Lookin'

As of late, I have not wanted to get out in the cold and snow for pictures. Reflecting on some of my past work and being inspired by many of the blogs I follow. I had a strong desire to get out and try my hand at some wildlife photography again. The American Bald Eagle, was my choice but with no success I had to settle for a seagull and a few small ducks.

On the western side of the city Farmington there is a wild bird refuge - Farmington Bay. At times it is off limits to everyone, breading season, and other times it is opened to hunters, in the fall and only in some areas. The month of February is well known to have a large quantity of bald eagles visiting the bay. Not when I show up, of course! I did see a few but lack the large enough lens to capture them. Add it to my wish list, right!

I thought of a fellow blogger, Keith at holdingmoments an avid bird photographer who is recovering from a serious health issue, who has not been able to get out lately. I know he would love to spend time in this area, but since he can not, this one is for you Keith. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and beautiful day to get out a do what you love to do.

Foot Clips!

My wife found these "paper clips" at some store. My children took many of them to school to use. Sometimes it is fun to have a silly last name. I use these to keep all my important papers from running away! LOL!

More Orange Slices

I changed the back ground, the point of focus and depth of field in these pictures. I love using a macro lens, it's so much fun!

Orange Slice

I got the idea to shoot this picture from a book by Bryan Peterson entitled, Understanding Close-up Photography. If you come across the book, I suggest you buy it. It will make a great addition to the library. In it he uses a lemon slice with a green back ground. My version has an orange slice and a blue back ground. I know, not my original idea but doing this has helped pull me out of a photography slump. Thanks Bryan! I have a lighting kit (check one off the wish list) and have not used it very much. I set up at the kitchen table and spent about two hours experimenting. The orange slice was just one of a few items to be captured. Check back for the others. I used a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 micro lens, f/7.1, 1/50 sec., ISO 400. Auto levels correction was utilized to enhance the background. I used sparkling water and a little salt to keep the bubbles bubbling. I have some other ideas to try when the fruit is back in season.

Lucky Seven, Any Way You Look At It!

Aperture priority mode, f/11, 1/10 sec., ISO 100, Nikon's new 85mm micro lens on my trusty D200. Some levels adjustment and a little clean up of the dice.

Nikon's AF-S DX Micro 85mm f/3.5G ED VR lens is pretty impressive. It is light weight, compared to their 105mm micro, sharp, and fun to use. If only there where flowers in bloom! This lens may have to be added to the bag!

Winter Time Fun

It's all fun and games until some gets hurt. Then it's hilarious!!


In your face!


Olympic hopeful?


Good old fashion family fun.

Color or Black and White Snow

This fair weather photographer has stepped out again to capture a winter scene. While driving back from my children's school I noticed the fog rolling over the farmland near our home. I went home picked up my camera and went back out. In my slippers! Every thing was fine until I started back for the truck, a slipper fell off! The snow wasn't just cold, it was cold and icy. It felt like I was walking on glass. Thank goodness the heater works well in the truck, I turned it up full blast and onto my feet.
I like the way the fog shows up in the black and white. There are some nice contrasts in the snow as well. When I look at the color picture, with its blue snow, I think its a bit off. Everyone knows colored snow is yellow and we don't eat it! Not blue! The Outdoor Photographer magazine just came, and an article on the cover says "Go B&W In Winter". For this post I thought I would, in honor of the magazine article I will soon enjoy reading. Bundle up, keep warm, and for goodness sake put your boots on if your going out in the snow.

Crazy Christmas Tree Lights

Take a chance and do something different! I used a telephoto lens, mono pod (tripod will work better), and a slow shutter speed to capture these pictures. During the exposure time I turned the barrel of the lens. I went from 70mm to 200mm and then a 200mm to 70mm. There has been some levels correction, cropping, and smugging done to the edges of each picture. Fun and different for a Christmas tree. Give it a try!

