Michael Despines Photography

Jun

30

Fresh Flowers

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 7 comments

Shot of the Month – June 2025

In April, I visited Washington’s famous tulip fields in Skagit County. As I drove to the location, I was preoccupied with a concern:

“How am I going to create a unique image? Many thousands of people photograph these same fields year after year after year after……. What am I going to do that is any different? Does the world really need another pretty tulip snap?”

I have visited the fields multiple times — It wasn’t my first rodeo.

I have done the classic “landscape” shot at sunrise:

I have done some nice individual flower “portraits”:

I have experimented with colorful birdscapes:

So what next? How can I move the needle? What is something new that I can try? Something beyond pretty flower…?…hmmmm………….Then it dawned on me. Many years ago, I experimented with slow shutter speeds and camera movement to add life to my autumn leaf photography, and I was stunned by the results. For the foliage, I used a slow shutter speed and tilted the camera up or down while exposing the scene to get abstract images like this:

For the tulips, I decided to experiment with “zoom bursts.” What’s dat?

“The zoom burst effect is a photographic technique creating radial streaks of motion by zooming a lens (in or out) while the shutter is open, using a slow shutter speed (like 1/30s or slower) and a steady camera (tripod recommended), resulting in an abstract, dynamic look that makes subjects appear to burst outward or rush inward, ideal for lights, cityscapes, or nature.”

Still confused? Remember in Star Wars when they made the jump to lightspeed? And all the stars came zooming by as streaks of light? Yeah, that. On this occasion, we replaced stars with flowers, and got something like this:

Shot #1:

The yellow tulip provided a nice visual contrast and helped anchor the shot.

The key to creating the dynamic blurred streaks is to use a low shutter speed while zooming in or out during the exposure. Other than that, there are no rules. Just a lot of trial and error, experimenting with different shutter speeds and varying how rapidly to pull/push the zoom ring on the lens (So yes, a zoom lens is required to experiment with this technique).

Another attempt from the same position:

Shot #2:

And here is a wider perspective from the same location:

Shot #3:

For an added “twist,” you can rotate the zoom ring as you are pushing or pulling the lens, adding a spiral effect to your radiating lines:

Shot #4:

Here is the same shot with a wider field of view:

Shot #5:

Typically, only the subject at the center of your image will be in focus, but you can experiment with off-center subjects, and sometimes you can get it reasonably sharp, as in the image above.

In the next image, I spun the lens 360 degrees with the yellow tulip dead center, creating a merry-go-round look:

Shot #6:

In the next image, I did not spin the lens a full 360 degrees:

Shot #7:

It seems like all of the flowers are being sucked into a vortex created by the yellow tulip. Dude, so trippy….

I looked for subjects that clearly stood out from the crowd:

Shot #8:

In the shot above, I used a relatively fast shutter speed and zoomed and rotated the lens only mildly, so the effect is more subtle.

Here’s a pretty field….

Shot #9:

Ok, (yawn) what else you got? Let’s jump to lightspeed (straight zoom pull, no twist):

Shot #10:

Another version, but let’s push the zoom in a different direction:

Shot #11:

Ok, one last shot with a wider perspective:

Shot #12:

On some days, after so many years of photography, it can be challenging to find the inspiration or vision needed to create something worthwhile. Not on this day. I had a blast experimenting with the new technique. After each shot, I excitedly checked the screen to see what magical combination of color and shape I may have captured. The hours passed quickly as I played with the limitless variations of shutter speed and lens movement. And it was fun to study the scene with my new “mental lens” in looking for compositions that were conducive to the “zoom effect.”

What are your thoughts on this non-traditional view of the world? Strike your fancy? Any favorites among the group?

Until next month…

Shot #4: Nikon Z9, Nikon 100-400 mm, f/11, 1/30 sec, ISO 64

May

31

Silver Falls State Park

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – May 2025

Stand in one spot for too long in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and there is a good chance that you will be covered in moss before you know it, like the tree in my photo above. The PNW is (in)famously wet, and all that rainfall produces some of the few remaining lush forests in the Northern Hemisphere. Let’s break it down:

Pacific Northwest?

What exactly is the Pacific Northwest? Turns out that this is a rather complicated question and no one can agree on exactly what geography is covered under this title. The most common “definition” is that the PNW is made up of the US states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and the Canadian Province of British Columbia.

What’s with the weather?

