5 photo gizmos/accessories I'll never (again) leave home without

Hello, my name is Bill and I'm addicted to photo gizmos.  Well, not just photo gizmos but gizmos in general.  Things that make life and photography more convenient and easier to deal with.  Maybe it's a genetic thing, maybe it's a Guy thing, and maybe it's just me.  I just know I like gadgets and gizmos.

We've all got them...that gizmo hanging out in the deep dark recesses of your camera bag.  Maybe it's an inflatable reflector or mini-softbox for your flash.  It might be some sort of filter that will make your images amazing with no extra work on your part..or at least that's what the ad said.  Regardless, we've all got gadgets and gizmos we use or intended to use in our photography and some are much more valuable than others.

I have some that never leave the house and some that are buried in one of the many camera bags I have hanging around my office.(If someone finds the "perfect" camera bag, let me know)  But there are 5 gizmos/accessories that I absolutely refuse to leave the house without, all depicted in the photo above.  Here's the lowdown on my favorite gizmos.

1.  Field tool kit.  Assorted jewelers screwdrivers, metric allen wrenches, and a multi-tool.  I've used the multi-tool for everything from bending the barbs on fishing lures to installing a belt on a 97 Nissan Pickup.  These tools live in a ditty bag in an outside pocket of my photo backpack.  Just don't forget and try to get them through security at an airport.  I've had to mail them to myself a couple of times.

2.  Bubble level.  A couple of years ago I noticed that a lot of my images had to be rotated a little bit in post processing.  I shoot everything on a tripod so it had to be an issue with my eyes.  The bubble level lives on the hot shoe of my camera body and this one has bubbles for 3 axis use.  No more downhill horizons.

3.  Really Right Stuff L-bracket.  This is by far one of the most treasured photo gizmos.  It allows me to quickly switch from horizontal to vertical and keep the center of the lens on axis without having to flop the tripod head over on it's side.  Last time I upgraded my camera body I had to wait about a week for the new L-bracket to arrive.  Shooting without it was like working with only 1 hand.  You can have my L-bracket when you pry it out of my cold dead hands!

4.  Laptop screen angle gauge.  Ever been on a shooting trip, edit some images on a laptop and post them somewhere only to discover they're much too dark or light when viewed on your main computer at home?  All because the screen on your laptop was a bit off the proper angle.  Grrrrrrrrr...well this little device is the cure.  Simply velcro it to the side of your laptop screen and tilt the screen till the pointer lines up with the mark.  It works no matter what the height of your computer.  If you continue to post ugly images you can't blame it on the laptop any more.  PS:  I've only been using this a couple of days and the difference is remarkable.  We're all searching for repeatable processing and this let's me do it with a laptop. 

5.  Headlamp.  My new passion is night sky shooting.  I'm working hard to learn the techniques to produce terrific images showing the Milky Way.  This thing is great for helping illuminate things when you're shooting in the dark.  Every try to achieve critical focus in the dark?  How bout setting exposure dials on your camera by touch?  Not much fun in either case.  I have a couple of different headlamps and one of them has both a white light and red light setting on it.  The red light supposedly doesn't destroy your night vision.

So there you have it, the 5 gizmos I won't leave home without.  They all live in my camera backpack except the laptop angle gauge which resides (go figure) in my computer case.  I know there are a lot of other things you need to have on any photo trip but not having any one of these makes photo life almost unbearable for me. 

How bout you?  What are your favorite gizmos?  Leave a comment and we'll see what comes along.

Take....Me Out To the Ballgame

Let me set the record straight right off the bat..(pun intended)  I am a Sports Geek.  I grew up playing baseball in the spring and summer, football in the fall, and basketball in the winter.  I love the NFL and College Basketball.  But baseball is my passion.  I am a Seamhead through and through.

Problem is, most of the guys and some gals that I work with are football fans and couldn't care less about baseball.  Me being me, I often stir the pot, poke the bear, whatever phrase you want to use by professing that I believe baseball is better than football.  We spend time going through all the old tired arguments...baseball is boring, it's too slow, there's no time clock, yada yada yada!  I often have to remind them that was created first and football was just invented so baseball players would have something to do in the 3 month period between the last game of the World Series and the first day of Spring Training.  Most of the time the argument is never settled because we both have only what we believe and as you know belief is knowledge that can't be proven.

Today, though, I can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that baseball is better than football and here's why:

The regular season of the NFL is only 16 games while a season of Major League Baseball lasts 162 games.  Today is the last day of Baseball's regular season, game #162 and as I write this blog there are 4 teams, 2 in each league, that are tied for the Wild Card slot in the playoffs that begin on Friday.  The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays in the American League, and the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves in the National League.

None of the teams are playing each other so today there are 3 possible scenarios.  If one of the tied teams wins and the other loses, the winner moves on to the playoffs which begin on Friday.  If both tied teams win or if both lose, there will be a "play in" game tomorrow and the winner goes on in the playoffs.  I don't have a dog in this hunt so I don't really care which teams win or lose though I have two very close friends that do.  Tom is a Cardinals fan and Rebecca is a Red Sox fan.  For their sake I suppose I hope those teams move on in the playoffs.  We'll know later this evening what will happen since the games are still going on.

But how is that better than the NFL?  Well, if 2 NFL teams end up tied for a division title or a wild card spot you begin to go through a ponderous "tiebreaker" system.  I think the first tiebreaker is head to head competition between the two tied teams but don't quote me.  The first few tiebreakers are pretty definitive like that and they usually don't get past the first or second tiebreaker before deciding which team moves on in the playoffs.  There are, however, about 16 or 18 tiebreaker scenarios or so I'm told.  I suspect they will probably never get past 4 or 5 on the list but in a worst possible case scenario we could see a playoff team decided by "which team scored more points on windy afternoons in October against a team who's coach's brother is named Fred" or something equally byzantine.

STOP THE MADNESS!  Just have a play in game like baseball has.  If 2 teams tie it's head to head.  If 3 teams tie it's Round Robin.  Just play the flippin' game.  Let the players decide who moves on, not some statistician.

Yep, Baseball is better than the NFL.  They get it.  Let the players decide.

The Ultimate Spring Photo road trip #1

A few days ago I posted The Ultimate Photo road trip (Fall) and it was kind of fun detailing some of the things I need to visit or revisit during the fall.  Now it's time for Spring.  This will be a bit more difficult because there are 2 completely different trips that come to mind so you'll have to indulge me with #1 and #1A which will come in a day or two.  For now, though, on with #1.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the Pacific Northwest (or Pacific Southwest if you include British Columbia) and I try to visit there every chance I get.  I didn't live there for a very long time, only about 3 years total, but they were some of the best 3 years of my life.  I made some lifelong friends and spent some glorious summers there.  Some consider it a tragedy that while I lived there I didn't even own a camera much less have any intention of becoming a photographer.  So strap in and here we go.

It's a comfortable day's drive from Denver to the Yellowstone/Grand Teton area.  I've become quite enamored with the Signal Mountain Lodge when I stay in the Tetons.  It's a 5 minute walk from your cabin to the beach and a sunrise reflection of Mt Moran and the Tetons in Jackson Lake.  It's also a 5 minute drive to the Oxbow Bend and an easy 20 or 30 minute drive to Moulton's Barn or Schwabacher Landing.  The photo ops here are limitless.  I've got some pretty nice sunrise images from the beach so I'd have to flip a coin between the other 3 locations.  Might even have to spend 2 days and nights here and hope I'm lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Grizzly #399 and whatever collection of cubs she has.

Leaving the Tetons is always tough for me but I have a long ways to go and a short time to get there so once I've sated my Jones for the Tetons it's north into Yellowstone.  I usually spend most of my Yellowstone time in the Lamar Valley and sleep somewhere in Cooke City but this time I'm going to stay either in West Yellowstone, Mammoth, or possibly Canyon.  If Heather is with me it will be West since she wants to see the captive wolves and grizzlies there.  Who knows...maybe a night in West and then choose between Mammoth and Canyon or Roosevelt Cabins and spend a day or two in the Lamar.

Leaving Yellowstone it gets a little tricky and my next destination will depend on how early in the Spring this trip is taken.  In a perfect world I'd be taking this trip the first or second week of June and while I'd love to spend some time in Glacier, I think that deserves a week in and of itself so that's for a later trip.  Next on the location I'm headed for the Palouse region of Eastern Washington.  I've never photographed there so it's definitely on my bucket list and a strong candidate for a June trip.  Base of ops is Pullman with Steptoe Butte definitely on the list for sunrise.  1 maybe 2 days here then north again.

