Category: Photography

Favorite Photos: May 2023

5th June 2023
PhotographyWildlife
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  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
Violet lilac in a vase

Spring has finally made it to Sweden! The gardening season is in full swing, and I’m mostly outdoors nowadays, taking photos or gardening. I’m almost wishing for bad weather to catch up on culling and editing photos ha, ha! Sitting indoors in front of a computer is so hard when the sun is shining, and the garden is vibrating with wildlife and flowers!

This being said, I’ve started playing around with still life and textures, and it’s a lot of fun. In addition, it makes being indoors a bit more bearable.

Close up of white lilac

This photo was taken in my garden with my iPhone and edited in Affinity Photo, to which I added a few overlays. Not bad for a first try, is it?

Close-up of forget-me-not flowers

Forget-me-not from my garden. If you’d like to photograph flowers, having a garden is practical, no matter its size! My first garden was tiny, yet I had enough flowers to take a variety of shots from early spring to winter.

Close-up of cherry tree blossom

This is the only photo I have yet to take in my garden. Sadly, I don’t have a cherry tree. Yet. Until then, I visit Kungsträdgården in Stockholm every spring and marvel at the wonders of nature.

Close-up of wood anemone

Wood anemone photographed on my window sill to which I added an overlay. The bokeh is real, created by some gold Christmas decorations hit by sunlight coming from the side.

I hope you enjoyed these photos, there are more to come next month.

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Favorite Photos: April 2023

3rd May 2023
PhotographyWildlife
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  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
Close up of a branch of cherry tree flowers

Spring of 2023 has been cold, extremely so. I would like to file a complaint, please! It didn’t prevent the cherry trees from exploding in pink fluffiness. Eventually.

I went to Kungsträdgården to photograph them, as I do every year, and they didn’t disappoint. It was cold and windy, and the sun made only a short appearance. I was in and out in under an hour, which must be a record for me.

A bumblebee on a purple flower
Bumblebee feeding on lesser calamint (Calamintha nepeta) var. ’Blue Cloud’, Lidingö, Sweden, June 2022

A male bumblebee feeding on lesser calamint (Calamintha nepeta) var. ’Blue Cloud.’ This is a photo from last year, obviously. I take a lot of photos during the summer when there’s light, and then I have a stock of images to process during the darker winter months. And I didn’t get to it until now, to tell you the truth. With all my travels, garden work, and the Book, I feel I’m behind with everything nowadays.

Bumblebees are so interesting. Did you know that they’re cosmopolitan? The 260 species in the Bombus genus can be found almost everywhere in the world, except Australia and most parts of Africa, and at higher latitudes and altitudes than other bees.
Some species even manage to live in cold climates, such as the high arctic Ellesmere Island, Canada’s northernmost island. They can do that because they can regulate their body temperature (heterothermy). Isn’t Mother Nature amazing?

An Australian pelican
Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), Emu Bay, Kangaroo Island (South Australia), January 2023

An Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), ready to mate, as denoted by the yellow patches on his chest. Another older photo, this one is “only” from January. I still have so many beautiful photos from my trip to Australia! I’m reliving the whole trip as I keep processing photos, so I’ll probably still work on some images next year ha, ha!

A western willow spreadwing sunning itself on a pine twig.
Western willow spreading (Chalcolestes viridis), Lidingö, Sweden, September 2022

A western willow spreadwing resting on a pine twig. Another older photo I processed only now in April.

These damselflies fly pretty late, from August to October, and can be found in still or slow-flowing water with overhanging trees such as willows, alders, or birches. Unlike other damselflies, they would lay their eggs in the bark of these trees, not in submerged vegetation.

An emerald damselfly resting on a reed
Emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa), Lidingö, Sweden, September 2022

A male emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa). It’s easy to tell because females lack the bright blue color of males. 

Emerald damselfly, don’t you love that name? They’re most common in July and August, so this is another older image that I didn’t get to process until now.

I hope you enjoyed these photos, there are more to come next month. Hopefully, some new ones!

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It Is an Illusion That Photos Are Made With the Camera

20th April 2023
PhotographyQuotes
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Close up of a dark forest in black and white

It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.

Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908 – 2004) was a French photographer considered a master of candid street photography.

To read more quotes, click here. To read more on photography, click here.

