Simple Seagull

This is what you get when you nail the focus on the reflex lens. The distracting bokeh is minimized because of the textured sand, and the sky behind the gull is uniform. 

The D2x has a focus confirmation setting when using manual focus lenses and it was spot on here (using a tripod helps as well, as reflex lenses are really susceptible to camera shake because the lens is so light.)

More Horses

Again, not a great shot as the horses were partially obscured by the trees, but it reminds me of the three stooges.

All shots on Wallops Island were taken with the 500mm reflex lens as I wanted to put it through its paces and see just how good it can be. When I nail the focus (and that's darned difficult with a reflex lens) the results are quite good, bokeh notwithstanding.

This is not a great shot

It is, however, a funny one. Even better with the caption:

"Idiots, we all know one."

What is your quote for this image?

Ancient Life

Since it's so rare I see a live horseshoe crab, I wanted to post another shot of one crawling towards the ocean. 

You'll notice the ocean is *behind* him and the direction he is crawling, but that's okay because I turned him in the direction of the ocean and he (it? she? they? I dunno) happily crawling into it.

A Horse of Course

Nestled alongside the NASA flight facility on Wallops Island is a National Wildlife Refuge where wild horses (and/or ponies) roam. I got very lucky on my day trip to see some up close and personal.

Well, as up close as they will get, which was about 200 feet away, but no matter, here you go. The odd looking eye is because the horse has one blue eye (pictured) and one brown eye (other side) and not an artifact of the reflex lens.

The bokeh is odd on a reflex lens because of the way it's made, the light folds back in on itself before hitting the camera's sensor, which gives the out of focus areas their unusual look. It can be very distracting if it's not controlled well, but it's not too distracting here.

Fun in the Sun

From the same set that brought you the horseshoe crab and rocket launch. A mother and son splashing about in the warm(ish) Atlantic Ocean on a sunny afternoon.
Taken with the 500mm reflex lens (manual focus, they only come in manual focus as far as I know) on my Nikon d2x.

Wallops Island Critters

After the Antares rocket launch at M.A.R.S. (Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport) I went wandering around the rest of the area. The beach in particular was especially beautiful with many interesting creatures around, including a still living Horseshoe Crab. I have not seen a live one up close an personal since I was in Denmark as a child.

This was taken with my 500mm reflex lens, on a tripod, from about 10 feet away.