From Pullman I'm headed north for another long driving day.  I'm headed north and will spend 2 or 3 days in the Banff area.  Last time here I split my time between Banff and Jasper and really didn't have time to do justice to either one.  So this time it's Banff and the other Canadian parks that are on the Trans Canada Highway.

From Banff and Yoho I'm headed to Vancouver.  Have I mentioned that I love Vancouver?  It's probably one of my top 3 favorite cities on the planet.  The photo ops here are limitless but I'm only spending 1 night because I need to get down to Mt Vernon and Anacortes.  The image at the top of this blog is from the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.  That happens in April so I've missed it.  That will allow me to head into the Cascades and visit some of my old haunts.  Concrete, Darrington, Rockport, and other small towns along the Skagit and Sauk rivers.  I'll also be coordinating with my college roommates to spend some time drinking beer, telling lies, and generally catching up with old friends. Next time I'm here I'll head out into the San Juans for a whale watching cruise and hopefully see some Orcas...next time.

From Anacortes I'm headed south across the bridge at Deception Pass and down Whidbey Island to catch a ferry to the Olympic Penninsula.  I'm going to take 2 days to work my way down the coast with some time spent in the Ho Rain Forest as well as some of the ocean beaches, maybe even keeping on down the coast to Oregon.

About this time I need to start heading home.  With any luck I've photographed everything I wanted to see on this trip so it's just a matter of heading home.  Lots of driving, at least 2 weeks on the road, and some marvelous images and memories.  What a trip.  Stay tuned for Spring 1A.

A tale of Lemons and Lemonade

Here's the dilemma...you step outside to see a beautifully colored sky at sunset but you are surrounded by houses and power lines with no acceptable foreground for an exposure.  What will you do...what WILL you do?  Answer:  Look for a reflection. 

I was headed outside to get some things out of my car and was lamenting my failure to be in a suitable location to photograph the sunset.  When I walked to the back of the Nitro I saw the reflection out of the corner of my eye.  As quickly as I could I dug the G10 out of the Nitro's console, grabbed a tripod from inside the house and set up a shot.  What you see is the result.  Moral of the story?  If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  If life gives you limes, find someone that life has given tequila and make margaritas.

Inspiration

I've been giving a lot of thought lately to what inspires me photographically.  Why do I see things the way I see them?  Some painters go through "periods" and I guess photographically I do too.  For many years I shot large format film and by necessity I tended to concentrate on the Grand Landscape.  Large format forces you to be very deliberate and methodical and it's very difficult to shoot objects that are close to the camera. 

After a while I kept the large format but shifted most of my photography to 35mm and though I was able to shoot more close up and macro things I showed a preference to long lenses.  I was photographing a lot of wildlife at that time and also used the teles to do "extractions."  I really loved the way telephoto lenses compress the perspective.  I still shot landscapes with the large format but was obsessed with teles. 

In the mid 90's I was managing a photo equipment rental company and we started stocking cameras designed to shoot panoramic images.  It was about that time I started seeing things panoramically.  I went back to the large format and went so far as to cut out a panoramic opening in a dark slide to expose things in a narrow format.  At that time digital was still very primitive and stitching software was not all that great so skinny 4X5's were my solution. 

Not long after that I found pleasure in getting back to my roots and for a few months I shot everything in Black and White.  From my point of view, B&W requires you to see in a special way to create really effective images.  You have to look for patterns and contrast.  B&W forces you to see light and how it delineates your subject from a whole different perspective.  Just because an image looks nice in color doesn't mean it will make a nice Black and White image.  With the advent of new conversion software like Nik SilverEfex Pro2 and Topaz Black and White, I've been bitten by the B&W bug and am working more and more in this media recently.

Right now it's details.  When I was in Photography School one of my assignments was to find a photograph of a large scene that was successful and then find 5 more images within that shot.  It forced us to look not at just the big picture but to also observe details within.  And that's where I'm at now.  I've taken 2 photo trips this year so far.  In May I spent a long weekend hanging out with some photographer friends in Moab, Ut where just about everywhere you look there is a Grand Landscape just begging to be photographed.  This month I've just come back from 10 days in Sedona, AZ, again, lots of Grand Landscapes waiting to be put on a memory card.  Both times I've struggled to make exposures that I like.  These days the Grand Landscape doesn't move me...it's all in the details. 

How long will this phase last?  I have no idea...might be a month, might be a year, might be longer.  What I do know is that I'm in detail mode right now and those are the images that please me.  The image accompanying this blog is one I ran across in Sedona.  A juniper tree outside our condo was dropping berries every day and I liked how some of them were lined up in a gap between 2 sections of sidewalk.  Imagine that...here I am in one of the most photogenic areas in the US and I'm looking at the sidewalk for images.  Go figure.

Razing Arizona: Musings on 10 days in the Southwest

We've just returned from a 10 day trip to Arizona spent primarily in Sedona but also we had some time in the Phoenix area and a brief visit to Tombstone.  During the trip our daughter Erin got married, we spent a brief time at the Grand Canyon, and got to spend some time palling around with my sisters.  The following are some observations from that trip.


The place we stayed in Sedona was very nice.  High end...but they charge for internet.  During our trip to Sedona and the trip home we stayed at Super 8, Springhill Suites, and Marriott Courtyard and every one of them offered free internet.  Why is it that high end hotels and resorts all charge up to $10 a day for wifi? 

Speaking of high end, my sisters stayed at a high end resort owned by the same company that owned our place.  During their week in Sedona they had to change rooms 4 times.  Dirty furniture, leaky roof, plugged toilet, you name it.  Just goes to show you that in some cases price has very little to do with pleasant accomodations.

It rained every day we were in Sedona mostly in the late afternoon or evening.  It kept the temperatures very pleasant but totally ruined my plans for night shots.  I thought the monsoon season was over! 

The weather for Erin and Sean's wedding was marvelous.  Granted, it rained like crazy about 2 hours after the ceremony but we were inside at the reception dinner and dance by then so no harm, no foul.

As for the wedding, it was very special.  Erin was a beautiful bride, the ceremony was great, and a good time was had by all.  Erin did all the planning and everything she did was perfect.  I'm very proud of my little girl.

While in Sedona we toook a day trip to the Grand Canyon.  On the highway between Flagstaff and Tusayn we ran through a severe thunderstorm and some hail.  The road got slick and the car in front of us did a couple of 360's but didn't hit the ditch.  A few hundred yards farther down the road we came a cross a vehicle that wasn't so lucky.  I repeat, isn't monsoon season supposed to be over?

I've been wanting to visit Tombstone and got a chance on this trip.  To say the least I was underwhelmed and disappointed.  Not only were all the attractions walled in and charging admission.  Basically, anything you want to do or see in Tombstone costs a minimum of $6 ($10 if you stay for the gunfight)  I don't know what I was expecting but this certainly wasn't it.

There are a lot of areas along the highways in Arizona and New Mexico that I would like to photograph.  It just requires being in the right place at the right time, not driving past during the middle of the day.  Always have a reason to make another trip.

By my count there are 12 roundabouts between Oak Creek where the wedding was held, and our condo in West Sedona. I always thought the Pilgrims came here to escape European oppression.  Now we're trying to copy their traffic systems?  Just pay the extra money and install traffic lights for crying out loud.

Sedona Golf Resort did a great job on the wedding.  The location was perfect, the food was fantastic, and everything went off without a hitch.  Given the mad cash I dropped on this wedding, wouldn't you think they could show a brother some love and comp greens fees for me?  They were willing to comp the groom but not the father of the bride.  Unbelievable...he didn't pay them a cent!

You would think that by September the sun would have warmed up the waters at Slide Rock State Park but no....it was freakin cold!  And I really need to lose some weight.  After sliding down the chutes a couple times I was sitting in the sun warming up and everyone wanted to roll me back into the water.  They were all shouting "Free Willy!"


All in all, it was a wonderful trip.  Erin and Sean had a beautiful wedding, we got to spend some time with friends and family, and I was able to spend some time in one of my favorite areas.  Definitely a success.

