Added to gallery
I've added a few more photos to my USAF Memorial gallery. I still have more to work on, so look for future updates.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
USAF
I took a drive down to the new US Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia last night. I'd seen it from afar and thought it would be cool to photograph. I got a few that I'm really pretty happy with. The first two are below. I still have some hopefuls in my "to be post-processed" folder. Click on the images below to see the slightly larger versions.
Honestly, I think my shots are better than 99% of the shots of the memorial out there right now. And I'm not really one to say that kinda stuff. Before going to the memorial, I did a bunch of Googling to see if I could find the best angles/shots and get general ideas for how to shoot that behemoth. The shots that are out there are pretty limited. (You listening, Air Force Memorial Association? I'm not above selling out my images. Just say the word. We'll talk).
Anyway, the third shot presented here is my first attempt at a High Dynamic Range composite shot. Basically, you take a number of shots of a scene altering the shutter speed each time (leaving the aperture constant), so you capture the full range of brightness of a scene, from almost featureless black shadows to almost featureless white highlights. You then use software to merge all of these images together into what you see here:
When you create the HDR image, there are a few adjustable settings. I decided to go for a more surreal look to the photo, than real. Not bad for a first try. It definitely seems like a cool technique to play with.
I took a drive down to the new US Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia last night. I'd seen it from afar and thought it would be cool to photograph. I got a few that I'm really pretty happy with. The first two are below. I still have some hopefuls in my "to be post-processed" folder. Click on the images below to see the slightly larger versions.
Honestly, I think my shots are better than 99% of the shots of the memorial out there right now. And I'm not really one to say that kinda stuff. Before going to the memorial, I did a bunch of Googling to see if I could find the best angles/shots and get general ideas for how to shoot that behemoth. The shots that are out there are pretty limited. (You listening, Air Force Memorial Association? I'm not above selling out my images. Just say the word. We'll talk).
Anyway, the third shot presented here is my first attempt at a High Dynamic Range composite shot. Basically, you take a number of shots of a scene altering the shutter speed each time (leaving the aperture constant), so you capture the full range of brightness of a scene, from almost featureless black shadows to almost featureless white highlights. You then use software to merge all of these images together into what you see here:
When you create the HDR image, there are a few adjustable settings. I decided to go for a more surreal look to the photo, than real. Not bad for a first try. It definitely seems like a cool technique to play with.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Stomp
Blew off the Realtor meeting last Wednesday after all. The wife (the artist formerly know as "the girl") called Tuesday afternoon with news that she'd scored a pair of free tickets for a performance of Stomp. It's been years since I'd seen the show, so I was pretty excited to see how they'd updated their routine.
The show was fantastic. But I'm easy to please. It doesn't take much for a bunch of people beating on bits of trash bigass 55-gallon drums to entertain me. I've always loved tribal rhythms. Add to that the "found art" aspect (yes, I realize none of their gear is "found" anymore) and you can't lose. From Stomp, to industrial act Test Department, to go-go legends Junkyard Band, to (Jane's Addiction drummer) Steven Perkins banging on pots and pans on a kitchen floor, and Jane's Addiction's "Chip Away" (sadly, one song I never got to see them play live, despite having seen JA live half a dozen times), to the guys on the streets of DC with a few pots and pans, buckets and water jugs. I can watch and listen to that stuff for hours. I just wish I could find a couple of CDs that capture the sound I'm after. I've tried a few African Tribal Rhythm CDs with no luck. If anybody know of anything, clue me in!
Blew off the Realtor meeting last Wednesday after all. The wife (the artist formerly know as "the girl") called Tuesday afternoon with news that she'd scored a pair of free tickets for a performance of Stomp. It's been years since I'd seen the show, so I was pretty excited to see how they'd updated their routine.
The show was fantastic. But I'm easy to please. It doesn't take much for a bunch of people beating on bits of trash bigass 55-gallon drums to entertain me. I've always loved tribal rhythms. Add to that the "found art" aspect (yes, I realize none of their gear is "found" anymore) and you can't lose. From Stomp, to industrial act Test Department, to go-go legends Junkyard Band, to (Jane's Addiction drummer) Steven Perkins banging on pots and pans on a kitchen floor, and Jane's Addiction's "Chip Away" (sadly, one song I never got to see them play live, despite having seen JA live half a dozen times), to the guys on the streets of DC with a few pots and pans, buckets and water jugs. I can watch and listen to that stuff for hours. I just wish I could find a couple of CDs that capture the sound I'm after. I've tried a few African Tribal Rhythm CDs with no luck. If anybody know of anything, clue me in!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Happy anniversary...
