Interests in Natural History and Photography

 

     In the year 2000, I digitized some Kodak 35mm slides that were taken about 30 years earlier.  The condition of the slides appeared to be excellent.  Image Editor was used to produce files of modest size that fit conveniently on a monitor and load rapidly.  In the galleries listed below, they can be viewed by clicking on the corresponding photo number.  

     During the Spring Quarters of 1967-68, 1968-1969, and 1969-1970, I took a series of courses collectively titled "Field Studies in Natural History."  They were planned by Dr. Jack Gottschang of U.C.'s Biological Sciences Department in collaboration with Rangers Hager and Wells of the Hamilton County Park District.  The classes met in selected Hamilton County Parks (Sharon Woods, Miami Whitewater Forest, and Winton Woods) each Saturday morning from 8:00 to 12:00 A.M. and a different subject was featured each week  Subjects included grasses, insects, wild flowers, birds, photography, spiders, fishes, fungi, trees, geology, fossils, etc.  A knowledgeable person would lecture about a particular subject for about an hour or somewhat longer; and this would then be followed by a hike about the corresponding park to illustrate the subject (and to be alert to whatever was interesting  to observe).  Due to these classes, I enjoyed identifying and photographing numerous objects that I would have previously completely overlooked.  For most objects I used a Nikon 35mm single-lens reflex camera with a Micro-Nikor lens.  For small objects, I extended that lens with one or two M-rings and then used an electronic flash to provide enough light and to overcome the object's motion.  Kodachrome 25 was the film  used until Kodachrome 64 appeared.  I now use a Nikon digital camera and enjoy its convenience. 

  

Wild Flowers and Their Associates

      I pleasantly recall assembling a series of these slides in the early 1970's and presenting them in a program for the Cincinnati Wild Flower Society titled "Wild Flowers and Their Associates."   Without alteration or attempts to edit them with Image Composer, they correspond to the following thumbnails.  In each of the collections, a click on any individual photo number or a click on the picture will produce an 800 by 600 pixel version of the photograph.   

                                     Photos 001-020      Photos 021-040

                                 Photos 041-060      Photos 061-080

                                 Photos 081-100      Photos 101-120

                                 Photos 121-140

     For the identifications of the spiders in those photographs, my best guesses were based on information in Professor John Henry Comstock's "The Spider Book" of 1912.  Because it would be difficult for me, as an interested amateur, to keep abreast of the various technical name changes, I found it convenient during the early 1970's to adopt the names that Professor Comstock had employed.  However, thanks to information provided on April 5th, 2010, by John and Jane Balaban, Photos 024, 026, 028, 031, 034, and 039 will also be given names that are currently consistent with those in the World Spider Catalog.  John and Jane contribute  expertise to a web site called BugGuide.net.