The Ultimate Photo Road Trip (Fall)

I've just returned home after 12 days out of town.  Essentially it was a 2 day trip followed by a weekend wedding of my daughter, followed by a week of hanging out with family and friends in Sedona, AZ, then the trip home via the southern route.  (Phoenix to Tombstone to Albuquerque to Denver)  Nothing out of the ordinary except that our route took me through some areas I'd never seen before.  Over and over again I found myself saying "I need to come back and photograph that..." which started my mind working and thus, the Ultimate Photo Road Trip (Fall version)  Keep in mind, this trip would require quite a lot of time so it may not occur for a year or two but here's how it goes. 

Sometime in late September: 

Parker to Walsenburg, CO.  Spend a night in Walsenburg and head down the Highway of Legends from LaVeta to Trinidad, CO.  I've driven over Cuchara Pass before and the display of changing aspens can in some years rival Kebler Pass near Crested Butte.  Spend a sunrise and mid-morning shooting aspens before heading down to Trinidad and back onto I-25.

Trinidad, CO to Santa Fe, NM:  Driving north on I-25 today I was impressed by the poofy white clouds and the patterns they make on the prairies just north of Las Vegas, NM.  Given the right conditions and spending some time to find a suitable foreground subject, this could make a powerful image.  On to Santa Fe and spend a night here.  Great food and wonderful galleries to kill some time.

Santa Fe, NM to ????:  Here is the first option.  From Santa Fe head south either straight down I-25 to Socorro, NM for a sunset and sunrise at Bosque Del Apache or take Hwy 285 south to Alamagordo, NM and spend a sunset and sunrise at White Sands.  I'm not sure if it's too early in the year for cranes to be at Bosque and currently my longest lens is a 70-200mm so I'd probably opt for White Sands.  Of course there's the possibility of driving to Bosque after the sunset at White Sands.  Time to choose!

Alamagordo, NM to Dragoon Mountains, AZ:  Whether it's Bosque or White Sands, after shooting the sunrise I'd head south and hit I-10 somewhere around Las Cruces, NM.  For the most part this is a pretty boring drive heading west into AZ but there are some areas where the right sky and clouds might make an interesting image looking across the basins.  Mostly I'd be concerned with getting to the Dragoons by late afternoon.  When we drove through there a few days ago the rock formations near I-10 would be amazing in the right light.  Head on into Benson, AZ for the night.

Benson AZ to Tombstone to Tucson, AZ:  We spent some time in Tombstone but due to a late start from Phoenix and hotel reservations in Albuquerque we didn't have nearly enough time to spend there.  I'd like to spend at least 3 or 4 hours in Tombstone but that's another blog for another time.  On to Tucson for late afternoon shooting of San Xavier del Bac mission in Tucson and sunset at Saguaro National Park.  From here it's a short drive to Erin and Sean's house in Queen Creek to spend the night.

Phoenix to Tuba City, AZ:  No real sunrise shoot in mind here so have a leisurely breakfast with the kids before heading north towards Flagstaff and on to Tuba City.  From Tuba it's not too far to Coal Mine Canyon which I've seen images of from other shooters and would like to see for myself.  Then there's another secret location near Marble Canyon that requires a campout to appreciate sunset and sunrise light. 

Marble Canyon, AZ to Farmington, NM:  Here's another choice depending on how the mood hits me. Leave the Marble Canyon area and head to Page, AZ for some time in Antelope Canyon.  I haven't been there in a few years and could use some new digital files from Lower Antelope.  From there head to Kayenta and make a decision:  north to Monument Valley or southeast to Farmington and Bisti Badlands.  I've been to MV several times and while it's definitely not old hat, this time I'm headed for Bisti. Hopefully I'll get there in time to hike into the Badlands for sunset.  Definitely I'll spend a sunrise there.

Farmington, NM to ???:  Here's another tricky spot and this one depends on the weather.  If there's snow or the possibility of it I'm headed southeast towards Taos. I've never driven that route and have no idea of the photographic possibilities but I'm sure it would be wonderful.  If we have nice weather I'm going up through the San Juans for more changing aspens.  Durango to Silverton, Dallas Divide, then over Kebler Pass to Crested Butte.  This will most likely be my last night on the road as it's a short 4 hour drive home from CB. 

So there you have it.  10 nights, probably 2000 miles or more, and numerous photo possibilities.  If I were to take this trip I'd probably play tourist or spend an extra night or two at Erin and Sean's making it into a 14 day trip.  What do you think?  What's your Ultimate photo road trip? 

Breakfast Follies

Okay, I admit 2 things about this blog.  First, this image has nothing to do with the blog...I just like it.  Second and more importantly, I am blatantly stealing this idea from a blog written by Todd "Cloudman" Caudle, one of the best Nature Photographers around.  I read a similar entry on his blog and it made me laugh out loud so I feel compelled to relate my similar experience.

Once in a while, probably way too often, I stop in at Jack in the Box near my home to pick up breakfast.  It's the same time of day, about 6:30 am and I always order the same things:  Grilled Breakfast Sandwich and a medium Diet Dr. Pepper.  Always the same, and I always order it the same way.  Problem is, the folks at Jack's place are tasked with selling up.  And the conversation usually goes like this:

JITB:  Welcome to Jack In the Box..my name is (fill in the blank), would you like to try our Jumbo Breakfast Platter (this changes based on what new stuff they have on the menu) today?

Me:  No thank you.  I'd like a Grilled Breakfast Sandwich and a medium Diet Dr Pepper and that's all.

JITB:  Would you like to add hash browns and make that a meal?

Me:  No thank you.  Grilled Breakfast Sandwich and medium Diet Dr Pepper and that's all.

JITB:  Do I have your order correct on the screen? 

Me:  Yes.

Then I pull around to the window to pay and get my stuff.

JITB:  How has your visit been today?

Me: Just fine thanks. 

That's how it usually goes.  Sometimes, though, I have a tendency to be a bit grumpy in the morning and there's a whole new dynamic.  After the same conversation every time I go in there, one day I was a bit cranky.

JITB:  Welcome to Jack in the Box, my name is (fill in the blank) would you like to try our new Uber Hyper Mega Breakfast Platter today?

Me:  No thank you, I'd like a Grilled Breakfast Sandwich and a medium Diet Dr Pepper and THAT'S ALL!

JITB:  Would you like to add hash browns and make that a meal?

Me:  No...when I say That's all, it means that's all...I don't want hash browns.  If I wanted hash browns I'd order the #7 meal.

JITB:  Is your order correct on the screen?

Me:  No...I said DIET Dr Pepper, not Dr Pepper.

JITB:  Is your order correct on the screen now?

Me:  Yes, thank you.

I pull around to the window to get my food.

JITB:  How has your visit been today? 

Me:  I'm a little tired of 20 questions and when I order and say "That's All" I mean that's all.  Can I just get my order and move on?

Yes, I am quite aware that I'm a jerk sometimes and this is one of those times.  But sometimes I wonder what part of "That's All" they have problems with?  Maybe it's just me.

Thanks Todd, for the laughs and the inspiration.

Just Cloning Around

A friend recently asked me what I use in my Digital Darkrooom and when I started listing all the software I was a bit overwhelmed.  Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Nik SilverEfex, Nik HDR Pro...those are the software products I've purchased.  I've also tried several other demo products such as Helicon Focus, Topaz Adjust, and others too numerous to mention.  To say the least, it's a bit intimidating to think of having to learn all this stuff. 

It's tempered, though, by my minimalist approach to software.  I don't do a lot of "gee whiz" alteration of my images, preferring to stick mainly to techniques similar to what I used to do in a chemical darkroom.  Of course I try to get things as nearly perfect in the camera as I can.  I use the histograms for exposure control and I'm not yet really proficient with the gradient filter feature in Lightroom so I carry filters with me to even out the exposure.  This may change once I get more acquainted with HDR Pro but that remains to be seen.  Once I get an image file in the computer I limit myself to cropping, exposure control, contrast control, a bit of color control, and selective burning and dodging.  I shoot all my images in RAW format so there is also some sharpening involved.  Mostly, though, I don't do a lot of unusual stuff with software...yet.

About a year ago I posted a blog entry about photographers who choose to use software to add elements to their images. (http://wcbeanphoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/when-icons-have-feet-of-clay.html) and how I feel about that.  If you're adding penguins or cloning zebras, if you're placing a full moon inside Delicate Arch, if you're adding an element that wasn't there I feel you've falsified your image and it ceases to be a photograph.  I don't like it and I'll never do it. 

