I enjoy photographing nature around local ponds. From a secluded woodland pond in a nearby wildlife refuge to a small garden pond in a neighbor’s backyard these are great places to look for small subjects. My favorite time to visit is in the early morning when the light just catches insect wings and when the colors are more vibrant without the harshness of mid-summer days. Upon arrival, I try to stay as quiet as possible and just wait for things to happen. The images in this essay hopefully tell a little bit of the story about life around a pond.
Water lilies begin to bloom in the late spring and create beautiful reflections in the still water just after sunrise. Smaller ferns near the water’s edge will catch droplets that soon disappear as the day warms up. The image shown here of the droplet in a small fern is one of my favorites. I remember being on my hands and knees trying to get the camera lens closer for a macro shot. Sometimes you can’t see all the droplets until the camera focuses with a close-up lens. How many droplets can you see in the photograph?
Dragonflies are true marvels and can detect movement 360 degrees around their eyes. They can see light in the ultraviolet spectrum with eyes that can focus as fast as 200 images per second – much faster than human sight. Believe me, you cannot sneak up on a dragonfly. Best to stay still and watch for them to come close. To photograph these critters, I use the same long lens (500mm) and fast shutter speeds that I use for some flying birds- about 1/2000 of a second.
Invariably there will be flowers and pollinators in the area. Here a bee makes its way around a series of blossoms. I can understand why some have written whole books about the ecosystems of ponds. When you can, I encourage you to visit your local pond, and just sit and watch for the small stuff.
