
“There are in life a few moments so beautiful,that even words are a sort of profanity.”
― Diana Palmer
I made this image last week, while out whale watching off the Pacific coast of Baja. I’ve seen many images of Humpback Whales but never thought I’d witness these majestic animals in the wild.
The day started out with sightings of several Grey Whales, which surfaced around us, blowing spouts of air as they surfaced to breathe, offering a tail flip on occasion. We were aware that Humpbacks also inhabit these waters and are known to ‘breach’, whereby the leap from the waters, and asked the on board biologist about them.
Shortly thereafter, we spotted a cow and calf at the surface, splashing and flapping their tails, as the calf learned from the cow. What I was not prepared for was the true size of the whales. Photos rarely provide points of reference for us to assess the size of the whales.
As this cow submerged, the other boat from our group was directly behind her, and her massive tail offers a sense of scale in the photo above. This particular whale was somewhere around fifteen meters long and would weight around thirty thousand kilograms. Seeing them right next to the boats was one of the most awe inspiring experiences I have had.
More photos to follow, with their own stories, over the next few days.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“It’s weird how I am constantly surprised by the passage of time when it’s literally the most predictable thing in the Universe.”
― Randall Munroe
Here is my entry for Del Monte Y Mar’s Tuesdays of Texture Challenge Week 11 of 2017.
Deliberately titled “Passage of Time”, this is a close up view of the famous Cabo San Lucas Arch, located at Land’s End, the natural boundary of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. It is the only finisterra (latin for “land’s end”) in the world. The iconic “Arch” is a natural passage between these two bodies of water and is composed of granite dated around 30 million years old, it is and has borne witness to the passage of time.
It’s also believed that the Baja California was at one time an island which joined the mainland as the rest of the peninsula rose from the seas to join up with it.
The wonderful smoothed textures of the cracks intrigued the geologist in me and prompted me to do some more reading on this wonderful location, previously unknown to me. I’ve attached an interesting article if you care to know more about this place.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 270 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love—then make that day count!”
― Steve Maraboli
“Land’s End” – Cabo San Lucas
A brief post today from this beautiful place. I made the photo as we were pulling out of the harbour to do some diving along the coast. It was a good time for the photo, as this location gets very busy with tourist boats.
When I made the photo. around 8:00 am, there was only one dive boat out, just to the left of the rocks and a very fine mist in the air added some ‘mood’ to the image.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 145 mm
1/400 sec, f/10.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“You can’t teach calculus to a chimpanzee. So just share your banana.” – John Rachel
I had no idea what plantain flowers looked like. What a curious blossom. The fruit is formed. From the small female flowers at the top right of the large male flower or rachis. I also had no idea that the plantain or related banana plants are considered perennial herbs because the aerial parts of the parent plant die down to the ground after the growing season.
If you are interested in more information about this interesting plant, check it out here.