When I was listing the software, though, I started thinking about why I have different processing programs.  Well, here's the story:

Adobe Lightroom...this is my primary software of choice.  I use LR for probably 90% of my digital darkroom processing.  It's also got a really nice cataloging feature that lets me sort in several different modes and makes it easy to add my watermark to images.  I make all my exposure and contrast corrections in LR and also work to manipulate the color as extensively as needed.  If I buy a newer printer and they add a clone tool I would have no need for Photoshop Elements.

Nik SilverEfex Pro...This is a wonderful tool for converting color images to B&W files.  The amount of control you have over the image is much greater than the conversion tools in Lightroom or Photoshop.  I love this tool!

Nik HDR Pro...I'm new to this tool but I think it's going to be a really useful element in my digital workflow.  It's used primarily to reduce the difference in exposure from foreground to background.  Many times the sky is much brighter than the foreground or main subject.  If you expose for the sky the shadow areas turn black.  If you expose for the shadows the sky turns white.  HDR can balance those exposures and I'm looking forward to learning it.  Just need to remind myself to avoid the cartoonish images you sometimes see when there is a heavy hand on the HDR controls.

Adobe Photoshop Elements...I don't use Elements so much anymore since I've gotten pretty adept at Lightroom.  I use it for a couple of primary functions though.  When burning and dodging is needed I find the burn/dodge tool in PSE to be a bit easier to use than the one in Lightroom.  I also do all my printing from PSE.  Lightroom has a really good print function but sometimes it has difficulty interfacing with my old Epson 1280 printer.  Even when all the LR settings are correct it sometimes does crazy things to the final print so I print everything from PSE.

But the main reason I keep using PSE is the clone tool.  It's a tool used to make an area of an image look like an adjoining area of the image.  I use it primarily to remove unwanted items from images.  The images above of CoffeePot Rock near Sedona, AZ, are an example of how I use the clone tool.  I think it works much better without the jet contrail in the bald blue sky.  In the bottom image I have removed the contrail with PSE's Clone tool.  And here lies a quandary.  As upset as I get about photographers adding elements to their images, here I am talking about taking an element out of an image.  Hypocritical?  Maybe....I guess it depends on your point of view.  Leave a comment and we'll discuss it.

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

Got an old (or new) truck with no bedliner?  Can't afford $500 or $600 for a drop-in or spray on bedliner?  Sounds like me and my situation.  When I bought this '92 Toyota truck to replace the '89 that was murdered in front of my house late one night, one of the things I liked about it was the fresh paint.  At first glance, the bed was pristine, so much so that I almost didn't want to put anything in the back for fear of scratching it.  But hey, it's a truck!  You're supposed to haul stuff in it so I started looking for a bedliner.  I searched Craigslist and Ebay but every time I found one that was close and inexpensive it was gone before I could get there.  So I started shopping around for a spray on bedliner.  I looked at Rhinoliner and similar products.  They are really a lot cooler than the plastic drop in styles but pretty expensive.  If this were a brand new truck I'd have no problem ponying up $600 for a Rhinoliner but this is a 27 year old vehicle.....so I kept searching.

One weekend I was watching Power Block tv and the guys on Trucks showed a kit that allows you to roll on your own bedliner.  Same as Rhinoliner but it isn't sprayed.  And the price was equitable!  Not only that, I had some of the stuff at home.  A couple years ago Chris took his Mother's Land Cruiser 4-wheeling and virtually destroyed the coating on her running boards.  I thought I'd get some of the roll on bedliner stuff to replace the plastic cover that Chris had gashed and slashed.  Never got around to putting it on so I had a full quart.  Now to the web to get some tips and tricks. 

Research done, I decided today is the day so I grabbed the orbital sander and started working.  Here is a step by step guide:

First thing is to prep the surface.  Rinse it with a hose to get off all the loose stuff and let it dry.  Once it's dry you can start sanding.  Keep in mind, you don't have to get down to bare metal, only to rough up the painted surface to give it some "tooth."  If you don't prep the surface the product will peel off easily once it's dried.  That's bad.  Anyway, it took about 30 minutes with my little sander to rough up the entire surface of the bed.  Surprise, surprise...my grey truck was once red!

Next, clean the surface.  Directions recommend using Acetone or some such liquid but I was able to run my shop vac over the surface and eliminate the dust and particulate matter.  This is a crucial step.  You can't roll paint over a dusty surface.  Once the surface is clean you can start painting. 

Start in the corners with a brush.  Once that's all covered you can start rolling the sides and wheel wells.  I found a 3" roller to be ideal for this purpose.  The smaller roller allowed me to get the grooves between the slats.  Per the directions on the can it's best to put down one thin coat to begin then once it's dry, apply a second, thicker coat.

I said earlier it was around $600 for a sprayed on bedliner.  Well, the roll on version cost me about $50 for materials and roughly 3 hours of my time.  Now that I CAN afford. 

Finally, here are some tips and tricks I learned:

1.  Mask off the surfaces that aren't supposed to be rolled.  This stuff gets everywhere you don't want it to.

2.  Be sure you have enough material.  Read the coverage chart on the can or online to figure out how much stuff you need then multiply by 3 or 4.  The first can of stuff I used was by DupliColor and it indicated I should be able to cover my whole truck bed with 1 quart.  Wrong Answer!  I got started rolling and ran out of stuff about 1/2 way into the job. (Top photo)  So, off to Lowes for more bedliner paint.  Ultimately I ended up using 2 1/2 quarts total and have a good, even coating.

3.  Use a roller cover made for rough surfaces.  It will give a little more texture to the finished product than a smoother roller.  And don't get the idea you can clean the rollers and brushes when you're done.  This is some nasty stuff!

4.  After it's dried stand back and admire your work....then if it's a hot summer day like today, use some of the $550 you saved to go to Coldstone or Maggie Moo's for ice cream! 

So there you have it.  Don't be afraid...it's quick, it's easy, and you'll save a lot of money.  And don't forget the sense of accomplishment you get when you tackle something like this and get 'er done.

Suits me to a T(ie)

Have you ever had a vision?  No, I don't mean a peyote induced dream, I'm talking about where you're driving down the road or cleaning the garage or doing some other mundane activity and it hits you...the little man in your head starts screaming at you about something.  I had a vision this afternoon, one that took me back to one of the more stressful days in my life. 

It's been many years since my Dad passed away.  When we got the call it was a complete shock.  My Mom had been the one in poor health, the one that had been seeing doctors regularly so I figured she would be the first one to go.  So when the call came that Dad had passed it was pretty devastating.  I set about making preparations to attend the funeral.  Packed some clothes, tossed my only dark suit in a bag and caught a plane to Oklahoma City.  Fast forward to the day of the funeral...showered, shaved, time to put on my suit.  Keep in mind, it had been a couple of years since I'd worn this suit.  Well, the pants were a bit tight but after a minor struggle I was able to get the zipper up....and in doing so managed to rip the pants from waist to thigh.  I think I came as close to a total meltdown that morning as I ever have.  Fortunately there was a clothing store open in Holdenville and I was able to come up with a pair of slacks and a blazer that fit. 

But what about the vision?  Well, some of you may know that my daughter, Erin, is getting married in September.  9/10/11 to be specific.  I've been a bit concerned that I might have to wear a tux but after much gnashing of teeth Erin said I could wear my dark suit with an off white shirt and a tie that is purple, black, and silver.  Knowing it's been a couple of years since I last wore a suit (more on that later) I've been saying I need to try on the suit and see how much weight I need to lose to fit in it but haven't made it a priority...till today.  I don't know what triggered it but there I was, driving to meet Heather and Judy to look at some patio furniture when the vision hit me.  I saw in my mind's eye me standing there with a 12 inch rip in the front of my suit pants all those years ago and knew I needed to do this and do it NOW!  When I got home I went immediately to the closet and pulled the suit out to try on the pants and....(drum roll please)....it's going to be fine.  Granted, it needs to be cleaned, but the pants while snug, are in no danger of ripping.  In fact, they fit pretty well.  If I manage to drop a few pounds between now and the wedding I'll be fine.  If not, I'll still be fine. 

