the perfect welcome to spring birding season.

Other arms worth considering

There are several other bird feeder arms to consider that will work with whatever bird feeding system you are working with. Amazon, for example, lists several add-on arms that are designed to attach to a number of feeding poles. The Hang-IT multi-purpose add on arm for shepherds hook comes in several colours and is strong enough to handle full-size bird feeders. It claims to fit on any Shepherds hook and gets plenty of positive reviews from users.

There are so many different poles and arms that it’s impossible to list them all, but the yosager deck feeding station complete with bird feeding arms that resemble the Wild Birds Unlimited Decorative Branch Perch is a good choice for those who like to feed from their backyard decks.

It never hurts to get a helping hand feeding the birds

Whatever system you choose, it never hurts to get a helping hand feeding the birds. In this case it’s a helping arm, but you get the idea.

With a little ingenuity you could make your own bird feeding arms simply by attaching a sturdy branch to your pole system. A little wire and some duct tape or aheavy-duty clamp would certainly be enough to provide the birds in your yard with a safe, sturdy landing spot to wait their turn at the feeders.

How to create a natural log planter

One of the best additions to a woodland/wildlife garden is a simple rotting log.

Not unlike a forest, where large branches and entire trees are left to slowly decay on the ground, our gardens benefit from the same rotting logs on our forest floors. These logs can quickly become home to any number of small woodland creatures, many of which are often unseen unless we really go looking for them.

If it’s large enough, you should see toads, snakes, even salamanders move in to the log along with a myriad of insects and fungi that all work in unison to break down the wood and add nutrients back to the garden.

The process is slow and might even go more or less unnoticed if it wasn’t for the birds and animals that visit the log looking for a quick meal.

A natural log planter is the perfect addition to a woodland garden. Place it along a path so you can enjoy it on your walks through the garden.

Don’t remove those large branches after tree trimming

One of the best decisions I made several years ago was to tell our local tree service company not to cart off the large branches they took down from our upper canopy trees and, instead, leave them be on the ground.

One area where a lot of branches fell was our massive garden of ferns (link to fern garden post). It was the perfect place to just leave the large branches on the ground to break down naturally.

Our massive ferns grow up through the large branches and hide them throughout the summer months. During the early spring and fall and winter, I get to monitor the slow breakdown of the large branches spread over the ground.

In another area of the garden, I used the large branches that were removed from the tree to create a natural woodpile to provide shelter and habitat for the backyard critters that need places like this to escape predators. I’m sure some of them use it as shelter throughout the winter.

In fall, I throw on a layer or two of fallen leaves to provide even more shelter and create an even better environment for the large branches to break down over time.

Five tips to find deadwood

If you do not have dead trees or stumps on your property to attract wildlife, you can always go out on a scouting trip to find a handsome trunk or large branch to place artistically in your landscape. Here are a few places to look for deadwood to create your planter.

• If there is a natural woods nearby; ask permission to collect a few good-size pieces of deadwood. It’s best to collect soon after a storm blows down the branches, before wildlife have a chance to move in.

• Call a nearby tree service company. They are usually willing to let you have anything you can haul off, or you may be able to arrange delivery for a small fee.

• Check with your local cable, electric or telephone company. Trimming branches and clearing trees are routine maintenance and they are more than likely happy to let you take them.

• Your local parks department and the town or city road crew may be able to help as well. They maintain public trees and are often looking to get rid of large branches.

• Keep an eye out for possibilities in your neighbourhood. Your neighbours will probably be pleased to let you cart off their branches. Explain to your neighbours why you want them and how you will be using them. It’s a good way to raise awareness about the value of deadwood.

Deadwood does not have to be left on the ground.

In her book, Natural Landscaping, Gardening with Nature to Create a Backyard Paradise, Sally Roth dedicates several pages to the benefits of using deadwood in the woodland garden.

It is almost as useful standing up as it is lying down, she explains. An interesting log or gnarly branch can add a very artistic touch to a shade garden or a final bit of realism to a woodland garden.

