Back to Basics....

Recently, I took out my old SLR camera, a Nikon FE. Many  regard this already as a museum piece, since the new digital SLRs are already flooding the market. But the 300 zoom lenses that comes with them are very costly.

I found that this Nikon have a Sigma Zoom lens with a maximum length of 300 mm. And I bought it only for a song. I used it once, and found out the photos were overexposed ( very pale ) . Never used it ever since. Til recently.

I did not read the info sheet that came with the lens. It said I must set the aperture to 22. In my initial use I placed it to 1.8.

These firgures may seem useless to others but for the old-time photographers ( like my brother in law Teofilo Sampaga ) these were crucial numbers to contend with.  Same with ASA's, etc. Anyway, digital cameras were not even thought of those days..

There is still a lab for processing films near my place. One hour processing cost only 6.99 which includes a CD of the digitized  photos..

My subject in this shoot are the the sparrows that made my backyard their hang out.  They make my home life less boring now. Them and the pesky squirrel which try to steal their food every now and then. He gives me a reason to get angry and shoo him out into where he came from..

These sparrows are so shy that taking their photos would need the knack of being "invisible" to them. This is merely being as still as possible so they would think they are alone and they would act and twitter normally.

There were a few things I observed about the sparrows, particularly the baby ones.  They leave the nest, yes but for a while they would follow Mama birdie tagging at her tail.  They would be begging for "food" and Mama could not resist but feed them with the morsel she is about to swallow. The baby sparrows ( if you do not have the chance to observe them ) flutter their wings and open their beaks while chasing Mama around the yard..Their feather colours are paler than the adult birds and they are the noisy bunch when they are in the bushes or up the trees.

Among the other regulars in my yard are: a couple of turtle doves  a couple of cardinals and several blackbirds. And yes, lets not forget Sammy the Squirrel ( apologies to Sammy Antonio )..

I believe turtle doves are called PAGAO in Asingan during the '50s. The turtle doves were so friendly in Hawaii ( I found out when I visited the Island.) One even came to my table and watch me drink  juice with a straw from a freshly husked coconut. I just observed it observing me, wondering whether I would throw out something for him/her to eat. 

Here are some of the shots I took with the zoom lens..I still need a steadier hand or a monopod ( a one legged tri pod )

The baby bird, fluttering its wing.

Baby chasing Mama..Sparrows can only hop. The bigger ones like doves, robins , Blue Jays can walk on their own two feet, I mean, two claws..Whatever!