“If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don’t be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning ‘Good morning’ at total strangers.”
― Maya Angelou
I posted a nuthatch image a few weeks ago bt could not resist this one, sitting at my impromptu feeder (the base of a flower pot).
Birds have been very active lately and I’ve started to put seeds out on a regular basis for them, between squirrel invasions 😦
It’s odd for me, seeing a nuthatch sitting like this. When I see them in the forest, they are always hanging upside down, as the walk up and down the tree trunks in search of food, and I wonder if it feels odd to them to be right side up?
Anyways, this one sat still for me for a few seconds before darting off again and the soft light was just right to light him up. There’s a beautiful reflection in his eye and he does seem to have a mischievous smile, thus the title of the image.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
250 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200
Hi Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Make decisions even with incomplete info. You’ll never have all the info you need. What matters is what you do with the info you have.”
― Ziad K. Abdelnour
This is the final image in the series.
Much to my disappointment, the final bud seems to be wilting and is unlikely to open. The resilience of the first blossom continues to surprise me, as it really has not changed a lot in the past few days. The leaves, as you can see, are starting to show some decline and are starting to yellow, despite having fresh water each day.
It has been an interesting experience watching, photographing , and documenting this flower over the past few days. Yet, it does make me look forward to spring and some wildflowers, but that’s a few months of yet.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“By March, the worst of the winter would be over. The snow would thaw, the rivers begin to run and the world would wake into itself again.
Not that year.
Winter hung in there, like an invalid refusing to die. Day after grey day the ice stayed hard; the world remained unfriendly and cold.”
― Neil Gaiman
February has been an odd one here on Southern Ontario. After the snows of December, we had a gradual melt-freeze-melt cycle which left the ground essentially bare at the start of the month, with the occasional ice patch.
Last week, the snows returned and we have had some significant accumulations and a lot of drifting. One recent storm caught me off guard and had e driving through white-out conditions a few times, something I have not experienced for years and a not so gentle reminder that I do live in Canada.
One of the side benefits of these melt cycles is the beautiful icicles which form on days where the snow just begins to melt and then freezes up again. It’s even nicer when the sun break through and lights them up for me. It’s especially nice to see the sun because this winter we have had record days of cloud cover, which from a photographer’s standpoint is not a bad thing, but I do miss the sun’s warmth and brightness. I am looking forward to continued warming and the inevitable spring.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/100 sec, f/9.0, ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Hidden by diaphanous clouds of mist and fog floating gracefully over vales of heather and flowing runnels, she began to dance.”
― Lawren Leo
It would appear that I got carried away with the spay bottle.
Between making images of the lily, I did spend some time with the creamy-white roses that are also part of the bouquet. This particular blossom has been a bit slower to open than its counterparts and just appeals to me a bit more.
It was going to be my Valentine’s Day image, but with so many other flowers to share, this one was relegated to my second choice, and so, is being shared today.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Life isn’t static, and sometimes, we don’t realize the value of knowledge or even of people, until further down the track, when we’re mature enough to truly understand.”
― Nalini Singh
Watching this lily mature has been an interesting process for me. Photographically, because I’m trying to keep the image attributes consistent, without leaving my camera set up, as well as from an observation standpoint, as I watch a natural process unfold day by day, looking for the slight differences between the images.
When I first purchased the bouquet that this lily came from, it was closed tight and I focused on the roses,carnations, and spider dahlias. Then overnight, the lily took my attention, and held it. I watched the first blossom expand, followed a few days later by a slightly smaller flower. The first image was posted a few days ago, if you care to look.
In this image, I’m starting to see the first blossom’s petals curl a bit more and the small bud below the other two flowers is beginning to whiten. I’m hoping to see all three in bloom at the same time.
I did enhance this image a little bit by lightly misting the blossoms, simply for a change. We’ll see what tomorrow brings 🙂
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
This is the continued documentation of a lily I recently purchased as it opens. Hopefully, at some point soon, all three blossoms will be opened.
As you can see on this image versus yesterday’s post, the second blossom is now starting to open and the original flower is still holding up very well.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com

Nikon D300
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
― Anaïs Nin
I’m revisiting yesterday’s lily, as the second blossom begins to open. I thought it would be an idea to document it over the next few days.
The first blossom is still looking lovely, which was a surprise to me. I had expected it to flatten out more, but it is still keeping its shape nicely. Now, as you can see, a second blossom is opening up and will probably be fully open in the next few hours. The mature blossom with the secondary one in the background felt like a nice composition, as i turned the vase around looking for what I had envisioned. Rarely do I just set up and shoot. I’m quite deliberate about the composition and shooting angle to get what I’m looking for in my image.
One of the nice things about shooting these florals now is I essentially have two settings: the first is a well-lit, well-balanced setting, the second is a low-key version, if I’m looking for mood. It took very little trial and error to arrive at these settings since the studio lighting and my environment is consistent. This is not the case when I’m shooting outdoors. Those images provide a bit more of a challenge for me. More to follow.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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Here is my entry for Del Monte Y Mar’s Tuesdays of Texture Challenge Week 7 of 2017, Valentine’s Edition.
With all the floral photos I’ve been posting lately, this one does not seem that much different, except the carnation has beautiful texture in its ruffled petals. So, I decide to combine Valentine’s and texture in one photo. I hope you enjoy it.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1.6sec, f/32.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com

