Facial Archives - Bliss Photographics

Posted on July 29, 2020July 21, 2020 by Frank Bliss

Macro June Beetle Frontal

10 line June Beetles larva eat roots of all sort of good plants so they are a shoot on sight critter. I tend to shoot them with cameras but they don’t necessarily get a catch and release program assignment. Only because they are a marvelous bug from a looks perspective did he survive this long. An inch and a half in length, maybe a 1/4 inch high. I have other captures of this hissy fit fellow.

The species puts on quite a show when you get a little too close or try to handle it. On a general basis I categorically consider them a grump. It’s not much happy here about my big “eye” lens in it’s face. Those 4 hooks on it’s front appendages are to be respected according to him. Waving them like they were big sticks, the still had other legs on the rock. He was standing up telling me in no uncertain terms to “leave him alone”.

This image doesn’t show it but those yellow antenna are made up of layers of antennas. I have another image showing it. This composition was his idea not mine. Bugs are like photographing young children. They do what they want but you can USUALLY get their attention. This one didn’t fly away and pretty much stood his ground if he could. I would look pretty big incoming with a big macro lens plus he would see himself in the lens mirror ….. aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!..

Location: Bliss Dinosaur Ranch, Wyoming / Montana borderlands (Wyotana)

Title: Macro June Beetle Frontal

Posted on December 24, 2019December 17, 2019 by Frank Bliss

A Smaller Fish’s Last View

Our ranch has an Underground Aquaponic Greenhouse with LOT of things growing in 2000 gallons of circulating water. It’s underground and a greenhouse so it is legitimately called a Walipini. This is an 8 pound Tilapia in one of my tanks that I raised from fry. I have about 700 gallons of fish tanks (7 total tanks) dedicated to fish There is another 1300 gallons that are the same circulating water. It runs all winter and is currently 65 degrees with a rain forest environment.

This particular fish is 5 years old (which is old for a Tilapia). It has mostly eaten fish pellets but will eat duckweed, chunks of tomato, and bugs. I’m pretty sure that he would eat a smaller fish in a heartbeat. He is a BIG fish for the 110 gallon tank he is in. The other fish are mostly smaller or at best as big as this behemoth. I currently have about 150 pounds of Tilapia total in the system.

The Til

I’m trying to transition from a Monster Tomato Plant that over the last 5 years has slowly dominated my float/plant tanks. (Aquaponics grows stuff without soil, nothing but water for the roots). I’m growing Orchids, a monster Hoya, strawberries, some peppers and some parsley at the moment. I will slowly cut the tomato plant back until it’s gone. Slowly replacing plant volume with different vegi’s/fruits. I have found over the last 5 years that I can grow anything I can get to sprout down there.

Location: Bliss DInosaur Ranch, Wyoming/Montana borderlands (Wyotana)

Title: A Smaller Fish’s Last View

Posted on November 2, 2019May 17, 2020 by Bliss

Lady Bug Beard

Photographing a Lady Bug Beard is not that straight forward as you might think…. They always try to hide from your lens and are usually constantly moving anyway.

Getting a LadyBug to cooperate for the camera is one tough negotiation. Like dealing with a millennial that is triggered and melting to calm down…. Stick a big lens in my face will you kind of stuff 😜 Some Ladies just don’t want their photograph taken for any reason. Getting that little beard has been a bucket list item of mine lolol ✔️☑️

Mostly, Lady Beetles are in constant motion hunting surfaces for small parasites. Travelling easily on both side of the leaf with little regard to the camera lens following them. This leads to some frustrating moments for sure. You JUST get it in focus the way you want her and zip off she goes around the leaf.I have to invoke “Photo-Yoga” to keep up with them as usually shifting one’s feet will cause too many things to move in the flower patch.

So you learn to lean with a 5 pound camera for long minutes at a time. I love photo-yoga… It’s sort of how I stay “in shape” these days . That and a lot of walking backcountry ridges with 20 pounds of gear lol. I put at least a mile in each day walking around here. Usually carrying something lol.

Anything you do enough of, you will eventually succeed I find. You’ll at least get better while failing eventually😜At any rate, the way to succeed in photography is to mostly keep a camera with you and figure out how it works. Then there is the computer side of this lololol

Location: Bliss DInosaur Ranch, Wyoming/Montana borderlands.

Be safe the rest of this fine Sunday Have fun but be safe in what you do.

Lady Bug Beard