...to me. This month marks 7 years since I kicked cigarette smoking. One of the best things I ever did. I've totally become one of "those" ex-smokers, too. Wondering (often out loud) how/why people could do that shit to themselves. It seriously is a nasty-ass habit. And one I'm very happy to be rid of.
...to me. This month marks 7 years since I kicked cigarette smoking. One of the best things I ever did. I've totally become one of "those" ex-smokers, too. Wondering (often out loud) how/why people could do that shit to themselves. It seriously is a nasty-ass habit. And one I'm very happy to be rid of.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Oh, the wife and I also took a quick overnight trip to NYC just before xmas. Took the kid and the niece. It was a great trip, but I wish we'd have had more time to roam the city. A few of my snaps can be seen here. I have a bunch more to post process. (See my last post re: motivation and hibernation).
We drove up early Saturday. Stayed over in Jersey. Ferried to NYC. Roamed the south end of the island. Had lunch in some random little cafe. Cabbed it up to Rockefeller Center. Saw the crowds. Saw the tree. Saw the light show on the side of the building. Roamed through Saks for a bit to warm up. Then, under protest, I dragged the family up to 76th St(?) and Fifth Ave to check out the Apple store. Took some quick snaps (not as nice as the official Apple snaps above). Cabbed it back to the ferry. Ferried back to the Jersey. Crashed for the night, then drove home Sunday.
*whew*
Monday, January 08, 2007
Not much writing going on lately, obviously. With the holidays, a brother-in-law's near-xmas-wedding (which I attempted to shoot with mediocre results, some of which can be seen here) and all sorts of other goings-on time has been tight and motivation has been nil. I seem to be in full-blown hibernation mode. Tonight the wife and I have our first meeting with a Realtor (proper noun? Who knew?). Time to stop paying other people's mortgages and start paying our own. Hopefully.
Anyway...I have a few drafts in the hopper. I'll finish them up and post them shortly. I've moved the blog to the new, non-beta Blogger format. This adds one super-cool feature on which I've been waiting...tagging. So now I'm spending time going through my 400+ old posts and tagging them appropriately.
So, until I have some quality content to provide, I'll offer this random tidbit found on CNN the other day. Sad situation, random-ass quote. On the suicide of Nikki Bacharach, daughter of Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson, the family's official "announcement" contained this gem:
"She loved kitties, and earthquakes, glacial calving, meteor showers, science, blue skies and sunsets, and Tahiti".
(via)
Sounds like a Playboy Playmate bio on acid.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Weekend shooting
I managed to get away to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge just south of Cambridge, MD this past weekend. First time there since last October. I really dig that place. Since it was my first time out there in a long while, I decided to mini-splurge and rent a $1300 Canon 100-400mm "L" lens. Wish I could have *really* splurged and bought that *ucker!
Being winter, there wasn't a whole lot of activity, but I did manage to get a few shots of the locals (click on the images below to see the full-sized version):
This bald eagle took off from his perch on the top branch and came straight towards me...
...before looping around and giving me a couple of nice fly-bys. (Interesting to note the different intensity of the blue sky. These shots were taken seconds apart, but at different angles to the sun. I'm guessing that's why one is blue-blue and the other is washed-out-blue.
On the other side of the refuge I found this juvenile bald eagle hanging out in the tree.
And this endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrel with a mouth full of leaves for the nest (s)he was building.
Yet another eagle flyby.
In what was to be the second worst missed opportunity of the weekend, I nearly caught this eagle in an aptly-named "Klingon Bird of Prey" pose. If only the focus would have locked (operator error).
