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!

Best Blog Award

I am the lucky winner of a Best Blog Award! The recognition comes from a fellow blogger Gardendiggers. A big thanks to him for the award and the encouraging comments of my photography. Please take the time to visit his blog. You will find photographs of nature, architecture, flowers, landscapes, etc... His many photographs of flowers inspired me to get out and find beauty in the garden and yards near me. I have enjoyed following his blog from some time now. If you are not a follower become one and be inspired!


With acceptance of this award, I am instructed to pass it on to 15 other incredible blogs. They are visually stunning, memorable, educational, and funny. The following are winners of the Best Blog Award, with my thanks for sharing their talents with all of us bloggers. Now, these winners need to pick 15 blogs that they enjoy and award them! Be sure to let them know you are giving them the award. If you are looking for a new blog to follow check these out by clicking on them.


The Phophile
Jose Maria Benitez
Bradley Myers Photo Blog
50% Chance Of Rain
Through The Viewfinder
Chase Images
Jennifer Photography
The Photos I Take
Holdingmoments
Farabee Photography
Master Photo
Elle's Images
West Cornwell Photos
My Crappy Photography
Photoblog Of Wayne Woodruff

It's In The Sky

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 lens, f/7.1, 1/60 sec., ISO 100

Beaver Real Estate - Buy It For The View

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 lens, f/4, 1/80 sec., ISO 100

Floating By In The Early Morning

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 lens, 1/125 sec., f/5.6, ISO 100


Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, 1/90 sec., f/5, ISO 100

Good Morning Sunshine

Taken as the sun began to rise. It was cold and windy at the top of the mountain ridge, and I asked myself why? Why did you get up so early and out of a warm bed? Getting out early has it's rewards. A beautiful sun rise, the sun warming the frost off the grass and my fingers! The crisp fresh air and a view that reminds me, I have so much to be thankful for. After taking a few pictures, I joined my friend who had already gotten into the truck because he was cold. A good warm truck, one of those things I am thankful for. Yes, my friend too! Had he not agreed to go with me I would have stayed in bed and missed this shot!

Nikon D200, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens zoomed out to 200mm, aperture priority mode set at f/22, 1/15 sec., ISO 100, and a good tripod.

Moving Water

We have had fair weather as of late and I have gotten out so I will have pictures to share. Just this weekend, I knelt in the snow for a picture. I was cold and wet but wait until you see the picture I captured. I am reminded by a good friend to "get out of your comfort zone!" and the results looked very good. Thanks Paul. These pictures were taken in Farmington canyon just off the side of the road. I had changed my white balance earlier and when I started to shoot I had taken 10 to 12 pictures before I realized I didn't change my white balance back to normal setting. I just hate it when I do that, don't you? D200, Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 lens, and one very good tripod with wet feet.

A New Fishing Hole

I came across this beaver pond on one of my photographing adventures. This has been several weeks back. I was hoping for more fall pictures, but the color is gone and snow is starting to stay. I am very excited for future pictures around the pond. I will have to take a fishing pole with me next time. May-be a canoe. There is a trail that lead back toward the mountain as well so there is more to explore next spring. It will be a great Sunday afternoon get away with family and friends. While there, a young couple with their dogs came down the trail from the mountain. Both dogs would run and jump into the pond. The water had to be cold but the dogs did not seem to care!

Halloween Fun

Drew and Mimi



The ever so lovely Mimi!

For those of you who need a laugh or may-be a last minute Halloween costume idea. Last year, I talked a co-worker into shaving off his beard, putting on a suit, and blacked rimmed glasses to transform himself into Drew, from the Drew Carry Show. He agreed only if I would dress as Mimi.
I needed help with the make-up, eye lashes and a last minute fitting. Thanks to my mother-in-law and her skillful application of beauty products, between burst of laughter, I was able to prepare for work. Dad took a few picture and hoped I wouldn't brake his camera. I look rather cute don't you think!
The reaction from my co-workers and customers was shocking to say the least. I had one woman came back with her camera to have her picture taken with me. Just a few months ago, I had the need to call a plumber. After a few minutes, he asked me if I worked at the camera store. I said yes. I remember you, he said, you were dressed in drag for Halloween! I reminded him that I was dressed as Mimi from the Drew Carry Show not in drag. My fifteen minutes of fame relived all over again. All because of my costume choice in 2008. This year will be very different, no wings, eyeshadow or looking like a woman.
I hope you each have a fun and safe Halloween with all the ghosts, goblins, and yes, even a big guy in drag! Happy Halloween.

Sunday Drive

What did you do on Sunday? I, took one last look at the change of colors. In the mountains high above the cities of Farmington and Bountiful, Utah, there is a dirt road labeled "Sky View Drive". Wow, what a view! The road is not so bad, a car or mini van can easily take the drive. There was some snow and mud on road, so I am sure there are times of the year when a truck or 4X4 will be better. Four-wheelers and motorcycles seems to be the preferred way to travel. Several folks were enjoying the view from this method. During the drive, we came across a few small ponds. One was built by a very hard working beaver. Several pictures taken there, including one with a dog. I will post that one later, along with some picture of a small stream or creek.

Duck, Duck, Goose

This is one from the archives. It is one of the first shots taken with my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, spring of 2007. I had bought it and was excited to get out and use it. At the park there were ducks, geese, swans and the Utah State Bird - the seagull! It was early, as I recall, and some birds were still sleeping. Many of the birds will come right up to you and eat from your hand. My hands were full of camera gear, not bread or seed, so I get a squawk and a stare down! Walking through the park, waking up sleeping ducks, I watched them walk away only to find another place to catch more ZZZs.

Blogging friends,
I am now getting ready for the busy sales season and it has started getting darker earlier. This means I will be posting much less often. There could be several weeks before I post again. I hope to take pictures on my day off, but to be honest I am a fair weather photographer! I am not a big fan of the cold or the snow! I know, I should move from Utah, right! I have ordered a lighting kit so I can shoot inside. Macros and people may-be the subject I post who can guess? I wanted to let you know and ask that you stick out the dry spell from me. I will be doing more, lots more, early spring. I will be doing flowers again and looking for birds. The eagles appear in late February in Farmington Bay so you will get see some of them also. Thanks so much for your interest and notes. I will look in on those blogs I follow at least once a week and make comments. Who knows I my be so inspired that I eat these word and keep taking pictures. Thanks, David