"Aluminum Overcast" No. 2

BOEING B-17G FLYING FORTRESS, WAUSAU, WISCONSIN, JUNE 27, 2009

Pentax K10D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/500 sec. f9.5
ISO 400

Another shot of the B-17 from yesterday as she returned from a 45-minute mission carrying passengers (at $400 a crack; those four 1,200-horsepower radial engines gulp expensive aviation gasoline at an alarming rate). The nose art replicates that on the original Aluminum Overcast, shot down over France in 1944 on her 34th mission. Click the photo for a large detailed version.

'Aluminum Overcast'

BOEING B-17G FLYING FORTRESS, WAUSAU, WISCONSIN, JUNE 27, 2009

Pentax *ist DS
Sigma 17-70 at 34mm
1/750 sec. f6.7
ISO 200

I was at Wausau Downtown Airport this morning buying oil for my airplane when a World War II B-17 landed. It was the Experimental Aircraft Association's "Aluminum Overcast," and it was in town to take the well-heeled for expensive rides. Pity the day was gray and rainy, but I was delighted to see this old warbird all the same.

Supermama

COMMON MERGANSERS (MERGUS MERGANSER), GREEN, MICHIGAN, JUNE 23, 2009

Pentax K10D
Sigma APO 135-400 at 400mm
1/2000 sec. f8
ISO 400

The female merganser must be either a saint or a sucker. When irresponsible members of her species dump their eggs in her nest -- this, the bird books say, happens often -- she'll happily brood and raise all the merganserlings herself. She'll also adopt orphans. This one had 16 count 'em 16 babies in her wake on Lake Superior this morning.

Goslings in line astern

CANADA GEESE, GREEN, MICHIGAN, JUNE 22, 2009

Pentax K10D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/1000 sec. f11
ISO 400

This flotilla of honkers, the younger ones about eight weeks old, paddled by the cabin on Lake Superior this morning. They are most likely not the same ones I photographed May 17 -- that was a clutch of four -- but it is nice to know that the bald eagles and great horned owls have not caught these. Yet. (Click the photo for a large, detailed version.)

Wild lupine

WILD LUPINE (LUPINUS PERENNIS), GREEN, MICHIGAN, JUNE 20, 2009

Pentax K10D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/180 sec. f9.5
ISO 400

To my inexpert eye (someone please correct me if I am wrong!) this three-foot-high specimen is a wild lupine, a member of the pea family and, according to the flower books, the only host plant for the Karner blue butterfly caterpillar, a threatened species in Michigan. I captured it by the creek near our neighbor's beach on Lake Superior.

Serenity

CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN, GLENCOE, ILLINOIS, JUNE 14, 2009

Pentax K10D
Sigma 17-70 at 37mm
1/1500 sec. f8
ISO 400

A wet spring has brought unexpected lushness to the Chicago Botanic Garden this year, as well as huge weekend crowds, but this cyclist found a nice isolated spot to stop for a glorious Zen moment. I shot the photo from a rubber-tired tourist tram as it slowly trundled around the perimeter of the garden.

Tarting up a sunset

SUNSET ON LAKE SUPERIOR IN HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE, GREEN, MICHIGAN, JUNE 9, 2009

Pentax K10D
Sigma 17-70 at 17mm
HDRI composite at f11
ISO 100


A fellow photographer suggested I try capturing a sunset in high dynamic range -- that is, taking five identical shots with differing exposures, and melding them with special software into one photograph that renders visible detail in the lightest and the darkest areas. It may not be terribly realistic, but it sure is pretentiously arty. I kind of like it. Click on the photo to see it in bandwidth-hogging detail.

Young buck

YEARLING WHITETAIL DEER, GREEN, MICHIGAN, JUNE 5, 2009

Pentax *ist DS
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/90 sec. f5.6
ISO 800

We returned to our cabin late in the evening to find this young male whitetail ambling through the yard looking for supper. He stood fearless yet alert only about 20 feet from the car, posing prettily for his portrait, then shamelessly raided the bird feeders. Who knew deer had chin whiskers? (Click photo for larger version.)

Second gull of summer

RING-BILLED GULL (LARUS DELAWARENSIS), GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 29, 2009

Pentax K10D
Sigma APO 135-400 at 400mm
1/1000 sec. f11
ISO 400

Smaller than the herring gull below, the ring-billed variety can be identified by the dark marking for which it is named. Note the high aspect ratio of its long, long wings and the complete concealment of its landing gear; both are keen aerodynamic features that help enable the bird to soar for long periods, like a U-2 spy plane.