Warning - Photo heavy - Some of my critter pics.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

Hi folks,

I thought I would share some of my critter pics, since I'm ineligible for the contest. I'd like to point out that although many of these photos were shot in far off national parks or wilderness areas, quite a few of them were captured in my own backyard, neighborhood parks or on my morning walks.

Just for fun, see if you can guess my favorite image.

I hope you enjoy them.

Thanks for indulging me.

Get out there and shoot!

Ross

P.S. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

[Laffy Kat]

1. Breathtaking!

Thank you so much for posting. Post more!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

8. Thank you! 😊

[secondwind]

2. Wow!!!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

10. Thank you! 😊

[sprinkleeninow]

3. They're all spectacular! The one with wood duck (?) and babies..

D'awws! I'm verklempt...

[Grumpy Old Guy]

4. You guessed it!

That's it. It's just a special moment, isn't it? In my mind, there is a lot going on in that photo..

[sprinkleeninow]

5. Yes, a flood of emotions. Thank you. Thank you. Beauty by and in nature.

This is balm for the soul these days...

💛

[Grumpy Old Guy]

6. Thank you! ❤

[sprinkleeninow]

15. Guess what. I just purchased a framed and matted print from you!

I designed it resulting in perfect appeal to me.

I wish you and yours a safe path and good health. See you 'on the flip side'!

💛

[Grumpy Old Guy]

21. Oh my gosh!

Thank you so much! That is very kind of you. I am thrilled to hear it.

I'll make sure that mama duck makes it onto the website. I just printed an 8 1/2 x 11 1/2 for myself, and I was very pleased with it.

Thank you again!

Ross

[sprinkleeninow]

22. I'll wait for it to become available!

It touched my soul and gave me great gladness in an otherwise changed life of disappointment and distress.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

28. Mama Duck is available for purchase

Thank you again for your interest. I am flattered.

Mama Duck is now available at either of the following links.

https://pixels.com/featured/mama-duck-ross-kestin.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/mama-duck-ross-kestin.html

[sprinkleeninow]

16. Addendum--Will the wood duck and her kiddos be available sometime? 🤗

[NJCher]

7. I am in awe

At the breadth of your subjects, not to mention that you catch each and every one at precisely the right moment.

We are so lucky to have you here.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

9. Thank you very much! 😊

[mnhtnbb]

11. Wonderful!

What a variety.

Thanks for sharing.

I like shooting critters, too. I'm having a terrible time trying to decide which photo to enter in the contest this month.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

12. I would have had a terrible time too.

These are just some of my nature pics. I have a few new ones I should have included.

I'll be looking forward to your posts.

[Soph0571]

13. How splendid!

Thanks for sharing these

[Grumpy Old Guy]

14. Thank you dear Sophie. ❤

[Solly Mack]

17. Very nice! Great shots!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

23. Thank you! 😊

[SheltieLover]

18. Wow!

Gorgeous! Ty for sharing with us!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

24. Thank you! 😊

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. Omigod, my dear Grumpy Old Guy!

Fabulous captures, every single one of them.

The bird in flight, heading to the nest, blew my socks off!

I'm so glad you chose DU as the place to share your wonderful photos. We are damned lucky to have you here.

Thank you!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

25. Thank you! 😊

You are very kind dear Peggy, thank you.

I'm sure it will come as little surprise that I took about seven hundred frames to get that one image of the Cliff Swallow approaching its nest. They move incredibly fast, and are next to impossible to catch in flight. The good news is that I am going back to that same location, the bridge over the Owens River on Benton Crossing Road near Mammoth, in about two weeks. This time I'm going back with an even faster camera, which means I'll probably burn twice as many frames in an effort to duplicate the shot.

Maybe when you feel up to it we can go shooting sometime.

Ross

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. Best of luck with your plans to duplicate that amazing shot!

I'm sure your memory card will come loaded to the gills, at least.

I tend to stay close to home, but I'd enjoy going out to shoot locally. I'm not a proficient walker, alas.

I'll PM you my phone number and sometime we can chat about the possibilities. Not tonight, though--I have things going on.

[7wo7rees]

20. All are just beautiful. Thank you so very much for sharing with us all!!

I can't really pic a fave, but the wood duck and baby are special. They all are just great!!
Ms. 7wo7rees

[Grumpy Old Guy]

26. Thank you so much!

[ShazzieB]

29. I have no idea which one is your favorite, but I couldn't pick one favorite to save my life.

I'm in love with the mama moose and her baby, and the mama pronghorn and her baby, and the mama wood duck and her babies, because I'm a sucker for mamas and babies. But I also love the two woodpeckers. The one on the right looks like it's asking the other one a question, and I keep trying to think of a funny caption.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

32. I chose those pics for Mother's Day.

[Dwinal87]

30. Fantastic Set!

What a great bunch of critters!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

31. Thank you!

[George McGovern]

33. Happy to indulge you Grumpy Old Guy!

Terrific collection! What camera gear do you use? Thanks!

[Grumpy Old Guy]

34. These were shot with a variety of cameras.

Thank you George McGovern. Some of these shots go back to 2015. I've used a Canon SX40HS bridge camera, Canon EOS T6s, Canon EOS 6D Mark ii, and my latest, a Canon EOS R5 mirrorless. I think I'm finally done buying cameras.

[George McGovern]

35. Ha Ha Finally done buying cameras -- Glad to hear it! I may be too.

After 35 years shooting Nikon I tried out Olympus mirrorless. What a difference! The bodies I have are micro four-thirds format, instead of your EOS R5 full-frame. But both manufacturers use 5-axis sensor-shift image stabilization, which really works!

I've read that the camera doesn't matter, it's the photographer who takes good pictures; however, I guess I like to split the difference, as it were. Put a good camera in capable hands with a good eye and magic can happen.

Thanks!
Allan

[Grumpy Old Guy]

36. I've heard good things about the Olympus.

A good friend of mine uses it. They're nice cameras.

I've only taken one photography course, I dropped out, and that was in 1970. However, our first assignment was to take a photograph with a shoe box camera. Some people got amazing photos. It's definitely the photographer, not the camera.