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Aloe Arch 6901
 

Echeveria 6911
 

Spider Lily 0111
 

Spider Lily 0112
 

Cocks Comb 7013
 

Cocks Comb 7016
 

Brachychiton Discolor 7077
 

Brachychiton Discolor 7084
 

Peach Early Pink 7833
 

Peach Early Pink 7836
 

Peach Early Pink 7846
 

Peach Early Pink 7838
 

Love Lies Weeping 7019
 

Love Lies Weeping 7021
 

Bloodleaf 6991
 

Purple Coneflower 7005
 

Purple Coneflower with Bee 6997
 

Snapdragons X0653
 

Mallard with Ducklings 6941
 

Mallard with Ducklings 6948
 

Scrub Jay 7050
 

Scrub Jay 7053
 

Resting Squirrel 7025
 

Dragonfly 6980
 

Yellow Dragonfly 6481
 

Spider 6488
 

Carpenter Bee 0066
 

Mantis 0079
 

Mantis 0085
 

Huntington Sculpture Garden 0566
 

Huntington Entrance Fountain 0341
 

Huntington Library Fountain 0351
 

Sculpture Garden Fountain 0365
 

Love is Blind 0401
 

Neptune 0348
 

Diana 0442
 

Huntington House X2714
 

Statue Huntington Porch 0616
 

Statue Huntington Porch 0615
 

Water Lily 7034
 

Acanthocalycium X4759
 

Echinocereus X4750
 

Mammillaria Magnimamma X6255
 

Cactus Flower X6249
 

Cactus Flower X6257
 

Succulent X4744
 

Desert Life X0100
 

Bilbergia X0082
 

Bilbergia X0085
 

Foquieria X4771
 

Cardone X4831
 

Praying Mantis X6194
 

Kojira, King of the Herb Garden X4818/24
 

Lamb’s Ear w/Bee X4833
 

Lamb’s Ear w/Bee X4833

(cropped from image at left)
 

Bonsai Juniper Forest X4854
 

Bonsai Juniper X0069
 

Bonsai Juniper X4840
 

Japanese Tea House X4868
 

Japanese Tea House X4872
 

Tokonoma Display X0056
 

Moon Bridge X2738
 

Moon Bridge X6233
 

Pond Shrine X4879
 

WaterLilies X4786
 

Zen X6241
 

van der Weyden Madonna and Child X0550

The images of this and the next two paintings were difficult 1/15 to 1/20 sec. hand-held shots.
 

Francia Madonna and Child
with Saints Anthony and Francis X0535
 

Francia Madonna and Child
with Saints Anthony and Francis X0535c
 

Pintoricchio Madonna and Child X0543
 

Pintoricchio Madonna and Child X0543c
 

Houdon Baroness de la Houze X0553
 

George Washington X4923
 

Blue Boy X4931
 

James Stopford X4966
 

Pinkie X4935
 

Huntington Private Library X0558
 

Huntington Private Library X0560
 

Huntington Private Library X0561
 

Huntington Private Library X0562
 

Huntington Private Library 2166

Photographers might be interested in this... Tripods are not allowed inside the Huntington house.
The seven paintings above and most especially the four shots of the private library were difficult
as there is not much light. The portrait paintings were shot on a different day than the others.
At the time, I only had a manual-focus macro lens (55mm f/2.8 AIS) and shot it wide open,
achieving shutter speeds between 1/20 sec. and 1/60 sec. These are marginal speeds
when working handheld with a D2x (or any high-density sensor) and a 55mm lens if
you hope to achieve critically sharp results. I was quite happy with the results.

I didn’t even consider trying the other shots with the 55mm. Those were taken at a
different time with the D2x and 28mm f/1.4... an absolutely magnificent low-light lens.
Look at the shot numbers on the Library images. When I took the first one (at 1/5 sec.), I
took two shots and checked the results, zooming in to check edge detail. I was shocked to see
that the focused plane looked crisp, so just for the heck of it I tried single-shots for the other three
(just to see if I could pull it off, as these were not for the portfolio). When I processed these interiors,
I have to admit that I congratulated myself profusely. These were ridiculous shutter speeds for hand
held work (the shots were 1/5, 1/5, 1/3 and 1/4 sec.). They’re not perfect, but they’re not that far off.

Please allow me to gloat a bit.

Gloat... gloat, gloat.   :^)