But what about the tie?  I hate ties....if I could go the rest of my life without wearing a tie I would be okay with that.  But there are, in fact, 4 reasons that I will wear a tie.

1.  Someone is getting married.
2.  Someone is getting buried.
3.  A job interview.
4.  A beautiful woman (My wife or one of my daughters) asks me to.

9/10/11 someone is getting married and my beautiful daughter, Erin, has asked me to.  Done deal!

A Sunday Drive (On Saturday)

My daily commute to work is 48 miles each way.  Since I despise freeway traffic I always take the "old" highway 83 from Parker to Colorado Springs.  It's a pleasant drive with enough curves and hills to keep your interest and along the way I see some great sights.  With that in mind I headed out Saturday morning to photograph some things I see everyday on my drive.  There were some pseudo wildflowers planted in the medians of some of the streets in Parker which would be nice at sunrise.  And just a mile or so past Castlewood Canyon State Park one of the ranchers has some Longhorn steers that look awesome with a bit of backlight.  Then there's the bison ranch a few more miles down the road and my ultimate destination, Paint Mines Interpretive Space near Calhan, east of Colorado Springs. 

Well, the best laid plans.....when I got out of bed Saturday morning before sunrise the wind was blowing pretty hard so photographing flowers was out.  Then I broke one of my photographic rules:  "When traveling with the possibility of seeing wildlife alongside the road, keep the telephoto lens on the camera."  I rolled up to see the Longhorns near the road but by the time I popped the hatch, got the camera out of the bag and attached the tele zoom, they had looked me over and decided to move off into the distance, presenting me with a grand view of their butts!  Further down the road, the bison were about 1/2 mile off the road in the middle of the pasture so no shot there.  Finally arriving at Paint mines, the wind was blowing even harder and it was after the 30 minute "magic" light so finding compositions with good lighting was pretty much impossible.  Again, no shots. 

One good thing came of my travels, though.  I headed north out of Calhan to Kiowa and on the road there decided to head up Comanche Creek road to see if Prairie Wind Wildlife Refuge is still operational.  I'd photographed all sorts of critters there back in the 90's but hadn't been there in nearly 15 years so I was pretty amazed that I remembered the route.  Sure enough, the tigers were pacing their cages and there was a new lion enclosure.  I didn't stop because they don't much like to have folks drop in unannounced, but I did take a trip down memory lane. 

I stated a few months ago that I was going to post some essays from my original website and this is the perfect chance to bring one of them out of mothballs.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Every Picture Tells A Story, Don't it…

And mine are no exception. Take the Cougar series for example. I don't often have nightmares or dreams that wake me up in the night but when I do, they usually involve a cougar. We all have our phobias and that's mine. So when I was given the chance to photograph one of the cougars at the Prairie Wind Wildlife Refuge I gave it considerable thought before deciding to go for it.
The nights leading up to the weekend photo session were restless for the most part and as the time drew nearer I became more and more anxious. Was this thing going to eat me? Chew me beyond recognition? I'd seen deer and elk that were cougar kills and as an illustration of a cat's power and ability I've even seen a housecat kill a rabbit in one swift motion. The power per pound of these animals is awesome. It took all my will power and resolve to avoid picking up the phone and calling to cancel. But I was strong!

Saturday morning dawned clear and beautiful on the plains, the first rays of the sun lighting up the Front Range in my rear view mirror on the drive. That served to calm me a bit, but I was still more nervous than I'd been in a while. The orientation speech Michael gave did little to bolster my confidence. "Whatever you do don't run or show any signs of fear. These may be pets but they're still wild animals." That's code for "they will kill and eat you if you're not careful."

Okay, done with the speeches, tripods and lenses set up, film loaded, and my shooting site selected. The cat is released by one of Michael's assistants and comes over the hill about 100 yards away headed for Michael and the tidbits of meat he offers as incentive to behave. Right away I notice that the beast seems to be fixated on me. His eyes meet mine over the distance and I immediately look away. ("….don't make eye contact, they think it's a challenge.") The cat, Cheyenne, lopes up to me then walks in a slow circle around me giving me the once over. "Relax" Michael says, "he just likes your deodorant." (which by now has failed miserably)

Finally after 10 seconds which seemed like 10 minutes, the cat comes closer and drags his tongue up the side of my head then plops down to rest about 5 feet from my camera. I could have tugged his tail if I'd been so inclined. Check out the Critters portfolio and you'll see the results.

Stoopid Human Trick

Will Rogers once said "Everything is funny...when it happens to someone else!"  I often profess that while I'm not really a stupid person I frequently portray one in real life.  To illustrate this, just about the time I start to think I'm pretty darn sharp, something happens to keep me humble.  Listen up...

I can safely say that almost every photographer I know is a gearhead, myself included.  As my friend Bret says, we "worship at the altar of Gear."  One of my friends who shall remain nameless takes it to the extreme though.  My wife often tries to get me to quit visiting or shooting with him because there's always some new toy he has to show me that I want to buy.  In the past we've loaned each other lenses and stuff and it seems like every time we're swapping lenses he says "take this...how bout this...why not take this...."  Sometimes I have to tell him to just QUIT!  I got enough of your gear to add 10 pounds to my backpack! 

A few days before my recent trip to Moab, Utah, I was at his house to retrieve my 70-200 f4 lens and he started running through the list.  Seems he was between trips and pretty much everything in his bag was available.  After running through his "catalogue" of lenses, one of the things that I found desirable was a plain jane 50mm lens, the same kind of lens you used to get in the old days when you bought a camera with a "normal" lens.  In this day and age of high quality zoom lenses I haven't owned, much less used a 50mm lens for probably 2 decades but I wanted to do some night sky photography in the desert and the 50mm would be ideal.  Light enough and fast enough for my purposes so I tossed it in my bag. 

Well, the night sky photography didn't come to pass.  It was really windy in the desert all the time I was there which stirred up enough dust to make the air seem hazy.  It was great for sunrise shooting and amazing for sunset shots.  Night sky....not so much.  Besides, even if there were no dust and haze in the air the steady wind would have made a 30 second exposure impossible even with a solid tripod.  I did manage capture a few images with the 50mm one afternoon though and it was kinda fun.  I had to actually act like a photographer and move closer or further from the subject to frame the image properly.  Also, the lens is light, easy to use, and scary sharp!  Check the image with this blog for proof of that.  Ultimately, I kind of like this little lens and here is where the stupid human trick comes in. 

Arriving at the decision to acquire a 50mm of my very own (I still want to do some night sky shooting) I started haunting Craigslist when I got home from Moab.  Sadly, there were no 50mm Canon AF lenses to be had.  Lots of zooms but no 50's.  On to Ebay...tons of 50mm Canon lenses.  I narrowed my search by selecting Canon, Autofocus, Digital, and Prime as lens categories.  Scrolling through the listings I came across a 50mm f1.8 that was ending soon and had a pretty low bid on it so I decided to place my own bid, making it low enough so if someone outbid me it wouldn't be a problem.  To my surprise, the next morning I had an e-mail telling me I won the thing.  I promptly went to Ebay and arranged payment via PayPal and waited for my new toy to arrive. 

It came today and like a kid on Christmas, I had to open it before even taking my jacket off when I walked in the door and that's when my heart sank.  The lens I received is an older Canon FD (manual focus) mount lens.  There isn't enough hot glue and duct tape on the planet to make this thing fit on my autofocus EOS mount cameras!  You can imagine my outrage...someone had listed this lens as AF and sold it to me under false pretenses!  I fired up the computer and brought up the lens listing and sure enough, there in the information section of the listing it said....FD mount!  Duh me....it was right there and I missed it.  I operated on the assumption that since I narrowed my search criteria it had to be an AF lens so I didn't double check the fine print.  I now have a 50mm Canon lens but there is no way it will work on my camera.  It might as well be a paperweight.  Unbelievable...

I often tell my kids something that my Daddy told me a long time ago when I was a little bitty baby boy...he said "Son, if something appears to be too good to be true, it probably is.  I've been shopping 50mm lenses for a while and the going price for an AF 50mm f1.8 seems to be around $100 so what ever made me think I was going to get one in pristine condition for $40?  If it seems too good to be true........ Anyone out there got a manual focus Canon camera and need a 50mm lens? 

