It's Good To Be in Your Fifties /

Welcome back.  Post #002.

I took another photo early in the digital days just out in front of the house.  The mocking bird seen below was in the tree of the neighbor's front yard.  Mocking birds got my attention very early on in life when I realized one day that all the songs I was hearing were coming from a single bird.  To watch and listen to a mockingbird sing its way through its mature catalogue of songs is nothing short of astounding.  We've all heard it.  You should witness it.  It's most likely a warm October or early November day.  The trees are all bare. 

Northern Mockingbird in Winter King Green Hawthorn

This portrait (I imagine them posing at times) reveals the compact body and head while the tail extends behind the berries to almost double its length.  The mocking bird has great contrasting striping across the wings.  The small beak aligned perfectly with the eye.  It's grey coloring practically 'feels' soft.  We see the talons wrapping tightly around the smaller branch with the front and rear portions interlocking to ensure a solid grip.  The photo was taken with an authentic 1969 Nikkor H 300mm F4.5.  What a lens!  A gorgeous piece of Japanese-made glass.  A fine example of Japanese artistry and mastery of craft.  Dare I say a bit 'softer' in its focus than today's lenses (or is it aging eyes?). However, I love that. What it has provided are some of my all time favorite shots.  It's just rich, almost creamy, and delicate in its presentation.  

The 1969 Nikkor H 300mm F4.5 mounted to the D700

According to Edward Dozier - https://www.photoartfromscience.co:  

It has a rotating, locking, non-removable lens collar that is excellent for balancing on a tripod. It has a wonderful permanent telescoping lens shade, which I sorely miss on today’s lenses. This lens looks, feels, and acts like its brand-new; I expect it to last well beyond my own lifetime.

I can’t sufficiently describe how excellent this lens is for manual focusing. It has precisely the right dampening, rotation range, and smoothness. The ‘feel’ of the focusing hasn’t changed any whatsoever over the life of the lens. Nikon built this metal lens to the highest possible mechanical standards.

I could not have written it any better.  I fully agree.  The lens is really something one has to feel in his hands to immediately appreciate the craftsmanship.  Thank you, Tadashi Takahashi at Nikon.  I inherited the lens 30 years ago.  More on that at a later date.  

Northern Cardinal shot with the Nikkor H 300mm F4.5 on the D700

The shot above was taken from the deck in the backyard looking out into the river birch trees.  There is an afternoon winter sun and he is perched perfectly to capture those photons streaming in and warm up a bit.  The majestic Cardinal - always a spectacular example of nature doing what it does.  The contrasting black of the eye against the 'matte' feathers to the right and the 'high-gloss' beak to the left is just so dramatic.  The bit of flaring from the uppermost feathers.  The transition from the fire engine red of the head and shoulders to the more ruddy burgundy along the back and outer wing feathers.  The long and elegant 'gown-like' tail feathers.  See what I mean about birds?  There's so much to know and capture and share.  Whew!  

Is it indulgent to celebrate this lens with one more from its illustrious past?  Ah, it's a classic. Onward to the birds!  

The Great Blue Heron shot with the 1969 Nikkor H 300mm F4.5 on the D700

This shot of a Great Blue Heron was taken tripod-mounted while sitting on the ground pond-side.  It is early June and the world is a blaze of glorious, verdant, lusciousness!  The countryside drips in green..., and there is this suddenly walking through my lens out in the water.  Look at the color gradations from the orange beak, to the yellow eye and blue head feathers, along the white cheek to the long and winding tan neck and there the iconic blue feathers of the Great Blue Heron. The chartreuse leg against the ripple in the water.  See what I mean about birds?   I am grateful for those moments.  

Okay.  Enough.  Thank you for having fun with me.  Until next time, be safe and enjoy our feathered friends.  - Daniel