explore | Grilled Cheese

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 16, 2026, 12:22 AM

You Can’t See Me
Our bluejays on the greenbelt are "flighty". They don't like Paparazzi. This one let me get relatively close for a nice shot late September. He's "hiding" in a crepe myrtle right off the trail. Nice pose!
#bluejay #songbird #wildlife #greenbelt #crepemyrtle #katytx #pentax_us

Beautiful bluejay songbird posing nicely in crepe myrtle tree off the greenbelt. Morning sun peeking through the leaves at sunrise.

Pentax K3 III with Pentax 60-250 DA* and Pentax 1.4x extender for 350mm. ISO 400 for 1/500 at f7.1.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 14, 2026, 5:03 PM

Get Real
The true person - that's the objective. Here our Arkansas model is relaxed, in between takes, the wind blowing the hair.
This is one of my favorite portraits because it's not a pose. Vintage shot from the early 70's in her sundress.
#portrait #sundress #windblownhair #greeneyes #pentax_us

Beautiful brown hair green eye girl with windblown hair. She’s sitting in a field of dry brown grass on a late fall day. She has on a sundress, and is relaxing in between shots. Her expression is candid, expressive, and fun.

Pentax Spotmatic F and Pentax 85mm f1.8 SMC Takumar. Kodacolor II.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 12, 2026, 5:18 PM

Allnighter
The joys of 70’s computer science. Hollerith cards, Fortran IV, Cobol, Pascal, and assembler. This Coed is a computer science major before C was a subject! Sometimes you had to cram all night and that took a toll.
#coed #computerscience #allnighter #fsu #vintage #retro #pentax_us #ilford

Young coed is sleeping on her computer science notes.A pascal manual and other computer science textbooks are on the table. She has been up all night studying for exams. The shot is in a sorority house. This is a monochrome Ilford FP4 from a Pentax Spotmatic F with a Pentax 55mm SMC Takumar f1.8. Taken in the early 70’s at FSU Tallahassee.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 11, 2026, 8:07 PM

Yummy Sunflower Seeds!
While our pine trees are under-producing in the greenbelt I am supplementing the diet with sunflower seeds. One does what one can for the critters! Look closely: those teeth open a seed like an oyster!
#squirrels #wildlife #nature #teeth #nature #wildlife #katytx #pentax_us

Eastern gray squirrel chiseling open a sunflower seed. He’s sitting in the crotch of an oak tree with a seed in his forepaws, opening it like popping open an oyster.
Pentax K3 III with Pentax 60-250 and Pentax 1.4x teleconverter at 340mm. ISO 1000 for 1/640 at f10. Bright early morning sun.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 11, 2026, 8:04 PM

Perfect Beauty
This lovely model from the 70’s worked with me for a number of years in Arkansas. She had perfect olive-brown skin and incredible green eyes. Part was a legacy of Native American ancestry.
#beautifulgirl #portrait #retrofashion #vintage #film #northlittlerock #theoldmill #pentax_us

Beautiful olive skinned girl with stunning green eyes in a 1920’s era bone white frill dress against fall colors. Shot at the North Little Rock Old Mill in the 1970’s. The model has her hair in a vintage bun style. She has a stern expression typical of the Victorian era.
This isn’t COSPLAY as that term didn’t even exist yet! She just wanted a portrait in that gorgeous dress.
Pentax Spotmatic F with the magical Pentax 85mm f1.8 SMC Takumar portrait lens. By any standard that was and still would be a phenomenal portrait lens.
Shot on Kodak Vericolor S film.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 8:07 PM

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from the Deck
Infrared IRChrome
Modification to Pentax KF by Kolari
The IR view of this city is fascinating. On a hazy day it opens up a view of the distance mountains from deck 11 Navigator of the Seas
#puertovallartamexico #mexico #infrared #irchrome #pentax_us

This is an IR view of Puerto Vallarta with the horizon obscured somewhat by haze. IR light cuts through it. Foliage turns red. The palm trees are bright scarlet. The city is crystal clear in the haze.

I’ve put a lot of effort into identifying which Pentax lenses do not have “hot spots” with IR and UV and which frequencies they work best with.

The 21mm is very versatile with all IR bands.

The 35mm macro limited is excellent for 720nm, IRChrome, NDVI blue and especially UV.

