Day 516 - Emerging

ISO 400, 100mm macro, f/3.5, 1/50 sec

I wondered by one of the honeysuckle bushes the other day during a flower check. The blossoms are just beginning to emerge.

That is assuming the nasty rain storm of today didn't knock them all off.

Day 515 - Letting go

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/5.0, 1/320 sec

This has been one of the best, most relaxing week-ends I can remember for a long time. So much so, that I actually laid in the grass and watched the wind tease seeds out of a dandelion head.

Day 514 - The incredible edible egg

 ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/29, 1/60 sec

The incredible edible egg.

For this weeks Project 52 our assignment was a product shot of a product that is used to cook, with eggs. Big spoon with eggs. Egg cooker with eggs. Spatula with eggs. Pan with eggs. Colorful bowl with eggs.

Fortunately for us, our neighbors provide us with fresh eggs from their chickens every week. The eggs are decadent.

However, I learned that not all eggs peel equally. I quickly failed egg peeling 101.

Day 513 - Reaching out

ISO 250, 100mm macro, f/3.5, 1/80 sec

To say that the last three weeks have been crazy busy for me would be an understatement.

I think I am seeing something brighter on my horizon.

Day 512 - Camoflauge

ISO 400, 100mm macro, f/4.0, 1/100 sec

Still pulling from the trip to the butterfly farm. This is a moth that had a wing span of about 7 inches. She was beautiful.

Day 511 - Nuttin' but stinkin' rain

ISO 200, 105mm, f/5.6, 1/80

The weather according to weather.com is nuttin' but stinkin' rain.

Rats.

Day 510 - Night classes

ISO 200, 35mm, f/16, 25.0 sec

My scrambled brain is trying to come up with a cover concept. Last night was just about my only chance for the next million days to get over onto the campus just after sunset.

I really didn't come home with what I had hoped, but I did catch a couple of building shots.

Day 509 - Workin' dog

ISO 200, 200mm, f/8.0, 1/500 sec

Day 508 - Name that flower

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/6.3, 1/125 sec

Over the week-end I noticed a flowering tree at the back of the property that I had never seen before. The flowers are tiny, about the size of my thumb and I think I noticed them because the tree is covered.

I had a few minutes a lunch when I was running the hound dogs so I grabbed my macro lens and headed on back there.

I have no clue what kind of tree it is, but the blossoms certainly are pretty.

If anyone knows what it is, tell me, tell me... please?

Day 507 - Wisteria Lane

 ISO 200, 50mm, f/7.0, HDR—1/200, 1/3200, 1/800, 1/50 sec

I don't do many HDR photos, but every once in a while I see something that suggests it might be a good candidate.

Cars are one of those things that always fascinate me. Old is best, rust is good and then, there is the generation I grew up with.

When we were wandering around Scio yesterday, we walked past this Chevy Malibu parked in front of overgrown wisteria. I am fairly certain that underneath the wisteria is probably the garage the Malibu was once parked inside.

The car tags were current, so at least this one is still maintained unlike some many of the other cars we've stopped to photograph.

ISO 100, 24mm, f/16, HDR—1/40, 1/160, 1/10, 0.4 sec.

When I saw the Malibu, it immediately brought my attention back to the Catalina that I found in a field nearly 18 months ago. I loved this image and probably remains one of my favorites. According to the tags, she took her last ride in 1974.

We drove by the field again today, just in case. The Catalina was gone. I hope someone took her home to give her the TLC she justly deserved.

Day 506 - Sheep thrills

ISO 200, 140mm, f/4.0, 1/1250 sec

The Northwest Sheepdog Trials were happening today in Scio. Watching the dogs work is fascinating. Each dog had about 10 minutes to herd four sheep through a trial course.

During one of the trials, these renegades escaped their holding pen.

Day 505 - Tinkering

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/25, 10 sec

Just one of the blue daisies in my Sunday bouquet.

BZTraining, the flowers and butterflies are shot with my 100mm macro. It is probably one of my favorite lens. Well worth the money.

Dy 504 - My world in three captions

Welcome to my world.

Set me free, maybe I'll come back.

Bring it!

Day 503- Just another rose

ISO 100, 100mm macro, f/20, 20.0 sec

I have a beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting on the table, roses and gerber daisies.

It is quite stunning, but tonight I plucked a single rose out to play with lighting. The big fundraiser for the college, Moonlight and Roses is rapidly approaching and it is time for me to come up with a design.

Day 502 - Mushroom cloud

ISO 100, 105mm, f/16, 1/320 sec

For many reasons, it has been a long time since I've photographed puffy white clouds. The most obvious is the fact that we've had so damn much rain.

As I was leaving the campus tonight after work, I saw this and thought OMG, a mushroom cloud, or a hover cloud, or a tea kettle...

ISO 100, 90mm, f/16, 1/320 sec

I drove to the other side of the campus and it had changed to this.

Day 501 - My final salute to the theater dept.

ISO 100, 35mm, f/6.3, 1/200 sec

As I was slaving away at the computer this afternoon, a group of students entered my office. Admittedly, I hardly recognized them. They were a few of the cast members from the theater production, sans costume.

They presented me with this beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card signed by everyone thanking me for the photos I took last week.

A beautiful gesture that I appreciate more than they will ever know.