Source

The PNW is famous for being wet. In fact, it does not rain year-round as many assume, and the summers are very dry. Most precipitation is during the winter, with areas west of the Cascade Mountains and along the coast getting the brunt of the wet stuff. But areas on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains can be arid due to the rain shadow effect. Check out this animated graphic to see how the mountains impact rainfall levels. Winters are so wet along the coast due to the “Pineapple Express,” a weather pattern that brings warm, moist air from Hawaii across the Pacific Ocean. On the plus side, the temperatures are moderate/mild year-round thanks to the warm(ish) air from the ocean. Western Washington is classified as Csb which is “warm-summer Mediterranean climate.”

Shocking Fun Fact: I was blown away when I learned that New York City actually gets more rain than Seattle. Yep, you read that right. New York City averages 50 inches of rain annually while Seattle only averages about 37-40 inches each year. And it gets crazier. Seattle doesn’t even rank in the top 30 cities in the US for annual rainfall! Click here to understand the shocking truth!.

Today’s color is Green

Put all that together, and you find luscious temperate rain forests all the way from Alaska, through the PNW, down to northern California. Some areas can receive up to 12 feet of rain/year. Squish. These forests can have dense vegetation with every surface covered with some variation of fern, moss, or lichen.

Silver Falls State Park (SFSP)

A great place to experience this wondrous alchemy of water and vegetation is at the Silver Falls State Park in Oregon. SFSP is located about 20 miles east-southeast of Salem, the state Capital. There is a fantastic 8-mile loop that you can hike that takes you past (and sometimes under!) 10 waterfalls and through some glorious green and mossy forests. Go in the spring when the snowmelt is at its peak to find the falls GUSHING with water and the surroundings bursting in shades of green.

In the image above, we see the Lower South Falls – you can actually walk behind this waterfall.

Here is another view of the same waterfall:

Does this scene not just scream Middle-earth?? I love the early morning fog and cacophony of colors and textures. That mossy tree that we saw in the first image is on the left side of this image.

Here is Lower Falls, the most visited waterfall in the park:

If you visit in the autumn, the water flow is much less as some falls slow to a trickle, but in compensation, you get a fun, albeit a bit odd, mix of Maine “fall” colors among the mossy forest.

Either way, it is a visual treat. Just keep moving, as the moss is always looking for its next host…

Until next month….m

Nikon Z9, Nikon 14-30 mm (@14 mm), f/16, 1/25 sec, ISO 64

Apr

30

Long-tailed Meadowlark

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – April 2025

Some animals are masters of disguise, trying to quietly blend into the surrounding to avoid detection. That does not seem to be the strategy of the Long-tailed Meadowlark shown here. I photographed this dapper fellow in Patagonia, Chile.

The males, especially during the mating season, take on dramatic hues to attract the ladies. The female birds also have red, but the coloring is more subdued as we can see here:

Another view of the female:

The Meadowlark is a New World bird that prefers grasslands, fields, and meadows, as the name suggests. These birds spend much of their time on the ground as they search for insects and seeds.

There are eight species of meadowlark spread out across the Western Hemisphere. Interestingly, all five of the species that live south of the Equator are adorned in red. But the three species of meadowlark that usually live in North America are adorned in yellow. Below is a Western Meadowlark that I photographed in Grand Teton National Park in the US, and he is clearly on team yellow.

Another shot of our lovely male:

Meadowlarks, the dashing fashion plate of the nearby meadow, with handy color coding for the directionally challenged (like me!).

(Blue Line = Equator)

Until next month…michael

Nikon Z9, Nikkor Z 100-400mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO 100

Mar

31

Pygmy Owl

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – March 2025

While in Patagonia, I finally came across an owl I had been trying to see for ages – a Pymy owl. Just look at this stunning Liliputian cutie pie of a raptor. I am sure he would be none to pleased to hear himself being called a cutie pie – similar to how I imagine cats, the perfect miniature killing machine, hate when we ooh and ahh over their “adorable” ways. That being said, this tiny terror is not to be taken lightly – they are renowned to be quite fierce and have been seen taking birds almost double their weight.

(WHOOS a FIERCe LITTLE OWL? YOOOUU ARE!! Yeessss YOU Are!! (said in that annoying pet owner voice…)

Austral Pygmy Owl Range

There are 29 species of Pygmy Owl scattered across the globe, and they can be found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The chappie in my photo is an Austral Pygmy Owl – they are found in two countries, Chile (mostly) and Argentina (less so). Locally, they are called Chuncho. The males weigh 56-75 grams (2.0 – 2.6 oz) while, as is common with many raptors, the females are larger and weigh 70-100 g (2.5 – 3.5 oz).

