Recent Photos

Galleries

Pretty Insects, Mostly : I always carry a camera in the truck and sometimes get lucky and happen upon interesting insects. I hope these images show a little of their beauty. Educational use of these images is permitted with the appropriate credit. Commercial use without permission is prohibited.

Pretty Insects, Mostly

I always carry a camera in the truck and sometimes get lucky and happe ...

Updated: May 13, 2013 5:20pm PST

2013 - 2012 Agriculture and Landscape : This gallery mostly features the places, people and research projects I encounter from day to day at work.

2013 - 2012 Agriculture and Landscape

This gallery mostly features the places, people and research projects ...

Updated: Apr 18, 2013 2:46pm PST

Wildlife 2012 : I am not a very good wildlife photographer so you will see a few images shot at or beyond the ability of the equipment (or photographer).

Wildlife 2012

I am not a very good wildlife photographer so you will see a few image ...

Updated: Jan 05, 2012 11:35am PST

2011 Agriculture and Landscape :

2011 Agriculture and Landscape

Updated: Jan 16, 2012 10:23am PST

Odds and Ends : These photos don't fit in other categories and are more about (possibly) interesting things than about good photographs. West Texas is a unique place and these photos show a bit of who we are.

Odds and Ends

These photos don't fit in other categories and are more about (possibl ...

Updated: Jun 12, 2013 6:23pm PST

DRAFT West Texas Agricultural Video :

DRAFT West Texas Agricultural Video

Updated: Aug 26, 2012 1:06pm PST

Velvet Elvises : These images are, well, not quite photographs and not quite art. I don't know how to use Photoshop, but I have experimented with some software that will convert a digital image to something based on an oil painting or watercolor. Some images start with the same photo but have different levels of conversion applied. The bottom line is that these are about as much art as is a Velvet Elvis, but they are colorful.

Velvet Elvises

These images are, well, not quite photographs and not quite art. I don ...

Updated: Jan 03, 2012 5:38pm PST

Moths in Pheromone Traps : These images are utilitarian photos for use by county extension agents who are checking traps. They are not meant to be good photos, they are just meant to help with identification.

Moths in Pheromone Traps

These images are utilitarian photos for use by county extension agents ...

Updated: Jun 27, 2012 3:09pm PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Orthoptera, Phasmida, Isoptera, Blattodea and Termites

Photos submitted for identification over the years. Most are not from ...

Updated: Jun 04, 2013 3:09pm PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Ephemeroptera and Odonata

Photos submitted for identification over the years. Most are not from ...

Updated: May 13, 2013 5:20pm PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Hemiptera

Photos submitted for identification over the years. Most are not from ...

Updated: Jun 10, 2013 1:24pm PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Coleoptera

Photos submitted for identification over the years. Most are not from ...

Updated: Jun 14, 2013 5:20pm PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Lepidoptera

Photos submitted for identification over the years. Most are not from ...

Updated: Jun 18, 2013 2:12pm PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Hymenoptera and Diptera

Photos submitted for identification over the years. Most are not from ...

Updated: Jun 14, 2013 10:31am PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Spiders, Solfugids, Scorpions, Mites

Photos submitted for identification over the years. Most are not from ...

Updated: Jun 04, 2013 3:13pm PST

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Texas Entomology ID: Bad Photos and Videos

Updated: May 25, 2013 5:04pm PST

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Field Guide Beneficials Arizona Project

Updated: Apr 10, 2013 9:01am PST

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NC205 Images

A gallery of images submitted by members of NC205 and NCCC46. Please c ...

Updated: Jan 25, 2012 4:42pm PST

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NCCC46 Gallery

Updated: Jan 25, 2012 4:44pm PST

Your Bio

This collection mostly represents things I encounter at work as an agricultural entomologist based on the Southern High Plains. An entomologist is a person who studies insects, and in my case I do research and help farmers with insect pests of crops. Much of our landscape is a study in horizontal, at least from a photographic perspective. Clouds are few and the sun is strong, which of course makes for harsh shadows in images; that is the reality of living here. Our primary crops are cotton, corn and sorghum and we also have cattle and rangeland. Many of these images are of my co-workers and the research projects in which we are involved.

If you want to learn insect photography, consider attending one of the annual Bugshot workshops ( http://bugshot.net/ ). Bugshot is taught by the premier insect photographers in the U.S.A. While I am an alumnus I am not sure my photos measure up to the excellent quality of the instruction.

I have no idea how to use Photoshop, but I do use some of the excellent Nik Software plugins for noise reduction, color and lighting correction (Viveza and ColorEfex) and sharpening. Some of my photos have problems with them, but I am a teacher, too, and have put them up here so that others can perhaps learn from my errors. In the captions for these photos I have tried to describe how I arrived at the image and how the technique introduces a problem or two. I'm not a professional photographer and have the luxury of showing some of my less than good shots, but for a purpose.

I occasionally get asked about the camera gear I use. Well, any camera can be the right camera, only you have to have it with you. My primary cameras are a Canon 5D MkIII and 5D MkII, Fuji X-E1 and Nikon D700.
Commercial use of these images is prohibited without written permission. Images may be used for educational purposes with appropriate credit.