Pentax KF full spectrum with Pentax DA* 21mm lens f3.2. Kolari IRChrome lens. ISO 200 for 1/400 at f7.1. Hazy afternoon sun.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 10:41 PM

Beautiful Damsel(fly)
Hugging the vegetation in our greenbelt was this Rambur’s Forktail. The dragonflies were patrolling intensely, she was probably hiding from the predators.
#rambursforktail #damselfly #dragonfly #insect #macro #greenbelt #insect #nature #katytx #pentax_us

Rambur’s Forktail dragonfly in front of a tievine flower in a greenbelt in Katy, Texas. The wings are folded as it rests. Above it out of frame are dragonflies patrolling. Shot in the early morning hours. Pentax K3 III with Pentax 60-250 DA*.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 4:39 PM

Is She?
In the 70’s one of my jobs is called “street photography” today. Then I shot for the PR department at FSU. This is one of my captures outside the Student Union. Can you guess the subject?
#vintage #retro #monochrome #humor #couple #love #beautifulgirl #ilfordpanf #fsu #pentax_us #film

Young couple sitting on a bench outside the Student Union at Florida State University. The girl is holding a loaf of bread with a cute ironic twist. She has a cute smile. He’s enamored with her. Monochrome shot on Ilford Pan F from the early 70’s. Pure retro vintage fashion. Pentax Spotmatic F with SMC Takumar SMC 55mm f1.8.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 7, 2026, 4:53 PM

Lunch is Served
Beautiful great egret with lunch! That may be the biggest crawfish I have seen in our Katy Texas bayous and retention ponds. Obviously Mr. Egret is proud of his catch as he shows it off. Good find!
#greategret #waterfowl #crawfish #hunting #pentax_us #birdoftheday #waterfowlwednesday

White egret with crawfish in beak looking at photographer against a dark water background. This is a large retention pond in West Houston / Katy Texas area. Egrets love our waterways as they are rich in protein like small amphibians, crawfish, and insect.
Pentax KF with Pentax 55-300 PLM at 300mm. ISO 2500 for 1/1000 at f9. Afternoon sun.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 4, 2026, 7:02 AM

Woodpecker in our backyard. We haven’t seen him in a while, but we hear him, or his feathered friends, around the greenbelt and neighborhood. #BirdOfTheDay #BlackAndRed #woodpecker #bird #feathers #katytx #Pentax_us

Downy woodpecker feeding on a crape Myrtle in Katy, Texas. He is heard often in our neighborhood as we have a number of dead trees due to drought and storm damage. Pentax K3 III and Pentax 60-250 at ISO 5000 for 1/1000 at f7.1. EV +0.7

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 6:58 PM

Mood….
I’ve been less active these last few weeks - lots of pain. So apologies to my fans - I know I have some really great followers!
There’s nothing like a ‘doodle pup to help with pain, by the way!
#easterngraysquirrel #squirrel #greenbelt #mood #rest #pain #wildlife #nature #katytx #pentax_us

Eastern gray squirrel resting on an oak tree branch on a hot humid morning. Early AM shot. Pentax K3 III with Pentax DA* 60-250 and Pentax 1.4x teleconverter at 350mm. ISO 8000 for 1/500 at f10. Bright backlit morning sun.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 29, 2026, 10:57 PM

Studious
One of the better jobs I had in college was working with the PR department. This shot is an example of the type of work done for newsletters, magazines, publications. FSU in the early 70’s.
#vintage #retro #coed #beautifulgirl #portrait #fsu #pentax_us #film #ilford #spotmaticf

Beautiful coed sitting on ledge of administration building, 1970’s Tallahassee Florida State University. Pentax Spotmatic F, Pentax 85mm SMC Takumar, Ilford film Microphen Developer

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 29, 2026, 3:17 PM

Tievine all tied up
Tievine is by far the longest-lasting and most common flower in our greenbelt. It lasts from early spring on into winter. It is a member of the Morning Glory family and very hardy. It is toxic to dogs!
#tievine #morninglory #wildflower #katytx #pentax_us #greenbelt #toxic #flower

A trio of purple tievine flowers growing across the grou.nd and covered with morning dew. Rich dark green leaves surround them. Tievine is native to the Southeast US, not invasive, but many gardeners consider it a nuisance as it grows aggressively and is very difficult to remove due to its deep roots.

