I do not usually take pictures of captive animals, but went to Eagle Fest in Rains County yesterday. Blackland Prairie Raptor Center had some birds there that, because of injuries or imprinting on humans, could not be released into the wild.  Here are some pictures of the birds they brought.

Red Tailed Hawk

Red shouldered hawk

Red Phase Eastern Screech Owl

Mississippi Kite

Great Horned Owl

American Kestrel

Raptors at the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Sometimes I do embroidery. This is a heraldic lion I did on a pillow I take camping.

Embroidered Heraldic Lion is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

If you are driving around the square in Weatherford, Texas, you will see an odd sight.  There is a building that has the battlements around the top of it, and a suit of armor in a niche in the wall.  This is the meeting place of the local Knights of Pythias, a fraternal organization.  It does look a little out of place, however.

Pythian Knight in Weatherford, Texas is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

The Knights of  Pythias are a fraternal order similar to the Masons or Knights of Columbus.  In the early 20th century, they built a home for widows and orphans of their members in Weatherford, Texas.  Considering themselves New World Knights, this home was built in the form of a castle.

Eventually, more domitories were added to each side, leaving a truly massive structure.

At its’ height, about 500 people lived here.  They raised their own food and worked around the place to pay for their room and board.  As society began to take better care of its orphans and widows, Pythian House was no longer so needed.  Currently, it holds only about 50 kids.  They are not allowed to raise their own food any more and the nice little gatehouse has fallen into disrepair.

The Pythian House can be seen from the Interstate in Weatherford.  My father had visitors from Europe who were very curious about the castle in the middle of Texas.  My father simply told them that there were lots of castles in Europe, and we had castles, too.

Pythian Castle, Weatherford, Texas is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

My puppy Star was a year old November 29th.  Now close to 70 pounds, she dwarfs her mother.  Here she is investigating the pasture.

Star on Point is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

This is an old oak tree near an old barn on my property.  I love trees with character.

Old Oak Tree with Old Barn is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

I am still learning to use my digital camera as it is a bit different than the film one.  Here are a pair of pictures of violas.  The first is a regular 50 mm lens.  The second is with a 10X close-up lens added.  You can almost count the grains of pollen on the flower with that one.

Winter Color with Violas is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Photographing small merchandise can be frustrating.  Getting enough detail while showing the whole piece in a pleasing way may be very difficult.  There are a few tips I have discovered that help.

a dark background does not look as good as a light one

1)Use a light colored background for most things, unless your piece is very light.  It is easier to get a good photograph of something when it contrasts with the background.  Light things should be on medium backgrounds as dark ones soak up too much light and throw you photograph off.

2)If necessary, use a closeup lens.  Very small things such as jewelry may require zoom or a closeup lens.

3)If you need to use a closeup lens, use a tripod or stand to hold your camera.  It gets harder to keep the image sharp the closer you are to the work.

4)A bad picture is worse than no picture.  If the merchandise looks bad in the photograph, no one will

buy it.

How big? No clues

5) Include something to give the scale of a piece — a ruler or coin is usually used.  Make sure the markings on the ruler can be read.

6) Multiple views are best if possible.

I hope these tips are useful.  What tips do you have for photographing merchandise?

Photographing small merchandise is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

A pleurant is a weeping figure used as an ornament on a tomb or tombstone.  Apparently, they were originally the work of a French sculpture in the late medieval period.  They are rare in this country, but this one is in the Greenwood Cemetery in Weatherford, Texas.

Pleurant in Greenwood Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

I was exploring the Greenwood Cemetery in Weatherford, Texas, recently and came upon this crypt.  Now, in New Orleans or places that the water table is very high, crypts are not unusual.  Here, though, they stand out.  It seems this fellow had this crypt made, then moved some where else before dying.  Supposedly, it is empty, although there are death dates and definitely a bricked up door.  Local legend has it that a white witch is burred here, but I think the owner of the crypt was buried here with his wife.  An interesting story, at least.

Legend of the White Crypt is a post from: Information Central Photographs: Plant and Animal Portraits Photos and Text Copyrighted 2010-2012 by Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. All rights reserved.