Oh Those Goofy Photographers

It's no secret, as much as I despise crowds I also derive great enjoyment from observing the Human Condition.  And whenever you get a group of people together it's almost a certainty that there will be some goofy things going on.  The kind of goofy things that make you go "Hmmmmmmm..."  Sadly, photographers are no exception.

Don't get me wrong, the group of Rocky Mountain Nature Photographers I spent Saturday with is a great group of folks.  I enjoyed myself more than I have on a photo trip in a long time and I didn't observe anything strange though I'm sure there are as many eccentrics  in that group as the general population with me leading the way.  For the time I was around them, all parties were well behaved and rational.

I can't say the same about every photographer I encountered this weekend though, especially some of the ones I saw at Delicate Arch.  There were some really "interesting" folks both on the trail and at the Arch and I spent time alternating between chuckling and just shaking my head. 

As I stated in a previous blog I knew the opportunity to make world class images of Delicate Arch wasn't going to happen on Sunday afternoon.  It was overcast and really windy so the light would be flat and there would be little or no chance to steady a camera in the gale force winds.  With this in mind I left the backpack and big tripod in the car and started up the trail with my G10 in it's belt pouch and carrying my little Induro tripod.  The light was going to be flat and ugly (witness the image above) so there was no logical reason to drag 25 pounds of gear up 1 1/2 miles of slickrock.  Besides, the G10 is a great little camera and capable of producing some fantastic images so I was covered in the event of a miracle. 

Going up the trail I saw all the expected things.  Tourists with movie cameras running ahead of their group then stopping to film them coming up the trail.  There were the usual array of people both young and old photographing the scenery with their smart phones.  And one older gentleman who had an array of gear like I've never seen.  He had a large photo backpack on his back with a camelback water bladder strapped to one side of it.  On the other side he had a HUGE tripod and massive ballhead which together probably weighed close to 12 or 15 pounds.  In front he had a large padded lens case capable of holding a camera with a large telephoto lens and since I saw a trunk case for a 300mm lens in the back of his truck I have to assume he was toting that lens in the big case.  Though I don't know what he had in his backpack, with the water, the big lens, mongo tripod, and everything else I bet he had 35 or 40 pounds of gear strapped on his torso.  To carry that much gear up a moderately difficult trail on a day when it's going to be impossible to make a pro quality image is something that baffles me.  God bless you, brother.  I'm glad it was you toting the stuff and not me. 

The strangest thing about him, though, is that he carried that bigass tripod all the way up the hill and never opened it up.  I was there for an hour or more and I never once saw him shoot something that wasn't handheld, a lot of it with a big heavy lens, probably an 80-200 f2.8.  He may have been shooting wide open to increase his shutter speeds but in the low light conditions with the wind blowing at gale force, there is no possible way his images could have been sharp.  Things that make you go "Hmmmmmmmm..."

During my time at Delicate Arch I saw the usual suspects hiking down to have their picture taken standing under the arch and there was even one guy laying on his back with his camera pointing up at the arch.  The first and only other time I was at Delicate Arch, any time someone walked near the arch they were met with a chorus of "Get out of there...you're spoiling my shot" from the photographers up on the rim.  This time, though, we all just looked at each other and grinned.  What the heck...the folks down there under the Arch paid their $10 bucks just like I did and most of them are tourists from another country.  They most likely will never see this site again so let em get their pictures to show the friends when they get back wherever home is.

But by far the oddest duck of the day was a young man with a shiny new Lowe Pro backpack chock full of camera gear.  There I was, holding onto my tripod mounted G10 to avoid having it blown off the hill (have I mentioned the wind was blowing pretty hard?) when suddenly I hear someone fire off 9 frames with the drive on their camera on full auto Shake and Bake mode.  9 frames in about 2 seconds.  Having done that before I assumed that he had merely forgotten to take his camera off motor drive after shooting some wildlife but NO!  He moved a few steps to the right and did the same thing.  Again, handheld camera and big lens. At this point I draw the conclusion that he's bracketing exposures which is something that I don't usually do but I know a lot of photographers that bracket everything.  But wait...it gets better!  A few minutes later the same young man hops up on a ledge fully exposed to the wind (I hate being redundant but I swear, it was probably blowing 40 mph gusting to 50 or 60mph) and triggers his motor drive again.  This time, though, he turns at the waist, panning about 140 degrees from left to right.  Shooting frames for a panorama? 

Keep in mind, some of the photographers I hang out with are gearheads of the highest order.  My friend Rich paid big bucks for a special head called Nodal Ninja that allows you to precisely calibrate multiple exposures for stitching together as a panorama.  One of the photographers I was with on Saturday had a special device built to allow her to shoot time lapse panoramic images.  Now here this goof is trying to be his own panoramic head when you can see him swaying in the wind.  There is absolutely no way he could have possibly gotten sharp images that way.  Combine the wind with the movement of the camera while he was twisting his body and it's a physical impossibility.  I was tempted to ask him what he was doing but I couldn't figure out a way to ask that wouldn't sound like I was patronizing him or being condescending.  Sure made me go "Hmmmm..." though. 

What's your goofiest photography trick?  You show me yours and I'll show you mine!  Leave a comment and lets have some fun.

A New Beginning (and a new bucket)

It was a dark and stormy.....Nah, that one's been taken.
It was the best of times, it was the worst....Nah, that one's taken too.  Wait...I've got it!  Try this one...

It was windy and overcast when I started up the trail to Delicate Arch.  Yeah!  That's it!  A great new beginning.  And a very incongruous statement for a couple of different reasons.  First, the clouds were building in the west and I knew there was not going to be epic light on the arch.  Normally I would have bagged it and headed back to the hot tub at the hotel. 

Second, I have been to Delicate Arch before.  I knew it was 1 1/2 miles uphill to get there and it was going to be a tough hike for me.   I knew because I'd had tremendous trouble with the Klondike Bluffs trail the day before.  The first pitch of that trail was more difficult than the Delicate Arch trail.  It was very steep and involved a lot of steps up, not just going uphill over slickrock.  By the time I got to the first ridge I was gasping for breath, my knees and thighs were aching, and I was probably 1/4 mile behind Bret and Scott in the first 10 minutes.  I saw the trail start downhill and knew I could probably make it down there but if I did someone would end up carrying my happy butt out of there cause I'd never make it back up.  Too many cheeseburgers, circus animal frosted cookies, and nachos finally caught up with me. 

I stayed on the ridge and found some pretty decent images so all was not lost.  After making my way down the hill in the semi darkness after sunset I was at the trailhead talking to a few others in the group of RMNP folks that had come to Moab for the weekend.  That's when my new friend/photographer buddy Tim uttered the most prophetic statement I've heard in a long time.  We were talking about another get together in Moab next spring and discussing the trouble we'd had keeping up with the others going up the hill and he said "I look at this as a beginning...when we get back here next year I'm going to be in shape to keep up and this is the beginning of that process."  Thank you, Tim, for shining the light into my brain.

I came to Moab this weekend ostensibly to hang out with friends and create some great new images and both of those things happened.  But there was a disturbance in the force...something else occupying my thoughts.  You see, 10 days ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Don't be alarmed...my Urologist has assured me that this cancer won't kill me.  I may die with prostate cancer but I won't die OF prostate cancer.  Nevertheless, the "C" word is a sobering thing and I came here to spend some time alone after all the other photographers headed home Sunday morning.  I spent the day deep in thought, trying to decide what to do for the rest of the day and, more importantly, the rest of my life.

While heading back to Moab from Onion Creek I started thinking about what Tim had said and as if someone had turned on a light bulb in my brain I had The Epiphany!  Driving down the Colorado River towards Moab I came across some kayakers taking turns surfing a wave in the river and they were having such a grand time I figured that Kayaking should be added to my new bucket list.  It was lunch time so I stopped to watch them while I ate and that's when it hit me...this disease isn't an end to anything...it's a beginning to the rest of my life.  Then the revised bucket list and watershed events in my life started to bombard my senses.  Here's what I came up with.
First, the critical events of this year: 


1.  In November I turn 60.  That's 6/10's of a century!  Damn, no wonder I'm starting to fall apart.  My cardio vascular capacity is pathetic.  My muscle tone is deplorable.  In short, I'm a physical mess.

2.  My eldest child is getting married in September.  It's going to be a glorious event and I'm really looking forward to it. 