Pentax K3 III with Pentax 100mm macro ED AW. ISO 2000 for 1/250 at f8. Early morning twilight.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 28, 2026, 11:11 PM

Black Beauty!
It’s a book from my childhood, a movie, a futuristic sci-fi car in a TV show, a comic - and a carpenter bee?
It has a deep black carapace and can also be highly destructive of homes if owners are not careful to watch for tell-tale holes.
#carpenterbee #bee #katytx #pentax_us #macro

Jet black carpenter bee on a bright yellow flower. Sunlight glints off the eye. It is sucking nectar from the plant.

Carpenter bees are pollinators and an important part of the ecosystem. We are “blessed” with many carpenter bees in our area and they frequent the greenbelt.

Pentax K3 III with Pentax 100mm macro ED AW and Pentax 1.4x converter. ISO 640 for 1/800 at f13.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 26, 2026, 5:06 PM

Which Side of the Fence?
This beautiful lantana is an escapee from a garden somewhere. Growing wild. And it is absolutely gorgeous. It's free in the truest sense.
Taken on the neighborhood greenbelt this week.
#lantana #wildflower #freedom #sunrise #goldenhour #fence #pentax_us #katytx

Golden Lantana blooms seen through a wire fence frame. Morning sunlight highlights and backlights the intense yellow and red petals. Taken with a Pentax K3 III and Pentax DA 60-250*. ISO 640 for 1/640 at f9.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 7:47 PM

Yummmmy! Protein!!!!
This young squirrel was offered sunflower seed, peanuts, and rejected it in favor of a nearby cicada. Cicadas are full of all kinds of goodness: protein, juices. Squirrels are opportunistic.
#squirrel #wildlife #nature #feeding #greenbelt #katytx #pentax_us #cicada #tasty

A young female squirrel had a choice of sunflower seed, peanuts, and she rejected them in favor of a nearby cicada. She is eating the cicada with her front paws, delicately taking bites. Shot in Katy, Texas September 24 in the early morning with a Pentax K3 III and Pentax 60-250 DA* and Pentax 1.4x converter.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 24, 2026, 3:44 PM

Savoring the Moment
This tiny long-legged fly is enjoying a sip of nectar from the garden. Taken on an extremely hot, humid morning. We see a lot of this fly in our garden. They seem comfortable here. A notable characteristic is the beautiful emerald green body.
#longleggedfly #macro #pentax_us

Tiny long legged fly, emerald green, against a pink flower. He is sipping nectar, resting, then sipping some more. This was shot early morning, in the sun, on an extremely hot humid day in Katy, Texas.

Pentax K3 III with Pentax 100mm macro ED AW and Pentax 1.4x extender. ISO 400 for 1/800 at f8 and -0.7 ev

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 24, 2026, 12:18 PM

Great egret just woke up. Can’t do a thing with his feathers. Katy, Texas early morning on the greenbelt.
#BirdOfTheDay #Birdstare #GreaEgret #bird #wildlife #waterfowl #pentax_us

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 23, 2026, 7:13 PM

“Long Cool Woman in a Black Jump Suit”
In the 70’s we worked hard on a system for subtractive lighting for portraits. Under the right light it was awesome. We moved on to some fun shoots, like these. Definitely Diana Rigg vibes!
#beautifulgirl #portrait #jumpsuit #retro #vintage #blonde #pentax_us

Beautiful blonde girl in a black jumpsuit and black hat in the woods. She has a slight smile. This is a retro shoot from the 70’s proofing subtractive lighting (black umbrella). Pentax Spotmatic F with Pentax SMC Takumar 85mm f1.8. Ilford Pan F with Microphen developer.

@fadedphotos.bsky.social Sep 23, 2026, 3:52 PM

Sweet Nectar!
Did you know honeybees sometimes make dedicated nectar runs? They don’t always carry pollen! This lady is hurrying back to the hive with a load of nectar. Sometimes they carry both, one or the other.
#honeybees #honebee #bee #insect #macro #nectar #pollinator #katytx #Pentax_us

Eastern honeybee in flight carrying nectar to the hive. The pollen sacks are empty. She is returning home. Taken in September in our front yard, with a background of white flowers. Pentax K3 III with Pentax 100mm macro ED AW. ISO 10,000 for 1/2000 at f9. Afternoon shade.