Ibycter 2013: a year of photos and blogging

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2013 has been a great year for shooting as well as for getting my images out to people who are interested, via this blog! There are so many decent images to choose from, and I am a bit pressed for time right now, so I  will organize the pictures that stood out for me phylogenetically.

Insects

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One of the beautiful Ammophila featured in Ibycter Illustrated. Photographing sleeping Hymenoptera at sunrise gave me a new appreciation for mixing ambient and flash.

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I love the way the dew sparkles on this Lycaenid.

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In 2013, I got to indulge myself with many opportunities to shoot Coelioxys, my favourite Megachilid.

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Using flowers as colourful backdrops was something I explored in the gardens this year.

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Not the best technically, but it was great to come upon this scene of predation between Laphria and Apis. Productive slacking indeed!

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Another Laphria found on a window provided a good long photo session so I could explore lighting against the sky.

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The end result of a syrphid rearing experiment! Feed your syrphid well!

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Some time spent in Victoria in the spring was a good time to revise papers and look for beautiful snakeflies!

This was my favourite of the bunch, with the water droplets adding to the interest.

After this shot, I resolved to shoot more ants, but unfortunately I did not follow through. This was the best ant I shot all year.

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I explored a bit of underwater photography with micro-aquaria, but could use some more practice.

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I got to use the Monster Macro Rig to good effect in lush grasses, where it excels.

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And more Coelioxys!

Spiders

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This was a great year for spider photography, and I shot many species, such as this uloborid, Hyptiotes gertschi.

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Although I worked out a hypothetical method for better jumping spider photos, I never put it to use. I got some decent jumper pics nonetheless,

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While exiled in Port Moody, we managed to witness some dramatic spider action.

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Fieldwork at Island View Beach provided a good excuse to shoot black widows and other great animals.

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I managed more than my fair share of crab spider shots, like this one during some time in the community garden.

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This dramatic shot of a Woodlouse Hunter was a big hit.

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Some of the studio shots I took of jumpers at Iona were also pretty dramatic. This Habronattus ophrys male was pretty on black.

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Jumpers also stand out on white.

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I found several long philodromids this year, which look elegant stretched out in their concealed mode.

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Following a gravid Cellar Spider was a great lesson in spider reproduction.

Starting to harden up and recover movement.

This molting clack widow was a great treat to see.

(non-human) Vertebrates

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Shooting seals underwater was a highlight late in the year, thanks to aquiring a GoPro.

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Getting out to YVR with the Wildlife Control people was a really fun experience. This molting Peregrine tiercel was one of the better shots I ever got of a peregrine.

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I indulged my crow photography habit more than a little in 2013

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A family of raccoons provided entertainment and photo ops all through the year

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This snapshot of an injured duck led me into some community activism, and was ultimately used in newspapers and at council meetings.

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I git some decent shots during feeding time for some barn swallows.

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This eagle in a cottonwood highlights the gentle light you can get on a bright summer day under the shade of a tree.

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Probably my favourite bird shot this year, this male Annas hummingbird was spectacular in the evening light.

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A studio session with Jasmine the cat provided some ammunition in the war for equality.

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These trumpeter swans emerging out of the clouds were also a favourite.

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Sandhill Cranes up close are kinda crazy looking!

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I lost my good friend and adventuring partner this year. Maggie was an awesome dog and I will miss her greatly.

People

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I got out several times with Wild Research on birding trips. This shot of Paul Levsque channeling Steve Zissou was fun.

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The most fun I had with people was some of the outreach we did bringing insects and spiders to kids.

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Antonia with maggot art at the Halloween Spooktacular

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Meeting Alex Wild and others at the ESC in Guelph was an unexpected boost.

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Attending Alex Wild’s insect photography workshop with Mike Hrabar was a great way to start the conference.

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Sometimes going out mushroom hunting with friends is the best cure for the fall blues.

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Catherine Scott, my scientific collaborator and fellow member of Team Caracara has a great smile and killer stats insight.

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Getting out and speaking up for what matters is important. This was shot at the “Stand Up For Science” rally in Vancouver.

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OK, here are several more shots of kids with bugs. What could be more awesome?

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People gathered together for Moth Night. A great way to spend a summer evening!

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Doing Barn Owl work with Sofi was pretty fun. We managed to capture several owls.

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A butterfly outing!

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Tavi and Viorel

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Antonia with a great stonefly!

4 thoughts on “Ibycter 2013: a year of photos and blogging

  1. Nice shots! I’m partial to the non-human vertebrates. I’m sorry about your dog and I feel badly for the poor mallard. People are basically icky.

  2. Really nice shots. I think overall my favorite is the Ammophila wasp, as I’m also on a quest to master mixing ambient and flash in my shots. The woodlouse hunter is also worthy of mention – the “bugs on white” approach has become so commonplace that it takes a real standout to get noticed now, but that one with its exaggeratedly arced chelicerae qualifies. Have a great 2014.

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