Does anyone recognize what kind of flower this is? In the middle of the flower are about a dozen spots of pollen on a dark purple center. The photo was taken in January in a backyard in Los Angeles. First person to identify them gets a free 3.8 MP version of the photo! Update: I have been informed that this is in fact a Cape daisy. Thanks, person who doesn’t want me to tell everyone who you are!

Taken with my Fuji FinePix S5200 at 1/1000s, f/4.0, ISO: 100, 389mm with +1 diopter HOYA macro add-on lens, overhead sunlight flash used.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!

Lavender flower, spring, afternoon, partial sunlight, flash used. Taken with my Fuji FinePix S5200 at 1/500s, f/4.5, ISO: 64, 239mm with HOYA macro add-on lens.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!

Does anyone recognize these flowers? They bloomed in October, I don’t remember much else. First person to identify them gets a free 4 MP version of the photo! Fuji FinePix S5200 at 1/250s, f/3.5, ISO: 200, 205mm with HOYA macro add-on lens, noon lighting in shade, flash used.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!

I saw this caterpillar in my backyard, it looks like a Camphorweed Cucullia Moth, Cucullia alfarata, but if that’s wrong please comment. Taken with my Canon PowerShot SX40 HS at 1/25s, f/5, 238mm, ISO: 800, with a macro add-on lens. Cloudy spring noon lighting, no flash used.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!

I got this great photo of a katydid on some celery plant blossoms in early fall of 2008. I used my Fuji FinePix S5200 at 1/200s, f/3.6, 278mm, ISO: 200, with a macro add-on HOYA lens, in afternoon lighting and with flash to brighten the shadows.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!

An old macro photo of a ladybug in shaded noon light in Spring 2007. Taken with my Fuji FinePix S5200 at 1/400s, f/3.5, ISO: 100, 177mm, close up add-on lens, cropped.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!

I’ve decided to make an exception to exclusively photographing nature in honor of the 4th of July. Here’s a shot I got at the end of the fireworks show in San Diego! They were a bit in the distance so I had to zoom in, and to get the effect I did a long time exposure (LTE) for 8 seconds. Taken with my Canon PowerShot SX40 HS at 8s, f/8, 424mm, ISO 100.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!

A few weeks ago (April 2013) I saw this lizard on a log in my backyard (in Southern California). I’m not sure of the species but I believe it is a type of Spiny Lizard. Taken in shaded afternoon sunlight with my Canon PowerShot SX40 HS at 1/20s, f/5.8, ISO: 400, 875mm.

Copyright © Ariel Lepor. Just contact me if you want to buy the photo as a print or a gift or a digital copy or something!