However, by far the worst missed opportunity of the weekend came Sunday morning. I got to the refuge late (about 8:30am) and took a drive through. Not seeing much going on, I decided to roam the MD countryside for a while. When I returned, Wildlife Drive (the main loop through the refuge) was closed. I went to the visitor's center to ask why. Turns out there was an injured bald eagle in the refuge, and the head ranger and a vet were going to try and capture it so they could take it to an eagle rehab facility. I asked if there was any way she (the woman I was talking to...who was wearing a ranger outfit) could get me in to the refuge to act as an official photographer for them. I told her it could make a really cool PR piece for the refuge. I said I'd stay well out of the way, and I'd do whatever the ranger said to. I also offered them full rights to any shots I got. She thought it sounded like a good idea, and called the head ranger on his cell phone to ask if it wold be possible. Unfortunately, the overly-litigious society did me in. He said that due to "liability reasons", it wouldn't be possible. I told him (through her) that I promised I wasn't one of those idiots who sued other people when I did dumb things and hurt myself (and I'd told my family to behave the same way if I managed to kill myself). And I offered to sign anything they put in front of me as a permission slip/waiver of liability/whatever. Sadly, he wouldn't budge. He said "maybe if I'd have been a volunteer". So I asked where to sign up. Roadblocked again...the woman who handles the volunteer sign-ups worked Monday through Friday. Damn!
So, instead of hanging around the visitor's center for an unknown amount of time, I decided to drive out to the far side of the refuge and see what I could find (which is where I got the juvenile bald eagle seen above). A decent shot, but not nearly as cool as what could have been.
Needless to say, I have the volunteer information open in a web browser as I type. The next time I'm at the refuge and there's an injured bald eagle rescue going on, I'll be set!
I managed to get away to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge just south of Cambridge, MD this past weekend. First time there since last October. I really dig that place. Since it was my first time out there in a long while, I decided to mini-splurge and rent a $1300 Canon 100-400mm "L" lens. Wish I could have *really* splurged and bought that *ucker!
Being winter, there wasn't a whole lot of activity, but I did manage to get a few shots of the locals (click on the images below to see the full-sized version):
This bald eagle took off from his perch on the top branch and came straight towards me...
...before looping around and giving me a couple of nice fly-bys. (Interesting to note the different intensity of the blue sky. These shots were taken seconds apart, but at different angles to the sun. I'm guessing that's why one is blue-blue and the other is washed-out-blue.
On the other side of the refuge I found this juvenile bald eagle hanging out in the tree.
And this endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrel with a mouth full of leaves for the nest (s)he was building.
Yet another eagle flyby.
In what was to be the second worst missed opportunity of the weekend, I nearly caught this eagle in an aptly-named "Klingon Bird of Prey" pose. If only the focus would have locked (operator error).
However, by far the worst missed opportunity of the weekend came Sunday morning. I got to the refuge late (about 8:30am) and took a drive through. Not seeing much going on, I decided to roam the MD countryside for a while. When I returned, Wildlife Drive (the main loop through the refuge) was closed. I went to the visitor's center to ask why. Turns out there was an injured bald eagle in the refuge, and the head ranger and a vet were going to try and capture it so they could take it to an eagle rehab facility. I asked if there was any way she (the woman I was talking to...who was wearing a ranger outfit) could get me in to the refuge to act as an official photographer for them. I told her it could make a really cool PR piece for the refuge. I said I'd stay well out of the way, and I'd do whatever the ranger said to. I also offered them full rights to any shots I got. She thought it sounded like a good idea, and called the head ranger on his cell phone to ask if it wold be possible. Unfortunately, the overly-litigious society did me in. He said that due to "liability reasons", it wouldn't be possible. I told him (through her) that I promised I wasn't one of those idiots who sued other people when I did dumb things and hurt myself (and I'd told my family to behave the same way if I managed to kill myself). And I offered to sign anything they put in front of me as a permission slip/waiver of liability/whatever. Sadly, he wouldn't budge. He said "maybe if I'd have been a volunteer". So I asked where to sign up. Roadblocked again...the woman who handles the volunteer sign-ups worked Monday through Friday. Damn!
So, instead of hanging around the visitor's center for an unknown amount of time, I decided to drive out to the far side of the refuge and see what I could find (which is where I got the juvenile bald eagle seen above). A decent shot, but not nearly as cool as what could have been.
Needless to say, I have the volunteer information open in a web browser as I type. The next time I'm at the refuge and there's an injured bald eagle rescue going on, I'll be set!
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