Favorite Photos: March 2023

2nd April 2023
PhotographyWildlife
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  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
A female Kangaroo Island Kangaroo
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), Ecopia Retreat, Kangaroo Island (South Australia)

Some of my favorite photos from March: a kangaroo, birds, and red squirrels. I’m still processing photos from my recent Australia trip, so more kangaroos and koalas to come! And squirrels, always squirrels ❤️.

First out, the cutest Kangaroo Island kangaroo female (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus).

A pair of Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoos sitting on a branch
Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus), Ecopia Retreat, Kangaroo Island (South Australia)

The very rare Kangaroo Island Glossy Black-Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus).

The Kangaroo Island subspecies is listed as endangered, with a population of about 450 birds before the devastating bushfires of 2019/2020. 75% of their habitat in the western part of Kangaroo Island was impacted by the bushfires. They feed exclusively on Drooping She-oak seeds and only on particular trees in the forest, making their survival even more challenging. 

I was thrilled and awed to be able to find them and see them going about their business in the wild.

Crimson Rosella Juvenile (Platycercus elegans), Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island (South Australia)

A Crimson rosella juvenile (Platycercus elegans), easily identified by the olive-green body plumage that will turn blue/red in adulthood. I photographed this young rosella at Stokes Bay, not in the bush as you may think but in the parking lot. I was headed to the beach to photograph hooded plovers when I noticed this handsome fellow and took a few quick photos. Good thing I did, as I couldn’t find any hoodies on the beach that day.

A red squirrel emerging from the snow with a hazelnut in its mouth
Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Lidingö, Sweden, March 2023

I don’t remember having so much snow at the end of March, almost half a meter twice in the past two weeks! The squirrels have been busy, looking for hidden nuts and chasing each other. It’s amazing to see how they adapt to their environment and find ways to survive even in harsh conditions. Their ability to hide and remember the location of their food caches is truly remarkable. 

A red squirrel holding a walnut
Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), Lidingö, Sweden, March 2023

Red squirrels are adorable and so playful! I could watch them for hours, hiding hazelnuts and walnuts and then digging them up later, or chasing each other up and down the old oak in the backyard.

I hope you enjoyed these photos, and no worries, there will be more fluffy koalas, cute kangaroos, and adorable red squirrels featured here soon!

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Favorite Photos: February 2023

1st March 2023
PhotographyWildlife
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  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
Close up of a Kangaroo island kangaroo female
Kangaroo Island kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), Seddon, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

February’s photos are all from Australia this month, too. Let me start with the cutest one, a young Kangaroo Island kangaroo female (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) that used to come with her mother by our villa almost every day. She’s so cute 😍 I probably took hundreds of photos of her!

Close up of a short-beaked echidna
Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), Seddon, Kangaroo island, South Australia

A short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), also known as the spiny anteater, very busy foraging for ants. Echidna uses its snout and powerful claws to dig up ants or termites and then scoops them out with its long sticky tongue. It moves incredibly fast, and most of my echidna photos are of its butt, ha, ha!

A hooded plover on the beach
A hooded plover (Thinornis cucullatus) foraging for food (Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park and Wilderness Protection Area, Kangaroo Island, South Australia).

Endemic to southern Australia, the hooded plover is deemed a vulnerable species due to predation by dogs, cats, silver gulls, and human disturbances. Introduced foxes are also dangerous in other parts of southern Australia, but luckily, there are no foxes on Kangaroo Island. The hooded plover population is estimated at 3.000 and declining.

Hooded plovers (Thinornis cucullatus) feed on insects and other invertebrates found in the wet sand. 

A close up of a koala in a tree
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), Seddon, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

I found this cute little fellow during our usual late afternoon walks around our accommodations at Ecopia Retreat. The villa is tucked away in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary, so it was a pretty safe bet we’d encounter some animals and birds in their natural habitat. He posed nicely for a few photos but went to sleep afterward (something koalas do for about 20 hours a day).

Portrait of an Australia magpie in the grass
White-backed Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Seddon, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Did you know that the white-backed Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), also called piping shrike, appears on the South Australia state flag and badge? They’re everywhere and, in contrast to their European counterparts, have a melodious song.

I hope you enjoyed these photos, and no worries, there will be more fluffy koalas and cute kangaroos featured here soon!

