Sunday, May 10, 2009

Features I'd like on my next camera

This little guy (also known as a bold jumping spider or a daring jumping spider-really, that's his name) followed me into the house... and then I had to carry him right back out. Once he was outside again, I followed him around with my camera. He was very animated with his attempts to intimidate me. Lots of gestures, a few staredowns, and some jumping around. Oh, he was full of outrage.

"Lady, you keep getting in my face, I'm going to jump.  And then you just watch it because when I jump up and down again it could be really, really high. Don't you be messing with me."

Well, of course I did. This little tough guy was too funny to ignore. I wish I had a camera that was better at close-up focusing because this guy was a fasssst mover. 

A raccoon appeared at the coontina over the weekend but I don't think he was Freddie (something about his facial markings). But this raccoon was sooooooooo skinny, maybe he was Freddie, just an unrecognizable Freddie. I gave this raccoon that may or may not have been Freddie two plates of cat food and then he was good to go. His tail was sooooo skinny, it looked like it belonged to a stray cat. Raccoons store fat reserves in their tails so this guy definitely was starving with a tail like that. Poor thing. But regarding cameras, I wish I had one that could take better photos of something moving around so fast in the dark.

However, I can always count on getting  a nice clear shot of a turtle on a spring day.

They're not going anywhere too fast when it's a tiny bit cool out there. But a feature I'd like on my next camera would have something that would make a turtle come out of their shell and perhaps even have a pleasant expression on his or her face. It's hard to get an expression when the only thing a turtle will show you from their face is their nostrils! 

And if I could get a pleasant expression feature on that next camera, I'd like to try it out on Violet. Even better, make that a fake smile feature. If you can have a get rid of red-eye feature on a camera, why not a get rid of scowl-face too?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Meep, those are some BIG eyes!

We don't have anywhere near the interesting bugs and spiders over here. You're very calm though, I don't really have anything against spiders but not sure how I'd feel about one that could jump all over the place. I'd be totally paranoid about getting in as close as you for a picture, little fella might hop into my hair, LOL.

Mental P Mama said...

I'd like my next camera to have a weight subtraction feature.

Maria said...

Wonk-get out that new macro feature of yours and start clicking. I am sure you have a lot of local insects that are JUST as "meep" inspiring. Btw, he never jumped ON me, just a lot of 6 inch sideways jumping. That's what was so funny.

Mental-That's a good one. I'll put that on my list too.

Maureen said...

Violet can't help it, she;s got those Robert Lansing eyebrows.

Maria said...

Maureen-I think looking for an eyebrow reducing feature might be pushing it. Ha ha ha.

Anonymous said...

Sadly I think these are the scariest things we have ;)

Scary!

Deedee said...

Great shots! That little guy looks amazing!

Maria said...

Wonk-Eeeeeeee!!!!! My teeth! my teeth! Those ARE scary.

Deedee-Oh I wish I had control of the shutter speed. I should be happy with what I got but it took a lot of chasing just to get that one shot. Poor little spider got less bold as the chasing continued.

abb said...

Love the spider. Hope you can fatten up that poor raccoon.

Anonymous said...

You look very content in that photo, Violet:)

Maria said...

TSannie-I would love to fatten up that poor thing but those raccoon visits are not that frequent, contrary to everyone else's experiences with raccoons. :-/

Tristan and Crikey-You guys crack me up every time. ;-)

Country Girl said...

Wow, that racoon is Kate Moss skinny. That's not good.
I love all your pics here. Someday a macro lens, eh?

Viooltje (Violet) said...

I ♥ all your photo's and supermodels.
Glad they are natural beauty's and not photoshopped.
But I hope the racoon will get better/fatter very soon.

Violet is looking wise, she knows more than we about some Things.

Viooltje (Violet) said...

btw
I had some turtles visiting my blog the other day.
;o)))))))))

Maria said...

Kate-That is a perfect description. That poor coon IS Kate Moss skinny. Yessssssss, a macro lens. I cannot wait!!!!! I'm still in the research phase of finding a new camera. It seems I outgrew my point and shooter last week. I just want MORE.

Violet-I'm coming over to your blog RIGHT now.

Unknown said...

Wow I love those pictures of the spider. He is so cool looking! I love his eyes!