Day 500 - Flight of the Butterfly

 ISO 400, 100mm macro, f/4.0, 1/320 sec

One of my very places to visit is the butterfly exhibit, Wings of Wonder. I don't think anything is a wonderful as butterflies dancing about in a tropical forest setting.

They aren't without challenges when it comes to photography however. The building is about 85° and humid, really humid. The bifocals fog up, the camera lens fogs up and the hot flashes go out of control.

 ISO 400, 100mm macro, f/4.0, 1/160 sec

Once everything has de-fogged, the challenge of depth of focus, focus and shutter speed all heat my brain. These guys land for a split second and are off again. I'm so glad for the digital age, because at least I have a chance of one or two worthy photos.

ISO 400, 100mm macro, f/2.8, 1/80 sec

I suspect I will find one or two more to post during the week.

Day 499 - Just a skinny dog

ISO 200, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/320 sec

Be still my beating heart. My Flocko doggo.

Day 498 - Endings and beginnings

 

The play this term is called "Museum" and rather than putting it on stage in the auditorium, they held it in the Art Gallery.

The audience sat in folded chairs on risers in the hall and outside viewing through the gallery windows.

 

I was ready to shoot, moving in close when the director asked me to move out to where the audience would be sitting. 

My ah-ha moment was OMG, I'm gonna be shooting wide, through a window and the lighting was a crap shoot.

 

They weren't set-up shots, we were running through the entire play backwards.

As I drove home over two hours later, I had to laugh. Last week I shot a wedding in the pouring rain, this week I am shooting through windows.

Yup, I love what I do.

Day 497 - The end of an era

I have mentioned more than once that I work at a community college.

It is no secret, budgets are tough and cuts are happening left and right. Sadly, this year's fatality is the theater program. Since my first year at the college, I have been involved with promoting the theater.

When they asked me to come in and shoot the final production at the end of the play one night, I was more than happy to go back over to the campus at 8:45 pm.

 

 I thought it would take about 30 minutes, we would set up a few shots I'd use my lighting. It would be great.

Hmmmm, the best laid plans of mice and men... For the first time ever, I had to push my ISO to 4000 to capture this scene (and they ran at half speed for me). I was standing outside of a window shooting in.

My brain was cranking the whole time, how on earth was I going to pull this off?

Day 496 - Things found in a barn, part deux

ISO 100, 47mm, f/4.0, 1/20 sec

What is a thing-a-ma-gig?

I'm guessing this must have been a collar for a work horse or maybe a mule? From the writing on the walls, we're pretty sure they had cattle, but I don't think I have ever seen a collar strapped onto a cow.

But then, I'm a city slicker, what do I know?

Day 495 - Things found in a barn

ISO 400, 40mm, f/4.0, 1/40

What is a milk can.

Good grief, I can't seem to shoot the broad side of a barn this week.

Day 494 - Catching the evening rays

ISO 100, 105mm, f/7.1, 1/320 sec

Apple blossoms at sunset.

Day 493 - Liniment

ISO 400, 60mm, f/4.0, 1/25 sec

During our "flip-a-coin" drive today, we came across an old abandoned barn. I kept myself busy finding treasures outside when I discovered Karen had disappeared inside. It took a little while, but I eventually worked up the courage to join her.

It was so worth it. Calenders dating back to the early '70s lined the walls, but I was intrigued by this mostly empty bottle of liniment.

Day 492 - Bleh

ISO 400, 85mm, f1.8, 1/50 sec

Cleaning house on a Saturday sucks.

Day 491 - Finally, a blue heron

ISO 400, 185 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec

A dear friend of mine got married today at the Oregon Garden. She had asked me to shoot their wedding, and though I have little to no experience with weddings (I think I have now attended five in my life) I agreed to do it.

I got up there early and stopped at one of the ponds to take pictures when to my delight, a blue heron flew in for a visit. I stalked him from the opposite bank for quite a awhile before he took off.

The wedding was beautiful and outside in the pouring rain. It was small and everyone gathered underneath the small gazebo. That is everyone but me as I circled the gazebo, shooting up hoping to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom in between all of the guests heads.

Did I add that it was pouring down rain. I was ever so thankful that I just happened to throw my ThinkTank hydrophbia in the car before I left. It saved my camera. I was the only drowned rat present.

Day 490 - Fallen

ISO 200, 200mm, f/3.5, 1/200 sec

Today I had the honor and pleasure of photographing the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony. The ceremony honors the fallen officers from Oregon dating back to the 1880s.

I won't be able to post most of the photos that I took today until after the magazine is published next month, I was however given the green light for the bag pipes band.

I just happened to look back as they were marching away.

Day 489 - Wild pitch

ISO 100, 75mm, f/2.8, 1/4000 sec

I shot one of the women's softball games today. I'm thinking the batter must have fouled the ball because it ain't anywhere near the catcher's mitt.

Day 488 - Red sails at sunset

ISO 100, 125mm, f/10, 1/60 sec

Another from the coast on Saturday. Just makes ya wanna sing doesn't it?

Day 487 -

ISO 400, 105mm, f/4.0, 1/200 sec

I took a quick trip out to the front yard tonight to do a flower inventory. I have to confess, our flowers are on their own. If they grow, it's because they are hardy and find their own food and water.

We had two bright red tulip come up this year.

Day 486 - Golden waves

ISO 100, 70mm, f/29, 1/20 sec

Last night promised to be beautiful at the coast, so as evening neared, we headed for the beach.

It was fabulous.