If you have a large, long branch that is manageable, consider creating your own “snag” by simply digging a deep hole and planting the deadwood vertically.

I have a 8- to 9-foot branch planted in the back of our yard near my outdoor photo setup that is a regular stop for woodpeckers, nuthatches, red squirrels and chipmunks.

These are particularly prized by woodpeckers, and they make an excellent foundation for a feeding area. I have drilled holes in the branch where I insert bark butter regularly. You can also wire suet to them or hang a feeder. The dead tree is also the perfect landing spot for birds approaching the feeding station. Keep it far enough away that squirrels can’t leap over to the feeders.

Create a simple log planter

Letting nature slowly break down the logs is certainly one way to help wildlife, but using the logs to create a path-side planter is an even better one.

How often have you been out for a walk and saw the local arbourist either cutting down or trimming up a large tree in the neighbourhood. That’s a great opportunity to ask if they would drop off a large branch or two at your home. If you have access to a truck, you could obviously just throw it in the back and take it home on your own.

Once you have it home, you can go to work carving out a portion of the log where you can pack in a rich forest soil loaded with compost, rotting leaves and bits of fungi that will quickly go to work breaking down the wood.

If you are comfortable using a chainsaw, you can create a large hollow in the log in no time. If a chainsaw is not something you want to get involved with, you can create the planter with simple tools like a hammer and chisel.

To speed up the process, consider using a power drill to first create holes in the area you want to hollow out. Once the holes have been drilled 5-6 inches deep, you can begin chiselling out the wood. Depending on the size of the log, you may have to drill and chisel out the wood a few times before you have the look and depth you want.

If it’s possible, use a longer drill bit to create drainage holes through the log. Drainage holes may not be necessary since the idea behind the project is to create a rotting log, and the wood in the log will absorb a lot of the moisture anyway, but drainage holes might be appropriate depending on what you are planning to grow in the fallen-log planter.

I have seen many of these natural planters with colourful bedding plants filling them up. That’s fine if you are looking to pretty up a corner of the yard, but a natural planter looks and feels much more appropriate.

Think wildflowers like hepatica, maidenhair ferns, mushrooms and small succulents. A natural path-side planter where you can control things like soil PH, is the perfect place to grow Bunchberry (cornus canadensis) or other acid loving plants.

In his book, Landscape with Nature, Using Natural Design to Plan Your Garden, Jeff Cox writes that “you can make a totally natural planter by hollowing out the centre 1 foot deep.” He suggests planting the old log planter with ferns, begonias, impatiens, or hens-and-chicks, but I prefer a more natural approach using native wild flowers including trilliums, dog-tooth violets and even wild ginger along with hepatica and spring beauty. It might also be the perfect spot to try some native orchids.

A log planter can also be a great place to grow a small bonsai-like shrub – suggesting the rebirth from a dead tree into new life. Again, try using a native shrub like a serviceberry, or one of the many small-shrubby native dogwoods, and viburnums preferably one with berries.

Commercial alternatives to a natural log planter

If carving up an old wooden log with a chainsaw or painstakingly chiselling one out is too much, there are much simpler ways to achieve the overall look without lifting a finger.

Commercial stumps are available that give you the look of an old, hollowed out tree stump without the work and the eventual complete break-down. High quality concrete planters can look remarkably real.

This example of an old wooden log planter from Wayfair.com is a good indication of what is available.

The concrete containers that are made to look like a real tree trunk are perfect for the woodland garden. You can purchase ones that stand up more or less vertically to give height, or planters that are more like fallen logs that lie on the ground horizontally.

These have the added benefit of being able to be easily moved around the garden.

Although not made to look like a fallen log, this exquisite planter from Vivaterra is a pefect vessel to show off your mosses, ferns or even a small native bonsai.

Of course, you will lose out on many of the insects and small animals that would readily move into the more natural pathside planter, but you will be gaining a woodland aesthetic that will surely bring a smile every time you pass it by.