Mark Cassino Photography - Mark's Blog

A few days ago I set up a new blog, dedicated to The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder.

Check it out at storyofsnow.com.

Saturday morning. Though it is only late August, an autumnal chill has settled in on the land. My replacement K7 camera arrived earlier in the week, and I’m eager to get out.

Driving into the Allegan forest I see what looks like a hazy, light fog ahead. The clouds have thickened as I’ve headed west, from my house, into the game area. Driving north on 48th street, I look at the cloud of dust spiraling out behind the car and take that as a reassuring sign that while it may be cool, the rain is gone for now.

The car closes in on the mist and suddenly slams into a wall of water – a fine driving rain that splatters down heavily from the clouds above. Well, so much for signs. A mile down the road the rain passes and soon dust is billowing up behind the car again – and then again another micro downpour drenches the landscape.

I make my way a narrow two track to a small clearing, deep in the young forest. Here the grass has gown long and is dotted with patches of lupine and vetch. I spot one of the small toads I’ve been seeing this year, originally thinking it was a cricket hopping through the grass. But it manages to disappear before I get a shot. Wandering around in the tall grass I still up blue dasher, white faced meadowhawks, and several green darners – but they all settle back into the low grass some distance off, reluctant to fly around an perch in the cool damp day.

And then - another downpour. Here’s a snap of the road into the forest, just as the rain is starting to come down:

And one shot of an eastern tailed blue, the only decent macro shot of the day:

After an hour or so, I decided to call it quits for that day. The rain followed my home, and for the rest of the morning and the afternoon the mini downpours rolled though . Fortunately, Sunday was somewhat a better day for photos – more in my next post.

Sometimes I can’t think of anything to do. I get out into the woods or the fields, but can’t tell my left hand from my right. I bump along muddy dirt roads or down sandy two tracks, oblivious to the things around me.

I did manage to spot another tiny toad – this one a few hundred yards from the pond where I saw the last one. It was no larger than the other, but was much more animated as it made its way through the dried and cut up grass.

Other than that – one yellow dragon and one red dragon, and that was the whole day Sunday…

There was a surprise in my photos from last June. While shooting dragonflies in the usual haunts, I saw this specimen. I took it to be a dot tailed white face, but was perplexed by the whitish coloration at the base of the abdomen.

Looking through field guide I realize that this is a Frosted Whiteface -Leucorrhinia frigida. Considering the yellowish dots on the abdomen, this would be an immature male Frosted Whiteface. I don’t recall having ever seen this species before, and I’m sure I never photographed it. Great to see something new out there.

Shot on June 20th, 2009, in the Allegan State Game Area.

The traditional (for me) honey bee in a crocus shot. Rather late this year, coming in the last week of March…

It’s coming right up! The Garage Sale Art Fair is this Saturday at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds. I’ll be there with hundreds of matted prints, price to sell. Come on by!

For more info, see www.garagesaleartfair.com

Good news arrived a couple of days ago when I learned that one of my photos, Spent, was accepted into the 2009 West Michigan Area Show, hosted by the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. After a two year hiatus in having work accepted into this show, it’s nice to get a piece in.

The Art Etc. Art Fair wrapped up about 24 hours ago… As usual, it was a great event and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with the dozens of visitors who stopped by my booth and took a look at the photos.

And now it’s on to the next event – which will be the Holiday Hop at the Kalamazoo Public Library. It’s Friday, December 5, 2008, from 6 – 8:30 pm. I’ll be there with dozens of other local authors and musicians. In my case – I’ll be signing and selling copies of Imperfect Symmetry – my little book of snow crystal photos.

It’s all part of the December Art Hop in downtown Kalamazoo - which features tons of great art and music.

If you are in the area – stop on by!