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Favorite Photos: January 2023

6th February 2023
PhotographyWildlife
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  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
Close up of two Kangaroo Island kangaroos holding paws
Kangaroo Island kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) 

Since I was in Australia, my favorite photos are all from Australia this month. Starting with this mother-and-daughter pair of Kangaroo Island kangaroos.

The KI kangaroo is a sub-species of the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus). They’re pretty different from the Western Grey kangaroos because of the long period of isolation from mainland Australia. They’re shorter and darker and much cuter if you ask me!

Portrait of a Kangaroo Island kangaroo young demale
Kangaroo Island kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) 

A closer look at the daughter. Isn’t she cute?

A koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) sitting in a tree
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

We’re in Australia, so there should be a koala, too. They are cute and fluffy, but wait until they hear what they sound like. Go ahead, search for koala sounds on YouTube!

Standing Kangaroo Island kangaroo male (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus)

Kangaroo Island kangaroo male (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus). This one was quite tall and showed plenty of muscle, so I kept my distance 😉.

Standing Kangaroo Island kangaroo female

A portrait of the mother kangaroo from the first photo. They are way cuter than regular kangaroos, don’t they, these Kangaroo Island kangaroos?

So cute that I have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos featuring KI kangaroos: resting, watching, playing, nursing, jumping … I have to keep myself in check to only publish a few!

I hope you enjoyed these photos, and no worries, there will be more fluffy koalas and cute kangaroos featured here soon!

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My 2022 Favorite Photos

31st December 2022
Photography
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Close up of a couple of mating emerald damselflies (Lestes sponsa)
Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa)

As 2022 draws to an end, it’s only natural to review the past year. Let’s have a look then, shall we?

This couple of emerald damselflies is one of my absolute favorite photos because it was so challenging. They kept flying around, not settling anywhere, and I had almost given up hope when they landed on that flower. However, I kept my eyes on it as its stem and the tip of the flowers were purple; I knew they’d loan a pleasing color to the scene and match the background nicely.

Close up of a pink African Daisy (Osteospermum)
African Daisy (Osteospermum)

An African daisy shot with my new macro lens. As much as I cherished my old one, I love this lens!

Close up of a mute swan cygnet (Cygnus olor) cleaning its feathers
Mute swan cygnet (Cygnus olor)

2022 hasn’t been a good swan year, at least not for me. Almost every time I set out to photograph swans, I couldn’t find any. I photographed this mute swan cygnet almost by accident. I was out in the woods, looking for squirrels, and passing by the beach when I saw the swan family swimming lazily around and cleaning their feathers.

Cherry tree flowers at Kungsträdgården, Stockholm
Cherry tree flowers at Kungsträdgården, Stockholm

I just love photographing cherry tree blossoms in the spring. It doesn’t feel like spring if I don’t! Not a masterpiece by any means, but I love the light and the spring feeling it evokes every time I look at it.

Obviously, I love pink.

Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) standing in the snow
Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

I also love squirrels. So much that it’s a wonder that this post only contains ONE squirrel photo.

Partying hard, another red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Wait, what! Only one squirrel photo? No, no, no! This has to be remediated immediately! Here you go! Cheers and Happy New Year!

Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) wearing a golden party hat and holding a champagne glass.
Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

OK, this won’t win any wildlife photography contest, but I love it! I had so much fun processing this! I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to fit the champagne glass between the claws perfectly.

This said, I wish you a very, very Happy New Year! Gott Nytt År as we say in Swedish.

Christmas Sale: All Prints Are 50% Off

15th December 2022
Photography
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Christmas sale poster

Looking for a Christmas gift or just a present for you or someone you love? Photo prints make lovely gifts; right now, all my prints are 50% off in my online shop from December 15th to 30th.

Click here to go to my online store. Shop early and save 50%!

What Photography Is All About

15th December 2022
PhotographyWildlife
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Red squirrel in the snow

Sometimes things happen the way you hope they’d happen 😉 Teddy shows up after only a few minutes of wait; he strikes a lovely pose where I want him to, and it even starts to snow! It doesn’t happen very often, but it is a pleasant change when it does.

Photography is preparation AND a little bit of luck, isn’t it?

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Black Friday Sale: All Prints Are 50% Off

24th November 2022
Photography
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Black Friday starts now!

Get your Christmas gift shopping done early with my Black Friday sale! All my prints are 50% off until November 27th.

Click here to go to my online store. Shop early and save 50%!