3.  I've made it to the 10th year of employment with my current employer and got that extra week of vacation!  Whooooo hoooooo

4.  Yes, I do have prostate cancer and something needs to be done.  I have some decisions to make

So with those things in mind, I'm going to have to come up with a new bucket list.  I'll let you know when it's ready for release but rest assured, #1 and #2 will be to get this cancer cured and get in better shape.  And that's what made me decide to make the trip to Delicate Arch despite knowing how much difficulty I was going to have.  I made it to the top and it was a lung busting bitch.  But I had to do this you see. This is the New Beginning.

Photographers: They say (and do) the funniest things

This image doesn't have a lot to do with the following blog entry but it's one of my favorites and I haven't yet taken an African safari so my stock of elephant photos is sadly lacking.  But I have seen and read some things today that bother me a little bit and I always like to share so here goes.

There's a lot of hoopla going around the web right now about GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons posting a video of him shooting an elephant.  Of course the folks at PETA have chimed in and some other animal rights groups are suitably outraged and I suppose that's all well and good.  Every adult is entitled to their own opinion and if it is different than mine it doesn't really matter.  I don't expect to agree with everyone nor do I get distraught when everyone doesn't agree with me.

For the record, I couldn't care less about Mr. Parsons shooting an elephant.  If he has the money and it's not illegal, more power to him.  Last I heard, elephants weren't on any one's endangered species list.  Furthermore, there is evidence that the elephant in question was doing a great deal of damage to a small village's crops but I'm not here to debate that.  You can find all the information and more by doing a google search and form your own opinion.  I promise I won't ridicule you or respect you less regardless of what that opinion is.

What I saw today that raised my eyebrow was the reaction from the photographic community of which I consider myself a member.  The outrage and vitriol was far beyond what I'd expected to see.  One of the photographic bulletin boards I watch from time to time had a thread that, unless I miss my guess, will soon have photographers calling for Mr. Parsons to be drawn and quartered.  I'm not surprised that there was some reaction, photographers are some pretty sensitive folks for the most part.  I was, however, a bit stunned at first by the vehemence of the opinions.  Then I thought about some of the photographic sensitivity I've experienced in the past and I got a big bite of the reality sandwich.  There are 2 incidents that I've been involved with in the past that should have tempered my surprise...listen and learn.

I mentioned earlier that I watch some photographic bulletin boards online.  One of the boards, Nature Photographers Network, was a source for my first experience with the depth of feeling that some photographers have for the environment.  One of the threads was bemoaning the loss of Glen Canyon which occurred in the 1960's when the Glen Canyon dam was built on the Colorado  River creating Lake Powell.  I was just back from a houseboat trip to Lake Powell which might not have been my favorite vacation ever but is certainly top 3, and being new to the game of online bulletin boards I chimed in with my thoughts that Lake Powell was truly the Jewel of the Desert and a wonderful resource.  I added that though I would love to have seen Glen Canyon before the dam, I really felt the resulting lake is a beautiful and wondrous place. I was immediately assailed by one of the photographers on the board who dismissed my knowledge, credibility, and even my humanity for espousing such an opinion.  By stating that I enjoyed the lake I had established my credentials as a cretin of the first order.  I conducted a private e-mail exchange with the other photographer and after we both expressed our views in a much more civil manner we agreed that we will always disagree on this matter and moved on.  To this day his images and soulful essays are an inspiration to me and someday I hope I'll have the chance to buy him a cold adult beverage and discuss photography.

The second time was much more amusing because I didn't start the fireworks but was around to witness the effects of some simple differences in philosophies.  A few years ago I was at a photo seminar put on by Outdoor Photographer magazine here in Denver.  The format was to bring in 2 prominent photographers to give presentations of their work over the course of a weekend.  The first day of the seminar was conducted by David Stoecklein.  David is a wonderful photographer and if you have ever eaten at a Black Angus Steak House you've seen his work.  He is famous primarily for his images of horses and cowboys but he's also a very successful commercial photographer and part of his presentation was centered around advertising photography and some of the tricks of the trade of a working commercial shooter.

Keep in mind, there were between 100 and 150 people attending this seminar, all lured there in the hopes of learning the magic behind David's horse images and make no mistake, there was plenty of that to go around.  But he also spent some time before the lunch break talking about how he had created some of the advertising images in his portfolio.  When he came to an image he'd shot for Jeep things began to get interesting.  It was an image of a Jeep Grand Cherokee sitting on top of a seemingly impossible to climb mountaintop.  In his narrative describing the image he disclosed that (paraphrasing) "...we had to go up and cut down about 6 trees so the helicopter could set the Jeep down on top of  the hill..."  With that disclosure there was an almost audible gasp from the audience.  Six trees destroyed?  A helicopter to put the Jeep in place?  To a group of self described Nature Photographers this was akin to blasphemy.  And the amusing part?  After the lunch break, a meeting room that had been nearly filled to capacity before David's unfortunate utterance was half empty for the afternoon session. 

Yep, photographers are a sensitive bunch.  I shouldn't have been surprised.

Beisbol been berry berry good to me

There's a scene in the movie City Slickers where the 3 main characters are discussing their best day ever.  Billy Crystal's character describes his first experience attending a ballgame at Yankee Stadium with his father.  He talks about walking out of the tunnel and seeing the grass so green it nearly blinds you, the smell of cigar smoke, and how good the hot dogs tasted.  I've never been to a game at Yankee Stadium but I can relate to those feelings. 

When I was a young Bean Sprout, probably 9 or 10 years old, I can't remember exactly, my Dad loaded the family in the car and headed north to Kansas City where the Athletics were hosting the Yankees for a weekend series.  I know, I know, the A's are in Oakland now but they were originally in Kansas City.  I remember that we dropped my Mom and sisters off in downtown KC to do some shopping while Dad and I went to the game.  As nearly as I can recall it was very similar to the scene described by Billy Crystal.  What I do remember is that Mickey hit one out, Yogi hit one out, and it was the grandest sports experience of my young life.  I'd become a Yankees fan at a very early age at the insistence of Grandma Suzie who was a rabid baseball fan and I guess it rubbed off.  We were Yankee fans because of Mickey Mantle who was from Oklahoma as were my parents and Grandma.  I had no choice.  I'm still a Yankee fan, mostly because there are no other American League teams that strike my fancy and if I ever cheered for another AL team Grandma would be spinning in her grave. 

But I live in Colorado now and Colorado has the Rockies.  It's Spring Training time, 9 days till Opening Day, and I'm starting to get that old tingle.  In March, every team is a contender for the pennant, there are no losers and hope springs eternal.  Tulo and Cargo have both been signed to long term contracts, Ubaldo has 3 years left on his contract, and Todd Terrific appears to be back in form so those of us in Rockies land are very optimistic.  It's going to be a good year at Coors Field and before too long I'll be jumping on the Light Rail to Union Station then walking the 3 blocks to the ballpark.  When I walk up the stairs and onto the concourse in the left field corner the grass will be so green it will nearly blind me.  There won't be any cigar smoke but I'll definitely be assailed by the smells of cheese steak sammies, popcorn, roasted peanuts, and the hot dogs will taste better than a $25 steak.  With any luck I'll be surrounded by good friends and we'll have good conversation during the game.  I missed Spring Training this year but when I hear the crack of the bat and see Cargo park one in the second deck in right field, it won't matter. 

Is it too early to buy tickets for a Rockies/Yankees World Series?  PLAY BALL!

A Shot in the Dark

It's no secret, I'm a research junkie.  When I'm headed to a new location I spend countless hours online looking at Google Earth and Bing Maps.  I look at every image I can find of the place where I'm headed.  Usually I know what sort of conditions and subject matter I'll find before I get there and I'm rarely, if ever, surprised by what I find.  So how is it that this, one of my favorite images, came from a location I had never scouted, never researched, and never seen?  Pure Unadulterated Dumb luck!  Settle in and I'll explain.

This is an image of what I call "The Other Bear Lake."  Pretty much every photographer in Colorado knows about Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park and there are always plenty of images cruising around the web of that Bear Lake.  But this is a different Bear Lake.  Yes, it's in Colorado but about 150 miles south of RMNP.  It's off the Highway of Legends between the town of Cuchara and Cuchara Pass. 