For those playing at home, a tennis ball weighs about 2 oz, and a deck of playing cards weighs 3.5 oz. The wee bird stands about 17-21 cm (6.7 – 8.3 inches). This tiny raptor hunts small birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. These guys like to hunt during the day (diurnal), but they can hunt at night when the mood strikes.

A closer view:

Remember how it seemed that mom had eyes in the back of her head back when we were kids? Many raptors, including some species of pygmy owl, also give that impression, as seen here when my subject looked away:

False eyes, called ocelli, are usually found on prey species to confuse predators. So why does this owl, a predator, have false eyes?? The Austral pygmy owl preys on a wide variety of song birds, which makes him very unpopular with that avian crowd. If prey birds find a resting owl, they will call out for reinforcements. Soon, the birds will mob the owl, dive-bombing and harassing him until he leaves – especially if the birds have nests nearby with chicks. One theory is that these false eyes help avoid getting attacked from behind. Some scientists think the large false eyes are actually designed to trigger the mob response, so birds come in close so the owl can then hunt them! What delicious subterfuge if true – using their rage against them!

A small bird in a large world:

A closer look:

The Austral Pygmy Owl – the tiny but terrifying, diabolically deceptive (some say), geometrically perfect (tell me that head is not a perfect arc!) ball of feathers that is, yes, I still stand by it – adorable.

Until next month….michael

Nikon Z9, Nikon 600mm, f/4, 1/500 sec, ISO 400

Feb

28

Daily Challenge

Shot of the Month Posted by Michael / 1 comments

Shot of the Month – February 2025

As the sun rises in Patagonia, a resting Guanaco looks on, likely wondering why we are up so early.

A Guana-what?

For the uninitiated, it is pronounced “gwa NAH ko.”

If you thought our long-necked furry thing was a llama, you are not far off. Guanacos have a very calm/mellow temperament which allowed locals to domesticate them 6,000-7,000 years ago. That domesticated version is, yep you guessed it, the llama.

Guanacos are the largest herbivores in South America’s dry areas, and they are the main prey of Patagonia’s apex predator – the puma.

But do note, guanacos are not an easy meal. No, far from it. Guanacos are BIG. They stand 6 feet tall and can weigh three times the weight of a puma. Guanacos are also fast – they can run 35 mph. These camel-like creatures (yes, they are related to camels) also have thicker skin on their long necks for protection against predators.

We watched the puma below stalk a guanaco for about 45 minutes. She was unsuccessful.

A failed hunt is expected. It is the norm. Pumas only succeed about 1 in 5 attempts (that is an 80% failure rate!). (In the video below, they say success is only 1 in 10!)

I have seen many feline predators hunt – some in person and many others on video. Catching prey is difficult for all predators, but nothing comes close to the challenge that a puma faces every day. Watch this video and be prepared to be stunned. (Video link here.)

Imagine if you had to do this every time you wanted a meal!!

I am shocked that there are any pumas left alive in Patagonia, given how hard they have to work day in and day out to secure a meal. I would expect that life-threatening injuries must occur regularly, as seen in the video below (fear not, mom and cubs survive, I have seen the entire documentary). The link is also here.

And in the next video, watch how hard the puma gets slammed to the ground…again, and again…and…..(the action starts at about 1m 50sec). I recommend watching with the sound off. (Video link here)

Excuse me, what? You are feeling a bit peckish? Well, saddle up, cowboy, you have some work to do if you are a puma in Patagonia!

E-V-E-R-Y D-A-Y, this is what you have to endure if you want to eat.

In the last example of this daily struggle, a professional photographer captures the battle through a dramatic series of stills stitched together into a short video:

I got nothing else to say. Speechless. Pumas are absolute gangsters. I have the greatest respect for both contestants. Life is H-A-R-D when you are in the food chain….

Until next month….michael

Click here to learn more about Patagonia:

Patagonia

And here for more on Pumas
Puma

And here for the story behind getting a great puma landscape image:

Trifecta

Nikon Z9, 100-400mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 5000, EV -0.666

30

Fresh Flowers

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31

Silver Falls State Park

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Long-tailed Meadowlark

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Pygmy Owl

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28

Daily Challenge

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