I found myself wide awake at 4:30 AM and considered driving to Jones Beach or Fire Island, but that could take an hour, too close to the projected sunrise time of 5:48, so I headed to nearby Bayside Marina instead. I've taken so many photos of this local NYC marina, at all different times of day, seasons, and weather, that I'm afraid of getting bored or stale, but this location rarely disappoints. There were 3 other photographers waiting when I got there, 2 with tripods and filters, and 2 more with their phones. I walked down the slippery boat ramp to get a different perspective than theirs.
I tried this in black and white and liked it, but then the saturated color really brought out the painterly quality of the water ripples without sacrificing the strong geometric quality of the structure. I decided it was perfect for Sunday. Sliders. Also, it is local, "Within a 5 minute Walk" (if I walk really fast) so I may use this photo for this week's Crazy Tuesday theme, as well. Bayside Marina, Little Neck Bay, Bayside, Queens, NYC -- July 29, 2023
Tags: Sliders Sunday saturated color blue hour sunrise marina water New York Queens NYC Crazy Tuesday blue pier pilings buildings Within a 5min Walk painterly geomtric ripples Little Neck Bay Bayside shadows contrast July 29, 2023 Fuji X-T5 XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR local twilight gloaming
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An optical illusion created by the aquarium glass and lights, but this lionfish is still a captive. Norwalk Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk, Connecticut -- July 9, 2023
In Explore July 17, 2023
Tags: psychedelic neon lionfish aquarium lights slider trapped captive iPhone 14 Pro Max July 9, 2023 invasive species in Explore
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Cropped from a much larger scene of the girl and her siblings running down the hill near Daffodil Hill. I hit the sliders for this one. New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx, NYC -- April 15, 2023
In Explore June 27, 2023
Tags: little girl white dress running daffodils garden New York Botanical Garden spring XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR 2023 April 15, 2023 Fuji X-T5 movement fabric folds skirt Sliders Sunday candid
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This bird will never end up on a platter at Thanksgiving dinner. Behold his magnificent plumage and bright red caruncle, wattle, and snood (the fleshy appendages on a turkey's head.) "Chief" is a star at the Children's Zoo, where he struts freely among the visitors, basking in their attention and admiration. He has a human zoo employee watching over him at all times, so that no one touches him. Chief likes to be looked at, but don't touch!
On another visit, before COVID, I was sitting on a nearby bench, taking shot after shot of him with my camera, trying to capture the texture and details of his head and feathers in the sunlight. The shutter's clicks seemed to attract him, and he strutted past me, closer and closer. I thought to myself, he's enjoying this! Then he stopped, bunched back his feather and started to shake and thrust. I asked his attendant what he was doing. Embarrassed, the young man said, "He's mating with the air." Oh!
It occurred to me that this fancy bird had imprinted on humans, probably right after hatching at the zoo. I also learned that he cannot be kept in a pen with the other turkeys, because the other males attack him. In fact, as he strutted around among the humans, the penned, male turkeys were squawking and taunting him, looking to fight. Chief may think he is a human, and has the most coddled, privileged life a turkey can have, but he does not fit in with other turkeys: a strange and stunted life for a wild turkey.
I thought Chief must have passed on by now, but there he was, looking better than ever when I returned recently. It seems turkeys can live for more than 15 years when cared for and protected. When I mentioned my theory about him being imprinted on humans, the female zookeeper who was watching him agreed, saying he loves the attention, and that he follows her around when there aren't any visitors, in a perpetual state of arousal. Chief is an exhibitionist.
This isn't the most original or creative of photos, but I wanted to show all of Chief, and it's more about the story. This is turkey eye contact: their eyes are on the side of their heads, and they can only look at one side at a time. Zoom in close to see the beautiful detail he is so proud and vain about.
Children's Zoo, The Bronx Zoo, World Wildlife Federation, the Bronx, NYC -- June 17, 2023
In Explore June 28, 2023 for Flickr Social Takeover: Birds
Tags: iPhone 14 Pro Max June 17, 2023 Bronx Zoo Children's Zoo turkey bird petting zoo Chief protected imprinted on humans captive privileged wattle caruncle snood strutting wild turkey The Bronx New York NYC Meleagris gallopavo In Explore Flickr Social
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Solo photography of spring blooms. New York Botanical Garden, the Bronx, NYC -- April 15, 2023
For Flickr Friday, Mindfulness theme
Tags: NYBG New York Botanical Gaden Flickr Friday mindfulness blossoms blooms flowers fleurs lumen cherry trees daffodils spring candid random stranger photographer April 15, 2022 Fuji X-T5 XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR white pink yellow garden
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