Photography
grrlscientist | August 21, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Phallus.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
It has been observed that I tend to photograph tall, pointy objects that reach to the sky. In my defense, such objects are plentiful in architecture, and are noticeable and often are iconic on any particular skyline.
Dragons on a church.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
Unlike most phalluses, this particular phallus is attached to a church. In this case, the…
grrlscientist | August 21, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Spices.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
One of the many items sold in the Old Town Square of Tallinn, Estonia were a variety of spices. They smelled so delicious that I almost purchased some just so I could carry them with me to sniff whenever I wished to.
Handmade Blank Books.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
Another item that I am partial to are handmade blank books. I wanted to get one or two, but…
grrlscientist | August 21, 2009tags: Wilson's Plover, Charadrius wilsonia, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Adult Wilson's Plover, Charadrius wilsonia, with chick, photographed at Brazoria Wildlife Refuge, Texas. [I will identify this bird species for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 31 July 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/160s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Before you ID this bird species, tell me: how many legs do you see?
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
bnsullivan | August 21, 2009
Sea fans are among the most beautiful sights seen by divers. Gorgonian sea fans are Cnidarians that build colonies in branching formations that usually are fan-shaped, thus the common name.
Like the Nephtheid soft corals I wrote about recently here on Photo Synthesis, Gorgonians are octocorals: each polyp has eight pinnate tentacles which it uses to capture nutrients suspended in the water column. They are seen most often on reef crests, or jutting out from drop-offs or steep banks in locations where natural currents will sweep plankton and other organic nutrients across the polyps'…
grrlscientist | August 20, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Girl Power in Tallinn, Estonia.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
This poster is advertizing a student photography show. I just really liked the sign because of the juxtaposition between the traditional and the modern.
grrlscientist | August 20, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Streets of Tallinn
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
Emerging from the Olde Hansa restaurant after lunch, it was obvious that the weather had changed once more -- I've never seen weather conditions change as quickly as they do in Estonia.
grrlscientist | August 20, 2009tags: Juvenile Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Juvenile Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus, photographed at Galveston East Beach, Texas. [even the photographer doesn't know the identify of this bird, maybe you can help and come to a consensus ID?]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 11 August 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | August 19, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Lunch at the Olde Hansa Restaurant.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
This isn't the best picture I've ever taken, but most of the lighting was provided by candlelight. The interior of the building was quite dark, which made it almost impossible to get a sharply focused image without using a flash (and you know how much I hate flash).
Candlelight.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
When you order a beer…
grrlscientist | August 19, 2009tags: Grey-backed Camaroptera, Grey-backed Bleating Warbler, Camaroptera brachyura, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Grey-backed Camaroptera, also known as the Grey-backed Bleating Warbler, Camaroptera brachyura (brevicaudata), photographed in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 31 August 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D2X, ISO 200, Nikon 200-400 VR lens at 400 mm. f/4. 1/160.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
bnsullivan | August 19, 2009
Nudibranchs -- marine snails without shells -- make wonderful photo subjects for the macro photographer. They are small, colorful, and they move slowly (as snails are wont to do). That last characteristic is particularly welcome. Most fishes are in motion almost constantly, and non-sessile invertebrates tend to scurry hither and thither. It's nice to find a subject that is not only photogenic, but doesn't turn tail or flat out disappear before the photographer can focus the camera's lens!
It's always interesting to find out and record which critters feed on what. Here are some macro…
grrlscientist | August 18, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Olde Hansa Restaurant.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
This is one entrance to the Olde Hansa resturant in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia. Instead of eating in this restaurant, we went around the corner and at in the other part of this establishment. Pics of that entrance are below the jump.
Olde Hansa Restaurant.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
Entrance to the restaurant we ate lunch at.
Large…
grrlscientist | August 18, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Windows with Pigeon.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
This photograph reminds me of some of Edward Hopper's paintings. That lone pigeon looks like how I feel today.
grrlscientist | August 18, 2009tags: Bhutan Laughing-thrush, Garrulax imbricatum, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Bhutan Laughing-thrush, Garrulax imbricatum, photographed in Bhutan (recently split from Streaked Laughingthrush, Garrulax lineatus).
Image: Larry Gardella, spring 2009 [larger view].
Sony Cybershot with 10x external zoom.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | August 17, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
A closer look at one of the buildings overlooking the town square.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
I couldn't help myself but to imagine what it might feel like to live in one of these apartments that overlook the town square.
grrlscientist | August 17, 2009tags: Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia, cities
Town Square.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
Walking through the town square made me feel transported back in time to the middle ages, a time that I view as being very mysterious. Except for the modern clothing, it seems that this scene has taken place a million times or more just as you see it here.
Town Square.
Photographed in Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia.
Image: GrrlScientist, 22 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)