When Heather started college at Eastern New Mexico University in Roswell, we spent a lot of time traveling between Parker and Roswell.  In August of her second year, after dropping her off for the school year, Judy and I headed home and spent a night in Taos along the way.  We headed north out of Taos and came into Colorado via the San Luis Valley then across LaVeta Pass to Walsenburg where we hit I-25.  Along the way I noticed some large stands of aspens near the summit of LaVeta Pass and after a few years of going to Crested Butte every September to photograph the changing aspens I thought it might be time for a change.  I made a mental note that this area might be a nice change and a few weeks later when it was aspen time I made the decision to head south instead of west.

The extent of my research was the trip over LaVeta Pass and a few minutes online to book a cheap motel on the outskirts of Walsenburg.  I packed my gear and left work Friday night headed south for the 2 hour drive to Walsenburg.  It was dark when I got to the hotel and dark in the morning when I left for LaVeta Pass and some of the aspen groves I'd seen weeks before.  And that's where the evil Bill took over.

I don't know what I was thinking.  I have no rational explanation for it and probably never will.  My plan was to head up LaVeta Pass and spend some time shooting in one of the huge groves of aspens but when I got to the summit of the pass the truck just kept on going as if it had a mind of it's own.  Over LaVeta Pass, turn south at the town of LaVeta, and keep going south through the small town of Cuchara.  A couple of miles south of Cuchara I saw a sign pointing up a dirt road that said Bear Lake 4 miles.  At that point the truck made a quick right turn and I was off to Bear Lake. 

Now keep in mind, it was still as dark as the inside of a coal bin at midnight.  The only things I could see were trees and bushes illuminated by my headlights but I kept on driving, undaunted, towards Bear Lake.  All the time the good Bill and the evil Bill were arguing:  "Why didn't you stop on the pass, moron?  At least we know there are aspens there."  "Shut up and drive...where's your sense of adventure?"  "Yeah, but there may not even be aspens up here...all I see are pine and spruce trees."  "Show some backbone and drive...if it doesn't work out we can go to LaVeta Pass for sunset...nobody likes a whiner!"

On we went...and about 3 miles up the road a strange thing happened:  the pines and spruces gave way to aspens.  Old growth aspens!  This might actually be okay.  When I finally arrived at the parking area for Bear Lake the eastern sky was just starting lighten as it does in the 30 or 45 minutes before dawn.  I could vaguely make out the surface of the lake down the hill from where I was parked.  Then reality set in.  I had no idea if there would be any decent compositions, no clue if there were any aspens around the lake, and the cloud bank I could barely make out near the horizon was probably going to block any sunlight and make dawn a dreary boring thing.  I berated myself for breaking tradition and flying blind into this area and feeling pretty down I grabbed my tripod and backpack and headed for the lake shore.  I was here, there was no time to make it back to LaVeta Pass before sunrise, so I might as well take my lemons and make some lemonade.  What the heck...if the light is grey and flat I can shoot some intimate landscapes in the forest.

The rest is history.  I got my camera and lens on the tripod, walked a few yards up and down the shoreline to find a suitable composition, and started thinking about finding some colorful leaves to photograph when this fiasco was over.  And then the magic happened.....the cloud bank started to break up into mini clouds and the sun started tinging the edges of the clouds with pink.  The slight breeze that had been rippling the surface of the lake stopped.  Everything was dead calm and the sky exploded with color.  Amazing!  And the image at the top of this blog is the result.  A case of pure dumb luck putting me in the right place at the right time. 

I spent the next 3 or 4 hours shooting and came away with one of the most successful aspen shoots I've had in years.   Was I lucky? You bet your behind I was...but I'll take luck like this any day.  

Every Picture is a Jelly Donut

Pardon my poetic license with the title of an old Rod Stewart song (Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It?) but we all change lyrics from time to time in order to make them fit the situation. In this case, though, I'm pretty sure the picture doesn't tell it all.

What you need to know is that the truck in the picture was traveling from right to left when the driver lost control. The vehicle left the roadway, crashed through the guardrail , hit the culvert, flipped end over end, and came to rest facing in the opposite direction. The good news is that the 22 year old driver and his 18 year old passenger walked away with minor bruises and abrasions. (seat belts really do work!)

First thought is "Holy crap! What a terrible wreck!" followed by relief that the occupants of the vehicle were okay. But as Paul Harvey says: "And now...the rest of the story!"

Special thanks to my friend Amie Isban for e-mailing this to me and as she said: 

If God isn't done with you, He isn't done with you.

If only they knew...

There is a group of people out there that I call The Oblivions.  You've seen them...at the grocery store they are the ones that stop their carts in the middle of the aisle and start reading labels.  Nobody can get around them so you're left with being rude or waiting.  They'll stand in a doorway during a conversation and be totally unaware of anyone trying to go through the door.  At the lunch counter they will have a conversation with the cashier while everyone behind them is trying to get their food and eat it within the 30 minutes allotted for lunch. 

I don't think they mean any harm.  I don't think they're even aware of what they're doing but that doesn't stop them.  Anyway, in the spirit of revisiting old blogs and essays, here is an essay I posted shortly after our Alaska cruise in 2005.  Enjoy...

The Narcissistic Fog of Oblivion

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm not always the most considerate, most rational, kindest person you've ever met. In fact, I can sometimes be a bit recalcitrant given the proper set of circumstances. But though I've recently come to be pretty comfortable with my own degree of benevolence towards my fellow man, I saw some things on our Alaska Cruise that really showed how rude and insensitive people can be. And the sad part is I don't think they even realize it.
It all started at the Vancouver airport in British Columbia and let me say that I don't blame the Canadians or any other group of people specifically. For those of you that have never flown in or out of Vancouver, it's a lovely airport. Almost on a par esthetically with our airport in Denver. And it's pretty well laid out. You come off the plane and follow the signs, which are clearly labeled, to your destination, which, in our case, was Customs. Once through customs you go to the baggage carousels to get your bags and that's when the problems begin. Vancouver is a bit smaller than DIA so there are only about 4 baggage areas which is not a problem in and of itself but to exit the area there is only 1 door. All the people from all the baggage carousels are trying to get out one skinny little door at the same time. One of the most disastrous bottlenecks I've ever seen.

Logic and common sense would dictate that if folks apply the ski lift line etiquette we may have a bit of a wait but everyone will get out quicker. But like a wise man once said, "Common sense is perhaps the least common of all commodities." Things went okay for a minute or two but when we got within 50 feet of the door, chaos took over. One would think that an extra measure of politeness would assert itself but suddenly it was every man for himself. Several times I had to excuse myself and crowd in front of someone in order to keep contact with Judy. It was madness! My first exposure in a long time to the game of Chicken. We were calm though, knowing we didn't have anywhere to go, and when our turn came we were out the door and into the fresh air. We caught the shuttle and were delivered safely to our hotel with no further mishaps.

This mentality continued to manifest itself in various forms throughout our trip and after a while we remarked on it and started having fun observing it. In Ketchikan and all the other ports it showed its head in a different guise. When a group of people are approaching you on the sidewalk and 4 of them are walking abreast taking the whole sidewalk, wouldn't you think 1 or 2 of them would speed up or drop back and line up to let another couple pass? Not happening. Many times we observed this behavior in just about every place we were from Canada Place to the boardwalk in Skagway and the sidewalks of Seward.

The first couple of times Judy and I stepped aside and let the folks pass but that got real boring real fast. Next I tried making eye contact while continuing to walk towards the oncoming foursome but that had little effect also. Finally I came upon the perfect strategy. When confronted with the choice of getting off the sidewalk to avoid collision, I merely walked up to the approaching group and stopped, forcing them to make a move to step aside or stop.

Another form of Oblivion was the groups of people that stop to visit in a manner and location that totally blocks everyone else from passing. You're left with the choice of trying to squeeze by or waiting until the conversation is through which could take several minutes. After a few waits and a few bumps I finally started alternating between saying "excuse me" in a loud voice, or clearing my throat. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't but the people were usually aware that they had blocked egress and made adjustments immediately

I don't suppose I can hope that these things will magically disappear nor do I think I even want them to. Oblivion serves 2 purposes for me. It gives us something to observe while in public places and thus amuse ourselves, and of course it makes us even more aware of these behaviors in ourselves and hopefully we can avoid being the rude Americans.


So there you are.  Do you know any Oblivions?  Are you a closet Oblivion?  Leave a comment and we can share a chuckle together.