The Most Precious Gift Of All

I love to give gifts and get them too! The older I get, the more I reflect on the little things that cost very little or nothing at all. Spending time with my family and friends playing games, talking or enjoying the beauty of nature together are memories worth millions to me. At Christmas time and the coming of a new year I look back and see just how lucky I am. We all reflect on our lives this time of year. (And on our birthdays.) Some of us will make goals to do things different and or better than we've done this last year. No matter your faith, or religious belief there is more we can can do to help one another. A kind word, and smile can change the world. I share this picture with you, with the hope you will remember and understand the most precious gift of all was given because of love. May God's choicest blessing be given to you and your loved ones for years to come. Merry Christmas my blog friend.

Christmas Ornaments

I used a Nikon 55-200mm lens, ISO 200, Aperture Priority, f/29, 9 sec., on a tripod. Notice the flare in the light,in the above picture. A long exposures with a large f-stop number will produce this effect. I was trying to get this effect when I realized, I have a filter that will help me produce this same effect. A cross filter. A little something from my bag of tricks. It is the first time I have used this filter. I bought it a few months back to use at Christmas and at night. I still need to get out at night to use it, but what a difference. In the picture below, I used a Sigma 18-50mm lens, ISO 200, Aperture Priority, f/7.1, 1 sec., on a tripod. If you have not used a cross filter before, put it to your Christmas list. It is not expensive and can be lots of fun. Happy shooting every one!

Out Of My Comfort Zone

Aperture Priority Mode, f/22, 1/4 sec. with a tripod of course, ISO 100.


I have stated before that I am a fair weather photographer. I made that same statement in a class I was teaching and was strongly encouraged by a student (Lea) to get out and shoot. She loves the winter time. She has taken some great pictures of her family playing in the snow.
I am not a big fan of the cold or snow. Really, its a coat issue. I have not yet found a warm coat that fits well. I am a BIG guy, that is code for fat, and I may need a tent! I would rather spend the money on a lens than a coat. Can you blame me!
To make a long story short, I went out and shot this picture. It had recently snowed and was very cold. This is a beaver pond I have photographed before. The water has a frozen layer of ice on top of it and about one to two inches of snow around it. The picture I really wanted could only be captured if I was willing to walk across the tall grass and snow. This area usually has water flowing through it and I would not have risked it. Once I reached the spot I had picked I realized it would be best taken from a low angle, meaning I have to lay in the snow to get the shot. After getting myself up and back to the truck, I turned the heater on full blast to warm up.
The next week when I saw this student again, I told her what I had done. With a big smile, she congratulated me for getting out of my comfort zone and gave me a high five! I still call myself a fair weather photographer but I am willing to go out and try it again, if I can jump into the truck and turn on the heater full blast!

Boys Will Be Boys!

Boys, no matter what their age, enjoy playing in the mud! Little boys, age two to five, use there feet, hands, and sometimes a small beach shovel. We make mud cakes, mud holes for burying our matchbox cars, and lets not forget the ever so tasty mud shake. The mud cakes we throw at anything or anyone who get close enough for us to hit! The tasty mud shake we invite mom to drink, who with grateful enthusiasm says thanks and yum, yum, yum before handing it back to us. Never being satisfied with that, I poured it on a siblings head! And lets face it little boys will bury anything, car keys, kitchen spoons, toys and of course Barbie up to her neck!

Boys from the age of six to 12 will create BIG mud holes to push there friends into or see who can jump over it with out getting muddy. The best of course is when we get out our bikes and make a ramp to fly over or into it! A mothers worst fear is finding her boys out in the yard in their Sunday best. My brother would stand at the edge of a mud or water puddle and I would throw something into it and watch the dirty water splash all over him. Oh, what fond memories.

Boys from the age of 14 to 99 still like to play in the mud. At this age its more about the items we use to play in the mud with. Four wheelers, motorcycles, cars, jeeps and trucks all work really well. Sometimes we get dirty or just the vehicle. If we get dirty we hose off before coming into the house. If the truck is muddy we leave it until five or six of our buddies have seen it. We like to brag a little! Boys will be boys!