“In the end there is only light and dark. And the two are not so far apart.”
― Thomas Lloyd Qualls
Yesterday it was the roses putting on their show, today, a single lily decided to open fully. Until that point, I had no idea what colour it might be, other than something pale. This one, as you can see from the photo is white with a pinky-cream tone and even some notes of pale yellow, depending on how the light hits it.
Despite the scar on its stem, this lily is, in my opinion, nearly perfect. Fresh to the world, the blossom is pure and unblemished. I suppose I’ve always had a ‘thing’ for lilies, with their large but delicate petals.
Strangely, growing up with a German family, lilies represented death, which always confounded me. How can such a beautiful flower represent an ending, when to me, it symbolises birth or a beginning?
Well, our lives do travel in circles, and as I write these words, I’m reminded that though this flower bloomed today, it’s also eight years ago that my adopted mother passed away. I’m not one to remember the exact dates for such events but hers stuck with me, since she passed on Friday the thirteenth, eight years ago, and it was not till I looked at a calendar, that the significance of this day registered with me. So, in a way, the German tradition lives on, and today, the lily reminds me of one particular death.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com

“One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.”
― Linda Poindexter
This is photo of an ice sheet below a local dam. Because of the nature of the churning water and constant movement, the ice sheet becomes a visual record of the changes in water flow and temperature though its jagged surface. I thought it made for a nice piece of natural abstract art.
As I searched for an appropriate quote to compliment the image, none of the quotes seemed to align well with my feelings about this image. You’d think with the multitude of writings on fractures or brokenness, and there are more than I would have considered, very few focussed in breaking and healing as an ongoing and natural process.
In the case of the ice sheet, if the ice did not flex, break, and refreeze it would stop the waterflow and eventually release explosively as pressure built up below it. But the small cracks, which eventually seal up, prevent this from happening.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/500 sec, f/11.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
― Clare Boothe Luce
Today, the roses in the bouquet opened up a bit more, including this beauty, which was tightly closed yesterday, now partially open and looking marvelous and nearly flawless.
I’ve spoken before about the wonderment that I experience when making these macro images and I ask myself why I have missed these wonderful details all these years. The fine structures of a simple rose petal is absolutely stunning. When you look closer, you can even see the ridge created by the overlying petal as the flower was still tightly closed, the warm translucency of the petals, as the overlap, and the soft glow along the petal edges.
Isolating the blossom against the black background forces the eye into that detail, with no background to distract the eye. The rose, is the singular focus, and as the eye drifts over the surface, more and more detail becomes noticeable. I know I will never look at flowers the same way.
My photography is beginning to change how I see the world, not that I have ever been overly casual about nature, but now I’d add ‘deliberate’ to that description. I’m forcing myself to slow down, observe carefully, and truly appreciate the intricate systems in play in our natural world.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com

“And with the smallest intake of breath he had painted me a picture. Ash that stung your tongue like poisoned snowflakes and breaths of air that burned your lungs without fire”
― Quil Carter
What else do you call this image of a red Spider Dahlia, as it’s petals burst forth for the centre? It’s a bit disappointing, knowing the blossom has been ‘dyed’ red, that this is not its natural colour. Nonetheless, it is quite lovely.
Yet one more blossom from my recent bouquet. For those who are regular followers of this blog, I’ll continue working through the various flowers that make up this bouquet, primarily red and white, assembled deliberately for the upcoming Valentine’s day.
Despite the artificial nature of this particular blossom, it’s still nice to admire the structure and complexity of this flower, as the petal gradually unfurl from the centre.
As I write this, I’m noticing the roses are starting to open up nicely, so they may become the focus of tomorrow’s photo, even though I photographed them already today. That ,or the lilies, which are not far behind.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com

“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder
Back in the studio today, with a fresh bouquet. This time creamy roses, red carnations, spider dahlias, and lilies, which have not opened yet.
My first selection was the soft cream coloured roses, which have just began to open. As I positioned the blossoms under my lights I could not help but be captivated by the soft glow that seemed to come from within the bloom itself. The the title of this image. That warm radiance just spoke of comfort and softness. A tender bloom indeed.
I still have not tired of these studio images of flowers. Every image capturing a moment of beauty, often surprising me in its complexity and details, most of which I don’t seem to notice until the blossom is lighted and isolated against the black background. This is something that I don’t believe I’ll ever stop enjoying. Right now, I’m a bit limited to whatever flowers are available in stores and I’m looking forward to capturing more images using this style as I begin to visit some botanical gardens in the upcoming weeks.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
0.6sec, f/25.0, ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com

