Willow Catkins, by Lothar Seifert

Sun was shining, and days became longer. We discovered the first new life in terms of small wild bees and willow catkins. The catkins are protected. The plants are very important for the environment. You can see that in my picture. Bees and plants live in a community. In spring the willow-catkins provide the first food for the bees and other insects.

Nikon D5000 with Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 | Exposure 1/640 sec @ f/8 | ISO 200
Willow Catkins, by Lothar Seifert

Award Winner: Photo of the Day | November 14
Award Score: 61 (Value 12, Clarity 12, Composition 15, Style 12, Skill 11)
Photo of the Day Award Category: Close-Up Photography
Photograph Location: Lusatia, Saxony | Germany

Photographer: Lothar Seifert (Naundorf, Saxony, Germany) Registered
Lothar Seifert was born 1955 in Germany. He lives in a small village in Upper Lusatia surrounded by wonderful nature. He is currently working as a design engineer, specialist for occupational safety and environmental officer. Over time, photography has become an important part-time of his employment. Lothar Seifert’s journeys in Asia, his friendly relations with the people of various religions in Nepal, Kashmir, Ladakh and India, has learned him to love the road and portrait photography. The motivating impulses from these Asian countries are limitless. Lothar’s pictures from Asia shows also solidarity with the poor people on earth. For three years he organized support for the schooling of children from poor families in Nepal and sends winter clothing for children in the cold regions of the Himalayas. By these experiences and adventures Lothar gets incidentally wonderful motifs for photography.

The invitation of the Secretary of State for Culture and Tourism of Jammu and Kashmir brought Lothar in 2009 for the second time on a photo safari in the beautiful countries Kashmir and Ladakh. The most important photo for Lothar is not by himself, but by the photographers by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala. This picture shows His Holiness together with Lothar Seifert and a friend. In addition, Lothar likes the faces of little insects and makes many macro shots of the animals and plants. With his photographs and conservation projects he wants to help to understand the nature and to save the environment.

Website: http://www.l-seifert.de/
Portfolio: http://www.asien.l-seifert.de/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lothar.seifert
Google+: https://plus.google.com/114297295030668699918/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/selo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/l_seifert