Flora & Fauna

The Los Angeles Arboretum is teaming with animals and vegetation waiting to be photographed.  It is also a prime location for weddings and wedding photos due to the beautiful nature of the place and the immaculate grounds.  This is part of the reason I've wanted to make the trip for so long.  I wanted to see what I could capture, figuratively with my camera of course.  We don't have any room left in our house for any more animals, people or vegetation!  1200 SF remember?

We started our journey by coming across this huge water fountain right near the entrance to the joint.  I wanted to see if  could capture water droplets in mid-flight or something equally cool.  Unfortunately, Bunny was too busy orchestrating the next water movement for me to get a good shot in.

Just when I thought she was going to get out of my way, these yahoos showed up to join in the fun.

So I thought I would ask them nicely to pose for the camera, and this yahoo stole the show.

Remember that for the future Tweedles.  That one will upstage you every time!

But I did get a few nature shots in of the flora and fauna.

I just love how this photo turned out.  This is basically SOOC (Straight Out Of the Camera).  I love the bokeh in this shot.  I didn't know this term a few short weeks ago, so I feel super cool just using it in casual conversation.  Oh, isn't the bokeh lovely?  The bokeha (I can't get a read on how this is pronounced, but I say bow-ka - but that just might be because it has bow in it and I'm soooo into archery) in this case, is when the focus of the shot is all sharp and in focus, and the background is all blurry.  Bokeh refers to the blurry background part.  It's a real term.  I swear.  Look it up if you don't believe me.  I'll wait.

HA!  Told you!

I also got another great bokeh shot with these pink flowers.  I'm not usually partial to pink, but I do think they're pretty.

And just so the fauna doesn't feel left out, I got this great shot of a Turtle and a baby turtle near a waterfall.  The baby turtle is on the rock to the right of the big turtle.

He's a little bitty thing isn't he?  He fell off at one point and my mom friend and I decided that the big turtle must be the dad, because he didn't even seem to notice the baby turtle was missing.  Then the baby turtle climbed back up on the rock and we decided the big turtle must be the mom, teaching the little turtle a lesson.  We're genius like that.

And finally, I got this great shot of an Egret.  This shot makes me feel like I'm in the African jungle, sneaking up on lions through the brush.  It was all very harrowing.  Although, I think the egret was less likely to eat me than a lion.  But only a little less.

I think we'll have to go back.  There was so much to see, but with four littles, we didn't get to stay as long as we liked.  Can't wait to see what this place looks like in the winter!

Seriously.. Thoughts