“Silence can always be broken by the sound
Of footsteps walking over frozen ground
In winter when the melancholy trees
Stand abject and let their branches freeze
”
― Merrill Moore
So typical of the past week, this cedar bough, coated with a glass-like film of ice, the result of an evening of freezing rain and a gradual morning thaw.
What drew me to this composition was the warm morning light and delicate structure of the cedar leaves, slightly magnified by the lens of clear ice. Such a common tree around here, yet spectacularly beautiful up close.
I also noticed that my camera settings were ‘unusual’, having done some low light indoor photography on the weekend and neglecting to reset them. yet, it all worked out. Lesson learned and a reminder to me to always check my settings before I venture out.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/800 sec, f/14.0, ISO 800
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“My scars remind me that I did indeed survive my deepest wounds. That in itself is an accomplishment. And they bring to mind something else, too. They remind me that the damage life has inflicted on me has, in many places, left me stronger and more resilient. What hurt me in the past has actually made me better equipped to face the present.”
― Steve Goodier
I made this image this past weekend and tucked it away, not sure when I would post it. Then this past Tuesday evening, a fairly extensive ice storm passed through, bringing back memories of previous ice storms, a phenomenon quite common to this part of the country. The Tuesday storm was tame compared to other storms we’ve experienced, especially the one that occurred in the winter of 2015.
The 2015 storm was unique in several aspects: it lasted a long time, covering everything in about 50 millimeters of ice, breaking large limbs from trees, damaging power lines, and creating a thick, impenetrable glaze of ice that was impossible to walk on. Then, something unusual happened. Freezing rain generally melts off mere hours after it falls, that’s the nature of these storms. In this case, the temperatures plummeted, making the ice harder and locking our world in a frozen wonderland. Many people lost power for days, as power lines snapped under the weight of the ice and vast patched of trees were completely obliterated as the ice literally tore them apart. We also experienced a unique phenomenon that became known as ‘frost quakes’. As the ground, laden with water from the freezing rain, froze rapidly, it contracted, booming and banging as it continued to cool. This was especially noticeable on roof tops, covered in close to thirty centimeters of wet snow and encased in ice. It would make the whole house shake.
Such was the dynamic of the 2015 storm and the cause of the damage to this tree, which, despite the extensive damage to its trunk, still lives. I recall the first time I saw it, a few days after the storm. The sheer weight of ice in its limbs and some fairly intense winds had created enough force to twist and split the tree almost all the way from the ground to the lowest branches. Frankly, given the damage, I would have thought it was going to die.
It still will die in the next few years, as the wood, now unprotected by the bark, is open to water damage, rot, and insects. Despite this, I am still amazed at it resilience.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com

“Beware of being trapped in your own imaginings. You instill sparks in others, you charge them with your illusions, and when they burst forth into illuminations, you are taken in.”
― Hugh Parker Guiler
Now this one got me thinking, should I reveal what it is, or leave it a mystery? It’s an image I made a few days ago and it really struck me as I previewed and then processed it. The title “Trapped” has several possible applications, depending on how you interpret the photo. It’s also a cool image for Tuesdays of Texture.
I think I’ll leave it, as is and see what your thoughts are.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com

“Life always bursts the boundaries of formulas. Defeat may prove to have been the only path to resurrection, despite its ugliness. I take it for granted that to create a tree I condemn a seed to rot. If the first act of resistance comes too late it is doomed to defeat. But it is, nevertheless, the awakening of resistance. Life may grow from it as from a seed.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Today’s Monochrome Mondays submission is a simple image of a mid-February Queen Anne’s Lace seed head, only a few of its bounty of seeds remaining. It is spent.
This particular specimen is the only one I could find that still had any seeds remaining. Between wind, snow, and rain, all it’s companions had shed their seeds, most damaged and rotted. Yet, this one still had some form to it as well as a few seeds.
For those unfamiliar with this plant, I shared an image in the fall which shows a fully filled seed head, ready to open up.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com

“Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph.”
― Matt Hardy
I thought this was an interesting scene, as it presented itself to me during a hike this past Saturday. The tree had both catkins, the parts that produce pollen, and fruit at the same time, on the same branch and I can’t recall if I have ever seen this before.
It also offered a nice balanced composition, so I decided it was worth the photo.
I’m still getting familiar with my 90mm macro lense and it’s depth of field range, which is much different from my 70-200mm zoom, with which I am far more familiar, so aperture was not optimum, always learning.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com








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